Major issues included a growing disillusionment of government ideology, advances in civil rights, increased influence of the women's movement, and a heightened concern for the environment. Many of the "radical" ideas of the 1960's gained wider acceptance in the 1970's , and were mainstreamed into American life and culture and were reflected in the music.
1960's Fashion-Shagadelic!
From clothing styles to protesting for a cause, music was a driving force.
The Civil Rights movement and the escalating war in Vietnam were the two great catalysts for social protest in the 1960's and 1970's . Many songs and musicians work focused on the war and civil rights in the United States during this turbulent time.
Peace Sign
Peace Sign Courtesy of Dave's Worlds Largest Peace Sign Collection
60's & 70's Protest Songs
Click on the song to read the lyrics
'Abraham, Martin and John'
Dion DiMucci
'Blowin' In the Wind'
Bob Dylan
'Eve Of Destruction'
Barry McGuire
'Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die Rag' Country Joe and the Fish
'Where Have All The Flowers Gone' The Kingston Trio
'For What It's Worth' Buffalo Springfield
Fortunate Son Creedence Clearwater Revival
'If I Had A Hammer' Peter, Paul and Mary
'Rainy Day Women #12 & 35' Bob Dylan
'Subterranean Homesick Blues' Bob Dylan
'The Times They Are A-Changin' Bob Dylan
'Universal Soldier' Donovan
Give Peace a Chance John Lennon
Ball Of Confusion The Temptations
OHIO Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Get Together Youngbloods
Imagine John Lennon
Mercy, Mercy Me Marvin Gaye
What's Going On Marvin Gaye
Inner City Blues Marvin Gaye
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised Gil Scott-Heron
People Get Ready Curtis Mayfield
'War' Mr. Edwin Starr / Agent Double-O Soul
On May 26, 1969 John Lennon and Yoko Ono held a very unique protest-in bed. During their week-long bed-in at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, the former Beatle and his wife recorded their anthem Give Peace a Chance. "We're here as a protest against violence," Lennon said.
"If we say peace often enough, if I, John Lennon, say peace, it's going to make all those people who love me say peace. Now think about it. At least, they're going to think about it which is the most anybody can count on, " On December 8,1980 John Lennon was shot and killed by obsessed loner Mark Chapman.
George Harrison
In 1970 George Harrison organized the Concert for Bangladesh to raise funds for UNICEF's relief efforts to aid war victims in Bangladesh. -- the first, and perhaps the greatest, concert-for-a-cause that rock 'n' rollers ever staged. It was staged at Madison Square Garden, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton,Billy Preston, Leon Russell and Ringo Starr, among others played . Unofficially, it was the first rock for benefit concert.
On August 1, 1981 at the stroke of midnight on, MTV launched - devoting an entire cable network to a merger of music and video. The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star" took honors for being the first video aired.
In the mid-1980's rock musicians tried to use their power for the greater good of all mankind. Through Band-Aid, U.S.A. For Africa, Live Aid, Farm Aid, Hear 'n' Aid, Artists Against Apartheid, and Amnesty International, musicians called out to their followers to make the world a better place.
http://www.farmaid.org/event/ Live Aid, like Band Aid before it, was held to raise money for victims of the famine in Ethiopia. Michael Buerk's BBC documentary in October 1984 brought home the true horror of the situation to people in the UK, and shortly thereafter Bob Geldof brought about the recording of the Band Aid single.
LIVE AID Program
Several other countries and organizations followed suit (the best-known being USA for Africa with "We Are The World"), until in early 1985 the idea of a concert to raise money for the cause was suggested. Eventually the concert mushroomed into sixteen hours of music from around the world, featuring many of the biggest stars of the time.
At the last estimate, it had raised over $100 million. It was broadcast live by MTV on July 13, 1985.
LIVE AID Philadelphia