CriticalReactionstoSources

TypeofSource:
Documentary
Title:
LETFREEDOMSING
Author:
DirectedandwrittenbyJonGoodman

Summary:
Thisdocumentaryisdemonstratinghowmusicinfluencedthecivilrights
movementandviseversa.Themusicfirststartedinthechurchbecausethatswhere
peoplewenttofindhope.Blackpeoplebeingsuppressedwouldturntotheirfaithfor
hopeandoutofgospelmusicoriginatedthemusicoffreedom.Asthemusicbranched
outfromthechurch,everyone,includingwhitepeople,turnedtomusicasawayto
expresstheirdesireforequalityandchange.Thequestioniswhetherthemovement
inspiredthemusicorwhetherthemusicinspiredthemovement.

CriticalAnalysis:
Myinitialemotionalreactionisofextremeprideforthepeoplewhoparticipatedin
thecivilrightsmovement.Thesepeople,bothblackandwhite,continuedtobeknocked
downandhurtinwaysbothphysicalandemotional,andtheycontinuedtogetbackup
andfight.Thewayinwhichthesepeoplewereabletopersevereandcontinuetobe
motivatedwasthroughmusicanditspowertocommunicate.Musicisthedeepestand
mosthonestformofexpressionandcanbeusedtobringpeopletogetherevenwhen
everythingelsehasbeentakenfromthem.Tomakemusic,thereisnoneedfor
instrumentsorcomputersorsoundengineeringsoftware.Theonlythingnecessaryto
makemusicisyourvoice,whichcanneverbetakenfromyou.Whetherthepeople
protestingracialdiscriminationwereinthestreets,intheirhomes,orinjail,theyalways
hadtheirvoices.Inthemovie,MarvinGayeisquotedsayingthatmusicisanger,
energy,andartisticpointofview.Youcantgetridofmusic,itstooreal.Thisisthe
reasonthatmusiccanbesuchapowerfultoolforchangebecauseitcannotbe
suppressedbyanyone.
Recognizingthepowerandinfluencethatmusiccanhaveonasocietymakes
meseriouslyquestionthemusicoftoday.Howcanmusicbeappliedtodaytomake
improvementstooursociety?Themusichavingthemostinfluenceisthemusicbeing
playedovertheradioandIwonderhowthatmusicisshapingusrightnow.Suppose
thattheartistsoftodayhavenoideawhatapowerfultooltheyhold.Dotheyconsider
theimpactoftheirlyricsandthemessagebeingcommunicated?Whatisthemessage
beingcommunicated?Coulditbethatwhenwelookcloselyatthesemessages,wesee
thatpopularmusicissendingusdownhill?

Inmyeverydaylife,Iseemyfriendsandothersaroundmeactingacertainway
inordertoconformtolyrics.Aperfectexampleofthisistheconsumptionofmarijuana.
Alotofpopularmusic,specificallyrap,discussesthepleasureandentertainmentof
smokingweed.Acceptingthatasasociety,welookuptofamousandrecognized
people,werelatesmokingadangerousamountofpottosuccess.OnecritiqueIhadof
thissourcewasthatwhileitwasverybalancedinincorporatingtheperspectivesofboth
blackandwhitepeoplefightingforcivilrightsitdidnotincludetheperspectivesofany
folkswhowereopposedtothechange.

Typeofsource:
Bookchaptersecondary
Title:
TalkinBoutRevolution,Ch.3,Rap
Author:
DickWeissman

Summary
Thisreadinghelpedmetogainamorefullunderstandingofhowrapmusic
evolvedfromitsbirthuntilnow.Thewritertalkedabouthowsomeofthefirstrapsongs
wereveryupbeat,danceable,andfriendly.Sinceitstarted,raphasbeenviewedasa
waytoinformtheworldofinnercityconditionsbutmanypeoplewereoutragedbyits
explicitcontentandviolence.Asrapmusicbecamemorewidespreadandstartedtobe
recordedandplayedontheradio,itbecamemoreandmorepolitical.

Criticalanalysis
Afterreadingthechapter,IwatchedafewYouTubevideosoftheartists
mentionedsuchasN.W.AandGrandmasterFlash.Myemotionalreactiontothevideos
wasofsympathyfortheseblackartists.Itisveryclearintheirvideosandtheirsongs
thattheirobjectiveistoexpresstheiroppressionbywhitepeople,especiallypolice.I
alsosawthefearthattheyfaceineverydaylife.InthemusicvideoItWasaGoodDay
byIceCube,hetalksabouthowoneday,hedidnthavetousehisAKandhedidntget
pulledoverbyanycops.Althoughparentsmaygetupsetbythemessagesportrayedby
rapmusic,thetruthis,theseartistsspeaktheirtruthaboutlifeandjustlikeanyother
artist,theirmusicissimplyanexpressionoftheirreality.
OneclaimthattheauthormakesinthischapterthatIdontagreewithisthat
manygangsterraprecordsarereallypornographicefforts.Theobjectiveof
pornographyistosexuallyarousetheaudienceandIdontbelievethatanyraprecords
intendtodirectlydothat.Itistruethatmanyrapsongsportraysexscenesordiscuss
sexualactivitybutitisdoneforthepurposesofhumororaudienceattraction.Themain
issuewithsexualportrayalinmusicisitsinfluenceonchildren.Adultsandeven
teenagerstoanextentareabletomoderatethelegitimacyandsincerityofvulgarlyrics,
howeveryoungerchildrencannot.Manychildrenlistentotheradioastheirfirstintakeof

music,beforetheycanuseiTunesorfindtheirtasteonSpotify.Hearinglyricsabout
sex,drugs,andlivingthefastlifeiscertainlynothealthyfortheyoungmind.Seeinga
cleartimelineofhowraphasdevelopedfromitsbirthmakesmewonderabouthowrap
willchangeoverthenext10yearsforexample.Recently,manywhiterappershave
beenemergingandbecomingextremelypopular.Iamcurioustoseeifinyearsto
come,rapmusicwillbecomemoreraciallybalancedbetweenblacks,whites,latinos,
andotherracesresidingwithintheUS.Gangsterrapactuallybecameapoliticalforce
asitwasspreadthroughoutthecountry.Inthebook,theauthorwrites,Asthepolitical
messagesespousedbyN.W.A.escalatedintoshrillifaccuratecritiquesofthepolice,
gangsterrapemergedasadominantforce.(113).
Onpage114,theauthordiscusseshowintheearlydaysorgangsterrap,there
weremovementstoregulatethecontentofrecordsbeingrecorded.Iaminterestedto
researchhowtheseparentsideasevolvedintothewarningsonalbumcoversthatsay
PARENTALADVISORYEXPLICITCONTENT.

Typeofsource:
SongPrimary
Title:
TheTimesTheyAreAChangin
Author:
BobDylan

Summary
Thissongwaswrittenin1963byBobDylan,awhitesingersongwriter,
advocatingforachangeinracismandsegregation.Dylanwasanextremelyinfluential
artistinthe60sandmadehismarkinfolkmusic,rock&roll,andcountryrockamong
othergenres.
Emotionalreactions
Myprimaryemotionalreactiontothissongisofempathyforthepeoplewhotried
tobringournationtogether.Inthefirststanzaofthesong,BobDylanspeaksaboutthe
people,bothfarandnear,needingtorealizethatchangeiscoming.Hesays
Andacceptitthatsoon
Youllbedrenchedtothebone
Ifyourtimetoyouisworthsavin

Thenyoubetterstartswimminoryoullsinklikeastone.
Thislineisamessagetoallofthepeopleoppressingblacksandencouraging
segregationtellingthemthatiftheydontacceptthechange,theywillnotsurvive.Sure
enough,aswesawthroughoutthecivilrightsmovement,opposerslostthebattle.
Music,beingoneofthedeepestformsofexpression,isaconnectiontothetruth.
Onecanimaginethatthereisahigherpower,whateveritmaybe,thatknowsthetruth
aboutwhatisrightandwhatiswrongineverydecisionevermade.Whenthosetruths
aboutrightandwrongdescendtohumansandareexpressedthroughmusic,theright
decisionismade.Whenpeoplereachanemotionalplaceinwhichtheycreatemusic,
thereforetranscendingtoahigherstate,theproductisoneoftruthspeaking.Inthe
caseofthecivilrightsmovement,musicthatportrayedthetruthandtherightthingtodo
wasabletoinfluencesomanypeoplethateventually,achangeforthebetterwas
made.
Ithasbeenproventimeandtimeagainthatslowandsteadywinstherace,but
surprisingly,mostpeoplepaythissayingnoheed.Inmillionsofsongs,millionsof
books,andinaninfinitenumberofstories,thelosereventuallywins.Takeforexample
therapperEminem.Hewasascrawnywhitekid,livinginhorribleneighborhoods,
alwaysmovingfrombadschooltobadschool,andconstantlybeingbullied.Hewas
alwaystoldthathecouldntdoit,couldneverbearealrapper,andnotevenhismother
believedinhisdream.Hewasaloserbutasthepeoplewinningburnedout,gotkilled,
andlosttheirskills,hepersevered.Oneperson,DrDre,noticedhistalentandrecorded
hismusic.Eminemnowlivesina15thousandsquarefoothouseandhasofficiallywon
therace.ThisalltiesbacktoBobDylanssongsaying
Andtheresnotellinwhothatitsnamin
Forthelosernowwillbelatertowin
Forthetimestheyareachangin.
Oneinterestingthingaboutthissongthatonemightnotnoticeuponfirstlistenis
theoddtimesignatureinwhichitswritten.AsTonyAttwoodsaidinhisreviewofthe
songonthewebsiteUntoldDylan,
Youcanhearthistimesignaturebylisteningtothe
guitarasheplays1,2,31,2,3overandoveragain,withthe1beingthebassnoteof
thechord,and2,3beingthechorditself.Thisprocessallowsamultiplicityofwordsto
getanaccentbecausetherearefouraccentedwordsonsyllablesineachbar,rather
thanone,aswegetin4/4(fourbeatsinabar).
Forover200years,blackpeopleintheUnitedStateshavebeenthelosersandslowly,
veryslowly,theyarebeginningtowin.Therewasatimeinwhichnotonesingleblack
personlivinginAmericawasnotaslave.Finally,afterafewhundredyears,Oprahis
oneoftherichestpeopleintheworld,manyblackmusiciansarefindingsuccess,and
thepresidentoftheUnitedStatesofAmericaishalfblack.However,thesesocalled
successesmayactuallybemaskingthefactthattheCivilRightsmovementisnotover.

Everyday,westillseeracialoppressioninemployment,policebrutality,and
imprisonmentinequality.

Typeofsource:
SongPrimary
Title:
ExpressYourself/DopeMan
Author:
NWA
TherapgroupNWAisthebestexampleofcreatingsocialchangebyvoicingthe
opinionsoftheoppressedblackcommunityaftertheCivilRightsMovement.Thisiconic
groupexpressedthefeelingsofracisminawaythatnoonehadeverbefore.Songs
aboutoppressionduringthecivilrightsmovementwereabouthope,freedom,equality,
andlookingtowardsabetterfuture.Althoughmanysongswerehopeful,manyartists
alsosentamessageofpain,frustration,anger,andhatredtowardsthepeoplewho
werestillnotacceptingthecoloroftheirskin.
TheFirstAmendmentofourConstitutiongiveseveryonefreedomofspeech.Musicis
onlyaformofspeechandthefactthatpeoplearebeingattackedforthethingstheysay
intheirsongsisappalling.DrDresaysinthefirstlineofExpressYourselfthat,
"I'm
expressin'withmyfullcapabilities/andnowI'mlivingincorrectionalfacilities."
Thisline
alonedemonstratesnotonlytheoppressionoftheartbutalsothepunishmentfor
simplyexpressingonesfeelings.ThemembersofNWAweregivenanFBIthreatand
manypolicewarningsaboutthecontentoftheirsongs.Afterbeingarrested,criticized,
andhatedfortheirmusicbythewhitecommunity,theirmusichasnowinspired
hundredsofblackandwhitemusicianstofullyexpressthemselves.
AfterlookingatNWAanditseffectsonpeoplenationwide,Ihaverealizedthatchange
throughmusicisaverydirectuseofJohnStuartMillsphilosophyofUtilitarianism.J.S
Millbelievedthattherightdecisionisonethatcreatesgreatergrowthandhappinessin
thelongterm.WhenNWAstartedreleasingmusic,themajorityofpeoplewereunhappy
withit.However,itisclearthatbyraisingawarenessaboutracialpolicebrutalityand
expressingthehardshipsofbeingblack,ithascreatedpositivechange.
AnotheroneoftheirsongsthatencouragespositivechangeisDopeman.Inthissong,
theydiscouragedealingandusingdrugsbyemphasizingthenegativeeffectsthatmany
druginvolvedpeoplemaynotrecognize.Thefirstversedescribesasceneinwhicha
guywantsanotherhitandthedrugdealergivesittohimonlywhenhisgirlfriendgives
himoralsex.Thepointofthesongisthatthedrugcultureencouragesviolenceand
moneyabusewhenitcomestowomen.Theproblemwithsongslikethisisthateven
thoughtheartistmaybetryingtodiscouragebadbehavior,ifapersondoesntlistento
thelyricsfullyoranalyzethewordsbeingspoken,thewrongmessageiseasily
understood.


TypeofSource:
SecondaryBookChapter
Title:
TheMusicofHate
Author:
DickWeissman
Aformofmusicwhichmostpeoplechoosetoignoreandhasbeensortofhiddenis
hatemusic.Thistypeofmusiciswrittendirectlytomakefunofandsuppressagroupor
communityofpeople.Mostofthismusicwaswrittenbywhitepeoplefromthesouth
encouraginghatredandsegregationtowardsblackpeople.Manyofthesesongswere
promotingtheKluKluxKlanorsimplyusingextremelydisrespectfullanguagetohateon
coloredculture.
Myemotionalreactiontothischapterisoneofhatredtowardsthepeoplewhowrote
thesesongs.Thepurethoughtofpeopleusinganytypeofartasaformofsuppression
isdisgustingtome.Oneideathatthisreadingbroughtaboutisthatthepeoplewho
wrotethesesongswereextremelyclosedminded.Itmakesmewonderaboutwhatkind
ofideasthesetypesofpeoplearepromotingtoday.Ihavenothingagainstpeople
havingtheirownbeliefsandhavingtheirownopinionsbutitseemstomethatpeople
whoareclosedmindedareusuallywrong.Thismusicofhateisaperfectexampleof
thisasinthelongrun,oursocietyhas,forthemostpart,decidedthatdiscriminationis
notmorallyjustifiable.Anotherquestionthatthischapterbringsaboutformeiswhat
kindofmusicdidtheNazismake?ThischaptermentionsthatNazihatemusicdoes
existbutthespecificsarenotdiscussed.Iamveryinterestedinresearchingthissubject
andgaininganunderstandingofyetanothermusicalgenre.
Inresponsetomyresearchquestionabouthowmusicisaffectingourculturetoday,I
amcuriousastowhatkindsofhatemusicarebeingrecordedandpublished.AlthoughI
havenotpersonallyseenanyofthiskindofmusiconthetopcharts,Iamsurethatit
doesexistandcontinuestodisrespectalldifferentgroupsofpeople.Onelineofthis
chapterthatIthinkexemplifiesmyperspectiveisaboutResistanceRecords.Itsays,
thesongsarevariouslyantiSemitic,homophobic,antiAfricanAmerican,and
antiLatino.Thislinecouldrepresentabiasoftheauthorfavoringnonwhitepeoplebut
itstillmakesmethinkaboutwhatwhitepeopleareabout.Whyisitthatallofthehatred
seemstobebywhitepeople,towardsallkindsofpeopleofdifferentcultures.Ithinkthat
mostofthetime,latinos,blackpeople,andgaypeoplehaveabsolutelynothingagainst
whitepeoplebesidesthefactthatwhitepeoplekeepoppressingthemfornoreason.