Early 60s – Protest and Deeper Sensitivity
First, a backtrack to the 60s to talk a bit about a couple of songs that really epitomized both the times and the new-founded spiritual role that pop music was projecting.
- Blowin’ In The Wind - Bob Dylan
- Get Together - Youngbloods
- Eve Of Destruction- Barry McGuire
From the cheery love one another pleas in “Get Together” to the dark and apocalyptic words in “Eve of Destruction,” a seed was sown: Pop music now became a vehicle for social awareness, self-examination and even collective political motivation.
Blowin’ In The Wind - Bob Dylan
Blowin' in the Wind has been described as an anthem of the 1960s civil rights movement. In 1994, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2004, it was ranked number 14 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time”. Peter, Paul and Mary's wonderful version is a recording almost every American has heard and knows - it was such an identifiable part of growing up. YouTube - Synched Lyrics
Get Together - Youngbloods
Lovey Dovey hippie fluff from the 60’s? No this has turned out to be another classic... YouTube - Synced Lyrics
Eve Of Destruction - Barry McGuire
Written around the time of the Kennedy assassination, this powerful song from the 60s sadly still has poignant meaning today. Although the refrain "we're on the eve of destruction" always conjured up images of a nuclear holocaust, the lyric lists a wide spectrum of issues... YouTube - B&W War Video