Musical influence - Obladi meme

This weeks Obladi meme is about how music affected our generation. Do you think music influenced our feelings about the times or did the events influence the music? And what were some of the songs and singers that had the biggest impact on you or that you still enjoy today?

I think it might have been both of the answers. The songs reflected the mood and the passion of the times while at the same time the events gave birth to a lot of the songs. But the music and the words gave passion to the movements and I think that’s what draws me most to the 60’s and 70’s. We were passionate! Regardless of what side we were on we drew lines and marched and protested and made our voices heard. We were the young generation then and we were determined to make a difference. I don’t see that in today’s youth. I see a lot of selfish, spoiled, self centered children who care only about how the next minute effects them and not how anything affects the world as a whole. We cared and our songs gave voice to our feelings… like…

And it’s 1 2 3 what are we fighting for?
Don’t ask me I don’t give a damn!
Next stop is Viet Nam
And it’s 5 6 7 so open up them pearly gate
There aint no time to wonder why
Whoopee!
We’re all gonna die

And then more gentle songs but still with a powerful message

Blowing In the Wind – the answer my friend is blowing

Or Boy Dylan’s Rainy Day Women that reflected the drug movements of the times, yep, according to Bob Everybody must get stoned!

We carried our songs to the streets, to the coffee shops, to the city parks where we sat and sang and played guitars and tried to live for today because tomorrow you will die. We really believed our time was limited because our government was determined to kill all the young people in the Viet Nam war. Now it’s Iraq and Afghanistan but where are the songs protesting the wars? Where is the youth of today speaking out? They’re in Ipods, and cell phones, and texting LOL and BFF instead of taking a look at the world around them.

Yes, the music definitely helped form opinions and feelings and also informed us of events that may have gone unnoticed. The songs were our messengers.

We were the generation of sex, drugs and rock and roll and yet we were so innocent and so naïve. We really believed we could change the world and damn it! We tried. But when I look at the corruption in the government today and that regardless of promises made on the campaign trails all politicians are liars, cheats, and could care less about America and its people, but only what benefits them. Nothing has changed. We tried. And maybe for a moment…maybe for that moment in time we did make a difference. We certainly got people to notice us and hear our voices. Maybe if today’s youth were as involved as we were…well, maybe they could make a difference, too. But they will never have the passion and the depth of understanding we had then.

To list all the musicians and songs that influenced me during those years would take another two pages, at least! Some were Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Tom Waits, Pete Seger, Simon and Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell, Arlo Guthrie, Janis Joplin, Janis Ian, and the list goes on. Each brought their own special personality and message and we listened.

We had Greenwich Village, Hait Ashbury, and Woodstock! We were one of the most eclectic, passionate, and politically active generation and I doubt there will ever be another generation to compare.