For this assignment, you must choose and analyze four to six songs from the Vietnam War era (most often these take the form of protest songs). I have attached a list of suggestions, but you are free to choose them on your own as long as they are from the time period we've been dealing with. Type an analysis for each song, at least a detailed paragraph in length, that addresses the following:1. Listen to the song (duh) and analyze the lyrics. What can you gather about the artist's perspective through this song? In other words, how does he or she feel about the war, American culture, politics, etc.? How do those views come through in the music? What is the overal message of the song? Quote the lyrics to back up your thoughts.
2. Research any references or allusions to names, places, or events. Note the social/historical context and explain. (Also, please note the date the song was released/recorded, and give a little background info about the artist(s).)
3. Connections to The Things They Carried - Describe any similarities you see to any stories in the book - does the song reflect any similar themes, sentiment, or attitudes about war or American culture? What are these similarites? Please include textual evidence to back up your explanations!
Because this assignment was posted late (my bad), this will due VIA POST no later than Thursday, Dec. 18. This assignment will be worth 30 points, and must be completed in full to recieve credit. Please email me if you have any questions. Have a great weekend and enjoy the snow!
Recommended Song List (feel free to choose songs that aren't listed here, these are just some suggestions):
"For What It's Worth" - Buffalo Springfield
"Fortunate Son" - Creedence Clearwater Revival
"Bring 'Em Home" - Pete Seeger
"The Times They are a Changin," "Masters of War," and "Blowin in the Wind" - Bob Dylan
"What's Goin On" - Marvin Gaye
"Ohio" - Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young
"Draft Dodger Rag" - Phil Ochs
"War" - Edwin Starr
"Vietnam Song" - Country Joe and the Fish
"Give Peace a Chance" - John Lennon
"Where Have all the Flowers Gone?" - Peter, Paul, and Mary
"A Change is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke
"Peace Train" - Cat Stevens
"Minister of War", "Saigon Bride" - Joan Baez
3 comments:
"For What It's Worth" - Buffalo Springfield
The artist of the song feels that people in society need to think about what their doing before they act. “Stop, children, what's that sound? Everybody look what's going down." He says this through out the song and he is trying to get people to stop being violent in there protests against the war. The historical reference in the song is when people do their protests down the street there are men with guns who could be the police. Such as when people protested in LA. The similarities between the book and the song are that people didn’t like the war.
"Fortunate Son" - Creedence Clearwater Revival
I feel that the artist is trying to say that he doesn’t like the war. I think he is trying to say that people who are close to the president will be treated better than people who are drafted and protested the war. Example first stanza of the song.
Some folks are born made to wave the flag,
Ooh, theyre red, white and blue.
And when the band plays hail to the chief,
Ooh, they point the cannon at you, lord,
Message of the song is that people who follow the president are spoiled and get what ever they want. His references are that he doesn’t like how Nixon leads the country and he should be out of office. The similarities between the song and the book are that the author’s of each were drafted into the war and didn’t like being drafted.
"Bring 'Em Home" - Pete Seeger
The artist obviously opposes the war if the title is bring em home. So he doesn’t like the war in Vietnam and feels there is no point in the war. "Bring 'Em Home" is the main lyric in the song. The song is similar to all the soldiers feelings in the in the war. Tim always wanted to go home. This song was used by protesters to get there point out.
the times they are a changin bob Dylan
Bob Dylan’s feelings in this song is showing the change in youth culture. This was a big influence on the young people of society. The Times They Are A Changin' this quote shows that people were changing and that people didn’t know it was. This was a song that started the hippie movement. I don’t think this has any similarities with the book because he was trying to help the rights movement.
Masters of War Bob Dylan
He feels that the war in Vietnam was a war we shouldn’t have been in. he says this in this stanza
You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly
This shows that he thinks the government is sending troops over to just let them die. This war was fought by young adults. This is similar to the book by that many of the men didn’t want to be over there.
Blowin in the Wind" - Bob Dylan
He feels that we are fighting a war that the answer is Blowin in the Wind". He means that it is time to pick a new leader one that does not need war to solve his problems. The social issues during this times were that the young people were apposing the war.
how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free ?
This quote shows that he thinks people should have a choice in if they want to go to war instead of being drafted. The similarities are that the soldiers didn’t have a choice in going to war.
modern lit ed buban
1. blowing in the wind- this is one of the protest songs in the sixties that was about the war, and how much destruction and chaous there was in this time. it relates to the story bye the same effect of how everything is going to crap.
2. brin em home-When Pete Seeger originally wrote this song, he was singing for the soldiers in Vietnam ("If you love your Uncle Sam, bring em home. Bring em home...") Lately, however, Seeger and others have resurrected the tune as a tribute to the soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. This version was reprised by rock icon Bruce Springsteen in his tribute to Seeger in 2006. this has everything to do with the book because its about every sample of it.
3. give peace a chance- john lennon wrote a song about how there needs to be peace among us. this to me has nothing to do with the book.
4. draft dodger rag- this is about how so many people are drafted into the vietnam war. and explain a broad part of the book because thats how tim o brien was sent to the war.
5. war- edwin star was the sonwriter for this and it was just another oeace song about how thats how its needs to be. once again doesnt really relate to the book.
6. The song sings about being part of an escalation of troops, fighting a neverending war, using force to proliferate peacelyndon johnson told the nation this is about peace but also bloody war. has everything to do with the book.
Michael Daniel
What's Goin On" - Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye is felling that the government needs to stop and listen to the protests instead of putting them down with police brutality.
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me
So you can see
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Tell me what's going on
I'll tell you what's going on - Uh
Right on baby
Right on baby
This stanza is showing that in history we need to communicate to each other instead of destroying each other. This is related to the book by that one guy’s girl friend comes to Vietnam and embraces the Vietnam culture.
"Ohio" - Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young
The authors of this song feel that the young culture is not getting a chance to flourish and is being killed for being them selves. The song is about a protest that resulted in four students being killed at an Ohio school.
Tin soldiers and Nixon's comin'.
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drummin'.
Four dead in Ohio.
This shows how the people felt during this time with all their protests being stopped.
This is related to the book by that many of the soldiers felt that they were the Tin soldiers and doing the dirty work.
"Draft Dodger Rag" - Phil Ochs
The artist is saying that everyone was trying to get out of being drafted. They would say any excuse to get out.
I'm only eighteen, I got a ruptured spleen
And I always carry a purse
I got eyes like a bat, and my feet are flat, and my asthma's getting worse
Yes, think of my career, my sweetheart dear, and my poor old invalid aunt
Besides, I ain't no fool, I'm a-goin' to school
And I'm working in a DEE-fense plant
This is the typical excuse that a soldier to be would give. Many of these I assume didn’t work, but every one tried something to not go. This was during the young culture change. It is close to the book by Tim didn’t give excuses but ran away as his excuse in a way.
"War" - Edwin Starr
This artist is obviously a anti war protester. He feels that war is absolutely worth nothing.
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Uh-huh
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again, y'all
This was a very powerful anti war protest. Many people after this song ripped up their draft cards especially black people. This is similar to the book by that many people disliked the war.
"Vietnam Song" - Country Joe and the Fish
This guy is a crazy one and is a anti war person. He feels that the government is trying to get us to Vietnam and let us die. This is historical by he sang this song at the Washington monument.
And it's one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam.
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why
Whoopee! we're all gonna die.
This part shows the common American during this time when they didn’t know what to do or who they were fighting. This is similar to the book as that they didn’t know why they were fighting but they just killed VC to stay alive.
"Give Peace a Chance" - John Lennon
John lennon is saying that peace is a good thing and that anything else is not important. "Give Peace a Chance" this line shows how people wanted the world to be. They just wanted is for the soldiers to come home. This is similar to the book by that many of the soldiers would have gave peace a chance if the VC would also.
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