Every country has a certain heritage of folklore. According to William John Thomas, who is supposed to have coined the term in 1846, folklore includes music as well as customs, clothing, stories, proverbs, jokes and the like. In the United States, this folklore is primarily based on what European immigrants brought to their new residence. The influence of Scottish and Irish folk, for example, is still palpable, despite the fact that folk music in America has developed an idiosyncratic sound.
Tibbe and Bonson remark that the different genres of music are always connected to a specific social group and thus have a meaning that influences the perspective on society and politics significantly. The social role and category of folk music are explained as follows:
Eine … Eigenschaft der Volksmusik ist diejenige, daß sie keineswegs die Musik der gesamten Bevölkerung ist, sondern die der unteren, beherrschten Schichten. … Auch im Hinblick auf diese Eigenschaft wird deutlich, wie sehr die Volksmusik mit der jeweiligen geschichtlichen Situation zusammenhängt: Während der relativ ruhigen Zeit des frühen Feudalismus war sie anders als zu [sic] Zeit der Bauernkriege oder gar in der Zeit des revolutionierenden Proletariats. Träger der Volksmusik sind also im Laufe der Geschichte u. a. Sklaven, Leibeigene, Bauern, Handwerker, Soldaten, Arbeiter.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. FROM THE GREAT DEPRESSION TO THE SECOND WORLD WAR
2.1 THE DEPRESSION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES: WORKERS’ MUSIC
2.2 WOODY GUTHRIE AND PETE SEEGER FOR THE PEOPLE
2.2.1 “This Land Was Made for You and Me”: Guthrie’s Political Songwriting and Legacy
2.2.2 America’s “Tuning Fork”: Seeger and the Use of Folk Music as a Political Instrument
2.2.3 The Almanac Singers
3. THE FOLK REVIVAL IN ITS FULL SCOPE: FROM THE POST-WAR PERIOD TO WOODSTOCK
3.1 FOLK MUSIC AT THE BREAK OF DAWN OF THE COLD WAR
3.2 THE SIXTIES TAKE SHAPE: POLITICAL MOTION IN SOCIETY AND FOLK MUSIC
3.2.1 “We Are Not Afraid”: Blacks and Whites Moving for Civil Rights
3.2.2 Folk Music and the Peace Movement in Songs
3.2.3 Bob Dylan
4. FROM WOODSTOCK TO THE PRESENT: LOSING AND REDISCOVERING POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT
4.1 RIGHTEOUS BABE ANI DIFRANCO
4.2 “THE DAY THAT AMERICA FELL TO ITS KNEES”: FOLK MUSIC IN RESPONSE TO 9/11
5. CONCLUSION
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the critical role of US-American folk music as a vehicle for political and social expression, tracing its evolution from the Great Depression through the post-9/11 era. The research aims to explore the deep-seated correlation between protest movements and musical output, analyzing how songwriters have utilized folk music to both influence political developments and respond to contemporary social grievances.
- The historical development of politically engaged folk music in the 20th century.
- The influence of iconic figures like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger on activist songwriting.
- The transition of folk music from a tool of labor movements to its role in the civil rights and anti-war movements.
- The adaptation of folk music's political tradition in the contemporary era, specifically following the 9/11 attacks.
Excerpt from the Book
2. From the Great Depression to the Second World War
The Great Depression with its immediate effects on economical, political and social circumstances of the American people also left a significant mark on folk music. Written or rewritten songs dealt as an important instrument in strengthening the people’s will to survive, to fight for better living conditions and to have their say in social and political matters. In order to become such an instrument, a folk song had to have at least one characteristic: easy imitation. Maurice Sugar, a lawyer from Detroit, is supposed to have created the “Soup Song” in 1931, which fulfilled this attribute. He used the common method of arraying a popular and well-known melody with a new set of words: the tune of “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” frames cynical lyrics about food shortage and how the government attends – or rather does not attend – its duty to guarantee that the people are able to provide for themselves properly, which is hinted at in the first stanza:
I’m spending my nights at the flophouse, I’m spending my days on the street, I’m looking for work and I find none. I wish I had something to eat. Chorus: Soup, soup, they give me a bowl of soup. Soup, soup, they give me a bowl of soup.
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Defines the scope of folklore and introduces the central thesis regarding folk music's role as a cohesive force for political and social criticism in the United States.
2. FROM THE GREAT DEPRESSION TO THE SECOND WORLD WAR: Analyzes the emergence of workers' protest songs during the 1930s and highlights the foundational political activism of figures like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.
3. THE FOLK REVIVAL IN ITS FULL SCOPE: FROM THE POST-WAR PERIOD TO WOODSTOCK: Examines the evolution of folk music into a tool for the civil rights and anti-war movements, while tracing the career of Bob Dylan and the commercial shifts of the era.
4. FROM WOODSTOCK TO THE PRESENT: LOSING AND REDISCOVERING POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT: Discusses the decline of explicit political folk music after the 1960s and its resurgence and reinterpretation by contemporary artists like Ani DiFranco in a post-9/11 context.
5. CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the findings, reaffirming that despite technological shifts in music consumption, the core function of folk music remains its service as a mouthpiece for the common people.
Keywords
Folk music, US-American history, protest songs, political engagement, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Ani DiFranco, Great Depression, Civil Rights Movement, Anti-war movement, folk revival, 9/11 response, labor movement, social criticism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this academic work?
The work focuses on the intersection of American folk music and political activism, illustrating how music has served as a critical tool for social change from the 1930s to the present.
What are the primary thematic fields addressed?
Central themes include the relationship between folk music and social justice, the historical role of protest songs in labor and civil rights struggles, and the impact of national crises on political songwriting.
What is the central research question?
The paper explores how musicians have used folk music to influence political developments and, conversely, how specific historical events have shaped the content and activism of folk artists.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The paper employs a qualitative, selective research approach, focusing on significant historical periods, key songwriters, and essential protest songs to draw conclusions about the political legacy of American folk music.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main sections cover the labor-oriented songs of the Great Depression, the folk revival of the post-war period, the influence of 1960s movements, and the modern reinterpretation of political folk music following 9/11.
How can this study be characterized by keywords?
The study is characterized by keywords such as folk music, social criticism, political activism, labor movements, and the history of protest songs in the United States.
How did the 9/11 attacks change the tone of political folk music?
According to the author, the attacks on the World Trade Center led to a "fiercer voice" in folk music, with many artists becoming more explicit in their criticism of the Bush administration and the subsequent national and international political situation.
How does the role of artists like Ani DiFranco reflect a change in the folk tradition?
Ani DiFranco is presented as a modern example who maintains the traditional political spirit of folk by remaining independent from major labels, thus ensuring her ability to remain uncompromised while challenging the existing political system.
- Quote paper
- Cornelia Richter (Author), 2008, US-American folk music and its political stances from the great depression to the present, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/114776
