Pop Culture
Pop Culture
In this course we consider how American and Japanese pop cultures treat common human themes, such as love and romance, social alienation, war and peace, law, power, gender roles, employment, and many others in popular forms of expression, such as comic books, pop songs, movies, and television. I guess one definition of "pop culture" would be the values implicit in products designed to be popular enough to sell and make money, things like songs, comic books, movies, cartoons, etc. So, that's where we're looking.
American Comic Books
LOVE
"My Dangerous Romance" A story from the comic book I Loved published in 1949.
"Too Fat to Frug," A story from the comic book Love Diary published in 1967.
SUPERHEROES
English Languge Pop Songs
Commentary
List of Pop/Rock Tunes by year
Video of 60s Music in American Culture: A quick run through the decade that re-defined America. (And pissed off a lot of people who now try very hard to change it all back...)
List of the Ten Best Classic Rock songs (according to one YouTube contributor) (19 MB WMV file)
Songs (lyrics and music) (mostly but certainly not exclusively American...
LOVE
Why Do Fools Fall in Love (Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, 1956)
This song spent 3 weeks at #1 in 1956. I was 8 years old and living in Germany. It was played on jukeboxes for a long time then and after that time and has become perhaps the most symbolic pop song from that era. It and the other songs by this group inspired a whole style of singing, the doo-wop style. Frankie Lymon's voice is one of the purest ever to record. He recorded this song when he was 13. His voice began to change when he was 15 and his career went into decline. He ended up tragically dying of a drug overdose when he was only 26. Click here for the sad sad story.That'll Be The Day (Buddy Holly, 1957) The first big hit of Buddy Holly and the Crickets. A rock 'n roll classic.
Be My Baby (The Ronettes, 1963) This song introduced producer Phil "The Power-tripping Weirdo" Spector's "wall of sound," highly amped orchestral blasts that powered up the simple rock and roll melody to a higher level altogether. The culmination of this idea was the Beatle's Sergeant Pepper's album in 1967. However, for most teenage boys ( and I was 14 at the time), the big attraction of this song was leader singer Veronica Bennett whose sex appeal for us was on par with Annette Funicello, whose first surfploitation flick, "Beach Party," movie came out in 1963, too. Anyway, Veronica made the mistake of marrying Phil. She could have been a lot bigger and done a lot more, one feels, if she had been allowed to be herself. As it is, she is still one for the rock ages. She gives an annual Christmas party in New York City somewhere. I would like to go and join the mosh pit.
Reach Out (I'll Be There) (The Four Tops, 1966) Classic Motown hit song, with a driving beat that makes you want to move your butt.
Somebody to Love (Jefferson Airplane, 1967): classic 60s pop song about what love is good for, i.e., to take your mind off the angst of life. This is was one of several hit songs for this "San Francisco sound" psychedelic heavy rock group. What a great and simultaneously awful year 1967 was, too. I think that duality comes through in this song.
Get Together (Youngbloods, 1969):the classic statement of hippy Agape, "love of your fellow human beings." Of course, in this more knowledgeable era we scoff at such an idea, now that we have a "personal relationship" with Jesus...and to hell with those who don't believe.
Betcha By Golly, Wow! (The Stylistics, 1972) a romantic classic. How many couples have made this "their song"? I ask my students how many think the lead singer is a girl or a boy, and most will say girl. What a surprise! They always go "Eeehhh!" Yup, it's a boy.
Feel Like Makin' Love (Bad Company, 1975) This gets a lot of air time as "classic rock" and it has that feel to it. I always pictured guys that looked like cowboys singing it; in fact, somehow, I thought it was Poco or New Riders of the Purple Sage or some group like that for years. But Paul Rogers is a Brit and the band looks like heavy rockers of the '70s. It has that "heavy 60s love feeling" to it, while the lyrics are kind of nonsensical (like, I can't figure out exactly what's dying after he wraps her in the heavens--if anyone knows, clue me in.)
Hanging By A Moment (Lighthouse, 2000): a nice song, competently sung. That's the thing with pop music today--it's all so, uh, professional. I guess we'll never really have that true gritty pop feel again.
DANCING: a lot of pop music is just for dancing, especially 50s and early 60s pop music.
Locomotion (Little Eva, 1962)
Dancin' In The Street (Martha and the Vandellas, 1964) Voted number 40 on Rolling Stone's top 500 rock and roll songs of all time, this song captures a moment when Americans felt together and were moving forward. It's a real feel-good dancing song.
TEEN ANGST
Wake Up Little Suzy (Everly Brothers, 1957) If you buy into the idea that America was once "innocent," then here's a song that you might think shows this.
Town Without Pity (Gene Pitney, 1961) The theme song of a very good hard-hitting movie about American GIs in Germany accused of raping a young German girl, whose boyfriend cannot find the strength to help her. The town, that has now pity on the girl, doesn't help either. Neither does her family. Pretty bleak. Great movie. Great song. Evokes an era.
LOVE LOST
I Fall To Pieces (Patsy Cline, #1, 1961) I was not into Patsy Cline at all when she was at the top of the country and pop charts. Clearly, though, she had one of the best voices ever.
In Dreams (Roy Orbison, 1963) No compilation of pop music is complete without a few songs by this man. If you're not crying after hearing this one, you aren't alive... Voted one of the 500 best songs of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine.
It's My Party (Lesley Gore, #1, 1963) On the lighter side of broken-heartedness is the irrepressible Lesley Gore, the Great White Hope of girl pop music. A real bubble gummer.
My Happy Ending (Avril Lavigne, 2002): this is a clever song by a creative pop singer who is, I think, one of the best in the business today.
You're Beautiful (James Blunt, 2006): the video of this is a real downer, but I'm sure it gets Mr. Blunt a lot of attention from various angels in the mosh pit. I just hope it isn't responsible for any copy cat suicides.
BROTHERHOOD
He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother (Hollies, 1969) The title comes from the story of Boys Town, which a lot of people probably have forgotten by now--an American story brought to life in a pop song by a Manchester pop group, The Hollies, often under-rated but ubiquitous. This song is a hardy veteran of the 60s and has been re-made many times.
RESISTANCE
Time Has Come Today (The Chambers Brothers, 1968) These guys were amazing. From Mississippi gospel and blues to this anthem of the youth revolt of the 1960s. A powerful song for the ages.
Ohio (Crosby, Stills Nash and Young, 1970) An anthem and a call to resist the powers that were shooting students on campus who were against the Vietnam War. The story behind this song is here.
FAITH
I Believe (Frankie Laine, 1953): more than a little corny and schmaltzy, but, you know, a little faith like this at times is not a bad thing! Especially for us, gulp, older folks.
ALIENATION
House of the Rising Sun (The Animals, 1964): many an American teenaged boy of the mid-60s thought this song was the "baddest."
White Rabbit (Jefferson Airplane, 1967): the definitive drug song of the 60s. Based on Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, it has some pedigree. Somewhat sloppy in its imagery ("fallen sloppy dead"? what does THAT mean?) but it's the anthem of the psychedelic pioneers of the 60s nevertheless.
People Are Strange (The Doors, 1968): this just about sums up the feelings you have when you are all alone, a stranger in a strange land, made all the stranger because it's your own land!
Twilight Zone (Golden Earring, 1982): by Dutch rock band Golden Earring this song has that late 70s feeling of being totally alone and no one into loving one another any more. The "Whee!" generation had become the "Me" generation.
LONELINESS
Dock of the Bay (Otis Redding, 1967): the soulful classic by a soulful good man, who unfortunately died in an airplane accident, like all the great ones do.
DEATH
Leader of the Pack (Shangri-las, 1964): She met him at the candy store---now THAT is really true to life, huh? Anyway, this is a panegyric to the death of the young, hip, and cool and the tears of his cool (by association) girlfriend. This had a LOT of emotional appeal, on both sides of the Atlantic (in England is was a hit, too). Hard to listen to without cringing now, for sure, but a classic nevertheless. It really highlights the American teen fascination with death.
Honey (Bobby Goldsboro, 1968): one of the most emotionally exploitative pop songs ever written. Incredible chutzpa! And people ate it up!
SELF-AGGRANDIZEMENT
I Write the Songs (Barry Manilow, 1975): this 1975 #1 hit is one of the most ridiculous songs ever written. Only Barry Manilow wouldn't be embarrassed to sing this on stage in front of thousands of people...and why not? They ate it up. Historical note from Wikipedia: "While Manilow is known as a songwriter, it is ironic that he did not write "I Write The Songs", which was actually written by Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys (written about Brian Wilson)." Evidently Mr. Johnston also interpreted the song to be singing about the ability to sing and make songs in ALL of us--that's who the "I" is, "You." Oh, ok...
IMPENDING DOOM
Eve of Destruction (Barry MacGuire 1965) A song about the danger of nuclear war. Very influential to young people in the early 60s, when it seemed A-bomb tipped missiles would fly any second.
The Dawn of Correction (The Spokesmen 1965) A response to "Eve of Destruction." This song was not heard by anybody that I know of, but it's interesting that they bothered to write a response... Of course, people who would have listened to this song are now in power and threatening us with their weapons of mass destruction unless we all subscribe to their notions of democracy. All to keep world peace, of course.
Roadhouse Blues (The Doors, 1969): this song is as much about doom and death as it is about the good times to be had at the roadhouse. Full of Morrison's desperate notions of what a good time was really all about. Over-all, one of the most kick-ass songs of the late 60s. The video has great scenes of what a rock and roll show was all about, too. Electricity in the air, the potential for great, or greatly stupid, things to take place. Morrison was not only an instigator, but also just along for the ride.
ESCAPE
We Gotta Get Out of this Place (Animals, 1965) True to life working class teenage angst and desire for escape to a better life. If you made it out, through rock and roll, you were a working class hero. Eric Burdon, leader of the Animals, grew up in Newcastle, England, a city in a ship-building and coal-mining area.
Break On Through (The Doors, 1967) Again, the Doors expressed the zeitgeist of the late 60s (the Dark Side of the decade) perfectly in this simple little tune about escaping from the way things are to the way we want to imagine they could be. It all seemed totally possible at the time...
GENERATIONS
My Generation (The Who, 1965): The definitive statement of the "generation gap" which widened precipitously in the 1960s.
My Generation (Limp Bizkit, 2000): a somewhat ridiculous reprise of an old idea, I guess. The message kind of gets lost in the "F" word.
The Way (Fast Ball 1998): sly and very amusing recounting of the fantasy of many a parent whose kids just don't appreciate what they do for them. One of my favorite pop songs.
DREAMS
Big Rock Candy Mountain, Harry McClintock early 1900s (revived in movie, "Oh, Brother Where Art Thou?" 2001): classic dream folk song of the hoboes, homeless men and women who had integrity, above all else...well, also a good sense of where to get something good for free ;-)...this is from pre-war Depression era American culture.
All I Have To Do (Everly Brothers, 1958, #1 in US and UK) This is probably their biggest hit. I guess one could say it buys into the idea of "mind over matter."
California Dreamin' (Mamas and Papas, 1965): Mmm, the words are so simple and weird, but the feeling is all nice and cozy and warm and....psychedelic! Anybody who was in California in this time, feels good when they hear this 60s classic.
The Crystal Ship (Doors, 1967): A beautiful song that evokes the dreams that most of us had during the Flower Era.
SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS
Stupid Girls (Pink, 2006): great commentary on how stupid girls are to buy into the media purveyed image of what beautiful is. How ironic, that messages like this are brought to us by the commercial media. A sign of health. There's still life out there, somewhere.