US-American folk music and its political stances from the great depression to the present

Examination Thesis , 2008 , 126 Pages , Grade: 1,5

American Studies - Culture and Applied Geography

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.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• INTRODUCTION
• FROM THE GREAT DEPRESSION TO THE SECOND WORLD WAR
  • THE DEPRESSION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES: WORKERS' MUSIC
  • WOODY GUTHRIE AND PETE SEEGER FOR THE PEOPLE
    • "This Land Was Made for You and Me": Guthrie's Political Songwriting and Legacy
    • America's "Tuning Fork": Seeger and the Use of Folk Music as a Political Instrument
    • The Almanac Singers
• THE FOLK REVIVAL IN ITS FULL SCOPE: FROM THE POST-WAR PERIOD TO WOODSTOCK
  • FOLK MUSIC AT THE BREAK OF DAWN OF THE COLD WAR
  • THE SIXTIES Take SHAPE: POLITICAL MOTION IN SOCIETY AND FOLK MUSIC
    • "We Are Not Afraid”: Blacks and Whites Moving for Civil Rights
    • Folk Music and the Peace Movement in Songs
    • Bob Dylan
• FROM WOODSTOCK TO THE PRESENT: LOSING AND REDISCOVERING POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT
  • RIGHTEOUS BABE ANI DIFRANCO
  • "THE DAY THAT AMERICA FELL TO ITS KNEES": FOLK MUSIC IN RESPONSE TO 9/11
• CONCLUSION
• BIBLIOGRAPHY
• APPENDIX

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This paper aims to analyze the political stances of US-American folk music from the Great Depression to the present. It explores how folk music has been used as a tool for social and political commentary, highlighting the relationship between artistic expression and political activism. The paper examines the evolution of folk music's political engagement across different historical periods, including the Depression, the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, and the post-9/11 era.

• The role of folk music in reflecting and shaping social and political movements
• The evolution of folk music's political stances over time
• The impact of political events on folk music and vice versa
• The relationship between folk music and the concept of American identity
• The role of individual artists in promoting political awareness through their music

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

The introduction establishes the historical context of American folk music, highlighting its roots in European immigrant traditions and its connection to social and political issues. It emphasizes the role of folk music as a voice for the common people and its potential for social commentary and political activism.

Chapter 2 focuses on the period from the Great Depression to the Second World War, exploring the emergence of workers' music as a response to economic hardship and social injustice. It examines the contributions of iconic figures like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, who used their music to advocate for social change and promote political awareness.

Chapter 3 delves into the folk revival of the post-war period and its role in shaping the political landscape of the 1960s. It analyzes the influence of folk music on the Civil Rights Movement and the anti-war movement, highlighting the use of music as a tool for mobilization and social change.

Chapter 4 examines the evolution of folk music's political engagement from the Woodstock era to the present, exploring the challenges and opportunities faced by artists in a changing political landscape. It discusses the role of artists like Ani DiFranco and the impact of events like 9/11 on the political discourse within folk music.

Schlüsselwörter

The keywords and focus themes of the text include US-American folk music, political stances, social commentary, political activism, Great Depression, Cold War, Civil Rights Movement, Woodstock, 9/11, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Ani DiFranco, American identity, social change, and the relationship between art and politics.

• College: Martin Luther University (Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik)
• Grade: 1,5
• Author: Cornelia Richter (Author)
• Publication Year: 2008
• Pages: 126
• Catalog Number: V114776
• ISBN (eBook): 9783640149476
• Language: English
• Tags: US-American, Folk music, Bob Dylan, Protestsong, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Ani DiFranco, Amerika, Unions, Gewerkschaften, Civil Rights Movement, Vietnamkrieg, Vietnam War, Protest, politische Musik, Musikwissenschaft, Pop, Popmusik, Politik