Friday, December 9, 2011
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Fortunate Son
Like most American young men during the sixties, Forrest served in the Vietnam war. A large rumor during the war was that the sons of influential people (polticians, big buisness leaders etc) were being excluded from the war draft. People found it fairly difficult to find factual evidence to prove likewise, but it was a big controversy amongst American citizens. The song "Fortunate Son" explains the frustrations of these people very accurately. The song says "It ain't me/ It ain't me/ I ain't no Senator's son/...I ain't no fortunate one". Creedence Clearwater Revival was making bold statements in this song in order to prove a point that unfair treatment to others will not go unnoticed.
Songs like this were not uncommon during the war and Many other musicians wrote about their frustrations as well. In Major Problems of American History, a band called Country Joe and the Fish also slandered the Vietnam war. They wrote, " Come on fathers, don't hesitate/ Send 'em off before it's too late/ Be the first ones on your block/ To have your boy come home in a box..." (436) With the American public being very torn about the necessity to engage in war, it led to many controversial statements as seen by Country Joe and the Fish. Hist states, "Although one poll in 1967 showed that 46 percent of the public thought the war was a 'mistake'". (467) Bands like this and Creedence Clearwater Revival were simply the voice of the citizens of the US, and these songs were influential enough to be played in Forrest Gump.
Songs like this were not uncommon during the war and Many other musicians wrote about their frustrations as well. In Major Problems of American History, a band called Country Joe and the Fish also slandered the Vietnam war. They wrote, " Come on fathers, don't hesitate/ Send 'em off before it's too late/ Be the first ones on your block/ To have your boy come home in a box..." (436) With the American public being very torn about the necessity to engage in war, it led to many controversial statements as seen by Country Joe and the Fish. Hist states, "Although one poll in 1967 showed that 46 percent of the public thought the war was a 'mistake'". (467) Bands like this and Creedence Clearwater Revival were simply the voice of the citizens of the US, and these songs were influential enough to be played in Forrest Gump.
Listen to the Song Here!! The Mammas and the Papas: California Dreamin'
Listen to the song California Dreamin' here to understand the mindset of young people in America during the sixties.www.youtube.com/watch?v-dN3GbF9Bx6E
The Mammas & Papas: California Dreamin'
Throughout US History, the population of California has grown significantly. It has always remained a place of social neutrality and opportunity. California was even more of an attraction during the sixties. When discussing San Francisco, Major Problems in American History states, "The city could accommodate a small community of harmless nonconformists congregating around the intersection of Haight and Ashbury. It could not, however, adjust to hordes of wannabe hippies-penniless runaways armed only with their fantasies" (419) California was seen as a state of opportunity and was a major attraction to many liberal minded people during the sixties.
In Forrest Gump, Forrest was in love with a woman who also moved to California as a Hippie. The song "California Dreamin'" emphasizes the national desire to move West in order to make a difference in the world. The lyrics say "I'd be safe and warm/ If I was in LA/ California Dreamin'/ On such a winter's day". When they refer to 'a winter's day' the artists could be talking about the negative way in which they perceive the current world to be. California could be the location of hope in the eyes of American's in the sixties...or a place to be "safe and warm".
In Forrest Gump, Forrest was in love with a woman who also moved to California as a Hippie. The song "California Dreamin'" emphasizes the national desire to move West in order to make a difference in the world. The lyrics say "I'd be safe and warm/ If I was in LA/ California Dreamin'/ On such a winter's day". When they refer to 'a winter's day' the artists could be talking about the negative way in which they perceive the current world to be. California could be the location of hope in the eyes of American's in the sixties...or a place to be "safe and warm".
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Randy Newman: Mr. President (Have Pity on the Working Man)
In the film, Forrest unknowingly revealed the illegal activities preformed by the Republican president, Richard Nixon in what is now called the Watergate Scandal. Although Forrest did not actually unveil the scandal, the movie did successfully portray the disbelief of President Nixon's actions. In the book Major Problems of American History, Senator Sam J. Ervin explained in detail the violations preformed by Nixon and his administration. He said, "They used campaign funds to hire saboteurs to forge and disseminate false and scurrilous libels of honorable men running for the Democratic Party primaries..."(438) The Watergate scandal left Americans to doubt their leaders and government. Americans found it difficult to trust the Democratic system when the greatest Presidential scandals of history was being unveiled.
The Watergate Scandal was not the only aspect of Nixon's presidency that citizens were displeased with. Americans originally elected Nixon thinking he would be a conservative Republican president that would support a small government. However, his actions once he gained the presidency proved likewise. The book Hist 2 states, "...Nixon became an advocate of many liberal causes, but he did so while weakening the supposed Eastern Establishment he despised." (473) With a majority of Americans in disagreement with Nixon's presidency, many political opinions began being expressed through music- which was also seen in Forrest Gump.
In Randy Newman's song "Mr. President (Have Pity on the Working Man), he expresses his disagreements with president Nixon. He says " Maybe you've cheated/ Maybe you've lied/ Maybe you've finally lost your mind/ Maybe you're only thinking 'bout yourself." Newman boldy slanders President Nixon and his administration in his song. He is pointing fingers at Nixon and accusing him of many things that the rest of the American public were beginning to think. This song is played in the movie because Forrest lives admist all of these hard times. With the historical moments that Forrest experiences in his life, it is only fitting that the music reveals the emotions of the American citizens.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)