This writing assignment is the summation of our week-long mini-unit on Songs of Social Justice. This is individual work and should be completed on your own, using your own notes.
You should have the following materials:
- Handouts, “Songs for Social Justice” (four songs), and “Prison Trilogy”
- Notes on excerpt from Joan Baez biography, “How Sweet the Sound”
- Notes on NPR story on Bob Dylan receiving the Nobel Prize in literature
- Your notes on your classmates’ presentations on modern Social Justice songs
Using these materials, please answer the following questions as completely as possible (3-5 sentences each question).
To be complete, this assignment should be written in Google Docs and pasted in the comments section of this post. This should be completed and posted before the end of class today.
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What are “Social Justice songs”? How would you define them?
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How do you think social justice songs have changed since the 1960s and 1970s? Contrast and compare your knowledge of social justice songs then and now. What is similar? What is different? What do they have in common? (Hint: Making a Venn diagram for yourself may be helpful!)
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Are there differences between the singers and/or songwriters you were exposed to from the 1940s (Woody Guthrie) and 1960s (Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger) and 1970s, and the artists you and your classmates chose that created songs post-1990?
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What are some outside factors that have contributed to differences between social justice songs in the 1960s and those created more recently? Explain.
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Do you think social justice songs are important? Why or why not?
PHA Senior Capstone Class 
In my opinion, social justice songs are songs that are written around the negative things happening around our community. It’s partially about vague topics. For example, shooting, gang violence, or police brutality. But more about who the person is that was involved in the situation and why it was wrong. Sometimes they include a way to fix the situation and how to make the world a better place.
Social justice songs in the 60’s and 70’s were peaceful. They were about having peaceful protests, putting together a park to bring the community together, or leaving a place when you don’t like what’s going on. Now, some not all, social justice songs are more aggressive. Including the phrase “ fuck the police “ in their verses. A thing that they have in common is wanting a change.
There was nothing really different about the singers from the 40’s to 70’s than there is from the 90’s-current. Except the instruments being played in their songs. Most of the singers in the 40’s and 70’s created their own instrumentals using string instruments. Now, most of the instrumentals are created using electronic beats. Another difference would be the tone in their voices. The songs then were more peaceful than they are now. Either way, they all just want their voices to be heard.
An outside factors that might have contributed to the differences these two eras have would be the tolerance. Inequality was a slightly newer topic that was going around in the 60’s. So the most just way that they could have thought about stopping it would have been peaceful tactics.
But now, it has been over 40 years, maybe even more. & inequality is still going on. So, we might just be really angry. Since peaceful tactics weren’t working back then, now we have to use our fists instead of our voices. We think that we have to hurt the people that have been hurting us, just as they did. Physically.
I think social justice songs are important because people need to know what is going on in their community. Everyone likes music. It is an easy way to communicate a topic world wide. There are different genres a person could choose, fast or slow, crazy or calm. No matter what, there is something for everyone. So why not communicate a message through something that everyone does, which is listening to music.
4.5/5 🙂
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Social justice songs to me are songs that has a meaningful reasons to a problem that is happening within the society. The song can be about many various types of topic as long as it relates to the problem. I would define them as non violence protest. You are using your freedom of speech right to protest and you are not harming anyone. Also the song notifies people what is happening.
In the 1960s and 1970s there were many problems happening and people were committed to making protest songs to help and everyone knew the songs. The songs that people make brings the community together and protest peacefully.
I believe that the singers/songwriters that we have been exposed to from 1940 to the artist we picked have only a little difference. Prince who we picked as the artist was not known for as politic artist. Woody Guthrie from 1960 was known for his protest songs.Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan were probably the two most famous protest artist back in the then. However the songs they created all are protest songs are well known.
The gun violence that is happening right now in America is one factor that have contributed the difference between 1960s and now. In 1960s most of the songs are about the war and civil right movement. They wanted America to stop fighting against other countries. The songs now are used to stop the police brutality and gun violence happening.
In my opinion social justice songs are important. I think it’s important because there are many violent protest happening right now and it is not helpful. It is just causing more casualties and problems.I believe the songs are more efficient to use while protesting because it can go viral in the internet and everyone can hear about it.
4/5 🙂
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I would define social justice songs as fighting for what you want or what you believe in. People even make social justice songs to send a message out to others whether it’s telling our young black men to stop killing each other or telling young women to stop selling themselves for money because they’re body is priceless etc. Social justice songs are usually positive songs with a message in it trying to tell their society/world something.
Social justice songs changed from the 1960’s and 70’s to the social justice songs today not by alot. It’s similar in ways still to this day because back in the day people wrote songs and raps about police brutality and people being equal no matter if you were black or white. The slight difference that was made from then to now was blacks were being discriminated more back then then they are now don’t get me mistaken, still til this day blacks are discriminated against just not as hard as they were getting treated in the 1970’s/60’s.
There are differences between singers and songwriters, because song writers put more thought into what’s being written rather than a singer which is more likely trying to just sound good. Some singers have minds like song writers, they don’t care exactly how they sound they are just trying to get a message across or sing about how they are feeling or what they believe is right.
The difference between the way the songs were carried out then to now was that back then people would march down the street singing or protesting. Nowadays songs aren’t carried out on to the streets with mobs etc. You will maybe catch a mini crowd here and there holding up signs but nothing like it use to be. Technology has gotten more sophisticated so therefore songs are carried out through social media. Most kids and adults if not everyone goes on social media a lot and they see songs and they send them out and those songs/messages get viral and so on, that’s how songs get out now a days.
Social justice songs are significant for all communities to express how people are feeling or what they want, also it’s another way of responding to the “oppressors” who ever that may be. It could be your parents, teacher, or even the police department. If you don’t want to fight back physically you can fight back with words, because words are powerful especially when you know how to use them in the right way.
4/5 🙂
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PROTESTING
1. Social Justice songs are songs that give hope to those whom have none of their own left. They’re songs that provoke the power of the oppressor and unite people to come to a common ground. They help to do more than just bring unity those who want to fight but it also helps to bring a sense of security to those who are involved but have never spoken out before. For those who have always lived in fear, when they get together with all of these other people and sing songs and protest, they feel a higher sense of confidence and pride and feel more comfortable with speaking the way they feel and doing things they wouldn’t usually do.[A lovely and poetic definition, Lavelle.]
2. Social justice songs have certainly changed over time but it seems that although they are by different people who may have different perspectives on things, they still all tie back to the same problem. From Woody Guthrie’s “Deportee” to J. Cole’s “Be Free”, both of these songs had powerful tones of frustration as to how our people are treated here in this “land of the free”, where we can do everything but live our lives. Although a lot of these songs were made in different eras, they all talk about the same things but, they all have different viewpoints on the situations at hand. Some may sing about how angry they are and that they should take action with violence and others may sing about how they should take action with peace and do sit ins and whatnot. So overall, they’re all fighting the same fight but they all have different as to go about these fights.
3. There are significant differences between the songs from the 60’s and the 70’s and to the songs that are created in this new era. For example, with the song song Be Free by J. Cole, that song alone might attract a completely different group of people towards it than the song Deportee by Woody Guthrie. Their songs are both so different and they both have completely different styles of getting their point across, so those who may listen to Woody G. may not agree with the way J. Cole would go about doing things. And even though they’re both protest songs, i’m more than sure that they’d be played on completely different stations of the radio and anywhere else they play music.
4. Well in a sense, some outside factors that contributed to the differences of these eras of music could be that so many things have happened just since the 60’s and 70’s alone that people’s views on things. For example, all of the black people being killed has shifted awareness from things that aren’t equal in schools and public places, to the fact that so many people are dying pretty much for no reason and no one knows why. When something else happens that keeps on happening, people get tired of it and that’s when the awareness shifts from one state of mind from another.
5. I do think protest songs are very important because they unite people who may have never been together before and not just people from the city but those from all around the world. Music is such a powerful way to get your message out there not only to those whom you’re fighting against but to anyone willing to listen and be apart of a higher cause. And ultimately protest songs are made to help people and helping people is what i’m all about so I think it’s wonderful.
4.5/5 🙂
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Social justice songs are songs that address any social problem that the writer wishes to change. A social justice song is often inspired by a specific event that may show injustice towards. Social justice songs are a way to express the injustice around us and also inform the people of what is going on. Social justice sings are a form of protest. It is a way of voicing ourselves and letting others know that change must happen in order for us to see a just and equitable place. Social justice songs are used to also prove that music has multiple uses around the world.
Social justice songs from the 1960s and 1970s and social justice songs that were written after 1990 are similar because they all are inspired by a specific event. Since the 1960s, social justice songs were made with a story that told of an unjust event. Though I would say the social justice songs in the 1960s are different from today’s social justice songs because of the popularity genre of music. In the 1960s and 1970s, hip-hop and rap were not song selections that many listened to. Usually the artist only had their guitar and their voice to create music. Since the 1990s hip-hop and rap have been a popular type of music amongst youth. Also majority of the people that created social justice songs in the 1960s were known as hippies, yet today we see different people from all over(no certain name for the group) creating social justice songs.
I don’t think there are any differences between the songwriters and singers that we learned about from Ms. LeBaron and the ones from which our classmates presented to us. I don’t think there is a difference between the singers and songwriters because they were all inspired to see change within society. Yes the personal things that they did are different but the purpose behind their music does not make them different.
The major improvement of technology have contributed the differences between social justice songs from the 1960s and social justice songs created more recently. The machines today can do so much compared to the technology in the 1960s. I think that is why social justice songs in the 1960s and 70s feel more compelling and authentic. They feel more real when listening to them.
Yes I think that social justice songs are important because like in number one it is way of voicing ourselves. Social justice songs that I have heard speak truth and they all speak of something that I can relate to. Social justice songs is a significant way to protest an injustice instead of using violence. It helps to keep music around and they can bring different groups of people together.
4/5 🙂
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1)Social justices songs are songs that singers/ writers make to inform everyone the issue that is happening . These songs are based on the issue and how they want a change to it. They are inspired by stories and events that happened during these time periods. Such as Black Lives Matter and African Americans fighting for their rights.. (etc). Singers used these events and make them into music as an inspirational event. Using these events and putting them into song lyrics help change the world. The usage of a singer making a social justice song is powerful. More people are drawn to it and understand. The power of music is amazing and it shows you can do it all types of way.
2)Social Justices songs have changed since the 1960-1970’s. Back then it was to make peace through music. Making it known that everyone should have rights and there shouldn’t be any violence. The similarities are the events and having a non-violent marches and having social justices songs that spreads the news. The differences is that now everyone could have the opinion on what they think.
3)No, I don’t think there is any differences between all the songs I’ve heard and seen from this class. I don’t think there’s a different because they all talk about justice and how they want it to stop. These songs were inspired by the events that had happened.
4)The major outside factors from back then till now is that, they wasn’t that much famous people involved in what’s going on and now this generation have a lot of famous people aware of the situation that is happening and those famous peoples are involved and care. They help spread the word with the use of social media. With this generation we are all over social media and that’s how we find out our information.
5)Yes, I think social justice song are important. I think it’s important because through the music of social justice holds the truth and what can be the solution to it . It’s a very powerful thing what music can do to you and the world. With social justice songs it brings the community together and aware of what’s happening , not fighting against each other but fighting together for the rights of others.
3.8
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1.)Songs of social justice are songs that elicit a feeling of change. The lyrics will inspire you to not be a bystander in the eyes of justice. Most importantly they don’t exclude people from the cause. These songs tell everyone that they can have a hand in the changing of their circumstances. Sometimes the song will just give you a feeling. However that feeling, whatever it may be meaning happiness or sadness or even anger, you might take this feeling and do something with it. You might share it or possibly research the situation you heard about in the song and then become educated on the topic.
2.)Social justice songs have been used as a tactic to change ideas radically. They have been around since the people realised their rights are being violated. The slaves had songs of their own to sing of woe as well as people now who realize something isn’t right with the world. For vietnam protesters the song were anti violent peaceful ballads, nowadays it’s people who are more likely to be angry at the injustices they have beared witness to. They also bear witness to nothing happening. This is why the songs used today are so much more furious and adamant about changing something. We are passed the days of different public facilities for different groups of people but the fact that the ideologies are still slipping into everyday life now in 2016 invoke a different response. But at the end of the day they all have the same meaning. They want things to stop being so terrible. And influential artists take on these battles lyrically.
3.)I think the only difference in the artists when it comes to their songs is the response they’re trying to get from their audience. Singers and songwriters in the 60s and 70s wanted a more of an understanding to their position in the issue at hand. Artists now in this generation, they’ve decided that the way it’s been happening before didn’t fix the problem entirely and that’s why we are seeing them still to this day. Our singer and songwriters now need to be more forceful and possibly more angry about the injustice they are seeing happen and not solved.
4.)Social justice songs are different now from back then in the issues that they tackle. Back in the sixties it was a lot of anti war propaganda. Now it’s institutionalized racism. Also back then the music industry was a lot less diverse. Now we have people of the affected group singing about their people and it’s struggles which makes it more powerful in my opinion.
5.)I believe firmly that songs about social injustices are a powerful form of protest. It can reach such a wide audience. If a song about an ex boyfriend can make someone who’s never had one feel pain that the artist is singing about why can’t it make a country realize what’s happening in front of their eyes?
4/5🙂
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I think social justice songs are about growing out of discussion and singing issues about racism, sexism and classicism . I also think that when people write or singing they are was thinking about popular music and listing potential songs. I would define them by nice and calm music because they like really make me feel relaxed. I think songs have charged because people who wrote them are becoming more powerful and stronger. I have never listened to justice songs until now but I think they are not really the same as now. Music have charge and it going to keep charging little and still might charge. I think nothing really similar as now but if some songs are the same and people are listening to them, people could charge the world or help out. I think that when songwriters write there songs but other people are singing them than people won’t think that they are powerful or know what is right and wrong. I would think that music from the 40s or 60s are great but sometimes it can have you feels like sad and being relaxed. Some outside factors that have differences are that social justice songs that probably some are just kinda boring and probably can people can sing to them because they love the song and want to charge them self or world. I think social justice songs are important because movies are using them about people trying to help or not lose their jobs.
3.5
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Social justice music is about music sang by the people going through harsh times in the society.It talks about what happens around the world we live in. This song in particular expresses the feelings of the singer. I would define social justice music as fierce and peaceful.
I would say some differences between the music in the 1960’s to 1970’s are that they have the same rhythm in music. They have the same explanation in music about their lives. The differences are the lyrics that give flashbacks about their lives. They talk about what they’ve experiences during their lives growing up.
I would say the differences are that the songs because they don’t get to say what they wanted to say before 1990’s music came. After they had freedom of speech and they have the freedom to sing about what they’ve been threw in their minds. Most of the music created in the 1990’s are more aggressive textures and more about what other people in the world’s been through to be in this world.
There were mostly the fact that they didn’t get to speak their minds during the 1960’s. During the 1990’s they have the rule to speak their mind in a song that describes what happens in the world. I would feel that music in the 60’s and 90’s are totally different in lyrics that describes the world in one song. Most of the music that are recorded talks about the police and the world during crisis happening to the world.
I would say that it is very important for people that sing social justice songs. I would say that the music speaks for the people only for the people. They use this music to show power and power that they can show to the people around them. This music represents the lifetime span of people going through tough times in the society. All the music that they sing about social justice talks about everything peoples been through while growing up as a child.
3.5
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Social justice songs are songs that they sing or listen to during a march or a protest song. Social justice are used to value diversities in our community, to make things fair and equal. I would define social justice songs as a powerful weapon because people singing out for what they believe in and what they want for a change. Music is very powerful because it speaks to many people and it can connect to many people.
I believe that social justice songs has changed from the 1960s and the 1970s because back then the injustice songs were really sad and sorrow. Now in the 1990s and in the 2000s, the social justice songs are rap music and more harsh. I think it has changed because now we have freedom of speech and we can say whatever we feel. Back in 1960s and 1970s, the music would want to make you feel really sorrow, feel sorry for them, and even wants to make you cry. Now in the 1990s and the 2000s, the social injustice songs would want to make you feel that the lyrics really speaks out to you and that it’s nothing but the truth, songs now will make you think a lot and to see things differently. But, something that they have in common is the same meanings but they express it in a different form of way. Because of all of the killings around the world, with police brutality and all, many music artists have had enough of all of the killings of African americans and wrote songs on many different cases. Such as J.cole, he wrote a song called be free. He wrote that song because of the Michael Brown incident who was an 18 year old who got shot in Ferguson for no reason at all.
I believe that they are differences and some comparisons between each song writers in the 1940s and the 1990s because in the 1940s, the artist is really depressing and one of the poem called “ We shall overcome “Blowin’ in the wind“, and “Ohio” where its repeats the same lyrics. It also felt like these artists were in fear and couldn’t really say what they really wanted to say. Now in the 1990s, you can see that the artist are using all different kinds of instruments and beat where it makes the song smoothing and sometimes aggressive. The lyrics are actually aggressive, they have different rap verses, and also because they are so mad of all of the innocent people that are getting their lives taken away. Artists back then mainly wrote about the bigger picture in the world such as wars. Now these upcoming artists are writing about either a big subject such as police brutality or about one specific person that was killed even if they were innocent.
An outside factor was a song J. cole wrote called be free. In this song he was really aggressive, he showed many hatred towards police brutality, in his song he had said “ Can you tell me why everytime i step outside i see my n***** die, ooh i’m letting you know, that it ain’t no gun they make that can kill my soul. This explains how he’s sick and tired of all of these innocent lives taken away.
I do think social justice songs are important because it makes you realize about what’s happening all around the world. Social justice songs are really deep and make you look at thing differently and make you appreciate what you have. Also it makes you feel that tomorrow is never promised.
4/5 🙂
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Social justice songs are songs that people listen to during marches and protest to have human rights. Social justice also have to deal with the society and how people in the community worldwide expresses themselves during inequality in human behavior or even no justice being given to its people. Another way, social justice is defined as defining your thoughts in words in music and learning how to show how feel and see things in their point of view.
I believe that the 1960s and 1970s had changed because back then the songs was sad and people didn’t know how to deal with those situation other than having fear without standing up for their rights. But back in those days those social justice songs were deep and you can listen to those lyrics and songs and have actual vision about how those days actually turn out to be.For example the song “The Change Gonna Come “ this was a protest song where it explain the Civil Rights Movement as black people fight for equality . But also, the song “We Shall Overcome” is talking about the Civil Rights Movement meaning to that black people will fight until they receive equity and which also focus on non violence activism. Between 1990s and 2000s it have the same meaning as the ones from a long time ago. Now these songs make you think about what actually had happened during the marches and protest that the community was doing. It has you think about all the things people been through to bring aus here together as a whole . The song I presented to my class was called “Be Free by J.Cole which was about the gun violence in police brutality with Michael Brown. Between now and then the artists that made social justice songs made them about wars and things that happened as a group. Now the social justice songs that’s been recorded and written is either about one person or police bruity. Police Brutality been around for decades but now it’s started to make a bigger picture on things about what had happened during those previous years.
The differences between all the artist then and now is that back between the 1940s-1960s the artist was more in fear about what they had written and came out to. The artists had made you feel bad about the events that happened during those times and how it affected them in many ways. Now the artist are being more aggressive and having a freedom of speech about everything that the human beings been through.
An outside factor of a song called “Be Free” by J. Cole was written as aggressive. In a lyric that he had presented was “
All we want to do is take these chains off
All we want to do is break the chains off
All we want to do is be free
When you listen to the lyrics it makes you want to be thankful and grateful that you didn’t have to experience those heartfelt events. It makes you think outside the box and that tomorrow is never promise. Also, it was you want to live life to the fullest and don’t take anything for granted.
Social Justice songs are very important to me in general. The songs are about all kinds of people in the world and how some people are welcome to all of them. It focus on striving for equity and fairness among all the people worldwide .
4.5/5 🙂
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The way I’d define Social Justice songs is people showing rebellion through their music because that’s how they’re expressing themselves. Another way to describe and social justice song it not physically being apart of a march or sit ins, but being less violent and letting your music do the talking. Social justice songs are very powerful because one little 3 to 5 minute song could mean so much to the ones around you either they’re with or against.
Throughout the year social justice songs has changed tremendously because the song in earlier days were meaningful.In the years people started to change and really didnt care about what they say or how they said it because the way they grew up wasn’t really to respect the ones that mistreat you. Although social justice songs has the same topic, fairly new songs are more negative such as the Eminem “Mosh” verse “Deportee (also known as “Plane Wreck at Los Gatos”) ” by Woody Guthrie. The difference between the songs one song has more of an negative annotation and the other one is singing their song in a more respectful manner. The two songs are similar because their acknowledging the problem and what the hope to see in the future to better the situation.
Throughout the years social justice songs changed from more meaningful lyrics to provocative lyrics. The newer artist is more aggressive with their words because they aren’t as fearful as the older artists. Older Artists had to watch what the say because they were living in a more unfair environment. Artists around my time is blunt with their words they don’t sugar coat how they feel and why they’re feeling this way. Around the 1960s people wrote social justice songs, but still respected the people that the songs were about the songwriters just wanted to get their point across people minds that didn’t agree with them. People in the 1960’s didn’t really like to cause confusion they just wanted to be treated fairly and have the same rights as everybody else. All artists all years had the same meaning to their songs, but just expressed themselves differently.
The advancement in technology because the newer artist had machines to help create a better song unlike in the 1960s when they only had their guitar. Newer social justice artists have more to make their sound different than others. Everybody in the 1960s sounded alike because they couldn’t use as much as the newer artist could. In the 1960s people wrote their songs based on what the seen and what they’re going through. Newer artist write their song based on what the people around the go through so they physically hadn’t went through it.
I think social justice songs could be important however the person writes it. If the song has a lot of negative annotation I honestly think it was a waste because shouldn’t saying how feel shouldn’t be negative. Social justice songs that have meaning to it I think are important because I’m singing along to the song recorder with meaning. Social justice that have an way to stop people from being mistreated are important because it has power behind its lyrics.
4/5 🙂
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The “Social Justice songs” are blowin’ in the Wind, Ohio, Deportee, and We shall Overcome that represents powerful messages through songs. One of the songs that that stood out for me is the song called Ohio, lyrics by Neil Young. The song was about the peaceful protest of college students on their campus and turned into a horrific incident where four students died. Being sent by President Nixon, soldiers were started shooting on the campus where some students got injured and killed. It causes commotion and it brought injustice to the people. The song is the resource of empowerment so people would know what happen to the peaceful protest that turns into a shooting event.
Based on what I’ve learned, social justice songs have changed since the 1960s and 1970s a little bit. In 1960s, Joan Baez and Bob Dylan were the popular artists that raised awareness during the social injustices going on during at their time. The songs before were more empowering and people were encouraged by the songs to be apart of somethings more bigger that help people in our society. Now, I feel like the uses of words in the songs are blend with profanities that is inappropriate for youths and adults are sort of against it.
In the late 1940’s-1970’s, singers and songwriters expressed their sympathy towards the accomplishments and failures of the American society. There talents are being used to captivate people’s emotion to become aware about the social injustices that was going during at that time. Songwriters wrote powerful messages that singers sang to be the voice of the people who expressed in justice. Songs like #whereisthelove, Mosh and other songs that was presented yesterday was really uplifting to hear just like in the late 1940’s-70’s. But I feel like their differences is that today were not using songs to apply in our protests and other things. People are not that committed to make differences through the songs that being made.
Some outside factors that have contributed to differences between social justice songs in the 1960s and those created more recently are the choice of words that being used in the songs and how people can resonate and relate to the song. Before, it’s more about the issue of the community as whole. Songs were more popular in a country style music and less instrumental things to play on. Now, there’s more famous people are involved and use their image to empower people’s life about the issues going on today. Today, the use of words are more inappropriate in a way for youth and children can listen. It’s more about pop-culture, rap, and other styles of songs.
I believed that social justice songs are important because it’s way of expressing about the social injustices and issues that are going up until today. It gives people a source of encouragement to be able to express how they feel. Social justice songs bring community together to fight for their rights and uplift others to do it too.
4.5/5 🙂
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Social Justice songs are lyrics written by artist expressing injustices, inequalities, and their empathy or apathy on the situation. These songs usually include strong meaningful lyrics based on a devastation that’s occurred in the world or the community. A lot of empathetic artist create social justice songs to convey their thoughts and feelings. Their songs create peace and allow people to connect with the music on a deeper musical level. Social Justice songs allow people to express themselves without bottling their emotions into a body.
During the 1960’s and 1970’s, music was written and created differently. The music consisted of more deeper meaning and value. That generation of people endured great oppression and they were combating for their rights. Many injustices and inequalities took place which angered numerous amounts of people. These Social Justice songs became a relief for people to sing along from their hearts about what they actually felt. Some of the artists we have today are genuine and profound, but they’re too many young artists that produce amateurish music. Their songs consists of more provocative language than meaningful lyrics. [This is a strong observation!]
The similar things between these two time periods songs are the unjust prevalent afflictions that’s been occurring for decades.
There are differences between the nineteen hundreds music and the more modern music today. Artist such as Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Pete Seeger are created more meaningful music that evolved from their hearts and awareness. Our modern artists like Fetty Wap, Two Chains, and Young Thug elaborates their feelings through meaningful lyrics and their songs aren’t benefiting the ideal social justice music. The music from “Back in the Day” was more stronger and the artists were, unfortunate to say, but more talented than some of the modern artists today.
During the 1960’s, times were extremely intense because pivotal laws had been passed, the civil rights movement had been very active, the fight for freedom of speech movement was active, and the fight against war was active. These afflictions contributed to the social justice songs in the nineteen sixties because they expressed the anger and oppression the people felt. These songs allowed people to have a relief and these songs spreaded throughout the country without text messaging and emails. Back then there was their guitar and their hand written music. Today’s modern music is influenced by unjust crimes like police brutality and the music becomes viral through social media.
Social Justice Songs are important because it opens people’s perspectives to whatever the songs expressing. People are able to unite and feel powerful when we’re singing and rapping about the inequalities were experiencing. It’s unfortunate that history sometimes repeats itself, but when artist make these powerful social justice songs, it brings people awareness and positivity.
Nice job, Miracle. 😀
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Social justice songs are songs that talks about a political issue that upsets the people in the community or country. I would define them as resistance songs made by artists(sometimes big name artist that talks about the injustices in the country and the world.
I think social justice songs have changed a lot since the 1960s and 1970s. The 60s and 70s is when everyone was protesting about something right from freedom of speech to the anti-war movement. When artists came out with these songs it brought the community of protesters together in the way. An the artists would be performing at rallys and its was on radios stations and sometimes it would become the anthem of the movement. For example Joan Baez and Bob Dylan( and others artists) who were committed to making social justice songs and become the music makers for those movements like the anti-war movement , freedom of speech and the civil rights movement. The songs were also written as a poem like and most of the artist(not all) use instruments like guitars pianos. In contrast today’s songs are more underground meaning like the songs are not played on radios or publicise like they were in the 60s and 70s. Social justice today’s is based on police brutality and the violence in the country. There is only a few artists talk about the social injustice that are going on. The social justice songs in the 60s and 70s and today’s songs were all about speaking out against the social justices . [You make a good point that, for a time, protest songs were popular music, on the radio, etc., and now they’re more underground. Do you think this is because the language is coarser? Does this make the songs less broadly acceptable? Or, are there other factors?]
I think there are differences between the singers and songwriters in the 40s,60s, and 70s and recent singers/songwriters. The difference is in the 40s,60s and 70s the singers and songwriters were really committed to speaking out against the injustices and were at rally performing and speaking. Today’s artist are not that committed because they are at risk of not making money and
Some outside factors that have that could have contributed to the difference between social injustice songs in the 60s and those recently is money. Now that artists are getting paid a lot more money today for songs than in the 60s and today’s artists have to make songs that are popular like for example party songs that everyone is into not everyone is into social injustices songs. In the 60s they were little bit limited about what they can say because law enforcement could do whatever they want to that at risk of being attack.
I think that social justice songs are really important because it can broadcast what injustice that are happening in this country or around the world. They also can encourage people to start speaking out and take action and protest so that we can get justice and the community come together. Social justice songs can also give people a voice and state their opinions.
4.5/5
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Social justice songs are songs that speak up about social issues and bring awareness to the injustices that are prevalent and on going in our society and world. Social justice songs are usually written by activist or famous singers who want to spread a message of hope, peace and empowerment. Most importantly their goal is to bring about positive changes in our society through the message their song sends out to people. The effect social justice songs have on society is what makes them so meaningful and important to society’s advancement towards a common respect for one another regardless of where we come from. The 60’s and 70’s was described as a strong time for the the civil rights movement and of course for social justice songs. Joan baez was an activist that was very popular back in between the 60’s and 70’s. Her and Bob Dylan where the power couple of that time and their songs were more about compassion and peace, and much like the songs back then the music they made was folk. Comparing the music from back then to the present, the differences are very obvious. First off the style of social justice songs sounded very different where folk and church songs where what was popular back then, where now rap and pop are used to send out a message of empowerment and truth to the people. One thing both of these distinct times have in common is that they both aimed to empower people with truth and messages of hope. The differences between the singers and songwriters from back then and now is mostly based on the lifestyle differences and what was available to each people. It’s the same struggle under different circumstances. Back then songwriters and singers aimed for peace ,nonviolence and hope most importantly whereas now songwriters and singers seek to reveal the truth to people about how we are still going through the same struggle but under different circumstances. Like J-cole song “be free” where he sings,”Can you tell me why
every time I step outside I see my niggas die I’m lettin’ you know that there ain’t no gun they make that can kill my soul..” black people are still getting shot and racist people still exist nothing has changed only its come in different forms of manifesting itself. The outside factors all have to do with the history of each generation. The 60’s and 70’s was a time where an unjust war was going and the war between cops and colored people wasn’t being televised as much as it is now. People weren’t being exposed to the same things and that’s what made the past and present different. So of course social justice songs are important to society it is what empowers people and gives strength to the colored community.
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1. Social justice song are songs that are made to express the situation and the struggle our society is dealing with. Social justice song bring people together to fight for the same purpose. Most of the time we use social justice song during movements and protests.
2.In the 1960s and 1960s social justice songs were more calm and their words were professional type. In the 1960s and 1970s the society were fighting against racism and wars so their songs were focused on those problems. The present day social justice songs are a little more aggressive, violent and sound angry, their word choices is not that much of professional they tend to use offensive words. This days people are trying to fight against police brutality and racism. I can say that the 1960s, 19070s and the present day are fighting for the same problem but the way they handle it was completely different. Nowadays people are more violent and they want to get what they want by force or fighting (physical). The 1960s, 1970s people were more about peace and solving thing without being violent. For example in the 1960s the civil right movement was all about peace, nonviolence and the songs were also preaching peace for example Joan Baez supportive of the civil right movement and the music she musics were about peace and love, one of her song is “we shall overcome”. The present day social justice song is aggressive and violent, for example our society are dealing with police brutality, there are songs who are not violent and point out the problem without being offensive like Be Free By J. Cole. But there song who just be cursing out the police and using a lot of inappropriate words. The similarity between the present day and 19060s, 1970s is that we are still fighting against racism, people come together as one to protest and there are different type of problems that still exist today. [Good observations.]
3. There is a difference between the 1940s, 1960s, 1970s and the present day songwriters and singers. For example In the 1940s song were a little bit impacted by the dust bowl migration, for example the song Deportee by woody Guthrie is addressing the problem of immigrant Mexicans and how no body care about them if they die or live and how they only worked in the farm and how they were deported. The song is very emotional, I feel like he made this song to create a sympathy of how immigrants are being treated. [True!]In the 1960s and 1970s song were about fighting against racism, for example the song “We Shall Overcome’ By Joan Baez was about making change by peaceful way. The social media play a big role in the present day and songs spread so fast that mean it’s not going to take long for people to join movements or even to get some knowledge about what’s going on. But there is a big difference between the songs for example the song “Mosh By Eminem” is about making people use their voice (vote), the song is aggressive.
4. In the 1960s and 1970s there is no social medias and it’s hard to spread their music. The present day the social media play a big role in putting songs out to their audience so it can spread fast that mean it’s not going to take long for people to join movements or protest and even to get some knowledge about what’s going on. for example young people use Facebook, Instagram and you-tube so the singers put their song on these social media.
5. Social justice songs are important because music can create a powerful connection between people especially when they share same pain and struggle. Music help young people to create a better sense of the world and help them to reflect on the problem that our society is dealing with. And social justice songs give us the summary of what’s going on.
5/5 😀
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1.Social justice songs are songs that are used to talk about things that are going on in the world. I would say that they are powerful messages coming from people that are most affected by the issue, and that person wants everyone to know. Social justice songs can also be a form of resistance. If one can’t get how they feel heard by the government or the people that is causing harm, then they can write about their feelings and get it out by using music which everyone listens to.
2.I think social justice songs have changed over time due to the genre of music that people listen to. The sound hasn’t changed completely but you can still notice a slight difference in the way people make their songs. Back in the 60s and 70s, the social justice songs were slower and sounded sad, nowadays, the songs are more on the rap side and has a more hardcore sound.
3.Some differences from the singers/ songwriters was their races. Back then, a lot of the artists were white and talking about prisons and the way prisoners are treated. Whereas in today’s society, the rappers are black and they talk about what is happening to people in the black community and how it also affects them. Also some of the rappers in this time would say curse words and use examples of how they would harm someone that tried to do the same as the police are doing. In the songs in the 70s, the artists did not threaten anyone they only wanted a change.
4.Some outside factors that contributed to differences between the social justice songs now and then is the lack of technology, social media, and instruments. The lack of technology is a major role in the differences between music now and then. Without certain things in the music world music can sound bad and the production is very important. If the beat or lyrics are poor, then people will not want to listen to it.
5.I do think social justice songs are important. Everyone listens to music so this is actually one of the best forms to get an important message out. I feel like since everyone listens to the radio, then they will eventually come across a song and began to think about the importance of the things that are being said. The more social justice songs out, the more we can resist to any issue that is occurring in our world.
4/5 🙂
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1. Social justice songs are songs that have to do with someone standing up for their rights and for people who don’t have the guts to do it themselves. I would define social justice as someone standing up for their rights and also protecting their communities, helping out one another to make sure the world is a better place .
2 . I think social justice change during the years because the stuff they are talking about people listen to it more than when they did back in the day . The genre changed over time , some of the things that they have in common on they are talking about the same thing as when they did it before .
3.To me I don’t think it’s a difference because to me they talk about the same thing we talked about in our social justice project . One called “ Prison Trilogy “ was talking about immigrants and how police would beat and torture them in the prison cells also one of them hung himself with a note and stuck it to their bunk bed . So to me I don’t see any difference between them. And ours talks about how young black men were brutally shot or killed by police and no justice was made.
4.Some of the outside factors that have been contributed in recently are cell phones , internets and wifi , also lyrics help people really understand what really has been going on instead of listening to it on someone’s guitar or voice .
5. To me yes social justice are important because they can tell us what’s going on in the real world and also it can help us out in our community instead of us having to look on the internet , songs are very powerful in the united states and it can help a lot with our community .
4/5 🙂
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I would define a social justice song as a song that has a message that relates to social change. Usually these songs are formed or brought into the forefront of a movement because music is arguably the most universal way to spread a message that humans have. Music can transcend barriers of race or gender, simply because that’s the nature of the craft. This innate ability to speak to all forms of people makes the songs of social justice what they are.
In a way the songs of social justice have changed but at their core they remain the same. Prison trilogy by Joan Baez will more than likely not become a huge hit in today’s market. But say for example a modern artist was to write a song with a similar message but a more modern production style. Warzone by T.I. highlights the many struggles African Americans face in society to this day. The songs of social justice haven’t really changed because the problems they address have yet to be changed.
The difference in the artists for me personally was almost negligible. There were of course stylistic differences, how they sound and the production of the music. Yet at the core of each song they sound extremely similar. You would never think of Tupac and Woody Guthrie having any notable similarities but yet their music shares a common theme. Both men in their own way are highlighting the struggle of being an American with dissenting political views with Tupac adding in the element of being black on top of that. Both men if you listen close call out the government and point out everything they believe is wrong with it. Both men highlight the idea that society is far from this ideal American dream and that the greatest country in the world has plenty wrong that needs to be fixed. So to me the artists may be wildly different people but they have a very similar agenda.
The huge defining factor in social justice songs now and in the 60’s is the internet. Now if you want to know about any issue at all you’re a computer or smartphone away from a near infinite source of information with which you can form your opinion. Modern music definitely falls into this web nowadays. In the 60’s you had the radio, word of mouth, tv, and the newspaper, as well as books and such. Music itself only really had the radio and those stations were subject to the agenda of whoever ran them. Essentially if someone didn’t want you to hear a protest song in your little town in Iowa then you’re out of luck. Nowadays that’s nearly impossible to control the flow of an art form like music in the age of the internet is something that really no one can truly do.
Social Justice songs are as important as the causes are. People are musical creatures we find comfort in rhythms and beats. Music has the ability to go where no human can. It can reach the mind and soul of an individual in ways that can’t truly be comprehended and may not always be seen by us human beings. Music is a tool that social justice will always need because it’s one of many keys to the hearts of humankind.
Nice job. 5/5 🙂
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Social Justice songs are songs of great purpose. The purpose is to bring greater awareness to very important causes. Specifically, they are designed to provide awareness around songs that illustrate an issue around social justice. Social Justice songs also have a heavy impact on society and the media, whether that means it causes controversy and debate or it causes policies and legislation to be shifted to create systemic change.
I believe that justice songs have shifted greatly since the 1960’s for many reasons. The main reason that they are very different is because the causes of which the songs are about have shifted. The things that were going on in the 1960’s are somewhat different than what happens today. For example, today we do not have a large draft happening where young men have to go and fight against their own will, yet we have things such as gun violence,and a continuum of police brutality. [True.] The similarity between now and the 1960’s is the fact that the songs continue to have power, and are a huge platform to get messages across, not only in the United States but also globally.
There is a big difference in the artists that our class was introduced to from the 1940s to the 1970’s and the artists that our groups wrote about. The primary difference is that the artists from the mid 1940’s were actually physically affected by the things that they wrote and sang about. They actually experienced these issues firsthand, which grew a deeper sense of emotions. Great point! On the other hand, the artists of today that our groups wrote about are indirectly impacted sometimes by what they write about. For example, many artists today have not physically experienced police brutality yet they are connected and feel the emotions because they understand the fact that it could easily become them who are the next hashtag. The emotion is still there yet it is different when the artist has not experienced something firsthand. Also, technology is much different compared to back then. Many artists simply used guitars, and pianos and sold music differently, as opposed to today where one can easily go and run into a recording studio and make a song in hours and have it go viral in the same day. In other words, artists songs get around much faster today than back then. [So true!}
Outside factors that have contributed to the differences in the artists include things such as the population of which artists were around. Also, instruments changed the culture of the music. The main outside factor that contributed to the difference is the fact that the artists in the past had very different upbringings and encompassed a different struggle than the artist of today.
I believe that social justice songs are very important. The songs not only bring awareness to very important issues and causes but they can also be a sense of comfort for some. It can be comforting to know that someone who has a platform or not is also caring about an issue that affects one. Also, Social Justice songs have contributed greatly to many historical movements such as the civil rights movement. Also, artists like Joan Baez comforted the Iranian people with her version of a powerful social justice song. If there were no Social Justice songs we would not have as much progress as we do in terms of fights and battles that we as a nation have been able to conquer.
5/5 😀
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Question #1 Social Justice songs are songs that are heart felt. They tell stories on either what society is or how society is viewed. I would define ,a social justice song as a message that is being told in a way that others would understand based on the history and meaning of the song his or her sings. How the song is it is sung also gives background. Social Justice songs are eye openers. The song maybe cruel, sad, or happy, but it still changes lives in different ways.
Questions #2 Social Justice songs have changed in many ways. Back then in the 1960’s, songs were sung in calm manners. They weren’t pointing hands on the bad people, but the way they song the song and how they used their words carefully allowed you to find out what the songs were about. Back then songs didn’t really get you killed, it mainly had everyone either with or against you . The songs back in the 1960’s were also catchy, to where everyone sung along and caught on to the lyrics very fast. Now a days, songs are mainly violent. They point fingers on who is killings people and who is causing all of the rage. US people are getting killed based on the songs because of the rage bottled up inside. Mostly black people are rapping the music and not singing it. The songs aren’t catchy but it did send messages that did offend some. Something similar is the fact that their were protest due to the song touching people. The songs told stories that were true and made people realize that this world isn’t fair. [good points, here.]
Question #3 There are many differences when it comes down to how songs were made in the 1960’s and how they are made now and also the type of singers there were. Back then the singers was mostly women. Some where men also. The songs was mostly soft and flow, now the songs are rap or not soft. The songs portray mad beats. Most of the artists that me and my classmates chose was diverse. All of the variety of songs were different regarding the type of song and who sun the song. We had flow music, pop music, rap music,and also reggae music. Some of the artist ms Lebaron showed us were all flow and calm music, but was song in different ways dipped in culture.
Question #4 The music now is portrayed really different by the community. Everyone views the variety of songs kind of the same way. Some may not agree with what is said in the songs but do agree on the moral meaning of what the song says. Not that many cultures of people sing the songs written today. The songs song now are mainly rap music and pop. Back then songs were classical, country a little, and very soft music. There was hardly any rap music in the 1960’s.
Question #5 Yes I feel that social justice songs are very important. I think that it sends a meaningful message to the world that helps others realize all the bad things that are going bad in society. The songs tell the community the things we need to change. Social justice songs makes a huge difference in this world/society.
4/5 🙂
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In my opinion Social Justice songs are songs that leave an inspirational meaning behind it. Songs that talk about the disparities that are happening in the world today and how we can overcome them. When I say leave an inspirational feel behind it, meaning that whoever is listening to it can understand your emotion and feel that you’re expressing in the song. The music that we studied mostly came from the 60’s and 70’s realm. Those were different from the Social Justice songs now in this generation by the genre of music that we use. The Social Justice songs now are mostly of the Rap or R&B genre, instead of the Pop & Rock genre that came from the 60’s and 70’s. The similarities that they have are the facts that they are protesting for a good cause, and instead of having an uproar about it; they’re taking the peaceful approach to it. The difference between the artist that my classmates and I picked from some of the artistes like Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Pete Seeger are that these artist had more of the Pop culture feel to them, while our artistes were more on the Rap and R&B side. Also the songs that some of the students had more than one artist to the song or were in bands, unlike the artistes from the 60’s & 70’s who were singing the songs by themselves. [True, there were a lot of single voices during the folk movement.]
Some outside factors that may have pushed the music to change into a different direction were the problems that are happening around the world. The problems like the Black Lives Matter protest and the killings of African-American people in the United States, the terrorist attacks on the cities and countries like New York, London, Europe, France, Germany, Russia, China etc. I believe that Social Justice songs are important because they can be a helpful and peaceful way to change the world and to help people understand the troubles that are happening around the world.
4/5 🙂
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1.What are “Social Justice songs”? How would you define them?
Social justice songs are songs that protest an unjust event. They use melody and lyrics to spread an important issue concerning justice and rights. A social justice song can oppose anything from war to our education system. It can be any genre, and has proven to be an effective tactic for social change. Even if it doesn’t resolve the problem, it provides comfort to many and brings awareness to social issues.
2.How do you think social justice songs have changed since the 1960s and 1970s? Contrast and compare your knowledge of social justice songs then and now. What is similar? What is different? What do they have in common? (Hint: Making a Venn diagram for yourself may be helpful!)
Social justice songs in the 60s and 70s were a bit more conscious of the words that they chose, at least the ones that you showed us. The songs that you introduced us to were all predominantly sung by white artist and a had a “hippie” sort of style. Although, I know there were social justice songs sang by black people and other minority groups. The social justice songs I hear now contain cuss words and are hip hop and rap. I’m sure that there are other genres that have social justice songs, I just don’t listen to them. Despite the choice of words and the genre, they are all shining light on a problem at hand. They’re informing the public of a significant concern that must change, many times they make their point through pathos.
3.Are there differences between the singers and/or songwriters you were exposed to from the 1940s (Woody Guthrie) and 1960s (Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger) and 1970s, and the artists you and your classmates chose that created songs post-1990?
Since I was absent the day of presentations I only viewed my group’s project and Kiki, Yasmine, and Jayla’s. They chose a rap song by T.I that is completely different from the artists that you showed us. T.I used profanity to show his anger and frustration with the racism and hate that black people deal with everyday. The artists from the 60s that you exposed us to all used soft songs and refrained from cursing. My group chose a song by Neil Young that was rock and kind of sounded like screaming, obviously differing from the artists in the 60s and 70s that we listened to.
4.What are some outside factors that have contributed to differences between social justice songs in the 1960s and those created more recently? Explain.
I believe that the change is due to how long we’ve been fighting. Many of the social injustice that is occurring today have been happening for decades some even centuries. After a while people become fed up especially when they learn how long others have been protesting. This along with alterations in society have led to social justice songs that are a lot more angry, contain profanity, and sometimes even violent because it reflects how people honestly feel. I think that now it is also easier to speak your mind. We don’t have as much censorship and have gotten better with respecting freedom of speech.
5.Do you think social justice songs are important? Why or why not?
I think social justice songs are important because music is universal and will live on forever. Joan Baez made a cover of “We Shall Overcome” for the issue in Iran, and the people of the country along with others heard and loved the song. This shows how music is worldwide and can have an impact on millions of people. Social justice songs spread messages and support that has the ability to touch many people. Therefore, I believe they’re important and do make a difference.
5/5 🙂
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Social Justice songs are lyric that tells a message to the audience. The writer tells us about an event that was very cruel and unfair to others. They are protest and un justice situation put into lyric and making a stand on how they feel about that certain event. I would define it as a problem that was mainly in the society that everyone has an opinion on. There can be negative and positive sides of this events and it’s all put into a songs. Social Justice songs are important to have because it tells us that others do have a voice and opinions about that event. Some people may not like the news and hearing that, instead they can listen to social justice songs and they learn faster and it’s much funnier to learn about these events.
Social justice songs has changed a lot in the 1960’s -1970’s and to the 2000’s times. The only similar things they would have is sending people a message in the lyrics. Each time they both share an event that wasn’t fair or isn’t equal to others. The difference I would say is that back in the 1960’s the writer wouldn’t blast the certain people out for what their doing. They would give hints and little notes about the people. The melody of the songs is different, more profanity is in the 2000’s century songs. The 2000’s songs mostly target whites for black lives matter, the songs are telling and giving blacks freedom. Some outside factors that contributed is others in society helping to create social justice songs. More people had opinion and voices on events now a day then back in the days.
Although it may be the same genre they difference between the 1900’s songs and today’s music is that the beat of the songs is boring in the old days and today centery is more hip hop and r&b songs. The songwriter back then that was famous were mainly white american males/females. Today’s artists are mostly African American and a few Whites only because the whites agree with the African American. It’s from boring rock or jazz songs to more upbeat r&b songs.
4/5 🙂
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1.Social Justice songs are songs that are written as a form of rebelling against a cause. They are also songs that are written as a form of healing for some. They are a form of justice for some people. I would define these songs as a message to those facing a social injustice. A message that brings some type of justice/solution.
2.I think social justice songs have changed a lot since the 1960’s and 1970’s. Songs from the 60’s and 70’s were more focused on injustices within the world. Social justice songs from that period were also much more simple and easy to follow, making it easier for them to be sung in marches/demonstrations. Today, the modern day social justice songs are more focused on injustices within the black communities. Modern day social justice songs are more complex and are harder to follow/memorize making them not able to be sung in marches/demonstrations. [This is a good point about the sing-ability of these songs.]
3.There are some differences between these singers/songwriters. The artists from the past created songs that had purpose and were in some ways vague but still relevant to the situations that they were referring to. For example, in Deportee by Woody Guthrie there is a line in the song that says: “Is this the best way we can grow our big orchards?” Guthrie is not literally referring to an orchard but in my opinion referring to immigration and asking is this the best way to handle immigration and run our nation. Whereas artists today are extremely straight to the point and literal with purpose. For example, in Warzone by T.I. there is a line that clearly states one of the incidents he’s referring to in the song. This is one difference that I see between past artists and today’s artists who create social justice songs.
4.Some outside factors that have contributed to differences between social justice songs in the 1960s and those created more recently are social influences. Social influences that include perception and interpretation. How people view and understand these type of songs has contributed to the differences. Also the access people have to social justice songs. For example, in the 1960s it was hard to access these songs and make them apparent to everyone whereas today you can share a song on social media and have it spread to pretty much the whole world.
5.Yes, I do believe that social justice song are important. I do because they bring awareness about injustices to the world. They are also a form of restoration for the people facing injustice and trying to cope with them as well as trying to fight against them
Nice job and good insights! 5/5 😀
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Social Justice songs are expressions about social issues that songwriters wants to talk about with the world, so others can know what is going on in today’s world. They (Social Justice songs) are relations to the world. Between the years of 1960s and 70s, the songs that are portrayed in those years have changed from time to time. The similarities with the musics is that they talk about world issues that is happening and how they expose what is happening i similar, but the type of genres that each song is using are different. Also, for differences, each story that each songs between the years of 1960 and 1970 are different, and some are more heart throbbing issues than the last.
There are differences between singers and songwriters that my classmates and I were exposed to, including the artists that we have done mini posters on. The differences are how each singer and/or songwriter had a different story to express about. Such as some are about people who died in prisons, plane crashes and their names aren’t revealed to the public, died for fighting back and other various ways. The others are people who expresses about the issues with governments, countries, and specific people who has done horrific things, or who died because of another person’s decision.
The differences between 1960s social justice songs and those that are created in the more common era are different and has different potential in them that has very powerful meanings and stories that are too be told. In the 1960s, their songs don’t have lots of lyrics like how our era and time does, but have powerful words being told. As for our recent songs that are about social justice, we use powerful words and express what is going on. But the difference is how much more lyrics/words that we put in that others around the world wouldn’t think about. Like the song “Where is the Love” by the Black Eyed Peas, talks about two major issues. One about the war in Iraq and the issues that the United States have and aren’t fixing as much. And it’s still happening today. Racism, violence, unfairness, discrimination, and more.
Social justice songs are very important, because they play a really big role in our world today and what has happened in the past. And must be very useful for the next generations. That is because they have ways to send messages around the world about everything happening around us. They keep us opened to the world, and has others who are willing to make a change will have ways to support them into what they’re doing.
4.5 🙂
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Social Justice songs are a form of activism and are often created in protest of a certain event. For instance, the song “Stand up and rise” by One Rhythm was written in order to protest the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea because Mauna Kea is sacred to the indigenous people of Hawaii.
Since the 1960s Social Justice songs have more or less remained the same. At it’s core Social Justice songs are meant to address social issues and help raise awareness towards them, which essentially hasn’t changed. They only differ in the sense that they’ve been modernized to fit our tastes.
The difference between the singers and writers of the 60’s and today are that in the 60’s the singers/writers are much more passionate about their activism. Nowadays artists usually just express their discontent on social media, while Joan Baez is out protesting. She’s so committed and passionate about what she believes in to the point of getting arrested multiple times.
One factor that has contributed to this change is technology. Back then music was very different, they didn’t have auto-tune, editors, producers, etc. They were more acoustic because guitars were very popular and they only had a singer and a writer.
Social Justice songs are important because it’s an effective way to address social issues and injustices around the world. It has the ability to invigorate us in ways nothing else can, and inspire people to stand up for what’s right.
4.5 🙂
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Social Justice songs are songs that represents some sort of justice that is relating to world problems or an event. Social Justice songs can refer to a person’s death or some inequality in the world. I would define them as songs that can show an inequality in the world. For example, a social justice song can show the wrongdoings of a president like the song “Let’s Impeach the President”. In this song, social justice is shown through the wrong deeds of the president. Here the writer discusses what the president have done wrong and why we should question him for doing what he did. This song show the empowerment of the meaning behind the song and what side it is representing on. It tells us a twisted story behind the president and what we should do as a whole nation towards it. Social Justice songs helps a general population of people support and encourage towards one great cause to correct or get rid of the wrong. Songs are often told behind it and the truth is revealed through it causing a motivating for the people and who they are supporting and aren’t supporting for.
I believe that in the 1960’s and 1970’s, the songs were often about a current historical event. The rhythm and melody were not taken into mind but only the lyrics and its meaning was. Often songs involved an event whereas everyone can relate to. For example, in the song “Prison Trilogy”, the songs talks about a prison cell where these three men were placed into. The song displays the story for each and everyone of them and what happened to them in the end and how did they get there. The song is meant to show everyone how unfair it is through the lyrics and how we should work together. It is a protest song which was used to rally everyone up. However in recent songs, our social songs are different. We appeal more emotionally than in a protesting type of way. Our songs are relateable but aren’t the type that would rally everyone up. Our songs may sometimes display some sort of support or a meaning behind it. We pay attention to our melody and rhythm also. A similarity behind the two difference in years would be that they both illustrate some sort of justice that is trying to be said and shown behind the lyrics and paper.
There are some differences exposed from songwriters and singers from the 1960’s and 1970’s compared to now. Most of our songwriters now that discusses some kind of social justice are frequently a well-known artist or popular artist. However back then, the singers and writers were often just anyone in general. The reason why there are a difference in social standing of who and what stands out now in our social justice songs is because of the reason of too much artists. Back then, music were just found and so the songs that told stories of social justice was in the spotlight. But now, we have so many artists that if one was to sing about the world, only the ones that stand out would be more outspoken of. In terms of their popularity and songs.
There are several outside factors that contributed to our recent songs to the past old songs. In the 1960’s and 1970’s, the songs were often involving some kind of event. Back then, the Vietnam war was a major impact in their social justice songs. There are some about it and why it should be stopped. Another one would be during the civil rights movement about voting. Major historical or events were a factor to the music back then. However now, our songs include problems we see everyday or in general. For example, there is a song about a land property in Hawaii and how the Hawaiians did not want it destroyed. That factor affected the song making because it is an event seen around them. Sometimes personal problems involving the writers and singers life can be a factor or a relateable problem.
I believe that social justice songs are important. If we did not have those type of songs, where would our energy go into? Because we had songs back then about social justice, it is how we got to where we are now. Social justice songs are suppose to be world problems that everyone can relate to. They are suppose to be the support or the ones that catches people’s backs when they fall. They are the motivation and the meaning of why people do what they do. Social justice songs are a bond that connects everyone broken hearts together making it a bow.
5/5 😀 Nice job, Annie.
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Over the past week my classmates and I have been studying music. Not just any type of music, music that expresses how you feel and what society is going through, social justice songs. Socials justice songs are about real life events that are currently happening, they tell the truth. It’s a way of expressing yourself and alert others on events that are continuously oppressing people.
Music between the 1960s and 1970s were very sugar coated in a way, instead of saying how they felt and being upfront to get the message out they put music in a way so it wouldn’t seem to harsh. Songs now are more blunt and explicit. Artist nowadays don’t care if they are judged for saying something they mean, they get it out there without a care. Today we have to put everything out on the table so society can know what the news isn’t broadcasting. I can admit a in both today’s time and back then they both got the message through weather it was straight forward or not.
A big difference from today’s artist and the older artist is diversity. There is more diversity in topics, race, and gender. The music we studied focused on the wrongs of president officials, indigenous lands, unnecessary wars, homophobia, and the lives of minorities. The songs that my classmates and I presented were so powerful because each one of us can personally relate to at least one topic that was presented.Some of the main outside factors that changed the direction of social justice music have been the injustices that has been happening for some time all around the US. Social Justice songs are very important because what the news won’t show many artist will. We need to know the truth and everything that’s happening in the world we live in. This music is a big part of culture all throughout the US.
4.5 🙂
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Songs of Social Justice
Social Justice songs are written by songwriters to relate to the social problems we have in our society. I would define them as songs that send these messages to anyone who hear them to learn the painful truth of how our country is operated with the people and government. This is a way for them to have a voice for everyone to hear to express what’s been done right or wrong to the people.
Those songs were mainly focused on what was going on during that time. Before the songs were meant for the issues occurring in that specific time period. But some of those issues aren’t issues anymore [What issue then isn’t an issue now?] so there isn’t anymore songs being made to relate to the past issues our country had in the past. Instruments that we used back then to now has changed drastically, more genres and new instruments changed how we listen to music. The one thing that hasn’t changed is the songs, no matter how old or recent it is. They still leave messages of the issues we have during our current time period.
Songwriters from back then were more old fashioned in their music compared to the music we listen to now. Back then, the music had different meanings towards different issues. Nowadays the music has more of a effect on people’s emotions.
The changes in how our society has been from back then to now. People who were part of the problem began to change in heart. By learning what they did or believe in wasn’t right for our society in the modern times.
I believe they do cause music was meant to express a person’s views in all sorts of things. They leave messages to show the issues we still have from the past or new issues that were created now. They can still touch someone’s heart to change how they view people in our society.
4.5 🙂
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.Social Injustice songs are songs that discusses many difficulties dealing with race, gender, and discrimination.Social injustice songs have been around for a while. I would define them as a way of expressing something you are feeling or expressing something you feel isn’t right.
I think social justice songs have changed by becoming common from more rap artist. In the 60s and 70s most of the artist who made social justice songs were pop and jazz artists. A similarity is that people are still dying and justice isn’t really getting found. A difference is that now most of the victims are african american. They have in common art that is remembering people who died too early.
The differences between the singers from the 40s to the 70s and the artist we chose that created songs post 90s were that the songs that were created post 90s were more recent. They were during different time periods. There were different favorite genres during different time periods. The songs that were more recent was listened to more because no one wants to listen to an older version of the song if there is an newer version that might be better. I think pop was more common between the 40s and 70s because there wasn’t people who could rap back then.
Some outside factors that contributed to this were the internet. The internet contributed because now you can learn from the internet and back during those times the internet wasn’t available. Another was school systems because they didn’t teach kids about social injustices going on around them.
I think social injustice songs are important because it is a way of expressing your feelings without having to get in trouble fighting and killing the people that did wrong. Instead of taking your anger out on an actual person in person you can just make a song and send it to them.
4/5 🙂
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1.“Social Justice songs” are songs that describe the injustices of the world. Most social justice songs include police brutality, discrimination, gender inequality, poverty, etc. Social Justice songs are created based on events in the world that has an impact on someone or multiple people that feel the need to have a input for those who are afraid to speak up.
2.Since the 1960s – 1970s, the social justice haven’t really changed, but more people have the courage to speak up to the injustices. Based on today’s social injustice songs and 1960s-70s the semblance from then and now is they both have a direct point of what the song writers are trying to get across. The difference is now we use more profanity, and the meaning of each song, what I mean is the songs can display a wrong message.
3.In my opinion the songwriters and singers aren’t any different. The writers and singers intentions are to stop the negative and create more of a positive world. They both have a voice so they both make a way for their voice to be heard.
4.Now we have social media’s which have helped created recent social justice songs. Social media today has helped artists and now we have more resources than in the 1960-70s. Songs created in 1960s have more imagery than today’s Social Justice songs.
5.Social justice songs are important because most problems are ignored but through a song it’s heard and recognized. They give people a voice and something to connect to. Social Justice songs help protest the injustices.
4/5 🙂
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Social justice songs are songs that are written based on true events that happened in real life, in order to bring awareness of what’s happening, it’s kind of like songs that are used to explore justice, to protest on what’s right and what should be done to it. And these kind of songs could be based on economic justice, discrimination, racial issues, equity, class, poverty… etc.
There isn’t that much difference on social justice songs since 1960s, 1970s, because they all have same goals and their goals could be different but their goals are to convince, or to bring awareness to the audience on what they are trying to say. Back in the day, social justice songs were more famous and common because at that time, they had a lot of things to fight for, which most songs from 60s and 70s were a protest songs. But protest songs has evolved, most of today’s songs are more likely to be a party music. And yes, there are social justice songs, like “Be Free” by j.cole, but it’s not as much as songs from back 60s and 70s. Songs from 6os and 70s were really powerful and sophisticated , but today’s song has changed a lot, the singers are not that much likely to be committed to the social movement, and their songs has changed from poems to rap.
Most songwriters back then from 1940s were really protesters, they were really committed to the social movement, they stood up for what they believed and their songs were more likely to send important and powerful messages. Songwriters in 1970s were even more likely to be the same as singers from 1940s, but their songs were repeated. Writers like, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger were most likely to repeat the songs that are form 1940s. Writers from 1990 were most likely to focus on different issue, like police brutality, poverty and others, I found their songs more convincing because their videos contained a lot of events and images that happened back in the day. For example, an image when African American were hanged in a tree in a video music of j.cole “Be Free”.
These days there are a lot of ways spreading songs around the world, for example, social media. Social media takes a whole huge role in communicating, building relationship, and finding resources or new materials. Social media includes, youtube, facebook, instagram, spotify, pandora… etc. Songwriters promote their songs mostly through youtube, which almost everybody use everyday. This is the easiest way where most people get access to get information of what’s happening today. For example, when writers write or release a song that is social justice songs, people get the ideas and the message through the music which can also motivate or influence them to do something about it.
Social justice songs are so important, especially for today’s youth. Social justice songs plays a huge role of spreading messages that can benefit people. It’s a powerful tool to change people’s life by introducing them to social problems such as poverty, racism, abuse, addictions and such global issues as hunger, disease, and war.. And etc. Especially this generation are more likely to spend time listening to music, which by only listening to the music, people can gain something that can make their life better.
5/5 🙂
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I would define social justice songs as the voices of the restless, mistreated , and unheard people. They tell a story of an event that’s happened or currently happening that the media oftentimes overlook. These songs are for the people who are pushing for something to change in society, but creates a melody and story combined with it. It is a way to communicate with those who feel the same way about a topic.
I believe that social justice music back in the 60’s and 70’s were made with so much passion and heartfelt that no other era addressed these issues like these artists did. It had more had more of a folk and hippie vibe to it. A lot of the music was about peace, love, ending violence domestically and internationally. Many social justice songs now is in a lot of rap music because I think it provides an emphasis on the rage and anger that is built inside of them. It’s now more of how things are becoming repetitive and we the people want to change things. Although in the rap songs that talk about issues, talk so fast you can’t even hear what they are rapping about. [I thought it was just me!]
I mean of course there is a difference in the type of genres that the artists are singing or rapping is on totally differents sides of the spectrum of types of protest music, but there isn’t a difference in trying to get there point across. From pop, to rock,and rap they all shared a similarity. I chose a Hawaiian- Reggae song because they always have a peaceful flow to their genre of music about issues and violence. Stand Up and Rise by One rhythm was about the people coming together and uniting to prevent destruction of a holy land to the indigenous people of Hawai’i.
What’s so significant about social justice music is that they aren’t heard enough now. I feel that society and the youth today is just so materialistic that we can’t focus on the real problems in our world because we have not faced the violence that the people in our past did. I believe that back then there was just so many predicaments that people wanted to address, that they all raised their voices all at once. Therefore, there was a shift in music of what was being heard and how it died out over time.
Yes I do think that social justice music is important. No matter how dark it is, the melody of hope can lead it to the light. Artists, rappers, singers make a difference somewhere to someone who is listening, even if it’s not a lot of people. There have to be a person to talk about issues by giving strength and resilience to the public.
5/5 Nice job. I really like your opening line.
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