Get Ahold 0t life

THE MESSAGE
OF ROCK

oy itonald R. lvledvm

Who remembers u or wants to ree
member n the “rock and roll” music of
the 1950's, when ElVis Presley's gyrating
hips caused young girls to swoon in the
aisles? Elvis knew how to sing, all right,
out his songs had lyrics like “You ain't
nothin' but a hound-dog/Cl'yin' all the
time,"

There was no real “message" in the
music of the '50’5, but times change. In
the 1960’s, rock music began to getserious,
as musicians toyed with the idea of put-
ting their own ideas and ieeiings into their
songs. These songwriters produced music
about the social issues to which so many or
their contemporaries were reacting, As
American youth hecame more serious and
mature, 50 did their music. Rock echoed
their discontent with “the system," at the
time when “the system" began to be some-
thing with which to be discontented, The
nonsense songs of the ‘50’s were finished
when songwriters like Bob Dylan, Paul
Simon, John Lennon and Paul McCartney
arrived on the scene,

The rock of the later '60’s was iilled
with lyrics that demanded that the listener
pay attention, "Get Together" was apiea
to eliminate hatred within society and to
“love one another ” An idealistic thought
perhaps, but of one piece with the idealism
of youth. "Abraham, Martin and John"
led its listeners in mourning tor the vic-
tlms oi assasination: Martin Luther King,
Jr., and the two Kennedy brothers.

But the biggest issue of the decade was
the Vietnam War and songs about the war
were powertul and angry, Expressions or
opposition grew in numbers and volumeand
were often inspired by songs like “We
Can Be Together" (by the Jefferson Air—
plane): ”We are iorces oi chaos and
anarchy/ Everything they say we are we
are/ And we are very/Proud Diourselves.”
What rallied one generation horrified ancle
ther, and Vice-President Agnew again per-
sonined the Not-So Silent American by re-
[using to let his daughter march in a peace
rally.

That kind of enthUSlasm n and emotion—-
was short-lived on both sides. As the
1970‘s were born, the ”big issues” seemed
slowly to tade away. The war was still
there, raciaiiroblems were worse than ever.
and solutions still seemed tar away. But
everyone seemed tired, and as young people
grew quieter, so did their music. Songs of
protest were replaced by music which was
becoming more introspective and personal,
reflecting a desire to study selves and va-

JOHN PRINE

lues. Oiten unsure of what they wanted and
not knowing where they were headed, rock
listeners discovered and inspired singers
who sopke not of generalities out of and from
themselves.

This new breed of songwriter could he
illustrated trom amongmanypossibilites, A
good example, with some local interest, is
one who appeared at Grinnell in January,
turning on the large number of students
who heard him.

John Prine's songs rellect today‘s moods:
“Angel From Montgomery” says in tour
lines what many young people teel: “Just
give me one thing that/I can hold on to/
To believe in this living is/A hard way to
go." The song speaks to people who do
not know where to turn or what they are
looking for; to those who drop out of
college after a year or'so, thinking that
whatever they are seeking must be some»
place else; even to those still in college
who reel depressed, wondering whether
after four years they will have something
meaningiul. ("Well, i guess I’ll just bum
around tor awhile and see what happens“
is an often-heard remark —- from Grinnell
seniors and students everywhere -— when
they are asked what their plans are.)

Like many other songwriters today,
Prine’s songs often reilect such uncere
tainties. The message may he personally
inspired, but anyone listening can usually
relate to what they hear. ”Far From Me"
is a sad ballad about a man who realizes
that his girlfriend doesn’t love him any
more: “Ain’t it funny how an old broken
bottle/Looks just like a diamond ring/
But it's far far from me,”

“Quiet Man” surely speaks of Prihe
himself, although the lyrics could be speake
ing or so many others: “Strolling down
the highway with my shoes in my hand/
Don’t talk much, I'm a quiet man/ Beauty
and silence both run deep/ And rm run—
ning like crazy/While you are asleep.”

He sings well of the wandering, lonely
youth, and goes on: “Don’t pin your hlues
on me/ Just go ahead and tic/Whatever you
wish to." The singer and his generation
are tired oi hearing about other" people’s
problems when they seem to have enough
of their own. This may be a selfish atti-
tude, but it is understandable So many
were discouraged when so little was ac
compllshed by the vocal, activist movements
oi the ‘60’s that they are weary of hearing
people tell them to continue the struggle.

While not every Prine song is this per
sonal, it is still easy to identity with many
of his lyrics. How many have gone through
the pathetic “love affair" of ”Donald and
Lydia?H “But when they were finished/
There was nothing to say/ 'Cause mostly
they made love/From ten miles away.”
All relationships may not be this serious,
but it is easy to share the song’s pathos.
How many feel ,sad and slightly guilty
when passing oy an old man who gives us
a sad and lonely stare? In his song,
“Hello in There," Prine sings of that
loneliness: “So if you’re Walking down
the street sometime/And Spot some hollow
ancient eyes/Please don't just pass ’em
by and stare/As it you didn’t care/Say
hellow in there/Hello." It is not as easy
to run past an "old iolks home" any»
more; this song cannot be easily torgot-
ten.

 

