Thursday, April 17, 2008

Get Up Stand Up: Pop and Protest


I watched this PBS documentary the other day and really got into it, I think it was around 11pm on a Friday night and there I was taking notes. Ha!

Get Up Stand Up: Pop and Protest

"The program traces the birth of protest songs back to the American union movement and explores the impact of pop culture in politicizing the baby boomer generation during the Vietnam era. It delves into the history of politics and protest in black music, from the civil rights movement and pacifism to black separatism and gangsta rap. The music in GET UP, STAND UP is omnipresent, moving seamlessly from "The Times They Are A-Changin'" to "Power to the People." By weaving together historical footage and commentary from today's musicians and music critics, the program puts the power of pop into perspective. From the 1970s on, American musicians began taking on larger and larger issues in countries as diverse and far-flung as Bangladesh and Tibet. Benefit concerts and individual hit songs, including Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas" and USA for Africa's "We Are the World," raised millions while capturing the attention of billions worldwide."~Off website.

It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)--Bob Dylan. Via Boogie Woogie Flu.

Websites to check out:

* Centre for Political Song

*Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
http://www.folkways.si.edu/index.html

*Music of Social Change
http://metascholar.org/MOSC/index.html

*Protest Music as Responsible Citizenship
http://cfs.osu.edu/activities/


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