Music in Historical Moment

**Montmorency** · 02-06-2018, 05:10

Below are a couple of songs on the subject of 1992. "No More Barricades" represents the Russian/ex-Soviet context, while the iconic "Wind of Change" is interpretable either as a global anthem or a European one (and technically popularized from the beginning of 1991).

Listen to those songs, see how you feel (the Russian one has English lyrics). It's been a full generation since then - and how bitter the taste, no?

I want to hear your reflections on the above, but I also want to see this thread devoted to exploring how music can suit or reflect historical moments (or zeitgeist, if you like), including the present one. I wonder what you can come up with. For starters, any other songs to fill in the gaps for 1991-2? The absence of a representative for the United States begs to be resolved at least.

**Fragony** · 02-06-2018, 16:09

This https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYMCLz5PQVw The crew of Apollo 17 was still lost in space when David Bowie wrote this nobody knew if they would make is.

**Strike For The South** · 02-06-2018, 17:29

A quick perusal of the 91/92 hot 100 shows a lot of upbeat pop songs that generally extoll the virtues of American excess. Quite the juxtaposition between that and what was going on in Eastern Europe at the time.

I rather like the bookends of Bob Dylan and Don McLean for the 60s. In 1965 Bob Dylan releases "Subterranean Homesick Blues", his homage to Kerouac and the beatniks. The song is the metaphorical torch between the beat generation and the counter culture of 60s. It is fast, kind of disjointed, and generally trying to get you to question what is around you. Not a very polished song, but it didn't need to be. it was the war cry of a new age, the opening salvo of a youth ready to change things.

In 1972 Don McLean releases "American Pie". The story of the "the day the music died" through the waning days of Vietnam? (It is left ambiguous, we will get back to that). It is a song that should be the Companion to SHB in a lot of ways. The timeframes match, the general feelings match as the beat generation and the first mainstream success of rock music fell silent at the same time. American pie is A tribute to the death of the original rockstars and the tumult of a young boys adolescence in the aftermath. However, unlike SHBs, the song is extremely polished. All the right notes are hit, all the pieces move as you think they should, and it gives the appearance of depth while being shallow. It is nostalgic kitsch sold as counter culture. McLean himself has never given a definitive answer on the symbolism, however he has said he never has to work again.

In 7 years the movement was cleaned, sanitized, and packaged for consumption. Capitalism always wins kids, never forget that. Even Dylan himself has essentially become acceptable opposition, what middle aged people do when they want to play at being naughty.

**Seamus Fermanagh** · 02-06-2018, 18:48

Composed in 1967, gaining in popularity throughout the following year...

Tommy Makem's " ."

Following not long after...The Troubles.

**Sarmatian** · 02-06-2018, 18:58

Ok. Just one rule - no WW2 songs.

It's kind of hard for me to participate, especially as late 80's to 00's I was living in country that was in quite a different situation than most of the world, even most other eastern European countries. But here, have one from my favourite author

**Fragony** · 02-07-2018, 12:24

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsgf1dM9ACY Also a good one. Chernobyle disaster in UKraine. At least it got me S.T.A.L.K.E.R. The last truly great pc-game (imho)