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)

**Gilrandir** · 02-07-2018, 13:31

Originally Posted by Fragony

At least it got me S.T.A.L.K.E.R. The last truly great pc-game (imho)

That's a flagrant insult to all Total War community!
And back to the topic:

**Husar** · 02-07-2018, 14:26

Originally Posted by Gilrandir

A lot of Americans thought the same thing during the 2016 presidential election it seems.

**Gilrandir** · 02-08-2018, 14:34

Originally Posted by Husar

A lot of Americans thought the same thing during the 2016 presidential election it seems.

Is there any song they made about Trump?

**Husar** · 02-08-2018, 15:01

Originally Posted by Gilrandir

Is there any song they made about Trump?

There are a whole lot of songs being made about Trump.

Surely there were more professional songs about other events, but it just so happens that many professional musicians don't like Trump a lot and he can't force them to make songs yet. Or maybe I'm just not searching deep enough in the brown soup...

Sooner or later he may get a song like Tito:

**Husar** · 02-08-2018, 15:09

Oh yeah, and there are the "other" songs made about Trump, they're much easier to find:

**Gilrandir** · 02-08-2018, 16:50

I mean the songs that earnestly glorified him, like the one (in fact there are lots of them - just couldn't find ones with subtitles) about Putin I posted.

**spmetla** · 02-08-2018, 20:00

I'll throw this song in the ring, the music video was released during the 2016 elections and seems to certainly illustrate political hate well. Not really my type of music but the video has excellent cinematography.
WARNING VERY FOUL LANGUAGE
DJ Shadow - Nobody Speaks

As for the OP, I think Billy Joel's: We Didn't Start the Fire has always had an appeal and spoken to the trauma happening the world around us.

For the increasingly hostile nature between self identifying folks on the Left and Right as well as the increasing wealth divide and the divide between urban and rural Roger Miller's: Where Have all the average people gone? has had timeless appeal to me personally.