...Music is loved by many people and will be for years to come. During the 1920’s thru the 1940’s, Jazz, and the Blues were a big part of the American culture. The 1950’s changed all of that (Vaillancourt 6). Nineteen Fifties music has been affected by the problems of Segregation, Civil Rights, and The Cold War during the decade. The Cold War, the baby boom and the struggle for equality were all a major parts of the 1950’s. During that time the country's economy was limited. When the Cold War hit the American economy grew and consumers were spending great amounts of money. Soldiers returning from...
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...Popular Culture” ( 1950s ) Fashion In the 1950s, America exerted a huge influence on Australia through cinema. Ripple-soled shoes, leather motorbike jacket, long jackets and thick-soled shoes. Young women would wear tight-waisted skirt with the equally tight jumper influenced by Marilyn Monroe Short back and sides haircut for young men were replaced by long styled hair. Young men would have their hair slicked back with grease and this was influenced by Elvis Presley. Black sweater, chunky costume jewellery and turned-up pants were worn as casual clothes when going to the cinema. A lot of fashion that were popular in Australia came from Hollywood through the movie industry. American fashion dominated the youth scene....
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...the youth counter-culture in the 1950’s is no exception. Jody Pennington and J. Ronald Oakley examine the change in the social behavior of the post World War II generation and discuss whether Rock and Roll was the cause of the dramatic behavioral changes that led teenagers astray from the conservative values of the older generation. While both Pennington and Oakley agree on some of the factors that that led to the sweeping changes in teenage behavior during this time, they differ on the conclusion of whether Rock and Roll was the culprit and whether teenage morals and values truly shifted from their conservative upbringing during this time. Pennington’s essay offers a more unbiased, balanced, substantive and consistent assessment that supports the conclusion that Rock and Roll was indeed the accelerant that ignited 1950s youth and encouraged them to adopt Rock and Roll’s values of rebellion, provocative sexual expression and racial-mixing....
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...How Rock n’ Roll Changed America Music has been an influence on all people for years now. The music of rock n roll in the 1950s impacted all music genres then and today. Glenn C. Altschuler’s book, All Shook Up: How Rock n’ Roll Changed America, elaborated on how this era changed the view on music through race and sexuality. There were many problems that were caused between the two generations during the 1950s era because of the music influences of rock n’ roll. Whites were refraining their children from listening to such music that the teenagers enjoyed, for they did not want them to listen to black artists or bring out any sexuality they might have. Race and sexuality have been touchy subjects that make so many people uncomfortable and skeptical on accepting it just as is. Music and musicians during the times of the rock n roll ages of the 1950’s brought these delicate subjects out. Rock n’ roll was seen as a way of symbolizing black empowerment to the whites. Altschuler talks about how it was a moment where Black people were beginning to identify and assert themselves racially (35-37). During this time white older folks were very familiarized to separating blacks and whites. Doing such other made the folks upset and uncomfortable. They felt rock n’ roll was mixing and bringing the races together. There was a saying that was called “jungle music”, that meant the rock n roll music performed by the black race was causing young white teens to become disobedient and lose their...
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...Elvis Presley: A Revolutionist Gage E. Trollinger Elvis Presley is the single most significant figure in rock and roll history. He completely changed music and he also changed entertainment through his influences. In the 1950’s Presley’s music broke past these racial barriers. He allowed Caucasian and African Americans listen to the same type of music. Elvis challenged the social and moral values because his music and his dance moves created a new generation. By 1955 Elvis had gone to a national sensation. People quickly fell in love with his style of music and dancing, Critics loved and hated him at the same time altho girls were in awe with him. The fact that Elvis shook his hips, thrust his pelvis, and danced passionately on stage, turned parents against his music. Elvis posed a threat to the values and morals of wight american cicity. Presly “set in motion a style of music that dominated the world for the rest of the century. It was the beginning of youth culture, the breakdown of sexual inhibition, and the end of racial segregation.”...
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...Classifications of Rock and Roll Music It is said that music makes the world go round. That is a very true fact. If there was no music the world would be a much lonelier, quieter and boring place to live. Music fills our lives with happiness and sadness. Sometimes it makes us mad. Sometimes it makes us want to dance. It has been around since the invention of man. The love of music starts at a very young age and continues into adulthood and old age. Whatever type of music you listen to is your choice. There are many types of music to choose from. There is Country & Western, Rhythm & Blues, Rap and Hip Hop. There is Jazz and Big Band style music. And lastly but by far not the least is Rock & Roll. Everywhere you go you can hear these types of music. You can hear it in the local shopping malls as background music, and in the churches being sung by the choir or the congregation. You can hear it on your radio at your home or in your car. You can even hear it at your favorite night club being played on a juke box or by a live band. The style of music I listen to is Rock & Roll; therefore, it is what I will be talking about in this essay. Rock & Roll got its start in the 1950’s. It is comprised of Country & Western, and Rhythm & Blues, but played at a much faster upbeat tempo. It was made popular by people like Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley, who is considered to be the King of Rock & Roll. Rock & Roll music became popular...
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...happening at the time. Before the 1950’s, society had struggled for two decades with wartime restrictions and rations. It was a new era and everything was looking up. With all the new technology including credit cards, buying clothes and keeping up with fashion was easier than ever. After World War 2 there was a push for women to get back in the home and do the traditional woman duties of raising children and looking after the house. Advertising portrayed that housewife look for women. Fashion in the 1950’s for women emphasized femininity in the form of soft shoulders, stiletto heels, wrist-length gloves and full, billowing skirts. Even working women's outfits’ hinted fragility, with pencil-slim skirts and little hats with veil and feathers. Men’s fashion was clean cut and conservative. Suits and penny loafers were favored by men. Hats became less popular for men and they started wearing their hair in a crew cut. Fashion for teens also completely changed in the 1950’s for the first time they stopped imitating their elders and invented a new type of dress and way to express themselves. As rock and roll gained popularity so did sexual appeal. Rock and roll artists like Elvis really emphasized this change in teenagers. Elders saw rock and roll as a danger, but the youth loved it and they became more rebellious than ever before. Leather jackets, black jeans, ankle boots and checkered shirts became the fashion trend of youth, the whole punk look. The 1950’s was the start of a more modern...
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...Notes: Midterm One Introduction Studying Rock: * Fan mentality: reject other forms of music * Gold Records: 500,000 copies * Platinum Records: 1 million copies Themes: * Social, political, and cultural issues * Issues of race, class, and gender * The development of the music business * The development of technology The Popularity Arc: * Mainstream popularity is the ‘peak’ * Genres tend to develop underground and aren’t written about historically during these years (subcultures) Musical Form: * The way different sections in a song are organized Rhythm: the way music sounds are organized in time; beat is the pulse Meter: organization of rhythm and beats into music * Simple; one & two & three (2 parts) * Compound; one & uh two & uh three (3 parts) * Duple (2 beats per measure) * Triple (3 beats per measure) * Quadruple (4 beats per measure) Timbre (colour): voice is: warm, smooth, rich * Chest voice, falsetto, crooner (male who sings with background jazz music) The 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s * Upheaval in politics, reflected in music * Baby boomers Chapter 1: Roots to 1955 Before Rock and Roll (Main stream music, rhythm and blues, country & western) Part 1: The World of Mainstream Pop Leading up to 1955 National vs. Regional Changes * Emergence of technology took music from a regional scope to a national level * Radio (1920’s) directed at white middle class * Broken...
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...History of Rock and Roll Who invented rock and roll? Well, the answer is nobody. Rock music is the innovation and evolution of many different types of music from a wide variety of groups of people. No one planned rock and roll, and it took over a great deal of American culture and revolutionized popular music. Rock and roll was influenced by African American music as well as white American styles. Since the introduction of minstrel shows in America in 1840, people have created and developed many other kinds of music. Mostly originated from African Americans, swing, blues, and jazz music was an early beginning to rock music. Many musical qualities were brought with African slaves into America. Some of the qualities include improvisation, “call and response” singing, and a dynamic rhythm. They created spiritual music and blues, which later evolved into what we know today as gospel music and “rhythm and blues.” White American music is based on of folk-style songs, mostly ballads in small bands of musical instruments. At the start of the 20th century, these folk style songs became referred to as hillbilly music. The transition to country-western music began with singers like Jimmie Rodgers and Gene Autry. After World War II, soldiers returning home wanted to feel at home again. This started the era of playing music on the radio, with programs such as Grand Ole Opry, which still runs today. This genre of music used guitars, Hawaiian guitar and drums on occasion to create a new...
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...6: Identify each sentence simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex. 1. Rock and roll originated in the 1950’s - Simple 2. Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley were early rock-and-roll greats. - Simple 3. Teenagers loved the new music, but it disturbed many parents. - Compound 4. As much as the music itself, it was the sexually suggestive body language of the performers that worried the older generation. – Complex 5. The social turmoil that marked the 1960’s influenced many performers, and some began to use their music as a vehicle for protest. - Compound Exercise 31.7: Circle the simple subjects and verbs in the following passage. Place one line under each independent clause and two lines under each dependent clause. (Recall that as independent clause can stand on its own as a complete sentence.) Many argue that the blues and jazz are the first truly American musical forms. With its origins in slave narratives, the blues took root during the 1920’s and 1930’s as African-America composers, musicians and singers performed in the cabarets and clubs of Harlem. Jazz, however, has is origins in New Orleans. Today, we can still appreciate the music of Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, and B.B. King. Rock and roll is also a distinctively American form of music. Our country’s first “rock star” was without a doubt Elvis Presley, who emerged in the nation’s airwaves in the mid-1950’s with such hits as Heartbreak Hotel, Don’t Be Cruel, and All Shook Up. A decade...
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...Rock n Roll In the 1950’s rock n roll became a dividing and unifying force, the impact of rock music was felt by the masses. Rock and Roll pitted the government, parents and the mass media against teenagers. At the same time rock and roll helped erode some of the social and political issues in America. The emergence and growth of rock n roll could be attributed to the events that took place in the 1950’s and 60’s in America (Azzam, 2007). Study of the role of rock n roll by historians evidently shows that its role was to unite the blacks and the whites by creating a common culture as well addressing the political issues during this period of warfare. This paper addresses Bob Dylan’s song of 1962 bringing out its role on addressing political and social injustices of the 1960’s. In a New York café was first heard was Bob Dylan’s song, “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall’ in 1962. At this time, there was a lot of anxiety in America following the events of the Cold War. A Cuba- Soviet Union alliance was getting cozy making the Pentagon and state department analysts nervous. At this summer period, there were reports that Russia had increased their military aide in Cuba. During the same time, Rob Dylan released a dozen of songs all which were politically influenced aiming at addressing the issues transpiring during this era. Historians and journalists have always treated Dylan as a quintessential protest singer. Historians and journalists have always treated Dylan’s songs as an emblematic...
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...know and see today.The 1950s are often viewed as a turning point to the decades that followed it. This decade however, was seen as a period of conformity, prosperity, and peace after the Korean War had ended, as compared to the rebellion, unrest, and war that began in the 1960s (cliffsnotes). A major affluence starting in America after WWII was the status of labor. In the 150s labor began to change drastically. Higher end jobs began to increase in sales and service rapidly while the...
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...----------------------- Ten New Creations of The 1950’s So today I am going to tell you about the top ten inventions made in the 50’s, in order from least favorite to favorite (at least in my head). And staring at last place is the Barbie Doll that was invented in 1959, come on man no one cares about a stupid doll. But right in front of Barbie we have the Microchips invented in 1959 also, mico means small now why would you want something small? It’s like I always say bigger is better. Now in 8th place we have the Laser made in 1958, sure there really isn’t any point to it right now but I belive it has pointless. Right after 8th place we have 7th place and claming that spot is a way to prevent babies! It’s the Oral Contraceptives, or in other words birth controle, made in 1954. Clamming the spot right before Oral Contraceptive is the Bar Code, I have a fealing that’s going to be something big in the future. Now in 5th place and made in 1958 is the Hula Hoop , keeping children occupied so you can have some alone time with the wife. Now in 4th place is this thing called McDonalds Corp. invented in 1955, and you can just tell it is going to be big. Next is something to keep you skinny it’s the Diet Soft Drink made in 1952. Then in 2ed is the Hover Craft invented in 1956 now who doesn’t want a flying car? Last but not least in 1st place is MR. POTATO HEAD from 1952. [pic] THE BEATNIKS The beatniks are people those people that are changing the 50’s. They are the people that are rejecting...
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...At the end of World War II, popular culture in Australia have been strongly influenced by America during the 1950s, and overtime became richer than ever where communications and transport technology was advancing rapidly. Not only this but America have also influenced Australians in music, radio, television film and fashion. Australian music during the 1950s was heavily influenced from American music, where individuals fell in love with American-style rock 'n' roll. In 1955, American Bill Haley's hit song ‘Rock Around the Clock’ spread throughout Australia, and the radio broadcasting station were soon full of other American acts like Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly. During this time, Australian performers like Johnny O'Keefe was impacted by these overseas trends. During this time, radio stations increasingly relied on individuals and their new 'teenage' thirst for American music. Radio announcers in the 1950s often used American accents to make...
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...Elvis Aaron Presley was born on January 8, 1935, to Vernon and Gladys Presley. Elvis had a twin brother, Jessie Garon Presley, who died at birth. Elvis was raised in a small two bedroom house in Tupelo, Mississippi. The towns people called Tupelo, which was located near the Appalachian Mountains, the Mississippi Hills. Elvis grew up in a very poor side of town and where he mingled with the black culture. This exposed him to rhythm and blues, gospel, bluegrass, jazz and pop. Elvis didn't dress like a typical white middle class young man. He dressed with a rebel edge which included leather jackets, open shirts, and upturned colors. He slicked his hair back and grew long side burns. Elvis was a mixture of the black and white cultures that he grew up with. Elvis began singing at an early age in church, at local assemblies, camp meetings and revivals. While in elementary school his teacher convinced him to participate in a talent contest at the Mississippi/Alabama Fair and Dairy Show. Elvis wore a cowboy suit, had to stand on a chair to reach the microphone, and he sang a Red Foley song, "Old Shep". Elvis won second place and a $5.00 prize. Shortly after this Elvis' uncle bought him a guitar and gave him lessons. The Presley's moved to Memphis when Elvis was thirteen. He graduated from L. C. Humes high school in 1953. Elvis went to work for Crown Electric Company as a truck driver. He was planning to get a job as an electric repairman and took evening classes towards that end. During...
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