Modernism
What does The Wasteland mean (Lol)?
OK, well, let's unpack that:
2. What are some of its key features?
References to many other literary works and it dances through multiple styles/ narrative perspectives. Literary wise to name a few The Tempest is quoted in the line 257 “This music crept by me upon the waters“. The White Devil (Webster, 1612) in line 407. Paradise Lost (Milton) in line 98 “upon the sylvan scene” which is a reference to paradise before it fell.
Nursery rhymes “London bridge is falling down, falling down..” 426 and a pub landlord calling to close “Hurry up please it’s time” 140 are heard as well as many other voices from various walks of life. As well as the cries of birds throughout “Co co rico” 392, and nature features as having its own voice for instance thunder in the fifth part ‘What Thunder Said’. By having all these narratives in each verse he manages to create a diverse work which reaches most parts of culture and society as upper, middle and lower class would find something that appeals or is relatable to them in some manner. German and Italian are used as well, although to quote famous texts such as Dante’s ‘Inferno’ in its original form.
What does The Wasteland mean (Lol)?
OK, well, let's unpack that:
2. What are some of its key features?
References to many other literary works and it dances through multiple styles/ narrative perspectives. Literary wise to name a few The Tempest is quoted in the line 257 “This music crept by me upon the waters“. The White Devil (Webster, 1612) in line 407. Paradise Lost (Milton) in line 98 “upon the sylvan scene” which is a reference to paradise before it fell.
Nursery rhymes “London bridge is falling down, falling down..” 426 and a pub landlord calling to close “Hurry up please it’s time” 140 are heard as well as many other voices from various walks of life. As well as the cries of birds throughout “Co co rico” 392, and nature features as having its own voice for instance thunder in the fifth part ‘What Thunder Said’. By having all these narratives in each verse he manages to create a diverse work which reaches most parts of culture and society as upper, middle and lower class would find something that appeals or is relatable to them in some manner. German and Italian are used as well, although to quote famous texts such as Dante’s ‘Inferno’ in its original form.
Post Modern
2.
On what grounds was Ginsberg's HOWL accused of being obscene, and on what
grounds was it defended?
Ginsenberg’s HOWL was accused of being obscene due to covering topics such as illicit drugs, rock n’ roll and sexual practises that were both heterosexual and homosexual. Judge Clayton W. Horn (Chandler, 1957) declared the poem to hold “redeeming social importance” and seeing it as a literary artefact of the time.
Ginsenberg’s HOWL was accused of being obscene due to covering topics such as illicit drugs, rock n’ roll and sexual practises that were both heterosexual and homosexual. Judge Clayton W. Horn (Chandler, 1957) declared the poem to hold “redeeming social importance” and seeing it as a literary artefact of the time.
3.
In what ways are Beat poetry and rap linked?
Ginsenberg (1995) in an interview said that both beat poetry and rap share the same origin. An ancient African tradition called griot, which has an element of boasting within it. Warriors would boast, sexual boasting occurred and social commentary as well as the village commentary were used within this verse. It changed when it came to America with slaves as it wasn’t allowed in its pure form. Later down the line poets like Amiri Baraka added in democratic, political elements towards their people’s rights and heritage. Which relates to the griot social commentary and ‘village commentary’. Through rap we often see the other parts of griot used, the ‘warrior’ and sexual boasting. Dissing also seems to come from this in rap to balance out the boast. Ginsenberg also says that a lot of rap is intentionally hyperbolic and exaggerated for the humour of the rhyme which relates back to the warrior boasting.
Through the exaggerated lyrics in rap and through the issues beat poetry can explore to illuminate flaws in society, we see both works censored. Ginsenberg finds his work often censored and rap artists often have to write more ‘appropriate’ versions of their lyrics so that they can be played on air.
Ginsenberg (1995) in an interview said that both beat poetry and rap share the same origin. An ancient African tradition called griot, which has an element of boasting within it. Warriors would boast, sexual boasting occurred and social commentary as well as the village commentary were used within this verse. It changed when it came to America with slaves as it wasn’t allowed in its pure form. Later down the line poets like Amiri Baraka added in democratic, political elements towards their people’s rights and heritage. Which relates to the griot social commentary and ‘village commentary’. Through rap we often see the other parts of griot used, the ‘warrior’ and sexual boasting. Dissing also seems to come from this in rap to balance out the boast. Ginsenberg also says that a lot of rap is intentionally hyperbolic and exaggerated for the humour of the rhyme which relates back to the warrior boasting.
Through the exaggerated lyrics in rap and through the issues beat poetry can explore to illuminate flaws in society, we see both works censored. Ginsenberg finds his work often censored and rap artists often have to write more ‘appropriate’ versions of their lyrics so that they can be played on air.
4.
How was Bob Dylan's song Master of War involved in controversy during the Bush
administration?
Master of War was involved in controversies in both Bush administrations although lesser so in Bush Seniors. The song originally came out in 1963 and was controversial for the time. Protest songs were popular however Dylan’s song differed in that his celebrated the death of the masters of war quite directly. There was no subtlety in “And your death will come soon. I'll follow your casket. In the pale afternoon. And I'll watch while you're lowered. Down to your deathbed/ And I'll stand over your grave till I'm sure that you're dead” , it was a direct call for warmongers and leaders demise. So the song was not performed in Dylans sets for a few decades post release.
Master of War was involved in controversies in both Bush administrations although lesser so in Bush Seniors. The song originally came out in 1963 and was controversial for the time. Protest songs were popular however Dylan’s song differed in that his celebrated the death of the masters of war quite directly. There was no subtlety in “And your death will come soon. I'll follow your casket. In the pale afternoon. And I'll watch while you're lowered. Down to your deathbed/ And I'll stand over your grave till I'm sure that you're dead” , it was a direct call for warmongers and leaders demise. So the song was not performed in Dylans sets for a few decades post release.
1991 – Gulf war, Americans in Iraq with Bush Senior as
president. Bob Dylan performs Masters of War at the Grammys, which is specific
due to the fact he has not played it much in the last 3 decades and has a large
repertoire. When asked why he played that song he said “the war is going on”.
Due to heavy television coverage on the war at the time, the Grammys were a
prominent show that year as they provided a break from the subject. So it was
perfectly used then for the masses.
2002 – Played Master of War in Madison Square Garden days after Bush Jr announced intent to reignite an Iraq war. Played a set without grand props and only three musicians which gave it a natural calm yet haunting vibe (Lipner, 2002).
2003/2004 – The song was covered heavily as it gained new popularity, with Amendola band doing a particularly haunting nine minute cover which slowly lowers to a post-apocalyptic silence. A Minneapolis record store owner put out a version of the song with Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Ashcroft on the cover of his album in red white and blue. Dylan once again covered the song on election night, singing the song fiercer than before with an electric guitar. The next day in Boulder Colorado students staged a sit in at their school library, saying that they understood Bush’s actions would directly affect their generations future and that they were upset that they had no say in receiving the aftermath. The school’s principal refused to move them so a television crew arrived as did a senator-elect Ken Salazar.
A fortnight later the children had a talent show on and performed Dylan’s Master of War. A student who auditioned told their parent they heard one of the students sing “Die, Bush, Die” instead of the lyric “I hope that you die”. The parent called the news stations, the secret service arrived as they thought the students posed a threat. But left after grabbing a copy of the lyrics (Westword, 2004).
5. What were the links between black protest music and revolutionary political movements, such as the Black Panthers, in the 1960s and how did things play out then and into the 1970s?
Nina Simone made a few protest songs and was affiliated with the Black Panthers directly.
2002 – Played Master of War in Madison Square Garden days after Bush Jr announced intent to reignite an Iraq war. Played a set without grand props and only three musicians which gave it a natural calm yet haunting vibe (Lipner, 2002).
2003/2004 – The song was covered heavily as it gained new popularity, with Amendola band doing a particularly haunting nine minute cover which slowly lowers to a post-apocalyptic silence. A Minneapolis record store owner put out a version of the song with Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Ashcroft on the cover of his album in red white and blue. Dylan once again covered the song on election night, singing the song fiercer than before with an electric guitar. The next day in Boulder Colorado students staged a sit in at their school library, saying that they understood Bush’s actions would directly affect their generations future and that they were upset that they had no say in receiving the aftermath. The school’s principal refused to move them so a television crew arrived as did a senator-elect Ken Salazar.
A fortnight later the children had a talent show on and performed Dylan’s Master of War. A student who auditioned told their parent they heard one of the students sing “Die, Bush, Die” instead of the lyric “I hope that you die”. The parent called the news stations, the secret service arrived as they thought the students posed a threat. But left after grabbing a copy of the lyrics (Westword, 2004).
5. What were the links between black protest music and revolutionary political movements, such as the Black Panthers, in the 1960s and how did things play out then and into the 1970s?
Nina Simone made a few protest songs and was affiliated with the Black Panthers directly.
7. What kind of protest
song/rap/other media have come out in the last decade? Is there a spirit of
protest anymore?
I believe there is a spirit of protest in today’s music and in a variety of genres, although rap would cover it more often than other genres and perhaps more in passing lines then the whole song having that commentary. There is not as much as there was decades ago and sometimes the protest is more in the form of bringing inequities to light or questioning them/pointing out the glaringly obvious. Although, adding a decent pop beat with the right status of artist seemingly can draw up conversation that begin or add to movements. My first example was a massive conversation starter. I’ve witnessed multiple times the dark irony in white dj’s in clubs cutting out the shooting noise when remixing, to make it more palatable for clubs as it does have a good “club” beat. Which appropriates the careful use of catchy beats mixed with an auditory break to remind one that the song had purpose. The second is not so much protest as questioning why some have more rights than others, no violence is brought up but rather the aim is compassion. However, it has been accepted widely by the community it was made for and used within marches for rights.
This is America by Childish Gambino/Donald Glover (2018) is an interesting and popular modern protest type song. It portrays a number of inequities within society including a jarring few shooting scenes which further emphasises the problems with police brutality and murder specifically towards people of colour. The first shooting scene involves Glover shooting a man in a Jim Crow pose then gently placing the gun down a cloth with care as the bodies dragged off showing more care for the weapon than action. The Jim Crow laws were used to segregate the population post slaves being ‘freed’ so that they couldn’t use the same facilities as white people. So seeing him separate himself from the victim with this pose is intense. The second shooting directly references the 2015 massacre that happened at the Emanuel African Methodist Church in Charleston, South Carolina where 9 choir singers were shot by a white supremacist. Glover skips up to them, shoots them then shrugs it off and passes his gun once again with some care to a random person. There’s many more symbols and references throughout the video and the lyrics hold true to the motive of protest. However, there is no call really to rise up. Rather it aims to grab ones attention.
Macklemore’s ‘Same Love’ (Haggerty, 2013) Covering homosexuality, gender, religion, oppression, human rights, hate and skin pigment. With lines such as “No freedom ‘til we’re equal”, “our culture founded from oppression”. Although it may not be as much for protest despite it being used within that, rather it’s a call for acceptance.
I believe there is a spirit of protest in today’s music and in a variety of genres, although rap would cover it more often than other genres and perhaps more in passing lines then the whole song having that commentary. There is not as much as there was decades ago and sometimes the protest is more in the form of bringing inequities to light or questioning them/pointing out the glaringly obvious. Although, adding a decent pop beat with the right status of artist seemingly can draw up conversation that begin or add to movements. My first example was a massive conversation starter. I’ve witnessed multiple times the dark irony in white dj’s in clubs cutting out the shooting noise when remixing, to make it more palatable for clubs as it does have a good “club” beat. Which appropriates the careful use of catchy beats mixed with an auditory break to remind one that the song had purpose. The second is not so much protest as questioning why some have more rights than others, no violence is brought up but rather the aim is compassion. However, it has been accepted widely by the community it was made for and used within marches for rights.
This is America by Childish Gambino/Donald Glover (2018) is an interesting and popular modern protest type song. It portrays a number of inequities within society including a jarring few shooting scenes which further emphasises the problems with police brutality and murder specifically towards people of colour. The first shooting scene involves Glover shooting a man in a Jim Crow pose then gently placing the gun down a cloth with care as the bodies dragged off showing more care for the weapon than action. The Jim Crow laws were used to segregate the population post slaves being ‘freed’ so that they couldn’t use the same facilities as white people. So seeing him separate himself from the victim with this pose is intense. The second shooting directly references the 2015 massacre that happened at the Emanuel African Methodist Church in Charleston, South Carolina where 9 choir singers were shot by a white supremacist. Glover skips up to them, shoots them then shrugs it off and passes his gun once again with some care to a random person. There’s many more symbols and references throughout the video and the lyrics hold true to the motive of protest. However, there is no call really to rise up. Rather it aims to grab ones attention.
Macklemore’s ‘Same Love’ (Haggerty, 2013) Covering homosexuality, gender, religion, oppression, human rights, hate and skin pigment. With lines such as “No freedom ‘til we’re equal”, “our culture founded from oppression”. Although it may not be as much for protest despite it being used within that, rather it’s a call for acceptance.
References:
Chandler, A. (2012) “Howl” and the Obscenity Trial: Allen Ginsberg’s Date with History. Tablet Magazine.
Glover, D. (2018). This Is America, mcDJ
Hagerty, B. Lewis, R. Lambert, M. (2013). Same Love, Macklemore LLC.
Lipner, R. (2002). Bob Dylan Concert Review. Classic Rock History
Milton, J. (1667) Paradise Lost, Samuel Simmons
Webster, J. (1612). The White Devil.
Westword. (2004). Off Limits. Westword Magazine.
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