American music, as we know it today, relects the country’s multi-ethnic population. The wide array of genre is a testament to the influence of the various group of people that came and settled in the country and has come to represent the social and cultural identity that became prevalent during certain periods of time. Known as the melting pot of culture, tracing the origin of American music can prove to be challenging due to the constant evolution brought about by the continuous influx of hybridizing techniques, instruments, and genres of migrating cultures (The Parlor Song Academy).
The first mainstream music that became popular in America were the patriotic lay songs during the American Revolution. The longest lasting song during the time that is still well known and liked today is the “Yankee Doodle.” The song was categorized as a n old English folk music and was sang by both American and British troops. Accordingly, the music emerged as tool for British to mock American soldiers, as with the term “doodle” which means “fool” or ”simpleton” (Ruehl). Apart from this song, many others became popular during the long periods of war that the country became engaged in. Songs such as “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “Over There,” “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” and the American revolutionary war ballad “Free America” were some of the remarkable songs of the time.
Songs during the wars had different lyrics meant to express longing, support and patriotism for the country. The song “Over There,” made popular in 1917 was a propaganda song whcih was meant to attract American young men to enlist in the army (Moore). People back then were positive that the period of war would be short and this was reflected in the song. Similarly, the “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” a song that was closely identified with the Union. Written by Julia Ward Howe, the song was inspired by another war song “John Brown’s Body” and had its tune borrowed from a Methodist hymn “Say, Brother, Will You Meet Me?” (Civil War Trust).
Along with the war-inspired songs, upbeat and ballad songs were also famous during the times of war. “My Blue Heaven” by Gene Austin and “Boogie Woogi Bugle Boy” by The Andrews Sisters were some of the songs that made it big. “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” was considered a blues in a more upbeat theme, or what they termed as the “jump blues” (Moore) Early videos of the song showed the sisters performing in the company of soldiers with them also clad in military clothes. This song talks of a street musician who was drafted into the U.S. Army, and unlike other war-inspired songs which were patriotic in theme, this one was more upbeat with a sense of humor.
During the great depression in the 1930s, a song that was perceived as an anti-capitalist propaganda and some even made an effort to ban it. However, it became known when Bing Crosby, Al Jolson, and Rudy Vallee recorded the song, and was released a short time before the election for presidency of Franklin Roosevelt. Later on, it was perceived by the people as a song that represents the “shattered dreams of the era” (Arts Edge). The fears of the people during the humbling experience of the great depression were expressed in the song.
Country songs dominated the music scene well after the war. With songs such as “Once a Day,” ”Jambalaya on the Bayou,” and ”Crazy Arms,” country music came to rise in response to the growing influence of rock music. Famous country artists such as Ray Price, Hank Williams, Sr., and Connie Smith sang of love-inspired songs that spoke of sadness over a love lost. “Crazy Arms” was written by Ralph Mooney after his wife left him due to his drinking problems. Similarly, Hank William, Sr.’s “Jambalaya” was also about a girlfriend who left him to go to Texas with another man. Connie Smith’s “Once a Day,” on the other hand, talks of a woman who has not gotten over her love and was said to be grieving "once a day, every day, all day long" (Internet Archive).
Out of all the popular music genre during and after the war, perhaps the most notable one was rock and roll which was represented by “The King” Elvis Presley. His song “Don’t Be Cruel” was considered a “phenomenon of the vinyl era” as it was one of the songs that was sold in what was then called the “double-sided hit” (Elvis History Blog). The term was refered to as an artist’s single record which was actually released as a “double” because of the other song on the other side of the vinyl. The song which was “double-released” with his other song “Hound Dog” competed against each other for the top position in the Billboard Charts, proving Elvis Presley’s undeniable popularity and dominance over music during his time and even beyond.
Music can mean diffrent things to different people, but music is written to express. Mark Kidel of Conversations and Crossroads defined music as something that can “bridge culture in a universal conversation that is beyond intellect or reason” (qtd. in Resurgence and Ecologist). Beyond thought or intelligence, music conveys to people everywhere in the world an emotion and idea that is real and true. This is the reason why an evolution in American music, or music in general, happened. As times change, people experience and see different things that is true and existing in a specific period of time. These realities and experiences are conveyed through music that is meant to let the listeners feel and grasp the emotions that go with it.
The song “Fortunate Son,” on the other hand, was an opposite of “The Green Beret” as it had an anti-war theme. The song criticized the militant patriotic behavior and the people who support the use of military force without paying the costs. Although it was not a direct attack on the Vietnam War, it was an attack on the elite classes where the “fortunate sons” came from (Moore). These two songs show that music is freely expressing what someone sees and experience as society change. There may be a variation of genres that were established over time, but the aim is still the same, and that is to express.
Works Cited
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Civil Wars Trust. “Civil War Music: The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Civil Wars Trust.
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Moore, Frank. “Songs of the Ballads and the American Revolution.” (2014).
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Ruehl, Kim. “”Yankee Doodle” – Traditional: History of an American Folk Song.” (2014) About
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The Resurgence & Ecologist. “”What is music?.” The Resurgence & Ecologist. Web. 23 Nov.
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The Parlor Songs Academy: Lessons in America’s Popular Music History. “World War One As
