Pop Music in a 1960s Course!

Although Aretha Franklin did not give her life to the homeless like Dorothy Day and she was no Eleanor Roosevelt, she influenced women through pop music. Music is another form of language: expressive and powerful. It is an unavoidable part of our cultural heritage, and through lyrics of music, the world is able to communicate universal messages. During the cluttered and mass production chaotic days of the 1960s, music served as an escape and a way to forget the world, sit back and relax while coming together as a community that shared their common love for music. Schools cannot avoid this crucial aspect of our history. The study of sixties music is not just about the actual rhythm and beats of the music itself, but the important historical occurrences that music influenced. The historical hippie movement of The Summer of Love changed the way people expressed themselves. Individuals came together in the hopes of creating a better world through music. In addition, the hard core Rock and Roll bands such as the Rolling Stones and The Who also deserve a central place in academic study. Although some aspects of their lifestyle-the partying and drug usage-are not something to be taught, those bands drastically changed the way artists performed. They reached out and were able to touch the hearts of many through their powerful lyrics. To this day, records from The Beatles, The Who, and other sixties legends are constantly talked about and listened to. In that way, it speaks for itself on how influential, impactful, and astonishing sixties music is.

During the 1960s, Franklin helped bring spiritual passion into pop music. She took control over her voice and created her own sound. Her powerful stand on her music transitioned over into her songs as well and gave women everywhere a voice. Aretha converted American pop music from a patriarchal monologue into a coed dialogue. In addition, for those who sometimes struggle to express themselves, music enables emotional and personal development for them to find their voice. For Aretha, she was tired of singing about broken hearts, she demanded respect. With a fierce attitude Aretha sang loud and proud for all women. This influential and powerful woman who defines R&B, what it means to sing with soul and pop music deserves to be taught during the course on the 1960s. Leaving pop music out of a 1960s course is like not teaching about the Civil War in a U.S. History class.