Music essay
Contrary to many other popular musical and cultural trends, counterculture of the 1960s managed to leave a strong impact on the whole society and shaped the background to a separate, alternative style of living. The 1960s were the years of strong political and military tensions, espionage and atomic incidents. The culture of peace-loving hippies with their famous slogan “make love not war”, bright and easy attitude to life, devotion to freedom, creativity and humanity – all this was the natural reaction of social protest to all these tensions. The whole generation of moral philosophers with interest in occult practices, religion and, naturally, alternative music has emerged.
Janice Joplin and Jimmy Hendrix were the icons on the 1960s. The sparkles of their talents brightly illustrated the “live fast, die young” attitude of that time. “Foxy Lady” is one of the greatest songs of Jimmy Hendrix where he uses the power of his guitar distortion to charm the listeners and forms the famous atmosphere of peace and love common to those times. “Piece of my heart” by Janice Joplin is more intense and passionate, Janice’s voice literally touches the hearts of the listeners and makes their souls cry with her. Visual images also differ: the rash of Foxy Lady and her disheveled state recreate the feelings of freedom, while black and white videos of Janice make the readers focus on her wonderfully strong voice and deeply emotional message and make the listeners share these feelings. These stars are different, by style and message of their lyric, but the wave of freedom, bright and unconventional picture of the new world which they managed to build out of the tension and routine of those times are very similar, and are the mark of those times.
Woodstock and Monterey festivals, hippie communes and desperate anti-conformity in everything starting from clothes ending with lifestyle, philosophy and belief that music can take one everywhere – the 1960s were one of the brightest periods in our culture, and many beautiful alternative works of art as well as ways of living have emerged from the spirit of those years. The Beatles, Jimmy Hendrix, Janice Joplin and many other talented rock stars of this period have created a mini-nation of freedom, love and happiness. I believe that the heroes of these years, their outstanding talents and peace-loving beliefs our world have made this world a more colorful and happier place to live in.
