Music in the 1960s

Introduction The 1960's were a time of upheaval in society, fashion, attitudes and especially music. Before 1963, the music of the sixties still reflected the sound, style and beliefs of the previous decade and many of the hit records were by artists who had found mainstream success in the 1950s, like Elvis Presley, Ray Charles and The Everly Brothers. In 1963 and the years to follow, a number of social influences changed what popular music was and gave birth to the diversity that we experience with music today.

The assassination of President Kennedy, the war in Vietnam and the Civil Rights Movement all greatly impacted North American culture and the music began to reflect that change. The British Invasion also began around 1963 with the arrival of The Beatles on the music scene and the type of intense following that would change the way people would view music and musicians forever. In this unit we will cover the history of the British Invasion, Motown and R&B, Folk and Protest music, and the way Rock music throughout the sixties.

The British Invasion The "British Invasion" is the name given to the period of time in the early to mid-1960's, during which many British rock bands and pop artists found mainstream success in North America and worldwide. Many of these bands first started by covering American songs and showcasing an American Rock 'n' Roll and R&B influence in their sounds. As these bands gained popularity, many of them ventured into new music territory and created their own unique styles.

The Beatles The Beatles first broke into the North American music scene in 1963, but really became popular in 1964 after appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show. The Beatles dominated worldwide charts until they broke up in 1970. The phenomenon that surrounded them was known as Beatlemania. Many music acts tried to copy their sound. The band holds many musical records to this day for album sales and number one singles. Their music remains some of the most popular of all time.

The Beatles can be easily described as the most influential group of the 1960's. Some other notable British Invasion acts include The Rolling Stones, The Animals, The Who and Tom Jones, some of whom reached comparable success levels to the Beatles.

Can you name 3 bands or artists that were part of the British Invasion? Review

Motown and R&B The "Motown Sound" and popular R&B music had a major significance in the Civil Rights movement and American society during the sixties. Motown started as a Detroit-based record label in the late fifties and early sixties, but it quickly turned into much more as it gained popularity worldwide. Motown records consisted mainly of African-American groups, singers, songwriters and management. Their success proved in breaking down the barriers of segregation.

Two of the most influential groups to come out of the Motown sound were Smokey Robinson and the Miracles and Diana Ross and the Supremes, both of which had as much chart success as any of the rock groups that dominated the airwaves during the 60’s. Some other popular Motown and 60's R&B artists include The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, and the Jackson 5. 

Can you name 3 bands or artists that were part of the Motown movement? Review

Rock and Its Subgenres While rock 'n' roll music became popular in the 1950’s, rock music really came into its own in the 1960’s. Rock music dominated the popular music scene and as the genre grew and changed, many new subgenres emerged, all tied to original rock but each with their own unique style. These specific subgenres also had varying levels of popularity throughout the decade and many are still popular today.

Some of the rock subgenres that we will touch upon are surf, psychedelic, roots, and hard rock. It is important to remember that the specific artists we discuss in these various sections often fall into more than one category and it is up for debate amongst their fans what genre they best represent. Rock Subgenres

Surf Rock Surf rock began in Southern California and became quite popular in the early to mid 60’s. The subject matter for surf rock was usually surfing but expanded as the genre grew in popularity to songs about girls, cars and other things related to teenagers. The most popular group to come out of the genre were The Beach Boys, whose vocal harmonies came to define the genre. The Beach Boys were one of the only Surf Rock bands sustain their success.

Psychedelic Rock Psychedelic rock was popular during the second half of the 1960s. Psychedelic music was associated with hippie culture. Bands would often use instruments that were not usual, like the sitar, tabla, harpsichord and organ. There was much experimentation in the sound and much of it was influenced by Eastern and Indian music. Many popular rock bands experimented with this genre, including The Beatles, The Doors, The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Pink Floyd.  

Roots Rock Roots rock emerged in the mid to late 1960s as a combination of several genres that were popular at the time. Roots rock combined elements of folk music, blues, country and rock 'n' roll. The genre was known for its "back to basics" sound. Many of the most popular bands of the time joined the "roots revival". Some bands that created music in this style included The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, The Doors, The Beatles, The Band, and Creedence Clearwater Revival. 

Hard Rock Hard rock took the elements of rock 'n' roll and made them heavier as the genre formed in the middle of the decade. The sound is characterized by more aggressive tones. Hard rock vocalists are identified by their higher range and distinct and often raspy voices. The music was influenced heavily by blues rock, garage rock, and rhythm and blues. This style became associated with rebellion and anti- authority, with a few acts even destroying their own instruments on stage.

Hard Rock Continued Due to their hard-partying lifestyles, many musicians that were a part of the hard rock scene developed drug and alcohol problems. As a result of these problems, quite a few musicians died at a young age from substance abuse like Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix. Notable hard rock bands form the 1960s include The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and Steppenwolf. 

Folk Rock Folk rock came onto the scene as a popular genre in the mid-sixties and much of it grew out of the protest movements. Bob Dylan became one of the most prominent songwriters of the decade with many popular groups such as Peter, Paul and Mary covering his songs successfully. Dylan even saw success as a solo performer and was recognized by his unusual voice. Lyrically a lot of the folk rock contained protest messages. 

Protest Music Protest music was different in that it always had a message and was not confined to the sound and style of folk rock. This music was often a reaction to social injustice, cultural changes, and news events. In many cases, it brought awareness to the younger generation who would then join the protest, therefore growing the movements. This genre was not necessarily specific to certain artists either, as many mainstream musicians decided to contribute. R&B and Soul singer Same Cooke wrote and recorded "A Change Is Gonna Come" in 1963, a song that became an anthem for the Civil Rights movement in America, along with others like Bob Dylan‘s "Blowin' in the Wind“.  

Review Can you name a band or artist from the… Surf Rock movement? Psychedelic Rock movement? Roots Rock movement? Hard Rock movement? Folk Rock movement?

Just for Fun… Bob Dylan Interactive Music Video

The Vietnam War Another issue that protest music addressed was the war in Vietnam. As more troops were being sent to Vietnam with no progress being made, an anti-war movement began to gain steam in the mid-sixties. Some examples of anti-Vietnam songs were Pete Seeger's "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy, The Door's "The Unknown Soldier", and Bob Dylan's "Masters of War”. Both folk music and protest music were connected to the "hippie" movement at the time and were influenced by the feelings of freedom, love and peace. Some examples of folk rock and protest musicians include Peter, Paul and Mary, Cat Stevens, Simon and Garfunkel, and Pete Seeger.

Music Festivals The sixties was a decade in which music festivals flourished. Many of the most popular acts of the decade had their first major American appearance at this festival like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and The Who. The Woodstock Music and Art Fair of 1969 represents one of the most iconic events of the sixties. It was a free concert that lasted for three days and showcased some of the most iconic musicians of the time. It is estimated 500,000 people attended to celebrate love, peace and rock music. Clip 1 Clip 2

Top Songs of the 1960’s 1960: The Twist- Chubby Checker It's Now or Never - Elvis Presley Georgia On My Mind - Ray Charles Teen Angel - Mark Dinning Save the Last Dance For Me - The Drifters Cathy's Clown - The Everly Brothers Walk, Don't Run - The Ventures

1961 Stand By Me - Ben E. King Blue Moon - The Marcels Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes The Wanderer - Dion Calendar Girl - Neil Sedaka At Last - Etta James The Lion Sleeps Tonight - The Tokens

1962 Surfin' Safari - The Beach Boys Sherry - The Four Seasons Return to Sender - Elvis Presley You've Really Got a Hold On Me - The Miracles Love Me Do - The Beatles Green Onions - Booker T. & the M.G.s I Can't Stop Loving You - Ray Charles

1963 She Loves You - The Beatles Louie Louie - The Kingsmen Surfin' USA - The Beach Boys It's My Party - Lesley Gore Be My Baby - The Ronettes Hey Paula - Paul & Paula Ring of Fire - Johnny Cash

1964 Twist and Shout - The Beatles House of the Rising Sun - The Animals I Want to Hold Your Hand - The Beatles Oh, Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison Where Did Our Love Go? - The Supremes The Way You Do the Things You Do - The Temptations You Really Got Me - The Kinks

1965 Like A Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction – The Rolling Stones My Generation - The Who My Girl - The Temptations The Sound of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel Mr. Tambourine Man - The Byrds Help! - The Beatles

1966 Good Vibrations - The Beach Boys Yellow Submarine/Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles When A Man Loves A Woman - Percy Sledge Wild Thing - The Troggs Uptight (Everything's Alright) - Stevie Wonder Monday, Monday - The Mamas and the Papas These Boots Are Made for Walkin' - Nancy Sinatra

1967 A Whiter Shade of Pale - Procol Harum For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield I'm A Believer - The Monkees Light My Fire - The Doors All You Need Is Love - The Beatles Happy Together - The Turtles Somebody to Love - Jefferson Airplane

1968 All Along the Watchtower – The Jimi Hendrix Experience (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding Chain of Fools - Aretha Franklin What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong Piece of My Heart - Big Brother & The Holding Company (Janis Joplin) Hey Jude - The Beatles White Room - Cream

1969 Sugar, Sugar - The Archies In The Year 2525 - Zager and Evans Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In - The Fifth Dimension My Way - Frank Sinatra Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin Space Oddity - David Bowie Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival

Unit Review Now let’s review by playing a game! Each team will be given 100 points for each question they can correctly answer. If one team cannot answer the question within a minute the other team can steal the question. Remember to raise your hand if you think you know the answer!

1. Name three social issues that took place in the 1960’s. 2 1. Name three social issues that took place in the 1960’s. 2. Name at least one artist that was popular in the 1950’s who stayed on the charts into the 1960’s. 3. Describe what the term “British Invasion” means. 4. Name at least 3 British Invasion bands. 5. What technique did British Invasion bands use to find their way onto North American charts? 6. What happened once these Bands had a presence in North America? 7. What band is considered to be the biggest in British Invasion history? 8. What was the obsession with this band known as? 9. What show helped to give this band their big break? 10. What year did they perform on this show?

What year did the Beatles break up? Which member of the Beatles was assassinated? What year was he killed? Describe at least 3 qualities associated with Motown music. Where did Motown originate? Name at least 2 Motown stars. What group of people made up the Motown movement? What cause was closely associated with Motown? What did Motown music help accomplish in society? What is meant by the term “Rock Subgenre”?

Name at least 2 qualities of Surf Rock. What band is considered the most popular Surf Rock band of all time? What topics did Surf music usually cover? What is Psychedelic Rock? What group of people are usually associated with Psychedelic Rock? What type of instruments were used in Psychedelic Rock? Name at least 2 Psychedelic Rock artists or bands. Name at least one famous Psychedelic artist that died in the 1960’s. What is Roots Rock? Name at least 2 qualities. Name at least on Roots Rock band or artist.

Name at least 3 qualities of Hard Rock music. Name at least 2 Hard Rock bands or artists. What did some Hard Rock bands sometimes do with their instruments? What was one theme of Hard Rock Music? (What they usually discussed.) 5. Due to their partying lifestyle, what happened to some Hard Rock artists? 6. Name at least one Hard Rock artist who died during the 1960s. 7. Name at least one Folk artist from the 1960’s. 8. What was protest music? 9. What music festival (1969) drew in about 500,000 people and had many top artists performing? 10. Name at least one 1960’s artist or band that played at this music festival.

Tie Breaker: Name at least one song that was a hit during the 1960’s.

Video Clip The British Invasion: How the Brits Rocks America