Dan Rather posted a remembrance of Peter, Paul, and Mary today, inspired by the death this week of Peter Yarrow. His column wasn’t so much about Yarrow as it was about the influence that folk music, and the folk rock that grew out of folk music, had on the civil rights and anti-war movements. The movie “A Complete Unknown,” which focused in part on the relationship between Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger in the early 1960s, also had to do in part with the themes of activism in their music. I believe songs like “Blowing In The Wind,” “Masters of War,” “There But For Fortune,” “For What It’s Worth,” “A Change Is Gonna Come,” “Imagine,” “This Land Is Your Land,” “Eve Of Destruction,” “Handsome Johnny,” “If I Had a Hammer,” and “Respect,” among hundreds of others, helped shape the consciousness of that decade. I’ve become disconnected with “popular” music today, and instead listen to what is now called “Americana” (a blend of folk music, alternative country/western music, bluegrass, and singer/songwriter genres) and Bluegrass. But it seems to me that “popular” music today avoids themes of social justice, peace, and politics. In light of the growing trend toward authoritarianism, the backlash against diversity, equality, and inclusion, the horrible wars in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, and the widespread erosion of democracy, I would welcome a revival of songwriters and performers addressing these issues. Perhaps I’m wrong and there is a profusion of new songs like this. If so, I hope they are being heard and are having an influence. If any readers know of contemporary songs that represent a call to activism, please share them.
A place to access the recorded music of Michael Shainline