Hippie Culture
by: Kayla Curry
How did people in the hippie community attempt to spread peace, love, and the acceptance of drug use through music?
The hippie movement started around the time of the Vietnam War. First, hippies were people that opposed the world and attempted to spread love and peace. Soon, hippies were spreading peace and love through drug use, living in communes, and acceptance. Hippies weren't always radical (the ones living in communes especially, however this is the typical hippy that people think of), hippies could even be recognized as the protesters at colleges and universities.
Mr. Tambourine Man (Live at the Newport Folk Festival. 1964)
Bob Dylan wrote this as an acceptance of drug usage. In the song, Dylan states as a request to "Mr. Tambourine Man" (the drug), "Take me on a trip upon your magic swirling ship My senses have been stripped May hands can't feel to grip My toes too numb to step Wait only for my boot heels to be wandering I'm ready to go anywhere, I'm ready for to fade Into my own parade Cast your dancing spell my way, I promise to go under it." he wanted to express how the drugs affected him and how he was okay doing drugs.
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Creedence Clearwater Revival: Fortunate Son
Fortunate Son is a VERY anti- war song. throughout the song, the band expresses how the hippies feel about war and how they refuse to participate in this song. this song is also associated with the burning of draft cards. "I ain't no military son"
San Francisco - Scott McKenzie
Scott Mckenzie's goal in this song was to express how peaceful and loving the hippie community is. He wanted the rest of the world to see the acceptance of the hippies towards other people.
Simon and Garfunkel- Sound of Silence
Simon & Garfunkel - The Sounds of Silence (Audio)
Simon and Garfunkel wrote this song in a bathroom. Although originally up to interpretation, it was later viewed as exposing the problems of the Vietnam war. "People talking without speaking. People hearing without listening"
1:11-1:46
The Doors - People Are Strange
Although it may seem unlikely, this song was about drugs. At the time of writing this song, the artist was strung out on acid and was suicidal so he went for a walk to clear his head (while still tripping). On his walk, he thought that people could tell that he was high and suicidal so he wrote this song in response to his trip (physical and mental (; )
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Purpose
As the hippie community grew, artists grew along with it. The artist wanted to show the rest of the world that hippies were not necessarily dirty people that share everything and do drugs all the time (although most of them did), but that hippies were ordinary people with opposing views on the war and how it should be handled. Drugs were involved to show people that were against the movement that they could be more peaceful through the use of drugs (even though it ruined several lives).