When the American director John Hughes chose to open the credits of his 1985 film "The Breakfast Club" with following lyrics taken from David Bowie’s 1971 single "Changes", his intention in doing so was to challenge the commonplace notions of youth plaguing 1980s teen-culture in America.
"And these children that you spit on as they try to change their worlds, Are immune to your consultations – they’re quite aware of what they’re going through…"
The film’s troubled ‘teenage’ protagonists, exaggerated caricatures of rebellious youth who spend an entire Saturday detention within a school library in atonement for their individual delinquencies, begin their journey defined ‘in the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions’ lavished upon them by their adult authorities. Bowie’s lyrics were applied to "The Breakfast Club" by Hughes in order to glamorize the notion of ‘us versus them’ and youth isolation within the cultural landscape of 1980s America. However, these lyrics can also be aptly applied to the much-discussed issue of ‘youth culture’ within the British post-war landscape. Although ‘Changes’ was not released until the early 1970s, its lyrics effectively capture the tone of the previous two decades in Britain; decades in the throes of social and political change, with a newly formed ‘youth’ group who were becoming increasingly aware of that fact.
Following the arrival of rock n’ roll in the late 1950s, British youths underwent a period of self-realisation in the 1960s as music, particularly rock n’ roll, drove a wedge between teenagers and the ‘parent culture’, effectively isolating them into their own unique cultural island. The primary ambition of this essay, therefore, will be to assess the change implemented by music during these post-war decades and whether it is possible to utilize music as a tool for effectively understanding youth culture and sub-cultures. Although each decade could be argued to embody its own distinct ‘mood’, effectively captured and echoed in its musical output, this essay will hone its energies primarily towards studying the late 1950s and early 1960s, in which a ‘fizzy electrical storm’ of a radiant post-war atmosphere was reflected and charged by its music. [...]
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Role of Music in Post-War Youth Culture
3. Media Portrayals and Moral Panic
4. The Cultural Beacon: Rock 'n' Roll and Identity
5. Intersections of Music and Fashion
6. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This essay explores the transformative role of music in shaping British post-war youth culture, specifically examining how it served as a tool for self-realization and identity construction among the youth of the late 1950s and early 1960s.
- The evolution of "youth culture" as a distinct sociocultural category in post-war Britain.
- The dual role of music as a vehicle for individual rebellion and collective identity.
- The impact of media coverage and moral panics on the public perception of rock 'n' roll.
- The intrinsic relationship between musical consumption and sartorial codes of dress.
Excerpt from the Book
The Role of Music in Post-War Youth Culture
In-depth study into the mystified realms of youth culture and its various sub-fractions presents an extremely complex task. Whilst a number of youth-focused historians have approached this subject, an absolute definition surrounding the phrase ‘youth culture’ still remains predominantly hazy. However, despite engagement with the subject within a variety of different theoretical frameworks, the use of music as a tool for deconstructing and understanding various youth sub-cultural fractions has been largely marginalised in past writings on the subject. Whilst some social historians such as Keith Gildart and Adrian Horn advocate the use of music and its various associations as a useful means of successfully examining British post-war youth culture, others have been equally antagonistic to the idea.
One of the key reasons why music is viewed by historians such as F.G. Friedman as an effective means of studying cultural habits of the young is due to its unique association with youth. Writing in Youth and Society, Friedman notes that ‘music – more perhaps than even drugs or the new awareness of youth in general – constitutes today the dividing line between young and old (across which communication does not seem possible).’ Friedman’s sentiments are reflected within a modern study conducted in 2000 by Weinstein. Upon examining the influence of heavy metal music on its listeners, the study refers to the older generation of fans of this musical genre as ‘wistful emigrants’, before concluding that their age subsequently excludes them toward fully participating with a ‘youthful’ genre of music.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Introduces the thematic focus of the essay, setting the historical scene of post-war Britain and the emergence of a distinct "youth" demographic.
2. The Role of Music in Post-War Youth Culture: Explores the theoretical difficulties in defining youth culture and advocates for the use of music as a primary lens for sociocultural analysis.
3. Media Portrayals and Moral Panic: Discusses how media outlets and societal authorities frequently demonized rock 'n' roll, framing it as a catalyst for juvenile delinquency and moral decay.
4. The Cultural Beacon: Rock 'n' Roll and Identity: Analyzes how the rise of rock 'n' roll icons like Elvis Presley empowered the youth to establish a unique identity separate from the parent culture.
5. Intersections of Music and Fashion: Examines the synergy between musical preferences and clothing styles as interconnected tools for resistance and self-expression.
6. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, suggesting that while music is a pivotal instrument for understanding youth culture, it must be viewed alongside other factors like media and fashion.
Keywords
Youth Culture, Post-War Britain, Rock 'n' Roll, Popular Music, Identity Construction, Moral Panic, Media Representation, Sub-culture, Adolescent Psychology, Social Change, Fashion, British History, Teenage Consumerism, Rebellion, Cultural Studies
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The work investigates the significant role of music in shaping the sociocultural identity of British youth during the post-war era, specifically the late 1950s and early 1960s.
What are the central themes discussed in the text?
Key themes include the construction of youth identity, the historical struggle to define "youth culture," the influence of media-generated moral panics, and the intersection between music and fashion.
What is the main research objective?
The primary goal is to evaluate whether music can serve as an effective, reliable tool for historians to analyze and understand the nuances of post-war British youth sub-cultures.
Which academic methodology is utilized?
The essay employs a qualitative historical analysis, synthesizing secondary sources, sociological studies, and cultural theory to assess the impact of music on society.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The text analyzes the reception of rock 'n' roll, the emergence of the "teenager" as a consumer group, the antagonistic role of the media in labeling musical youth culture as "vulgar," and the symbolic nature of fashion.
Which terms best characterize this research?
The research is characterized by terms such as Cultural Studies, Youth Sociology, Post-War Britain, Popular Music, and Media Influence.
How does the author describe the concept of "youth culture" in the text?
The author highlights that "youth culture" remains a complex, "predominantly hazy" term that is difficult to define absolutely, though it is inextricably linked to the generational divide.
Why is the influence of the media considered significant by the author?
The media is significant because its tendency to propagate moral panics and negative stereotypes often distorted the public perception of musical trends, effectively shaping (and often misrepresenting) the societal view of the younger generation.
What role does fashion play in the author's argument?
Fashion is argued to be a "valid tool" alongside music for examining youth culture, as style often served as a visual manifestation of resistance against the mainstream, parent culture.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding the study of youth culture?
The author concludes that while music is a powerful lens, a full understanding of youth culture requires a multi-faceted approach that also accounts for media, fashion, and social environment.
- Quote paper
- Lindsey McIntosh (Author), 2014, "Changes". Using music to explore post-war British youth culture, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/358719
