It is time for the world to ‘hear’ in between the lines!
When recently (July, 2009) United Airlines denied to pay compensation to Canadian singer Dave Carroll (after his guitar got broken), Dave composed a song titled United Breaks Guitars and uploaded the same on YouTube. The song became instant hit, alluring four million users in just 10 days, resulting in drop of the airline’s share price by whopping 10 per cent or $180 million! Welcome to the world of Resistance by Music. This incident is not a recent phenomenon, but has a long history attached to it.
During early 1940s, rock-n-roll raised voice against the growing British Invasion and through its soundtrack gave voice to youth rebellions. In 1950s, Brazil’s bossa nova used its music to raise many local issues as well. During the Vietnam war songs like, Edwin Starr's War, Jimi Hendrix's All Along the Watchtower, Wars of Armageddon, Jimmy Cliff's Vietnam - to name a few, talked about peace and melancholic mood of society. In the US, during late 1960s, Black Power Movement fuelled the popularity of rap and hip-hop music. The members and supporters of this movement used rap and hip-hop music to highlight issues like racial dignity, self-reliance and economic empowerment of Black Africans. Similarly, artists raised their voice against Bush Sr. (when he sent troops to Kuwait in 1991) through their songs like "I Wanna Kill Sam" and "Bush Killa". A number of south-African pop artists after being exiled, were able to bring issues pertaining to apartheid to the world’s attention.
Music has the capability to revolutionise people who listen to it. Hip-hop has affected many different cultures and societies in affirmative ways. In Sweden, NGOs incorporate graffiti and dance to engage disaffected immigrant and working class youths. Indigenous youths in Bolivia, Chile, Indonesia, New Zealand and Norway use hip-hop to advance new forms of identity. Numerous African and French artists use hip-hop and other modern (youth appealing) form of music to address environmental justice, policing and prisons, media justice and education, per se.
Seun Kuti created the famous Afrobeat to give a voice to Nigeria's disenfranchised and spread awareness on endemic corruption and the abuse of youth through his music. Asian Dub Foundation (a British electronica band) since last 15 years, has been singing messages of social change while Nuno Santos of Portugal is trying to redress injustice against migrants through his music. Many institutes are delivering messages on Green revolution, against the ongoing demonstrations opposing the Iranian regime, Mexico drug abuse, Brazil's social unrest through their music.
As music galvanises with almost any type of culture — its size, scope and reach can not be confined to any geography. Even today musicians, singers and artists — from Elvis Presley to Michael Jackson, the list seems endless — use art, music and soundtracks to raise latent issues about cultural, environment and politics. Along with reaping huge monetary returns, music is equally an astonishing source of youth's expression. Before this peaceful medium of resistance takes the shape of violence, it would be better for the world to de-encrypt the message hidden in the lyrics. United Airlines finally learnt its lesson as it had to offer Dave $3,000 — so if United Airlines can learn, then why not the whole world? Until then, let the beats of this 'sacred drums of resistance' roll…
When recently (July, 2009) United Airlines denied to pay compensation to Canadian singer Dave Carroll (after his guitar got broken), Dave composed a song titled United Breaks Guitars and uploaded the same on YouTube. The song became instant hit, alluring four million users in just 10 days, resulting in drop of the airline’s share price by whopping 10 per cent or $180 million! Welcome to the world of Resistance by Music. This incident is not a recent phenomenon, but has a long history attached to it.
During early 1940s, rock-n-roll raised voice against the growing British Invasion and through its soundtrack gave voice to youth rebellions. In 1950s, Brazil’s bossa nova used its music to raise many local issues as well. During the Vietnam war songs like, Edwin Starr's War, Jimi Hendrix's All Along the Watchtower, Wars of Armageddon, Jimmy Cliff's Vietnam - to name a few, talked about peace and melancholic mood of society. In the US, during late 1960s, Black Power Movement fuelled the popularity of rap and hip-hop music. The members and supporters of this movement used rap and hip-hop music to highlight issues like racial dignity, self-reliance and economic empowerment of Black Africans. Similarly, artists raised their voice against Bush Sr. (when he sent troops to Kuwait in 1991) through their songs like "I Wanna Kill Sam" and "Bush Killa". A number of south-African pop artists after being exiled, were able to bring issues pertaining to apartheid to the world’s attention.
Music has the capability to revolutionise people who listen to it. Hip-hop has affected many different cultures and societies in affirmative ways. In Sweden, NGOs incorporate graffiti and dance to engage disaffected immigrant and working class youths. Indigenous youths in Bolivia, Chile, Indonesia, New Zealand and Norway use hip-hop to advance new forms of identity. Numerous African and French artists use hip-hop and other modern (youth appealing) form of music to address environmental justice, policing and prisons, media justice and education, per se.
Seun Kuti created the famous Afrobeat to give a voice to Nigeria's disenfranchised and spread awareness on endemic corruption and the abuse of youth through his music. Asian Dub Foundation (a British electronica band) since last 15 years, has been singing messages of social change while Nuno Santos of Portugal is trying to redress injustice against migrants through his music. Many institutes are delivering messages on Green revolution, against the ongoing demonstrations opposing the Iranian regime, Mexico drug abuse, Brazil's social unrest through their music.
As music galvanises with almost any type of culture — its size, scope and reach can not be confined to any geography. Even today musicians, singers and artists — from Elvis Presley to Michael Jackson, the list seems endless — use art, music and soundtracks to raise latent issues about cultural, environment and politics. Along with reaping huge monetary returns, music is equally an astonishing source of youth's expression. Before this peaceful medium of resistance takes the shape of violence, it would be better for the world to de-encrypt the message hidden in the lyrics. United Airlines finally learnt its lesson as it had to offer Dave $3,000 — so if United Airlines can learn, then why not the whole world? Until then, let the beats of this 'sacred drums of resistance' roll…
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative
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