Presentation

Francisco Madera

                In the article "Get up, Stand up" by Angelica Gallardo gives a bit of insight into the life of Robert Nesta Marley. The article talks about how through the power of music Bob Marley was able to bring the masses together and this raised the brows of people who like the way things are and fear that a third world uprising would hurt them whether financially, or structural. Bob Marley received threats and suffered various attempts of assassination. Even through all that Bob Marley chose to continue on his peaceful path, he serves as a great example for freedom fighters because even after being shot he still went through with his concert not letting anything block his path. Even though the odds are against you if you keep your causes flame alive it will survive.  It's crazy how no one acknowledges the involvement of the CIA and other organizations in crushing civil and political uprisings. I believe if Bob Marley wouldn't have died of his cancerous wound he surely would have suffered the same fate as Martin Luther King JR under the hands of the FBI/CIA.

                 The article "Sing a song drug abuse: four decades of drug lyrics in popular music" by Markert John talks about the presence of drug lyrics in music from the sixties up until the nineties. The article explains how popular music serves almost as diary for society that is listeners tend to prefer music that closely relates to what is currently happening in their lives. LSD was introduced in the sixties and made popular by "hippies" but it was not of a big concern to society other than to the media. The article talks about how feelings toward LSD have changed as "new school" artists generally see LSD and hallucinogens as a drug for old people. Since the younger generation tends to always be against their parents or other adults it seems like it would be natural for the younger artists to speak negatively of the older generation. Marijuana has become more popular and widely used but that topic wasn't as open in music until after the 1970's with Country music.  Marijuana was seen as a gateway drug that would supposedly lead to Heroin or other hard drugs. The music depicting Marijuana is half positive and half negative: the positive side is led by older middle age artists and the negative by younger musicians. Perhaps because since the younger artists cater to a younger age group who is more at risk they decide to instill the idea that Marijuana is bad so they won't fall prey to the harder drugs and the older generation who believes they are no longer in that at risk age group can openly and freely talk about how Marijuana has positively affected their life. One thing that struck me in the article was that there is no evidence on the connection between music and drugs. The notion that music enforces and encourages drug use among the young is just assumed just like in the previous articles about music and racial rhetoric or country music and suicide.