Woodstock Nation
Michael O'Malley, Associate Professor of History and Art History, George Mason University
Introduction
The late 1960s and early 1970s, according to some observers was a time of “sex, drugs, and rock and roll.” Certainly, the period saw an explosion in the recording industry and the kinds of music that appealed to the listening public. Some identify this period as the heyday of protest music—music aimed at awakening public awareness of social issues, particularly the Vietnam conflict.
Assignment
Look at the following three documents, then answer the questions below:
The Top 10 Singles of 1970
"War" by Edwin Starr, War and Peace (1970)
"Ohio" by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, So Far (1970)
Questions:
1. Why do you think that Edwin Starr’s War was so popular?
2. What event do the vocalists memorialize in “Ohio?”
3. How many artists do you recognize in the “Top 10 Singles” list? What are the major themes in the top ten record sales? How do these themes compare with those in Edwin Starr and the Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young pieces?
4. How does list of best-selling singles compare with the list of most popular movies that you have compiled? (You may wish to consult some of the websites below to find plot synopses for the films if you are not familiar with them.) How would you account for this difference?
5. Using the “Top 10” lists, was the nation’s popular culture particularly concerned about the Vietnam War or other social issues? Using these lists as an index to national attitudes, what were the nation interests in 1970? Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages generalizing about history from these sources.
Resources
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum - Devoted to the history and development of rock and roll from 1950s forward.
The SuperSeventies - Lists of popular culture from the 1970s with links to mini essays about items on the various lists.
The All Movie Guide - A solid database of movies, including plots and lists of movie personnel in addition to a review or two.
The Wars for Viet Nam: 1945 to 1975 - An elegantly designed site that includes an overview and documents relevant to both French and US involvement
