I ain't no Senators son

              The music of the 60’s is sung by men and women who wear bell bottoms and bare feet. They preach on their soapbox stages about the war overseas and the struggles at home. They sing to be heard for miles and to advocate for change. The artists of the 60’s found a way to brand themselves so that their disciples dressed to match their styles and represent the same brands and causes. Even in 2017, they influence listeners like me who have turned to a more naturalistic hippie lifestyle giving them high brand personality appeal even in today’s world, enhancing a heightened sense of individualism or freedom of expression (Babin/Harris, 2016). I feel more empowered while listening to this music, thinking of the fight every person went through during this time is inspirational to no end.

"I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an' pretend
'Cause I've heard it all before
And I've been down there on the floor
No one's ever gonna keep me down again"

When Buffalo Springfield sang about the government incited riots on a college campus, they awoken a battle cry within the youth. “I think it’s time we stop, hey, what’s that sound? Everybody look what’s going down”, the words say to look up. Look up from your privileged life and fight for the wronged.

Buffalo Springfield sings for what it's worth

They fed a following of youth who were beginning to fight for the civil liberties of marginalized victims. This song holds a heavy coercive power as it aims to be in your face with its meaning while trying to tell you the story at hand. (Babin/Harris, 2016) failure to follow the countercultures agenda meant you were on the side of the “man” which was the only enemy of the counterculture, creating a harsh disapproval of this membership. Baby boomers of the period were beginning to become “woke”, as we say today, to the injustices of the time as they fight for cultural and civil liberties and with no knowledge to how this could be done, listeners stuck to music that spoke to them in ways the biased news and government could not. In this world I live in now, I am silenced at home for my new left ideas and staunch liberalism. I go home and am defined “hippie” for believing in equal rights and basic civil liberties.

Common fashion from 60's counterculture

My parents say I smell of patchouli and need to wear scarves around my neck rather than around my head in a sign of protest from the “man”.  Anti-war students were finally able to speak outwardly to their parents and officials by the anti-war songs they preached and the styles they wore. They were given a voice that couldn’t be silenced by members of the Beatles who wore their long shaggy hair and spoke about peace and love.

"You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world

But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out
Don't you know it's gonna be
All right, all right, all right"

These students and counterculture youth created an age-based microculture without even trying, they shared beliefs and ideals unlike their oppositionists (Babin/Harris, 2016). They were hated for their free spirits and drew to younger generations looking for social change. This music is highly cultural as the older generations of the times tried and failed to silence those who began to find their voices. Even during such a politically charged decade, political music was seen as taboo and dangerous to some older populations. The music I enjoy that rose from this hate has given me a greater feeling of freedom of speech that I’m not alone in my ideas. If I say I want to change the world, I know that I won’t be doing it alone. Merle Haggard sung about the hippies being dirty and needing haircuts as he stayed an “Okie from Muskogee” and helped mold the “us versus them” mentality of the anti-counterculture groups.

Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson sing Okie from Muskogee

His clean-cut lyrics for the anti-counterculture were anti-protest hymns with deep roots into racial segregation and pro-Nixon ideals. They wrote music that downed the new left and fought for their children to get reputable jobs and to end the charade of change.

Anti-Nixon propaganda

The fight for civil liberties was the basis for all wars fought in the 60’s. Singers sung about wanting equality and freedom of speech. Aretha Franklin wanted to praise her strong African American roots and Sam Cooke wanted to see a change in the world that was the hopeful resolution to the wars overseas and at home.

"I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh, and just like the river I've been running ever since
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gon' come, oh yes it will
It's been too hard living, but I'm afraid to die
'Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gon' come, oh yes it will
I go to the movie and I go down town
Somebody keep telling me don't hang around
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gon' come, oh yes it will"

Outside of America, music from other cultures shared similar roots of change. Bob Marley, one of the builders of reggae music, spoke on the poverty and racism in Jamaica. His words flew abroad alike the Beatle whom led the “British Takeover” in the United States. Marley’s Redemption song continues to be a favorite of mine that helps build ground for my love of advocacy work because of his words of self-love and redemption of power in what continues to be a system of oppression.

Bob Marley sings Redemption song

Here are examples of some of my favorite music listed through Spotify:

http://open.spotify.com/user/12122004944/playlist/3pf1aZK4qpyRJkYW6YtoTC

Disclaimer: some music may have triggering speech because of racial and sexual injustice speech and because of the sensitive subject matter some music may contain cursing or vulgar language but will be labeled as "explicit".

References:

Babin, B., & Harris, E. (2016). In CB 7 (7th ed., pp. 27-29). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Medical Mindful Music

As a person with Anxiety and no desire to medicate using unnatural remedies, it can be hard to see immediate effects when a panic or anxiety attack occur. I practice mindfulness and yoga but the greatest trade secret I’ve found in my years of anxiety, has been music. I’m not one to discriminate any music genre but hands down my favorite is the 60’s with artist like Floyd, Zeppelin, Van Morrison, Stones, & The Doors. Hearing the first note of any of their songs will send an immediate calm throughout my body. The smooth sounds of a time of story-telling through music has me entwined in the musical aura that is the music of the counterculture. I’ve always been fascinated why different genres of music affects different people in different ways. It’s amazing that listening to words and sounds can affect us to make us calm and resolve issues that are divulged inside the brain anatomy. Music is high in value-expressive function of attitudes (Babin/Harris, 2016) as it is a highly personal attitude and influence on the Listener. Their inner values, thoughts, ideals, and beliefs are all shown in the music they enjoy. A free spirit may listen to more oldies and happy-upbeat music but the best part of music and consumerism is that this isn’t always true! We choose our music tastes based on inert beliefs that may not be out outer showings and that is the beauty of music as it is so individualized.

Music therapy can be used to treat depression, anxiety, chronic pain, coronary heart disease, and more. There is no specified music that will create these positive results as it is individualized per the listener. Although, Neuroscientists have found that listening to “Weightless” by Marconi Union will reduce anxiety in the brain by 65%!

Weightless by Marconi Union

 Studies show that when a subject can choose their own music to resolve their anxiety related issues, the results are far more positive than when an experimenter chooses. (Walworth, 2003). This is interesting when you think about how a majority population can agree the song “Weightless” reduces anxiety symptoms but when left up to another person to choose the music, there is no reduction. The most interesting part is that even with the large variety in music genre, a majority will agree that calming music is the best anxiety symptom reducer. This majority creates a slight utilitarian influence on the listener. As a majority community agrees this is the best song to reduce anxiety symptoms, “Weightless” becomes an influence that “occurs when consumers conform to group expectations to receive a reward or avoid punishment” (Babin/Harris, 2016). When the majority agrees, this is the best symptom reducer, they will search out similar music to resolve symptoms as the results are more definite than any other genre.

When you have anxiety, your mind races a million thoughts a minute and it can be difficult to pick one to focus on or stop them all at once. It is common practice to sing, scream, draw, write, etc. to get thoughts out and organized. Listening to music is a common practice as it creates a break for both your mind and body. I listen to my favorite tunes from the counterculture because they tell me stories that keep my mind focused and calm. Songs like Bob Dylan’s “Like a rolling stone”, tell a tale of someone who doesn’t quite fit in with the crowd they believed to be their own. It’s something everyone can relate to and find worth in his words. He speaks;

      "How does it feel, how does it feel?
        To be without a home
        Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone

        Ahh you've gone to the finest schools, alright Miss Lonely
        But you know you only used to get juiced in it
        Nobody's ever taught you how to live out on the street
        And now you're gonna have to get used to it
        You say you never compromise
        With the mystery tramp, but now you realize
        He's not selling any alibis
        As you…

         Ahh you've gone to the finest schools, alright Miss Lonely
         But you know you only used to get juiced in it
         Nobody's ever taught you how to live out on the street
         And now you're gonna have to get used to it
         You say you never compromise
         With the mystery tramp, but now you realize
         He's not selling any alibis
         As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
         And say do you want to make a deal?"

Winning a Nobel peace prize for his poetic lyricism makes Dylan a resource in the fight for resolve in anxiety. Keeping listeners focused on the story being told and the odd musical instruments playing softly in the background, creates a calm you can physically and emotionally feel. The kings and queens of this practice are, in my own opinion, Pink Floyd & Fleetwood Mac.

Pink Floyd live in 1967 & Fleetwood Mac live in 1976

Their words are based on their past addictions, family pains, the war, and dreams. Creating a feeling of connectedness that creates a bond between listener and musician, through this bond artists give a piece of their soul to you. When I listen to the visual story being told through Jimmy Page’s guitar, I feel it. I get an instant connection that halts any negative thought I previously had before the song started. I no longer feel alone in my pain and can find my magic like these musicians who spread it through their stories.

Jimmy Page guitar solo

Here are examples of some of my favorite music listed through Spotify:

http://open.spotify.com/user/12122004944/playlist/3pf1aZK4qpyRJkYW6YtoTC

Disclaimer: some music may have triggering speech because of racial and sexual injustice speech and because of the sensitive subject matter some music may contain cursing or vulgar language but will be labeled as "explicit".

References:

Babin, B., & Harris, E. (2016). In CB 7 (7th ed., pp. 27-29). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Curtin, M. (2016, October 26). Neuroscience Says Listening to This Song Reduces Anxiety by Up to 65 Percent. Retrieved March 07, 2017, from http://www.inc.com/melanie-curtin/neuroscience-says-listening-to-this-one-song-reduces-anxiety-by-up-to-65-percent.html

Walworth, D. D. (2003). The effect of preferred music genre selection versus preferred song selection on experimentally induced anxiety levels. Journal of Music Therapy, 40(1), 2-14. Retrieved from http://proxy.lib.umich.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.umich.edu/docview/1099642?accountid=14667

What is Music Therapy? (2017, January 16). Retrieved March 07, 2017, from http://universityhealthnews.com/daily/depression/what-is-music-therapy-find-natural-anxiety-relief-fight-depression-reduce-blood-pressure-and-more-with-this-alternative-approach/