Oh Newt…
Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor said that of two GOP presidential candidates, “one is a practicing polygamist, and he’s not even the Mormon.” (according to an Associated Press report)
Alice Cooper: “Elected”
Black Sabbath: “War Pigs”
Curtis Mayfield: “Pusherman”
Jefferson Airplane: “Volunteers”
Tower of Power: “There’s Only So Much Oil In The Ground”
Crosby, Stills and Nash: “Teach Your Children”
The Beatles: “Soldier of Love”
“Cloud 9”: The Temptations
(Thanks to MUSH 201 and James Reid for the graphs below.)
It’s a Riot!
Two specific incidents in the 1960s inspired songs by artists including Buffalo Sprinfield, The MC5, and Gordon Lightfoot. In Los Angeles, the so-called Sunset Strip riots drew the the attention of Stephen Stills, who wrote “For What It’s Worth.” He observed clashes between youths and police that occured on the Sunset Strip where a number of clubs featuring live music were drawing huge numbers of young people to the area. Local business owners complained that the crowds were having an adverse affect on commerce and urged the police to maintain a more active presence.
In Detroit, police arresting patrons of a blind pig (an after hours club) became involved in an altercation with bystanders that quickly spun out of control. The resulting melee caused dozens of fatalities, thousands of arrests, and ultimately caused the governor of Michigan to mobilize the National Guard. There were extensive underlying causes for the riots in Detroit including unemployment, unfair housing practices, and a police force that had a reputation for brutality. The MC5 and Gordon Lightfoot both wrote songs about the riots.
In Detroit, police arresting patrons of a blind pig (an after hours club) became involved in an altercation with bystanders that quickly spun out of control. The resulting melee caused dozens of fatalities, thousands of arrests, and ultimately caused the governor of Michigan to mobilize the National Guard. There were extensive underlying causes for the riots in Detroit including unemployment, unfair housing practices, and a police force that had a reputation for brutality. The MC5 and Gordon Lightfoot both wrote songs about the riots.
