Monday, January 28, 2013

Pop Music

                                                                Image: Charlotte Gainsbourg, AnOther
Image: Courtesy of Tess' Mag

The 50’s and 60’s were hailed as the greatest era
of pop music. The baby boomers came of age.
A whole generation of young people appeared
on the music scene. Support of this generation
and youngsters following them spawned myriads
of musical forms and famous pop stars

There were  rock n roll greats in Chuck Berry and Bill Hayley
Followed by Elvis and Cliff Richard, Ricky Nelson, Paul Anka
and Connie Francis. Groups began to make an appearance with
The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, Temptations and
 the Supremes

The Beatles created a sensation with their particular brand of
music  and presentation forcing a peculiar form and sound that
even shocked rock n roll into submission

Nothing prepared the music scene though when a whole generation
found themselves  gyrating to Chubby Checker’s, the Twist.
Some minor ones like limbo rock tried to cash in on the madness
but it did not make an impact.

Despite all these, individual stars of evergreens with the likes of
Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis and a host
of other notable ones kept those who thrived in the sentimental offerings
going.

But nothing shocked the world when Michael Jackson went solo from the
Jackson Five and held sway transcending the generation gap and
mesmerizing everyone with his new form (characterized by the moonwalk
and others that typically were identified with him)

With his passing, the music world was lost and hungry for some new forms.
It grabbed at Psy’s Gangnam Style recently but just how long will that last!

Written for Tess' Magpie Tales #153

16 comments:

  1. brought a lot of memories here... and some names that are not familiar to me...

    love it Pareng Hank!

    JJRod'z

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  2. music has def changed over the years...and there is an affinity for some of the older stuff over the new...gangnam style ha...that ear worm will be around i think...it has certainly grabbed attention...my kids sing it...

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  3. I always like the older stuff better, as it changed indeed, not always for the better. Some of it is good, but more than before is as dull as wood.

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  4. You captured so much in this. As far as pop goes, I'd add Bowie (just getting in at the end of the 60s and leading the way for 20 yrs), but a great analysis.

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  5. As one who lived through the sixties and comes from the home of the Beatles I loved the memories you evoked.

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  6. True, the Beatles did shock rock and roll into submission. Well expressed.

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  7. I became a teenager in the 50's and a semi adult in the 60's....nicely captured and written!

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  8. This is one terrific summing-up of the pop scene. Well done!

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  9. Well done, my friend ... well done. Like Kathe, I became a teen in the 50's and a 'semi-adult' in the 60's!!!

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  10. Very good, Hank. I think we are still waiting for a genuine musical genius to come along to inspire everyone like Michael, the Beatles and Elvis did.

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  11. You summed them up nicely and I was there!

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  12. nicely done....thanks for sharing

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  13. I think the problem with the current lot is that their drugs are made in a lab, instead of being grown in the earth , ergo , plastic drugs , plastic people , plastic Music ! , cheers Hank

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  14. Then again i think i am being harsh , gen Y have been handed a burning, depleted planet , they have gone off in their hundreds of thousands to fight wars and die so i can have cheap petrol and a plasma, maybe i just dont get them, though on our JJJ radio station in australia there is some amazing music being churned out which is deemed unsuitable for the mass pop market, so its out there , but underground. It seems in the corporate state only generic and facile need apply. Thanks for the food cor thought , Hank .

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