Ann Jaggars

What made Rock and Roll Music so superb among the Baby Boomer Generation?

Rock and Roll Music is considered the “lingua franca” of the Baby Boomer Generation by most (Gates, D. 2006). What exactly does this mean? Lingua Franca can be defined as a common language, used by people from diverse backgrounds to communicate with one another. With this definition, it isn’t tough to infer that rock and roll music was considered the center of communication and understanding for those of the Baby Boomer Generation. This generation is composed of those born after the Second World War, worldwide. Thus, Baby Boomers consist of multiple different cultures and have a number of diverse backgrounds. Rock and Roll Music resonated with strength and pace from the Baby Boomer Generation. Those from this generation recognize rock and roll as not just music, but a culture, an attitude, most importantly a way of life. Baby Boomers will argue that they have created a culture that won’t soon be forgotten (Wings of Success, 2011). When I first researched the importance of rock and roll music in the Baby Boomer Generation and realized the extent of impact and lasting influence it has had, I had one outstanding question. What was it about rock music that was so appealing to the Baby Boomer Generation? The general answer to this question was easily found: Rock music had meaning and reached into the heart and souls of Baby Boomers (Wings of Success, 2011). Rebellion, a very common characteristic of Baby Boomers, served as one of Rock Music’s central themes and begins to explain where Baby Boomers find the appeal. According to Dr. Ken Dychtwald, “Raised to think for themselves, to question everything, [Boomers] began to challenge all rules and conventions” (Shapiro, 2011).  Such rebellious tendencies in this generation brought a vast amount of changes in cultural morality. These changes include an increase in premarital sex (otherwise known as sleeping around), which accumulated sexually transmitted diseases and single motherhood, both considered as unheard of in the previous generation. Also, an increased sense of freedom derived from America’s recent defeat in Vietnam instilled an attitude of “I can do whatever I want, whenever I want, and however I want” within the Baby Boomers. It makes sense that Rock and Roll Music has (what it seems like, at least) prospered infinitely, because the Baby Boomers were the ones that created and consume the popular genre. Rock and Roll’s major themes of rebellion, sex, race, and freedom wholly correlate with the characteristics and motives of those from the Baby Boomer Generation, which in turn made this genre a lasting cult. Below, I've picked out a few examples that represent the appeal Baby Boomers found in Rock and Roll Music. Check them out!

I Get Around- Beach Boys

This song was released by the beach boys in 1965, and has a general theme of “getting around.” This could be interpreted in many different ways but altogether is perfect in expressing the appeal to its generation. Lines such as “I’m a real cool head” and “My buddies and me are getting real well known, yeah the bad guys know us and they leave us alone” are perfect representations of the attitude and perspective of invincibility the Baby Boomers had for themselves.

Born to be Wild- Steppenwolf

This song also comes from the 1960s and its general theme appeals to the infamous invincible attitude of the Baby Boomers. “We can climb so high, I never wanna die” proves that people of this generation were always “lookin’ for adventure and whatever came [their] way.”

Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On- Little Richard

This particular performance by Little Richard was in July of 1964. Little Richard is very well known as one of the premier founders of Rock and Roll Music. Little Richard often represented rebellion. In this video and song, the “shakin’ goin’ on” and considerably risqué dancing style represented a large appeal to children of the Baby Boomer Generation because it was not exactly acceptable according to their parent’s standards.

References:

Gates, D. (2006, Jul 17). Fan's notes; with his generation turning 60, a critic takes a personal look back at the long, strange trip from elvis to eminem and beyond. not every boomer wore tie-dye, but no generation ever took pop so seriously. did they change music, or did music change them? Newsweek, 148, 54-58. Retrieved from http://lib-ezproxy.tamu.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/214265708?accountid=7082

Wings of Success. (2011). All about baby boomers. Rajan Patel.

Shapiro, B. (2011, April 14). The greediest generation. Front Page Mag, Retrieved from http://frontpagemag.com/2011/ben-shapiro/the-greediest-generation/

Videos used from YouTube