Music as a Form of Resistance: Through the Historical and Contemporary Lenses

khawlaalhameli123
Jul 17, 2024
8 min read

Abstract

Music has been used for decades and across cultural and geographic boundaries as a cagey agent of social resistance through which voices of dissent are magnified into collective action. This article seeks to explore both the historical and current roles that music can play in resistance movements, from the enslaved Africans' spirituals to protest songs during the civil rights movement, all the way through to the modern-day global impacts of hip-hop. It applies qualitative analysis to historical records, song lyrics, and other media sources to probe how people have harnessed music as a channel to oppose oppression, for justice, and to create other narratives of society. This paper, in that regard, reviews case studies from the civil rights movement, anti-apartheid struggle, and innovative self-expressions of artists like Kendrick Lamar that epitomize the lasting power of music as an inspiration for change and movement mobilization worldwide.

Slave quarter in Louisiana

Introduction

Life would be filled with labor, legal proceedings, and medical procedures if it weren't for music and the arts. Because without the literary styles that accompany art and music, you couldn't have the most basic kinds of entertainment, like television and movies, let alone the more complex kinds of performed music, dance, theater, and visual arts. Without music, which stands as the peak of human expression, life would be awfully mundane. However, beyond its practical use in entertainment, music also happens to be the greatest social revolutionary instrument. The intersection of social resistance and music has been evident throughout time. From Puerto Rican Bomba music used by enslaved communities to the chants of activists fighting apartheid in South Africa, music was always a form of hope and change. In this article, we will explore the major events when music has influenced social and political movements historically, showcasing music's strong ability to express.

Methodology

In order to investigate the function of music in resistance movements, this study uses a qualitative methodology to examine historical records, song lyrics, and modern media. The many ways that music has been applied to oppose oppression and promote change are studied through case studies from the civil rights movement, the anti-apartheid movement, and contemporary hip-hop.

Results

Roots of Protest Music in the US

Slaves wrote some of the first popular protest songs in the US, which were primarily adaptations of hymns with themes of escape or liberation. Harriet Tubman is said to have employed the song "Go Down, Moses" as a code song while running the Underground Railroad. The song is based on the Old Testament narrative of Moses rescuing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. As Louis Armstrong chanted “Let my people go,” slaves correlated the song with freedom from oppression, freedom from enslavement, freedom from sharecropping, freedom from the Jim Crow laws, and freedom from every other oppressive system faced by African Americans. Spirituals gave people a chance to get together, express their emotions, and shout in resistance.

On the contrary, The Civil War era's songs and music addressed all aspects of the fight and every emotion associated with it. Armies marched to the rhythms of drums and frequently brass bands; music was performed in camps, during the march, and even during combat. It was reportedly said by Confederate General Robert E. Lee, "I don't believe we can have an army without music."

Each side used music to create a sense of resistance. The Northern Side took up the song “Johns Brown’s Body,” which quickly became a union favorite. “John Brown’s body lies a-mouldering in the grave / His soul is marching on,” the lyrics repeat, while a later verse calls for hanging Jefferson Davis, the leader of the Confederacy, from an apple tree. Contrarily, the Southern Side used the song “Dixie’s Land”, in which Dixie was considered the land south of the Mason-Dixon line, where slavery was legal. This can be suggested by the lyrics “I wish I was in the land of cotton / Old times there are not forgotten/ Look away! Look away! Look away! Dixie land.

Original publication of the text of the "John Brown Song" in 1861The Civil Rights Movement and Holiday

Protest music changed and evolved with the times in the early 20th century, just as America did after the Civil War, as it navigated increasing racial and social divisions. The 1930s saw the invention of electronic music recording, which revolutionized the way that music was distributed. Songs were now heard far beyond oral custom thanks to record players and radios. As a result, protest music changed, moving away from its simpler Civil War era origins and toward more intricate melodies and lyrics.

Nowhere was this as evident than in Billie Holiday’s 1939 song "Strange Fruit." According to music journalist Dorian Lynskey, the “Strange Fruit” popularized protest music. “Up until this point, protest songs functioned as propaganda, but ‘Strange Fruit’ proved they could be art,” Lynskey says. In contrast to the earlier, Civil War era chants and calls, "Strange Fruit" offered a gloomy mood on social unrest in the South, applying the metaphor of fruit to powerfully evoke images of Southern lynchings. “Southern trees bear a strange fruit / Blood on the leaves and blood at the root / Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze / Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.” The song's somber lyrics compelled listeners to face the awful reality of racial violence in the United States.

Due to its controversial nature, the song was almost completely banned from radio play and was only able to gain traction through live performances and word-of-mouth. Holiday's moving performance solidified "Strange Fruit" as a protest song as well expressed dissatisfaction with the present status quo in a profoundly meaningful and artistic way.

"Strange Fruit" remained a powerful symbol of resistance. Its reputation as a piece of art that goes beyond simple propaganda highlights the music's continuing ability to undermine social norms and start revolutions.

Anti-War Stances during the Vietnam War

Socially and politically, the years of the Vietnam War were ones of tremendous change. Music became a significant channel through which one could voice resistance and rally causes. This great number of protest songs from the 1960s and early 1970s not only mirrored broad dissent against the war but also became anthems for the more general civil rights movements. Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix serve as notable examples of anti-war artists during the time.

It was folk musician Woody Guthrie who most influenced Bob Dylan, who became synonymous with protest music. Among the songs that reached very deep into the audiences seeking justice and societal transformation were "Blowin' in the Wind" and "The Times They Are a-Changin.’ Probably the most memorable point in Bob Dylan's career came at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival when he introduced an electric guitar to his act. This electrification of his music represented the evolution of cultural and political discourse that was taking place within it. As Dorian Lynskey says in his book, although Dylan's songs were very personal at that time, they obtained collective meaning—generalized and inclusive of civil rights and anti-war movements—that went beyond their origins as personal statements.

In like manner, the innovative playing style of Jimi Hendrix on the electric guitar, together with the psychedelic rock influence, gave a sonic backdrop to the counterculture's opposition against the Vietnam War. During his performance at Woodstock in 1969, his act of playing "The Star-Spangled Banner" became symbolic of the turbulence, reenacting a battlefield scenario with musical effects. Hendrix's national anthem interpretation—with all its bomb and gunfire noises—went on to form one of the most striking critiques of American militarism, a symbol for resisting the conflict.

Global Impact

Music was used as an instrument of social change not only in the US, but also in other parts of the world. In the 1970s, Fela Kuti reinvented the concept of Nigerian music with the introduction of Afrobeat, a genre that combined traditional African beats with powerful elements of jazz and funk to reflect his rebellion against the brutal regime ruling Nigeria at that time. According to music journalist Dorian Lynskey, his "Zombie" song went international, heavily criticizing the country's militaristic dictatorship by referring to the regime's soldiers as brutish and mindless.

Mbaqanga is an indigenous music genre that aided in powerfully fighting against apartheid in South Africa. Through this style of music, people were not only entertained but received relevant and strong messages about resistance, unity, longing for peace, and reconciliation. The importance of mbaqanga was also in rallying local and international support for the anti-apartheid movement, which saw the eventual dismantling of the oppressive system.

Musicians and jazz lovers marching outside The Rainbow Restaurant and Jazz Club in Pinetown, Durban in 1985.

In Australia and New Zealand, a wave of popular songs bounded by both indigenous and non-indigenous artists has powered a popular movement toward indigenous land reclamation. The songs turned out to become chants for the struggle, raising support and awareness for Indigenous rights and land restitution. In this aspect, musical activism remains at the core of the wider movement that seeks justice and reconciliation in these countries.

Modern-Day Hip Hop: Kendrick Lamar

Today, music continues to stand as a tool of resistance, with hip-hop being a significant example, acknowledging issues beyond its origins in the margins across the globe. Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Killer Mike, among other artists, have used their music not only for social commentary against injustices but also to spread social change and uplift less-well-off groups and communities. Kendrick Lamar's "To Pimp a Butterfly" captures this feeling very well—it is essentially critiquing the inequities within society while giving hope in a very salient way.

“To Pimp a Butterfly” breaks all forms of genres in 2015, such as jazz, funk, spoken word, and powerful lyrical narratives that secures its place as a deep musical journey. Lamar goes into themes associated with racial identity, systemic oppression, and personal growth with depths and authenticity. Hence, the title of the album simply gives a vivid impression of the metaphorical struggle to transform under society's discerning challenges. "Alright," "King Kunta," and "The Blacker the Berry" are tracks that completely articulate the life of being black in America in a way that uncovers the reality of systemic racism in the US. Lamar's lyrics are both confrontational and personal—they beg for the listener to face uncomfortable realities while at the same time allowing tastes of resilience and hope when the entire world is against oneself.

The album received widespread critical acclaim for its innovative production and lyrical depth. It doesn't just stand as a cultural artifact but also works as a rallying cry for social justice, striking into the souls of many across the world. By intertwining personal reflection and social commentary, Kendrick Lamar created an album that continues to inspire dialogue and reflection on issues of race, identity, and social change in contemporary society.

Conclusion

Music has remained among the most important vehicles for social change and resistance throughout history and across cultures. Spirituals created by enslaved individuals have provided the basis for the modern, global phenomenon of hip-hop; music has become a voice against oppression and incited revolutions while it has also calmed and united variously empowered groups. Looking at the case studies examined in this essay, one can trace how music does not only 'capture' the issues of its time but also intervenes in historical settings and justice movements.

Music will always remain a powerful tool of resistance, well into the future, as long as injustices have to be confronted and stories challenged. In light of its capacity to enjoin emotions, provoke thought, and by which "it makes people act", music can only reaffirm its great relevance to the struggle for justice. By engaging in the legacy of protest music and thus making sure it remains relevant, we celebrate artists and human rights activists who have used their voices to bring about change and set examples that future generations could follow toward the realization of the transforming power of music for social transformation.