Pat Boyle

Junior Faith ‘06

“This I Believe”

 

            I often hear the phrase: “Rock and Roll is Dead.”  As much as I would like to argue this, I know it is all too true.  I believe in the power music can have on a certain culture.  The music that I listen to is mostly older rock and roll.  Listening to this, I realize how many messages, both subtle and obvious, that the messages in the music are.   However, the generations (mostly of the ‘60’s) that this music was directed towards are no longer teenagers, and the musicians who played those songs are all but gone.  If I try to listen to songs on the radio, all I hear are songs about sex or hate.  Now, I agree that the former (sex) is the basis of many good love songs.  But the artists of the 60’s, especially Bob Dylan and The Beatles, preached a message of peace and fairness in many of their songs.  Many people saw the musicians’ call for change as a threat, but the teens and young adults caught onto the message and were able to put together one of the most peaceful and unique generations in our country’s history.  This type of influence that music once had on society is gone now; replaced by songs that preach things such as violence.  I still believe that music has influence today.  I just feel that it is misleading to glamorize things that really aren’t moral, which is exactly what music is doing nowadays.  This does not apply to all bands.  I think that there are plenty of great musicians today that are keeping music alive.  But unfortunately, our culture does not recognize the true artists like they once did, and none of them get the recognition they deserve.  I believe in the power of music.