The Folk Rock Revival

The Folk Rock Revival

Introduction

Folk music, a genre of music that combines the style of folk music and rock music, became popularized in the mid-1960s. The political and social setting marked its origination. The urban folk groups, rising folk-protest singer -songwriters, and the revival of North American rock were influential in the popularization of folk rock music. Celebrated musicians such as The Byrds and Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, and The Beatles set an image for folk rock of the 1960s. Folk rock is recognizable through its’ acoustic instrumentation and clear, thought provoking vocals. The hybridization of folk music and rock music created a pathway that set mainstream rock apart from folk rock.

Using Acoustics to Express Social and Political Beliefs

The Folk Rock revival was led by indifferent, white teenagers who used music to exercise their political beliefs on groundbreaking historical events. Events such as the Civil Rights movement and the draft for the Vietnam War troubled teenagers who were just beginning their lives. One of the elements that make folk rock distinguishable from other form of rock music is the incorporation of social and political issues with the utilization of acoustic and light brass instrumentation.

Artists such as Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel and Creedence Clearwater Revival embellish the attributes of iconic folk rock legends. Listening to Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A Changing”, one can hear the politically rooted messages that Dylan sings about. Ethnographers and historians of music have claimed that it is a prime example of the protest chants that folk rock artists created in the 1960s. In an interview with Cameron Crowe, a former editor of Rolling Stone magazine, Dylan discloses his purpose for writing “The Times They Are A Changing”. Dylan states,

This was definitely a song with a purpose. It was influenced of course by the Irish and Scottish ballads […]. I wanted to write a big song, with short concise verses that piled up on each other in hypnotic way. The Civil Rights movement and the folk music movement were pretty close for a while and allied together at that time.

Soft-Seriousness in the Artist’s Vocals

Besides the political narrative aesthetic, folk rock music also exhibits an aesthetic that I’m going to term soft-serious vocals. When listening to the music of Dylan and his colleagues of the folk rock genre, one can simply understand the lyrics. These vocalists sang in a soft tone with a serious texture. Unlike artists of other rock movements who relied on yelling and violent vocal delivery, folk rock musicians sang with a real authentic voice. For example, listening to Simon and Garfunkel’s “America”, one could feel the emotions of Paul Simon. These artists were singing about real issues that effected their lives and listeners could both feel and relate to it.

It’s Our Generation: Folk Rock of the 21^st Century

In modern popular culture, folk rock music is still very alive. Though, the changes in technology, American ideologies, and other factors have opened doors for a new emergence. Some of my favorite musicians today are apart of the modern day folk rock generation. John Mayer, an American singer-songwriter, is best known for his lyrics that combines social, political and cultural issues with his unique acoustic sound. Songs such as “Waiting On The World To Change” are reflective of Dylan’s “The Times They Are A Changing” and CCR’s “Have You Ever Seen The Rain”, highlighted by their vigorous social and political challenging messages.

Though as technology and personal taste are changing, folk rock music has been evolving in certain ways. One of the changes that I have seen taking place is the collaboration with other artists from neighboring musical genres. At its peak in the 1960s, folk rock musicians did not collaborate with other artists, not even artists who produced the same image and messages. Living in a more progressive and liberal society, it is not uncommon to see artists such as John Mayer and Jason Mraz co-produce songs with other artists, such as female vocalist Colbie Caillat or rap artist Kanye West. These collaborations are indicative of the changing social conditions that Americans have witnessed in the past fifty years, such as the illegalization of racial and gender discrimination. Also, I can see the utilization of robotic modules of production. For example, techno elements that were popular in European disco music are gaining strength in popular music. I could see artists like Mayer and Jack Johnson using auto-tune and incorporating stimulating, electrical sounds into some of their more mainstream music, in order to hold onto their dynamic audiences.