America ON THE HOME FRONT
Many diverse problems were taking place in American during the 1960's, from Civil Rights to the alteration of American culture. These two complications were shown in the lyrics of American Pie, with the words reflecting the American home front in the 1960's. This reflection is seen beyond the first verse, and deeper into the song.
The nation as a whole was becoming more free among one another, as more civil rights were passed throughout the sixties. These unionizing events are captured when Mclean sang;
"Now for ten years we've been on our own
And moss grows fat on a rollin' stone
But that's not how it used to be
When the jester sang for the king and queen
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean
And a voice that came from you and me
Oh, and while the king was looking down
The jester stole his thorny crown
The courtroom was adjourned
No verdict was returned"
(image-http://mediaculturefear.blogspot.com/2012/02/analysis-of-night-of-living-dead.html)
As the sixties revolution gathered momentum, the more organized and pragmatic unity of the Civil Rights Movement became, which had began fragmenting into the Women's Rights, Black Power, Antiwar and Counterculture movements. Some of these groups were entitled the Progressive Labor and Revolutionary Youth Movements. All of these groups were seeking, to one degree or another, to influence the course of American culture. Though these groups did not achieve much politically, their style of dress and behavior were enormously influential, as were the drug, sexual and spiritual freedoms they espoused—all of which were in-your-face affronts to the more staid, traditional values of Americans. These factors seemed to best characterize this generation at this time, having them be described in the lyrics within American Pie.
The nation as a whole was becoming more free among one another, as more civil rights were passed throughout the sixties. These unionizing events are captured when Mclean sang;
"Now for ten years we've been on our own
And moss grows fat on a rollin' stone
But that's not how it used to be
When the jester sang for the king and queen
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean
And a voice that came from you and me
Oh, and while the king was looking down
The jester stole his thorny crown
The courtroom was adjourned
No verdict was returned"
(image-http://mediaculturefear.blogspot.com/2012/02/analysis-of-night-of-living-dead.html)
As the sixties revolution gathered momentum, the more organized and pragmatic unity of the Civil Rights Movement became, which had began fragmenting into the Women's Rights, Black Power, Antiwar and Counterculture movements. Some of these groups were entitled the Progressive Labor and Revolutionary Youth Movements. All of these groups were seeking, to one degree or another, to influence the course of American culture. Though these groups did not achieve much politically, their style of dress and behavior were enormously influential, as were the drug, sexual and spiritual freedoms they espoused—all of which were in-your-face affronts to the more staid, traditional values of Americans. These factors seemed to best characterize this generation at this time, having them be described in the lyrics within American Pie.
The first mention of America's dynamic transition into the from the sixties is seen in the fourth verse. The American culture change was seen as a loss of Americas "innocence," revealing the true colors of the country. The decade was filled with many exciting advancements as well, such as space travel. It describes the crazy changes the American population was feeling, saying "Helter Skelter in the summer swelter." At this time, major political events such as voting ages and draft times were being instilled. These two changes brought more responsibility to the younger parts of America's population.
Many things, often once seen as immoral, were becoming the trends of the sixties. One of the most amazing changes was the presence of sex, drugs, and alcohol. Mclean shows this open opinion of drinking by singing "Good ol' boys drinking whiskey and rye." These few words summarize the new views that the sixties brought to the American public.
This change brought upon the development of Hippies.
(Image-http://mediaculturefear.blogspot.com/2012/02/analysis-of-night-of-living-dead.html)
"America’s institutions were the targets of much of this cultural critique. Even those founded on lofty ideals, it was argued, had become props for a morally bankrupt society. America’s democratic government was corrupt—filled with dishonest, self-seeking politicians and corporate-serving lobbyists. Churches were less spiritual oases than repositories of self-righteousness and social complacency. Schools had long abandoned the more noble purposes of education; instead they merely churned out the technicians and middle managers needed by the corporate order. And marriage had become little more than a loveless prison, demanded by social convention but wholly incompatible with the more expansive human potential for love—and sex." (http://www.shmoop.com/1960s/culture.html).