Is It "Only Rock 'n' Roll"?

The New American ^ | April 8, 2002 | Steve Bonta

[rockfish59]

I just watched the Beatles anthology and George Harrison said when he went to San Francisco to check out the 'Summer of Love', he was totally disappointed as all he saw were teen age drop outs high on drugs and none of the 'spirituality' he had expected.
He also said he looked at LSD under a microscope and said it looked like rope and swore to never put it in his brain again.
Say what they will about rock music, I like it but hate most of their political leanings (except Ted Nugent). Same with unions.

[mamaduck]

As a former "Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll" advocate of the late 70's, God Help Me, now converted to beautiful, uplifting classical music, I have to say there is something to the argument . . .

[IronJack]

Johann Sebastian Bach, arguably the greatest composer who ever lived ...

VERY arguably ...

[Rocko]

the Beatles' seemingly innocuous "Hey, Jude" (about heroin use)

No, it's about Julian Lennon.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

As we speak, I'm listening to a Guess Who tune "guns guns guns". Great song, even though it's sort of speaking against American's and their guns. Does this song make me want to hate guns and the right to own them? Not a chance. But it's still one heck a good rock song. The lyrics themselves have no more influence on me than these goofy sitcoms or cop shows on tv. It's just entertainment.

[Cable225]

Oh please.

It's music, folks. Anybody can pick and choose a few artists and songs and make any case they want. With a little practice and research, you could make as convincing a case that conservative thought has taken over, and rock music is preaching Catholicism.

Somebody please tell the author to take the stick out of his a$$. If he doesn't like it he doesn't have to listen.

[aconservaguy]

lol. nice.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

You said what I was trying to say, only better.

[pupdog]

...thanks in no small measure to homosexual rock groups like Queen...
...Fortunately, a wide variety of genuinely uplifting, edifying music is still available...

I feel really sorry for anyone who actually listens to Queen and only gets "homosexual rock group" out of it. If there was any singer who was more "genuinely uplifting" to listen to than Freddy Mercury, I haven't heard him.

[The Man]

Who is better?

Not just as good, but demonstrably and significantly better?

I don't know of any other composer who one can say is significantly better than Bach.

[MaggieMay]

I love rock'n'rock, put another quarter, in the jutebox, BABY, by Joan Jett. OR Old Time Rock'n'Roll by Bob Seeger. Love that music,makes me want to dance.

[IronJack]

Ludwig von Beethoven, minstrel to the angels.

[Captiva]

I'm going to work on my yard this A.M. while listening to Sum 41, Oasis, Deanna Carter, Hanson & John Mayer on my MP3 player.

God Save the Queen! (we mean it, man)

[newfreep]

The more I think about it, maybe the hokey pokey IS what it's all about.

[WKB]

The lyrics themselves have no more influence on me than these goofy sitcoms or cop shows on tv. It's just entertainment.

I never new many of the 60's songs were protest songs until 30 years later. I am just now understanding the words to some of them. Guess they didn't infleunce me lot!!

[Hemingway's Ghost]

This has got to be one of the cheesiest and corniest articles ever posted to FR.

[Who is George Salt?]

Can't we show a little sympathy for the devil?

The old "rock and roll is the work of Satan" ploy - it's been around since Elvis Presley. In fact, at that time lots of bible-thumpers were particularly concerned about the racial origins of the music.

A world without R&R - nothing but Pat Boone, Patsy Kline, and the Osmonds on the radio - not that's my definition of hell.

[billbears]

Oh well, guess I'm right out then. Listen to heavy metal, blues, and country. The author interestingly continues to bring up MTV when everyone knows MTV doesn't know what rock n roll even sounds like and haven't had a rock band grace their studios since the days of Headbangers Ball

[MJM59]

I liked Dennis Leary's definition of hell. Sitting next to the Bay City Rollers for eternity. Listening to Andy Gibb singing Shadow Dancing, over, and over, and over again.