Rhythm and Resistance: Explorations in the Political Uses of Popular Music

(Hardback)

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This is a study of the political uses of popular music from the era of slavery to the present, tracing the search for individual indentity, freedom and dignity as it has been expressed in popular music. Beginning with the spirituals of the slaves and the gospel of the black church and continuing through the blues, jazz forms, country folk and rock, Pratt presents popular music as part of a continuing effort, over two centuries, to create community values and identity in the face of social transformations. The book refutes the idea that the use of popular music for expression by a "socially marginal" social is new. Pratt demonstrates that popular music as an expression of community identity is centuries old. Early chapters of the book explore the social and political functions of music and its relationship to the concept of culture, individualism, and freedom. Later chapters concentrate on the history and role of political messages in specific music forms - the blues, gospel, jazz, rock and soul. A summary chapter considers the future of American popular music as an instrument of political expression. Students and scholars of musicology, sociology, popular culture, and politics should find this work of interest, as should academics engaged in research in musicology, popular culture and politics and culture.

Reviews

. . . this well-documented book has much to offer. Pratt has achieved his aim of writing a reference work for students and scholars of musicology, sociology, popular culture, and politics.'-Jazztimes
Pratt's subject is the creation and use of popular music by Arfican-Americans, women, the poor, and the variously dipossessed in American life. Spirituals, blues, gospel, folk, and rock are considered expressions of hope, reflections of disillusioment, and a vehicle for promoting sociopolitical change. Although Pratt questions the political success of this music, particularly that of the hypercommerical rock scene, he believes that 'Popular culture...remains the primary means of resistance and the most widely used channel for expression of emancipatory political perspectives.' Without comments on their purely musical abilities, Pratt finds Woodie Guthrie, Bob Dylan, and Bruce Springsteen the most provocative songwriter-performers. Copiously researched and well documented, this book is strongest on African-American music and weakest on rock, with no coverage of punk, the most blatanly antisocial of all pop genres. Pratt eschews the polemics that too often obscure the real issues in books on this topic and focuses instead on the experiences of the performers and their audiences. Primarily for undergraduate students of social science and the general reader.-Choice
." . . this well-documented book has much to offer. Pratt has achieved his aim of writing a reference work for students and scholars of musicology, sociology, popular culture, and politics.'"-Jazztimes
"Pratt's subject is the creation and use of popular music by Arfican-Americans, women, the poor, and the variously dipossessed in American life. Spirituals, blues, gospel, folk, and rock are considered expressions of hope, reflections of disillusioment, and a vehicle for promoting sociopolitical change. Although Pratt questions the political success of this music, particularly that of the hypercommerical rock scene, he believes that 'Popular culture...remains the primary means of resistance and the most widely used channel for expression of emancipatory political perspectives.' Without comments on their purely musical abilities, Pratt finds Woodie Guthrie, Bob Dylan, and Bruce Springsteen the most provocative songwriter-performers. Copiously researched and well documented, this book is strongest on African-American music and weakest on rock, with no coverage of punk, the most blatanly antisocial of all pop genres. Pratt eschews the polemics that too often obscure the real issues in books on this topic and focuses instead on the experiences of the performers and their audiences. Primarily for undergraduate students of social science and the general reader."-Choice

Author Bio

RAY PRATT has taught at Montana State University/Bozeman since 1971 and is Professor in the Political Science department. Dr. Pratt is the author of numerous articles in academic journals.