More about: The SpecialsAretha FranklinVera LynnEdwin StarrMarvin GayeSylvester
We look at tracks that have been adopted as anthems of unity
Looking back into the past through the lens of music is a very powerful way to understand it, so we thought we’d look back into recent history at great music that emerged during turbulent times for communities and society, as a beacon of hope for artists and music fans alike during this difficult period - for not only the music industry globally, but the world as a whole.
Music and art have vitally shaped and reflected social and cultural change throughout recorded time: popular music naturally becomes a melodic distillation of a period of time, and a vivid snapshot of a situation. It has the intense power to recall memories and sentiment for those who have experienced those times, and importantly serves as a window into that world for others who have not.
You might also like...
Music is celebratory, expressive, evolutionary, intimate, global, and most importantly - it’s communicative, which is perhaps why it has played such a pivotal role in history - music is the universal language of mankind, and so it is inevitable that some of the most influential tracks ever released are in response to events that have shaken mankind to its core. So, here’s our list of key tracks that became adopted by communities as anthems of unity.
The Specials - ‘Ghost Town’
If you’re looking for a track to resonate with the current situation, look no further than The Specials’ haunting 1981 track ‘Ghost Town’. Times of uncertainty and mass unemployment gave rise to this seminal track, spookily similar to the climate we are facing currently: “All the clubs are being closed down…bands won’t play no more” - not because of “too much fighting on the dancefloor”, but because they’ve been forced to close their doors to slow down the spread of the Coronavirus.
Vera Lynn - ‘We’ll Meet Again’
Vera Lynn’s 1939 track ‘We’ll Meet Again’, became the most famous song of World War II, as her beautiful vocal and sentimental lyrics resonated strongly and directly with the millions of troops and military personnel going to fight in the war, tragically leaving behind their sweethearts and families.
Commenting recently on the fight against Coronavirus, Dame Vera said: “Music is so good for the soul, and during these hard times we must all help each other to find moments of joy…I am reminded of World War Two, when our country faced the darkest of times and yet, despite our struggles, pulled together for the common good and we faced the common threat together as a country, and as a community of countries that joined as one right across the world.”
Aretha Franklin - ‘Respect’
Aretha Franklin’s 1967 cover of Otis Redding’s track ‘Respect’ became a landmark for the feminist movement, where Franklin wittily turned Redding’s track completely on its head. She laid down a set of demands for women everywhere, which became an empowerment anthem for the women’s liberation movement, uniting all women with the sentiment and hope that they too could be as assertive and defiant as Franklin, in the face of the dominant male patriarchy.
Edwin Starr - ‘War’
In 1970, Edwin Starr defiantly protested the Vietnam war on his track ‘War’, which also signalled the first Motown song in history to make a political statement. Alongside the anti-war sentiment, the track also stood to reinforce the need for harmony and unity in our everyday lives, with its revolutionary lyrics, “War. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!”
Marvin Gaye - ‘What’s Goin’ On’
Running alongside this Vietnam anti-war sentiment, Marvin Gaye’s track ‘What’s Goin’ On’ released in 1971 was inspired by a police brutality incident during a protest held by anti-war activists on ‘Bloody Thursday’. As well as calling for an end to the war that claimed the lives of over 3 million people, it also served as a comment on 1970s America, where drugs, racism and poverty were crippling most inner cities, and where protests against the Vietnam War resulted in widespread violence and police brutality.
Sylvester - ‘You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)’
In 1978, the “Queen of Disco" Sylvester released ‘You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)’, adopted by the gay community as their anthem of liberation and authenticity, after being closeted and marginalised throughout history. Dance became their tribal music of defiance, and this impermeable disco classic epitomised this sentiment of the time.
As evidenced by these six historic singles, music and culture is a strategy of resistance. While currently, this sense of togetherness has to be shifted onto the online-sphere for now due to the fact we cannot come together physically, the rejoining of communities after this period will undoubtedly herald the emergence of new sounds, ideals and values, which will be reflected in the music released in the future.
What will be the anthem of unity for the upheaval after the Coronavirus outbreak? Stay tuned…
Photo: The Specials website
