Essay Sample about Rock and Roll

Music plays an important role in passing on historical information about the culture and giving people a sense of identity. Artists use music to express their concerns and experiences and to point out certain aspects of society that are oppressive or empowering. Rock and roll is American popular music that grew during the 1950s with their target audience including baby boomers who were the younger generation. Its main instrument included the electric guitar. The essay will compare and contrast two rock and roll music Elvis Presley's Money Honey' and Eddie Cochran's Summertime Blues.

Cochran's (1959) “Summertime Blues” speaks about the challenges faced by the working class. The song tells the narrative of a young boy who wants to live and enjoy his freedom but discovers that this will be impossible without working and obtaining his own money. The artist shows his struggle while working since the freedom he yearns for is now constrained due to his work responsibilities. It also highlights the injustices in the legal system and politicians' interests. In essence, it talks about the American Dream which requires one to work hard, and yet working for long hours leads to frustration especially if one does not achieve their objective. Presley (1956) Money, Honey which was written by Jesse Stone speaks about the importance of money in living a comfortable life. The artist has problems with his landlord and his woman due to a lack of money (Presley, 1956).

Both songs speak about the importance of financial stability and have the cheerfulness found in rock and roll music. Cochran (1959) says that he tries to take out his girlfriend but cannot achieve this since his parents want him to work hard and at work, he has to work late. Presley, (1956) also says that his girlfriend leaves him for a man who has money since he is not financially stable. His landlord also requires him to pay his rent. The music videos also employ the use of electric guitars and the mood is quite cheerful which is appealing to the young audience. The videos of the songs also enhance dancing due to their rhythm and catchy melody. Also, unlike other music genres that came up in the 1950s such as R&B, which were characterized by African American artists these videos have young white artists involved in a music genre that was also practiced by African Americans despite the racial tension characteristic in the period.

Differences include that Cochran’s song is focused on working hard to achieve financial stability while Presley’s song does not show the artist trying to improve his condition. While Cochran is spending most of his time working hard thus, he losses out on every other aspect of his life, Presley is losing out on everything just because he does not have money. There is no sign that Presley is working hard or doing anything to improve his condition. Also, while Presley glorifies money, Cochran seems to condemn the chase for money since in the end, it takes away one's freedom.

In conclusion, rock and roll music originated from African American music tradition, was slowly adopted by whites. Musicians such as Eddie Cochran and Elvis Presley expressed their feelings through this type of music. The music was characterized by a danceable melody and instruments such as the electric guitar.

References

Cochran, E. (1959). Summertime Blues [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeWC59FJqGc

Presley, E. (1956). Money, Honey [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnZWIbv4cjU.