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From: andrew@grkermi.UUCP (Andrew W. Rogers)
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Re: Instrumental vs. vocal popular music
Message-ID: <621@grkermi.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 22-Sep-85 19:36:43 EDT
Article-I.D.: grkermi.621
Posted: Sun Sep 22 19:36:43 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 25-Sep-85 10:14:55 EDT
References: <1477@brl-tgr.ARPA> <612@grkermi.UUCP>
Reply-To: andrew@grkermi.UUCP (Andrew W. Rogers)
Distribution: net
Organization: GenRad, Inc., Concord, Mass.
Lines: 74

>Their main objection to rock is that KIDS LIKE IT - period.  If rock *was*
>instrumental, they'd find some other excuse to complain about it.  You will
>recall that in the early days of rock, it wasn't the lyrics that parents
>and other self-appointed meddlers objected to - it was that JUNGLE BEAT!
>(According to one survey, 34% of all juvenile delinquents had listened to
>negro music at least once!  Q.E.D.!)

I posted the above in a response to Will Martin's original posting.  I've
gotten quite a bit of mail on this - some of it from curious younger netters
who want to know more about rock's early days, but most of it from dorkbreaths
challenging me to "back up [my] assertions with some facts."  Of course, had
I posted "George Washington was the first President of the United States",
the self-appointed net police would have responded the same way... so

DIG THIS, DADDY-O!!!


"Rhythm and blues may not cause delinquency, but it reflects it."

					-VARIETY, March 1955


"Recent newspaper headlines have emphasized the fact that the illiterate
gangsters of our younger generation are definitely influenced in their
lawlessness by this throwback to jungle rhythms.  Either it actually stirs
them to orgies of sex and violence (as its model did for the savages
themselves) or they use it as an excuse for the removal of all inhibitions
and the complete disregard of the conventions of decency...

This is not to say that any youngster who honestly enjoys rock 'n' roll
is potentially a delinquent... It is, however, entirely correct to state
that every proven delinquent has been definitely influenced by rock 'n'
roll, as well as comic books and the more violent movies and TV shows.

When [music] is debased to the service of the lowest animal passions,
it becomes a definite threat to civilization."

				- Music Journal, 1958


"[Rock is a] sexualistic, immoralistic plot to bring young people of both
races together, [pulling] the white man down to the level of the negro."

				- North Alabama White Citizens' Council


"It's the jungle strain that gets 'em all worked up."

				- Newsweek, 1956


"...a symptom of a condition that can produce delinquency".

				- Time, no date given


"...cannibalistic and tribalistic..."

				- Billboard


"From the very beginning, the real reason Mr. and Mrs. Clean White America
objected to this music was the fact that it was performed by Black people."

				- Frank Zappa (who else?), late 1960's


The above quotes are from Richard Nicholls' "Rock and Roll Goes Down in 
History", which appeared in _Rock_ (Nov. 2, 1970).  As always, I'll gladly
send photocopies to anyone who sends a USnail address.  (I'll include another
article about Spiro Agnew's 1970 anti-rock tirades upon request.)

Andrew W. Rogers
(Official Rock Archivist of USENET???)


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