Most popular themes of 50s/60s song lyrics?

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 11:23 am

This might be the most boring thread that ever appeared at this section, but still i'm in the mood to try...
Just an attempt of "classification"... not always with examples, unfortunately...
1. Love songs. These include:
a) the songs about newfound love ("Till i met you" springs to mind...);
b) the songs about lost love ("Goodbye love");
c) the songs about relationship between partners: misunderstanding etc ("Honey don't" and even "Blue suede shoes" to some extent...);
d) etc...
2. The songs about "everyday problems" which include:
a) the songs about everyday problems: no money, the car doesn't work, etc.;
b) philosophical songs: like, people misunderstanding each other ("Sounds of silence" to some extent) or the conflict between the individual and the others ("I am a rock").
3. Party songs - well that's easy, dance songs, like "Locomotion", "Let's twist again" etc.
4. Ecological & anti-war songs. Why the same category? Well, because to me, these things can be united in the same song, like, "What have they done to the rain", for instance. "Where have all the flowers gone" is an anti-war song imo, albeit my xh has his own theory about this one, which i'm not in the mood to quote...
5. Political songs. Lots of those.
6. Etc.
Etc means there might be many more categories, and i'm eeagerly waiting for your opinions guys...
Cheers,
SC.

j_gary · Post by **j_gary** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 1:10 pm

Hi Sheena, real cold in Moscow this time of year? Stuck in the house, TV broken?

Sorry young lady, I couldn't resist, I'm messing with you.. You put some work and thought in this topic. Hmmmm..............

I would guess the most common thread back in the 50's/60's, and perhaps even today, in music from and for the young, is songs about love. To be more specific, misplaced love. What first comes to mind is the "I love her/him, she/he doesen't love me" theme.

My thought is that many young songwriters are entering the music "business" at a time when they first begin to experience trials and tribulations of love and heartbreak. These are perhaps the emotional feelings that inspire some wonderful music.

After love, it seems a free for all as to topics. I would be curious what the actual most popular topics are, and the order of their popularity.

That was fun, good luck with this one. BTW, it's cold and dreary in Detroit, and my television is on the blink.

Stay warm, Gary

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 2:06 pm

50's: teen age love relationships; puppy love.
Early 60's: cars and surfing.
Mid and late 60's: illegal and legal substances and the alterations in conciousness and thought that it brought about or at it least was a part of which to me includes many of the later catagories you have up there Sheena. The dawning of the new subculture was a predominant theme in mid and late 60's music.
On top of it all though there was (and is) always puppy love.

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 2:08 pm

"...b) philosophical songs: ...the conflict between the individual and the others ("I am a rock"). ..."

So: is this the category into which you would place "Cool Jerk"?

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 2:14 pm

Hanky Panky.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 7:10 pm

I tried to post on this thread twice at my office today. Both times the computer froze. It's trying to tell me sumthin':

Horsepower songs, chipmunk songs, crazy man songs, purple people eater songs, whale songs, kangaroo songs, dead skunk songs, transfusion songs, launderette songs, dingaling songs, basketball songs, rubber ball songs, rubber biscuit songs, spaghetti songs, chewing gum songs, caveman songs, snoopy songs, Tulip songs, name game songs, monster songs, tighten up songs, truckers across the country songs, fish head songs, yellow snow songs, buffalo songs, martian hop songs, pencil neck geek songs, wet dream songs, and don't forget "My Boomerang Won't Come Back".

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 8:56 pm

Har!!!

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 10:37 pm

About the only topic not covered here Sheena in your list were songs related to Drugs, Lucy In The Sky, Day In The Life, Mothers Little Helper, White Rabbit etc.

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 12:24 am

Gary: yep it's coooold... and i don't watch TV

A great comment indeed...
Bob: great observation!
Paul: grrreat addition, LOL!
Roy: didn't expect that one from you... i was just tryin' to be a "good lady"...

but i'd rather call them "influence songs" since there might be topics related to alcohol as well, like "Whiskey in the jar" for instance, albeit i'm not sure it was recorded in the 60s... nope, i didn't manage to be a "good lady"...

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 8:18 am

Roy I alluded to drugs in my post above.
Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport.

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 8:23 am

So you did Bob well done topic never ending, have we had bikinis.

Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini and before Sheena asks it was a big hit for Brian Hyland

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 8:26 am

Mmm... by the way... "Splish splash I was taking a bath"... which category would it belong to?..
Twas a very gentle allusion Bob... didn't get it the first time...

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 8:30 am

Oh... i know... bath songs... and itsy-bitsy-bikini songs, regarding your comment Roy (BTW, i do know twas a Brian Hyland hit, albeit i like Die Toten Hosen's version as well... well... okay, jumping far off to the 00s again, sorry...)

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 8:45 am

Bob, I believe I allude to drugs in each of my posts, one way or another...

...and since you and Roy identified another important category (can't believe you beat me to that one, dudes!), but didn't yet give it a name, I propose: "Purple Haze Songs".

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 8:48 am

What about drinks then, Dane?

On having thought more... "Splish splash" belongs to "Everyday problems"... why not? Takin' a bath is a bit of a problem... when there's no hot water...