Influence on society
In the 60s, Soul helped shape the identity of the civil rights activists because it was the perfect way of expressing their pain, suffering, hope, and determination. Soul’s combination of rhythm and gospel gave people a feeling of comfort because it was similar to what they used to listen in their childhoods.
'Not all soul songs were about the civil rights movement. Many were about women, hometown cultures, etc; however, the genre is often categorized by being the soundtrack of the civil rights movement because the key songs of the movement happened to be soul songs.'
Aretha Franklin’s ‘Respect’ was a really important because it created the identity of the blacks in the 60s, who no longer wanted basic rights but embraced black culture. Martin Luther King Jr’s and Malcolm X’s speeches had a deep impact on society too.
The song ‘A Change is Gonna Come’ (Sam Cooke) was released in 1964 and it was about Cooke’s opinion on racism in the US. The lyrics were hopeful and inspired equality and those who fought for it. Cooke wrote about his on experienced, which made him feel unwelcomed, judged and discriminated. Many people related to these feelings.
The Civil Rights Movement
'When M.L.King died, James Brown dedicated the concert to King’s life, and he played for the first time “Say it Loud-I’m Black and I’m Proud.” This song symbolized the shift of the movement into the black power movement.
The lyrics of the song address the segregation and racism towards blacks in America during the time period. The song suggested the idea of black empowerment that was a key component of the black power movement.' says englishoneohtwo.
taringa.net
en.wikipedia.org