In this lesson, students will view a segment from Ken Burns & Lynn Novick: The Vietnam War and examine lyrics from selected songs from the Vietnam era. They will share their thoughts and viewpoints on these lyrics in a class discussion.
The late sixties were a kind of confluence of several countercultural rivulets—the anti-war movement itself, the movement towards racial equality, the environment, and the role of women. The anthems for that counterculture were provided by the most brilliant rock and roll music that you can imagine.
NOTE: This video is part of a lesson plan titled The Vietnam Experience in Music.
Students will examine the personal and broader historical circumstances in which country stars Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson rose to fame during the 1950s and 60s. Through exploration of the artists' early lives, students will have the opportunity to reflect on the lingering effects of personal tragedy, and how certain life events can shape an individual’s choices and career. Students will consider how the social trends of the postwar era during which Cash and Nelson rose to fame shaped their career trajectories and music.
An historical overview of this period, included in the support materials, provides broader context about the period to offer additional perspective about these artists’ circumstances.
In this lesson, students will view a segment from Ken Burns & Lynn Novick: The Vietnam War and examine lyrics from selected songs from the Vietnam era. They will share their thoughts and viewpoints on these lyrics in a class discussion.
The late sixties were a kind of confluence of several countercultural rivulets—the anti-war movement itself, the movement towards racial equality, the environment, and the role of women. The anthems for that counterculture were provided by the most brilliant rock and roll music that you can imagine.
NOTE: This video is part of a lesson plan titled The Vietnam Experience in Music.
Students will examine the personal and broader historical circumstances in which country stars Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson rose to fame during the 1950s and 60s. Through exploration of the artists' early lives, students will have the opportunity to reflect on the lingering effects of personal tragedy, and how certain life events can shape an individual’s choices and career. Students will consider how the social trends of the postwar era during which Cash and Nelson rose to fame shaped their career trajectories and music.
An historical overview of this period, included in the support materials, provides broader context about the period to offer additional perspective about these artists’ circumstances.
