FREE ESSAY ON MUSIC, THE HIPPIE GENERATION

MUSIC, THE HIPPIE GENERATION

Through out history the world has seen some generations that have made an impact more than
all of its predecessors. The decade from 1960 to 1970 was definitely one of those eras.
The people didn't follow the teachings of its elders, but rejected them for an
alternative culture which was their very own(Harris 14). Made up of the younger
population of the time this new culture was such a radical society that they were given
their own name which is still used today. They came to be called the Hippies. The Hippie
movement started in San Francisco, California and spread across the United States,
through Canada, and into parts of Europe (World Book). But it had its greatest influence
in America. During the 1960's a radical group called the Hippies shocked America with
their alternative lifestyle and radical beliefs. Hippies came from many different places
and had many different backgrounds. All Hippies were young, from the ages of 15 to
25(Worldbook). They left their families and did it for many different reasons. Some
rejected their parents' ideas, some just wanted to get away, and others simply were
outcasts, who could only fit in with the Hippie population. Under 25 became a magical
age, and young people all over the world were united by this bond (Harris 15). This bond
was of Non-conformity and it was the Creed of the Young (Harris 15). Most Hippies came
from wealthy middle class families. Some people said that they were spoiled and wasting
their lives away. But to Hippies themselves this was a way of life and no one was going
to get in the way of their dreams and ambitions. Hippies flocked to a certain area of San
Francisco on the corner of Haight Street and Ashbury Street, where the world got their
first view of this unique group. This place came to be known as the Haight Ashbury
District. There were tours of the district and it was said that the tour was the only
foreign tour within the continental limits of the United States (Stern 147). The Hippies
were so different that the conservative middle class could not relate to them and saw
them as aliens. The Haight Ashbury district lies in the very center of San Francisco. In
the years of 1965 and 1966 the Hippies took over the Haight Ashbury district(Cavan 49).
There they lived and spread their psychedelic theme through out the whole area. In the
Haight Ashbury district there were two parks that that all Hippies knew well. The most
famous of the two was the Golden Gate Park(Cavan 43). The single most important event
that put the Hippies on the map was held at the Golden Gate Park. It was called the Trips
Festival. The Trips Festival was a week long festival designed to celebrate the LSD
experience(Stern 148). Besides this festival dozens of other events took place at Golden
Gate Park, some of which were free concerts by The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane
and Anti-War rallies held by Hippie political leaders. The other park is called the Buena
Vista park and is known for housing hippies at night and for socializing during the day.
As the 1960's progressed, the youth in America united. In 1969 400,000 young people
materialized for three dizzying days to listen to rock and blues music, to wear funny
clothing or no clothes at all, to talk, sing, dance, clap hands, to drink beer or smoke
pot and make love-but mostly to marvel again and again that they were all there together
(This Fabulous Century 64). This festival was held in a small town in up-state New York
and came to be called Woodstock, after the town it was held in. Also in Greenwich
Village, New York Hippies had a place. The Village on every Sunday was known to have
hordes of singers with banjos and drums celebrating their youth together(Stern 103). One
of the basic foundations of the Hippie movement was the flagrant use of illegal drugs.
There were many drugs that the Hippies used but none was more used then marijuana. From
1960 to 1970 the number of Americans who had tried marijuana had increased from a few
hundred thousand to 8,000,000. The majority of these new users were from 12 years old to
college seniors(This Fabulous Century 84). To some Hippies, drugs and music were the most
important aspects of their lives. Another drug that was prevalent in the Hippie
population was LSD. Some Hippies thought that LSD puts you in touch with your
surroundings (Cavan 114). But that was not what always the case. On occasion a hippie
would take bad LSD and would experience a bad trip or would freak out (Cavan 115). When
someone took bad LSD, freak out is exactly what they would do and sometimes they never
came back. Bad LSD was so common that even at Woodstock people were having bad trips and
freaking out. Even with this bad LSD everywhere people still used it, they went as far as
to make a religion out of it. A man by the name of Dr. Timothy Leary was a Harvard
professor who had ideas about LSD. He said LSD is western yoga. The aim of all Eastern
religion, like the aim of LSD, is basically to get high; that is to expand your
consciousness and find ecstasy and revelation within (This Fabulous Century 84). Another
preacher of the use of LSD was an author by the name of Ken Keasey. He traveled around
the United States in a psychedelic bus giving LSD to anyone and everyone who would take
it. Hippies were notorious for there out of the ordinary music. Many Hippies were
actually musicians themselves. Hippies used music as a way to get their thoughts and
ideas out. One of the most influential musicians of the time was Bob Dylan. The lyrics of
the song Like Rolling Stone express the thoughts of many Hippies. They say: How does it
feel How does it feel To be without a home Like a complete unknown Like a rolling
stone?(Harris 69) These lyrics expressed Dylan's personal thoughts to what was happening
to him. He did feel like a rolling stone and so did his peers. His simple but meaningful
lyrics are what made him so popular and successful. Many Hippies considered Dylan as a
spokesman for their beliefs. Drugs were also themes in many bands songs. Jimmy Hendrix's
Purple Haze is about marijuana. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, is a Beatles song about
LSD. The Grateful Dead also took part in the fad with their song Casey Jones, with lyrics
such as High on Cocaine and You better watch your Speed. Besides their music and drugs
Hippies did some out of the ordinary things that were as shocking as their day-glo
clothing. It was common for hippies in the Haight Ashbury District to put a nickel in a
parking meter, then set up blankets and lie down in the space for a half hour(Stern 161).
This was unusual behavior so it is not strange that the public did not take them
seriously. People thought Hippies were the next funniest thing to the Three Stooges(Stern
161). Television shows like the successful Laugh In made fun of this counter culture.
Movies made fun of them as well. One called the Presidents Analyst was extremely
successful. The movie was dedicated to the life, liberty, and pursuit of happenings, and
was based on the Hippies wacky antics. People all over the America were outraged at how
strange these people were and at the same time were in tears at how funny they were. Even
though from afar the Hippies were entertaining, in reality they were devastating the
American family and were tearing the country in two. While the adults of the time were
conservative, hard working, and caring mainly about money, the Hippies didn't care about
any of that. They were party animals. Many didn't work unless it was completely
necessary, they never went to church nor did they care for saving their virginity until
after they were married. They were anything but conservative and their families rejected
them for it. Hippies easy going attitudes and fun and games lifestyles were put away when
the topic of politics came up. Indubitably the instigator for their existence, politics
played a huge role in their lives. Having strongest feelings for the Vietnam War and for
the Civil Rights Movement, the Hippies made their beliefs known to the world. They did
this in many ways including musical shows, pacifist folk songs, and through peaceful
sit-ins(This Fabulous Century 206). But none of their actions were more seen and heard of
then their protests and rallies. The Hippies were aware that the war was being lost and
that thousands of American soldiers were dying. They took it upon themselves the make
their beliefs heard. They put together a protest larger then the ever before. Once
organized not just Hippies came, but students, intellectuals, radicals, and citizens of
all classes took part in it(Harris 36). This protest was held in Washington DC in the
heart of the United States. 250,000 protesters gathered for one common goal. They wanted
their troops to come back home and for United States involvement in the war to be ended.
Through the years of the Vietnam War hundreds a anti-war rallies were held. By the
decades end protests seemed to have done some good. Sixty five percent of all Americans
had similar views as the hippies(This Fabulous Century 206). They wanted their troops
back and that's what they got in the 1969 when the President gave the word to bring them
back home. Hippies had other feelings about racism and persecution. They took part in the
civil rights movement, just as they did in the for the Vietnam troops. When President
Kennedy tried to pass his Civil Rights policies and they never went through, the Hippies
were more aggravated(Harris 8) Eventually some Hippies tried to make their colonies where
there was no racism and persecution. There were Hippie communes all over the United
States. Some communes believed that they were fighting against the white man's perverted
society of pollution ,war, and greed(Stern 166). These communes didn't get very popular
and failed after a few years. Hippies still fought for racial equality. Finally when the
1960's were over new laws were put into action helping racial equality which would not
have happened without the Hippies. During the 1960's a radical group called the hippies
shocked America with their alternative lifestyle and radical beliefs. They were young
people who enjoyed life to its fullest. They used illegal drugs and listened to rock and
roll music. With their alternative beliefs and practices they stunned America's
conservative middle class. Concerned chiefly protesting the Vietnam War and with civil
rights they made a huge impact on the America and the world. Even today the effects of
the Hippie movement is still felt. They made huge advantages and set examples for the
youth of today and years to come. 
Bibliography
Works Sited Cavan, Sherry. Hippies Of The Haight. St.Louis: New Critics Press, Inc.,
1972. Harris, Nathaniel. The Sixties. London: Macdonald Education Ltd., 1975. Hippies
WorldBook Multimedia Encyclopedia. CD-ROM. Stern, Jane and Michael. Sixties People. New
York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1990. This Fabulous Century. New York: Time-Life Books,
1970. Outline Thesis: During the 1960's a radical group called the Hippies shocked
America with their alternative lifestyles and radical beliefs. I. Who were the Hippies?
A.Their backgrounds B. They gathered in the Haight Ashbury District II. Their alternative
lifestyles A. Drugs and their influences B. Music. and its influences C. Their out of the
ordinary antics D. Effects on the family III. Radical Beliefs A. Protesting Vietnam B.
Protecting Civil Rights