Song Analysis of "Give Peace A Chance"

Many people disagree with the actions of the government on certain and specific political issues and choose to voice their opinion, as allowed by the Constitution. During the sixties and seventies, many Americans were against the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War and spoke out against it. Artists, as well as citizens, chose to clearly denounce the war. John Lennon, for example, wrote and performed the song "Give Peace A Chance." This song reflects Lennon's views on the Vietnam War and war in general.

Immediately in the first verse, Lennon lets the reader know his stance on the political issue of war. He demonstrates this through the line "All we are saying is give peace a chance," telling the reader that he or she should strive for peace and not war. Additionally, in the lines "Ev'rybody's talking about/Ministers, Sinisters, Banisters and canisters" Lennon shows the involvement of ministers, sinisters, and canisters during this time of war. The term minister reflects how religious preferences, most commonly Christianity, had an effect on a person's view of war. The next term, sinisters, is referring to the evil and menacing people were involved in the war. Whether Lennon directed this statement towards the United States government, spies, or the enemy is unknown, but it is known that he did not agree with those who were evil and menacing. Finally, the mention of the term canisters is showing the technology and weapons of war; a canister held many shells, or bullets, that were contained in a gun to be used in war. Lennon also refers to an expression of his own creation, bagism, in the line “Ev’rybody’s talking about/Bagism, Shagism, Dragism;” the term bagism, according to Lennon, refers to wearing a bag over someone’s head. He further explained his idea that if a person wore a bag over his or her entire body, a person could not be judged by others on the basis of race, sex, or other physical attributes. In the last verse, Lennon mentions numerous well-known figures during that time, including “John and Yoko…Tommy Smothers…Bob Dylan”; this mention is also called an allusion, since they are well-known by the majority of Americans. He connects all of these people by saying that "All we are saying is give peace a chance." This statement shows that all of the people he mentions all want peace, and not war. His entire song also contains diction, as can be clearly seen through the use of apostrophes in the word everybody (ev’rybody). Lennon also uses short and direct references, without the use of commas, as in the line “Ev’rybody’s talking about/Revolution, evolution, mastication,” which may also be called asyndeton.

Differing political views on war was a vehement and fervent topic during the Vietnam War. Not only John Lennon, but other artists as well, wrote and performed their songs in order to voice their own personal views on war, peace, and other topics; such artists include Bob Dylan, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Buffalo Springfield. Addressing their views through their music was a surefire way to get them heard by the public, and their goal was accomplished. Because of these artists’ expression of opinion, we may look at how war affected the everyday American as well as their differing opinions.

"Give Peace A Chance" by John Lennon

Ev'rybody's talking about
Bagism, Shagism, Dragism, Madism, Ragism, Tagism
This-ism, that-ism
Isn't it the most
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance

Ev'rybody's talking about
Ministers, Sinisters, Banisters and canisters,
Bishops and Fishops and Rabbis and Pop eyes,
And bye bye, bye byes.
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance

Let me tell you now
Ev'rybody's talking about
Revolution, Evolution, Mastication, Flagelolation, Regulations.
Integrations, Meditations, United Nations, Congratulations
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance

Oh Let's stick to it
Ev'rybody's talking about
John and Yoko, Timmy Leary, Rosemary, Tommy smothers, Bob Dylan,
Tommy Cooper, Derek Tayor, Norman Mailer, Alan Ginsberg, Hare Krishna,
Hare Krishna
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance

Song Analysis of "War"

Throughout time, music has been influenced by the events of that time period and politics in general. Artists, such as Edwin Starr, express their political views by writing and performing songs that exemplify how they feel when it comes to certain topics (appositive). Edwin Starr's song "War" describes his views on war, as the song's title clearly states.

In the first verse, Edwin Starr blatantly tells the reader "War.../What is it good for?/Absolutely nothing." Obviously, Starr believes that there is no use for war, as it brings pain rather than peace. He further explains his views in these following lines: "War I despise/'Cause it means destruction of innocent lives/War means tears in thousands of mothers' eyes/When their sons go out to fight and lose their lives." Starr is showing that war kills innocent people who have nothing to do with the problems or views of the government. The mothers of these soldiers begin to cry as they watch their sons go off to war in order to defend their country, and possibly lose their lives in a war that they may or may not believe in. The lines "It ain't nothing but a heartbreaker.../War has shattered many young men's dreams/Made him disabled, bitter and mean" show that war destroys men's lives, causing them to be disabled and bitter. "War can't give life, it can only take it away" is Starr's overall belief of war.

Destructive and at times unnecessary, war seems to be a popular political topic that artists discuss through their music (adjectives out of order). Many people do not believe in war and find it to be a fault in human nature. The idea of being a peaceful nation was shared by many during a time when the United States was at war with another country, the Vietnam War. Because of artists like Edwin Starr, the opinions and views of many Americans were changed; war was unnecessary, and peace is what should be strived for.

"War" by Edwin Starr

War... Huh... Yeah!
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing!
Uhuh... uhuh...!

War... Huh... Yeah!
What it is good for?
Absolutely nothing!
Say it again y'all
War... Huh... Look out!
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing!
Listen to me - AAH!
War I despise
'Cause it means destruction of innocent lives
War means tears in thousands of mothers' eyes
When their sons go out to fight and lose their lives

I said:
War... Huh... Good God y'all!
What it is good for?
Absolutely nothing!
Say it again
(War... Huh!) Lord, Lord, Lord...
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing!
Listen to me:

(War) It ain't nothing but a heartbreaker
(War) Friend only to the undertaker
War is the enemy of all mankind
The thought of war blows my mind
War has caused unrest within the younger generations
Induction then destruction
Who wants to die?

AAH! War... Huh... Good God y'all!
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing!
Say it, say it, say it!
War... Huh...! (Uhuh... Yeah... Huh!)
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing!
Listen to me:

(War) It ain't nothing but a heartbreaker
(War) Got one friend, thats the undertaker
War has shattered many young men's dreams
Made him disabled, bitter and mean
Life is but too surely precious, to spend fighting wars each day
War can't give life, it can only take it away!

AAH! War... Huh... Good God y'all!
What it is a good for?
Absolutely nothing!
Say it again
War... Huh... Lord, Lord, Lord...
What it is a good for?
Absolutely nothing!
Listen to me:

(War) It ain't nothing but a heartbreaker
(War) Friend only to the undertaker
Peace, love and understanding tell me,
is there a place for these today?
They say we must fight to keep our freedom,
but Lord knows there's got to be a better way

War... Huh... Good God y'all!
What is it good for?
You tell me!
Say it, say it, say it, say it!
War... Good God now... Huh!
What is it good for?
Stand up and shout it! (Nothing!)

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Diction

The quartet of David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash and Neil Young, formerly a trio before Neil Young was added as a fourth member, is a folk-rock super group as each member was an accomplished artist before the band was established. Many of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s songs contained elaborate vocal harmonies, as well as political activism, which led to the group’s lasting influence on music and culture. The songs “Ohio” and “Wooden Ships,” which both stem from political issues at the time, show contrasting diction. Diction, defined as a writer’s choice of words, can be clearly seen in both songs and the differences between the two are reasonably different.

The song “Ohio” is one of the more up-beat songs by the band, as it has an electric guitar that does not overpower the lyrics or message of the song, which is a response to the murders of Kent State. When reading the lyrics, one will notice that the phrases and verses are very short and that, when listening to the song, many words are cut short at the end of each line. This can be clearly seen in the written form through the lines “Tin soldiers and Nixon's comin'/We're finally on our own/This summer I hear the drummin'.” The lyrics are also directed toward “us,” or American citizens, through the lines “Gotta get down to it. /Soldiers are gunning us down. /Should have been done long ago.” The lyrics are also directed towards “you,” possibly the reader or listener, which can be found in the lines “What if you knew her and/Found her dead on the ground?/How can you run when you know?” Additionally, many words and phrases are repetitive throughout the song, bringing attention to what those phrases are supposed to mean or represent; this includes the repetition of “Four dead in Ohio” leading up to the song’s end. What is unique about this song and what sets it apart from others by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young is that the president, Richard Nixon, is directly identified in the line “Tin soldiers and Nixon's comin'.”

The diction in “Wooden Ships,” on the other hand, is different. This song, unlike “Ohio,” is more calm and a little slower. Along with soft electric guitar that, unless closely paid attention to can be missed by the listener, is piano that helps give the song its softness. The lines and verses of this song are more drawn out and have a lot more imagery and description, such as the lines “Wooden ships on the water, very free and easy/Easy, you know the way it's supposed to be/Silver people on the shoreline, let us be/Talkin' 'bout very free and easy.” The reader can more clearly imagine in his or her mind the scenes being described than in the song “Ohio.” The lyrics of the song, furthermore, are being told from the writer/singer’s point of view, directing what is being said towards “you,” the reader or listener. For example, “Go, take your sister then, by the hand/Lead her away from this foreign land;” the writer is telling about “you” the reader, and is not making general statements. The song “Wooden Ships” also has rhyming, as the rhyming pattern of the second verse can be described as ABBA/CDCE (easy/be/easy/be, die/cries/die/us).

Both the songs “Ohio” and “Wooden Ships” contain specific diction, though not clearly specific and almost seemingly similar. This ability to create and use two different forms of diction is not limited to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, but it can be found in the music of a countless number of bands and artists. This ability is necessary for artists to show their flexibility when it comes to showing variety in their music while remaining with their core genre.

"Ohio" by CSNY

Tin soldiers and Nixon's comin'.
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drummin'.
Four dead in Ohio.

Gotta get down to it.
Soldiers are gunning us down.
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her and
Found her dead on the ground?
How can you run when you know?

Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.

Gotta get down to it.
Soldiers are cutting us down.
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her and
Found her dead on the ground?
How can you run when you know?

Tin soldiers and Nixon's comin'.
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drummin'.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.
Four dead in Ohio.

"Wooden Ships" by CSNY

If you smile at me, I will understand
'Cause that is something everybody everywhere does
in the same language.
I can see by your coat, my friend,
you're from the other side,
There's just one thing I got to know,
Can you tell me please, who won?
Say, can I have some of your purple berries?
Yes, I've been eating them for six or seven weeks now,
haven't got sick once.
Probably keep us both alive.

Wooden ships on the water, very free and easy,
Easy, you know the way it's supposed to be,
Silver people on the shoreline, let us be,
Talkin' 'bout very free and easy...
Horror grips us as we watch you die,
All we can do is echo your anguished cries,
Stare as all human feelings die,
We are leaving - you don't need us.

Go, take your sister then, by the hand,
lead her away from this foreign land,
Far away, where we might laugh again,
We are leaving - you don't need us.

And it's a fair wind, blowin' warm,
Out of the south over my shoulder,
Guess I'll set a course and go...