Music for Socialism: A Brotherhood of Man

Rock music as a genre in the early 1950’s through the mid 70’s was not only affected by political events which seized its current nation, but it chanted an expression of ideologies which strongly depicted the desire for communism. Rebel music possessed a clear lust for the philosophies of Karl Marx, and the genre swayed young audiences to obliterate social hierarchies during that time through peace movements, egalitarian influenced psychedelics, and civil rights activism. This expression was verbalized universally through music and literature.

“The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.” (The Communist Manifesto, Ch. 1) Karl Marx wrote this in a literary work that was highly controversial during the McCarthy Era. In fact, the literature was banned and copies of the book were burned in many countries throughout the 20th century. Karl Marx was one of the first philosophers to publicly embrace ideas formulating the erection of communist beliefs. His articulations of the creed influenced music of the early 1950’s through the mid seventies. Publicizing the domestic understanding of socialism, Marx’s philosophy encouraged organized collectivism, a society where, “working men must be organized and take up the struggle against the capitalists who defraud them”, (The Philosophy Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels). This ideology was something that thrived through the McCarthy Era with an animate drive that was verbalized through music and movements during its time.

John Lennon was a very influential figure during the late 1950’s through the early 1970’s. Though today he is revered for his peace movements and nonviolent music and literature, back in the day there were those who applied critical views to the artist in many ways, denouncing him for his Marxist nature and condemning him for his desires for an equal society, a belief born of communist origin. CNN (2005) stated that, “A file on the former Beatle shows he was being watched in the United States shortly before the 1972 Republican National Convention in Miami, the U K’s Press Association reported…But an informant told the FBI that while Lennon “appears to be radically orientated” he did not give the impression of being a true revolutionist “since he is constantly under the influence of narcotics.”

John Lennon wrote a song called “Imagine”. This song vocalized the epitome of the communist beliefs held by Lennon and became the anthem of the revolt against the utopian forces of the drive to obliterate communist influences. The song states, “Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try- No hell below us- Above us only sky- Imagine all the people- Living for today…