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Social Movements and Protest Songs as Social Messages
Social movements and protests are attention-grabbing social acts in different periods
and geographies in the world. There are definite common points between individual
rights struggle in USA in 1960s and youth movements in Europe. The common point
of these social movements and protests is that messages were conveyed through
songs. The history of using music as a protest tool dates back to old times. The Cutty
Wren used by English peasants in revolt against feudal structure in 1381 contains
secret protest messages. It is seen that English Renaissance composer, William Byrd
managed to give messages to his coreligionists and to protest I. Elizabeth’s England
oppression to Catholics by embeding secretly the elements of his Catholic belief that
he had to hide since he was living in a country where Protestants were the majority
in his church anthem at the end of 16th century. More recent examples of using
protest music at the present time are from the 19th century. Hebrew Slaves Chorus in
Verdi’s opera, Nabucco was used as march by those who fought against Italy’s
unification in the 19th century. There are many examples of using music as a protest
tool in the world. Stalin and Hitler are two of sovereign powers protested through
music. Using music as protest and communication tool increased as long as the years
passed and peoples became conscious. From 1960s it is seen that there are several
folk and rock songs accompanying civil resistances and numerous protest music
samples suitable to every act. Many things have changed in the world in 2000s and
these changes manifested itself in social incidents. Especially revolts in Middle East
countries caused to social changes. Oppressive regimes were protested both in the
street and in the social media. In these acts, another form of protest was reflected to
music same as before. In this study, we will analyze songs and songs’contents
coming out of social movement and protest appeared in 2013 in Turkey and named
Gezi Parkı. In these protests starting against being cut the trees in Gezi Parkı, the
process of a social movement and protest spreading other cities was observed. The
attitude of the government was in the way of marginalizing protesters. Protest is
kind of annunciation and communication and civil resistance is the request for
communication and participation in decision making. Gezi parkı protests starting on
the purpose of saving trees showed that there was a participation problem in Turkey.
Songs composed in this process seem to share this opinion. That songs direct human
behaviours or they are the result of it is among known characteristics of songs. In this
sense, music is not only the community of rhythm listened to pass time in free times
but also it is reality forming people’s feeling and attitudes to life. The effect of music
does not remain limited to one person. It affects the whole society, the government,
the whole country and even affairs in the country. From this explanation, it becomes
prominent that music is the determiner of social and political movements. In this
study it will be explained with historical examples that social events is reflected on
music. This study aims to analyze messages and functions of songs specific to Gezi
Parkı by carrying out content analysis.
PhD Nezih Orhon
[email protected]
+9005326875697
Kübra Özdemir
Research Asistant
[email protected]
+905535373641