Politics and Music
Professor Courtney Brown

Past Test Questions

1. What is the difference the "representational" and "associational" uses of music in terms of its ability to convey political ideas? Give examples from a variety of genre of each usage. Also describe with examples how Beethoven's music has been used in both a representational as well as an associational context, depending on the nature and time of the usage. How can the categories blur? Explain this.

2. Discuss how propagandists of the Third Reich used Beethoven and his music to convey and support their political agenda. How was the Ninth Symphony specifically used in this respect? What does Beethoven have to do with German culture in the first place such that the Nazis would want to do this? In particular, what is the significance of the German Radio playing the Funeral March (Symphony No. 3) after the announcement of Hitler's death? Why did the Nazi propagandists choose some of Beethoven's lesser known marches to help motivate the masses to support the war effort? What is the significance of using the Egmont overture to precede speeches by Hitler and other Nazi officials?

3. What is "nationalist" music? What makes music "nationalist?" Within the classical tradition, identify five nationalist composers from various countries and describe why their music is nationalist. Why is Madonna's video "Tell Me" an example of music expressed with a nationalist perspective? What are the nationalist characteristics of Bruce Springsteen's video and song, "Born In the USA," and why is this not necessarily patriotic? Briefly, what is the difference between nationalist and patriotic music?

4. Describe the historical origins of country music. What characteristics of country music lend themselves well to the purpose of conveying political and social ideas? How does country music compare with patriotic music, and why does country music often have a patriotic flavor? Describe some of the niche areas of country music in which highly politicized lyrics are directed at particular sub-populations.

5. What is political identity music? In particular, compare the Chilean leftist protest music of Salvador Allende's time with Cajun music. How are they different? How are they similar? What are the purposes of each type of music, and how do the purposes relate to the definition of political identity music? How is political identity music different from nationalistic music? Basically, using the Chilean and Cajun examples, define political identity music and describe differences in approach.

6. As it pertains to Bob Marley's music, what is Rastafarianism? Within Rastafarianism, what is Babylon and the Babylon system? That is, describe Bob Marley's general Rastafarian philosophy that he portrayed in his music. If Bob Marley's music is a form of political identity music, with whom is it identifying? What is the purpose of Bob Marley's music, both politically and spiritually, and how are these two things (the political and the spiritual) linked? How do dreadlocks fit into all of this? Is Bob Marley's music relevant only for people of color? Why or why not?

7. Who was Joe Hill? Describe his basic history. Why was he important to the labor movement? Include as many details as you can. How has Joe Hill's early death contributed to his impact with the labor movement in ways that Woody Guthrie could never equal? How is this political identity music?

8. Discuss how political protest music was transformed profoundly in the United States by the Vietnam War. Describe the strained nature of American society during the 1960s and 1970s. Explain how Jimi Hendrix portrayed America at that time with his rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner." How does this compare with his rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow?" Similarly, describe how Bob Dylan portrayed the tensions in American society during that time. What was unique about George Harrison’s perspective of our political situation at the time? Explain this. Tie stuff together.

9. Describe in some detail the four essential cultural elements of hip-hop. Also describe the origins of hip-hop. What are the two major periods of hip-hop, and who are some of the more politically and socially conscious artists representative of each period. How has hip-hop evolved into a medium for political and social commentary? Where did the original political influences come from? Describe what is meant when political music has a narrow as compared with a broad political spectrum, and give examples for each category from hip-hop.

10. Explain how hip-hop has managed to become so influential among white suburbanized youth in the U.S. Explain the connection between the African American origins of hip hop and this youthful white phenomenon. Connect all of this to an analysis of Eminem’s song and video "Stan." In what way is "Stan" a political and social commentary that is relevant to many white youths, drawing in this instance from the assigned article by N.R. Kleinfeld, "Guarding the Borders of the Hip-Hop Nation," that appeared in The New York Times? Explain the psychological aspects of this song and their connection to the song’s potency as social protest and commentary. Finally, compare "Stan" with Sylvia Plath’s poem, "Daddy."

11. What is "nonmovement political and social protest music?" Describe some examples of this type of music. In particular, discuss and analyze the political and social content in the following songs/videos: "Sunday Bloody Sunday" by U2, "Scream" by Michael and Janet Jackson, and "Like a Prayer" by Madonna. In what ways do these and similar songs have narrow or broad political spectrums. How does George Harrison's 1971 concert for Bangladesh in Madison Square Garden fit into all of this?

12. Before any music is "classical" it is "popular." What are some of the arguments for studying the politics of popular music? Why is music relevant to understanding political and social discourse, and even the evolution of society? Why is popular music by its very "popular" nature an essential component of the "grass-roots" intellectual organization of social and political thought? Point to examples from both developed and developing societies that support the idea that music is a crucial medium of political and social expression and transformation. Finally, discuss why — in theory — popular music can always convey revolutionary potential, and why this is connected to the fluid state of any popular genre. How does this explain why one Pakistani political party wanted to have Madonna and Michael Jackson extradited and tried on the charge of being cultural terrorists?

13. Interpret the plot of Wagner's four "Ring" operas in political terms. In what ways was Wagner's own political views reflected in these operas?

14. Discuss how Beethoven's music has been used associationally ever since his death. You should address the use of Beethoven's music in at least two of the following periods: the Second Reich, the Weimar Republic, and the Third Reich. Why is it possible to view the political interpretation of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony as representational rather than associational?

15. What is the difference between "nationalist" music and "patriotic" music? Be sure to include a definition of each. Give examples of each to support your ideas. List and explain several nationalist characteristics of Bruce Springsteen's video and song, "Born In the USA," and explain why is this not necessarily patriotic. Compare Springsteen with Modest Mussorgsky, and explain your comparison. Explain why Madonna can be considered a nationalist artist in her song "Don't Tell Me."

16. How did Verdi respond to the politics of his day when he wrote his operas? What was the role of censorship, and how was this done, with regard to Verdi? Give examples of some of his operas that can be interpreted in political ways, and explain the politics of these operas. Why were the ideas of these operas so sensitive in Verdi’s day. How is Verdi a nationalist composer, and when can his work lean more heavily in the patriotic direction?

17. Drawing from articles in The New York Times that have been assigned in class, discuss recent political music. In particular, discuss political protest music that has been connected to terrorism as well as the war in Iraq. What is being protested? Is it different in different cases? Give two examples of political instrumental music (that is, music without lyrics), one from the Vietnam War period an another that is contemporary. In each case, explain how the political messages are conveyed without words. The Vietnam War example can come from our classroom presentations. Try to fit Toby Keith’s song, “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” into all of this.

18. Evaluate the role played by political music in the fall of Slobodan Milosevic in Serbia as described by Matthew Collin in his book "Guerrilla Radio." Place the music in the context of everything else that was happening in Serbia that contributed to Milosevic's downfall.

19. Describe 20th Century leftist music from the perspective of Joe Hill, Chilean leftist protest music during the time of Salvador Allende, and the “people’s songs” of American Communism from 1930-50. What role does this music play with respect to group identification and bonding. What are some of the other purposes of such music. Describe its effectiveness. Give lots of examples.

20. In an article from our assigned text titled "Freedom Music: Jazz and Human Rights," Jesse Stewart describes how musical artists express political ideas with jazz. Explain his thesis. Elsewhere in our text in an article titled "The Blues: A Discourse of Resistance," Ray Pratt explains how the blues evolved as a vehicle of political expression. Explain his argument. Then compare Stewart’s views of political jazz with Pratt’s perspective on the political content of the blues. How are these views similar, and how are they different. Be complete. Include examples.

21. Describe how music is involved with Finland’s sense of nationalism. What role did Sibelius play in this? What is nationalist music, and why is Sebelius considered a nationalist composer? What do the national legislators do at the end of their first day of Parliament each year that involves music? What does the government of Finland do to promote music as a nationalistic form of expression? Feel free to draw much of your answer from the article assigned form The New York Times.

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