Introduction

Dear readers,

Thank you for checking out our blog! We are a group of four undergraduate students currently studying rhetoric at the University of Maryland, College Park. While studying different movements of the 1960s, something that caught our interest was the use of music and the effect it could have on an entire generation. We decided to study two songs written by The Beatles that were released around the same time, but targeted two completely different social movements. The first song we chose, “Revolution” was released in 1968 and caught the attention of the anti-war movement. The second song, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”, was released in 1967 and really was interpreted as a song about drug use, being that it was released at a time The Hippie Movement was at its height. Together, these texts both convey a message to their audience and had major effects on society. As college students in the 21st century, we are very well aware that our society is hugely impacted by popular culture especially in the form of media and music. We felt that these texts showed the same impact many songs may have on our society today, and that there is much more meaning behind a song then just its title.

The two texts we have chosen may seem completely different but when we began to analyze the meaning behind the two, we found that they actually share some common meaning. Both of these songs had a strong appeal to pathos and kairos, and through these appeals, they were able to similarly affect their listeners. Our blog points out the connection that both songs promote peace and love and because they are both songs, they used similar tactics to do so. The 1960s were a time period full of changes and meaningful movements that had effects on society for years. During this time, it was a challenge for people to stand out amongst the many others trying to make a difference but, The Beatles didn't necessarily have this problem due to their huge popularity and credibility. By analyzing these texts, we were able to see the similarities between the two and how, although intended for different audiences, they generally had the same effect on those who listened.

As you read through our blog you’ll notice how the songs, although they were written in the 1960’s, are still relevant today. The idea of revolution is not a new concept and it’s still applicable today. War continues to plague our world, and the impacts of war in turn affect society. The whole population will never fully support a war because of all the negativity associated with it, therefore, The Beatles antiwar song “Revolution” will remain applicable to today’s society and the future. In regards to “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”, which was released during the hippie movement, the song was interpreted as a description of the effects of drug use on the mind.This song can relate to today because people still continue to use drugs and have similar experiences as to what is shown in the songs. Also, the movement towards the legalization of marijuana today can be associated with Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. After reading our blog we hope that reader have a better understanding of the 1960’s and how it parallels today's society, nearly 60 years later.

While their kairotic situation played a big part in the Beatles’ relevance, their talented writing style was what kept them so famous. The way that the Beatles craft their songs appeals to the emotion and imagination of its listeners. In “Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds”, they use abstract language to challenge their listeners’ imagination. Whether the song is about the use of drugs or a child’s picture, people can make the lyrics their own using their personal experiences to influence their imagination. In “Revolution”, the words appeal to the emotions of people who are affected by the war. Their lyrics about peace and encouragements that everything will be okay are inspirational and strike a lot of emotion in those with a close connection to this issue. In both songs, pathos plays a key role in the song’s connection with its audience.

As English 101 students, we made sure that our blog, which is now a piece of literature, had some elements of rhetoric within it.  The logos of our blog was chosen methodically, so that we could relay the information, and our opinions, in the best way possible.  Our first few posts are about kairos and the major rhetorical arguments within the songs so that we establish a clear background of the era.  Then, we proceed to discuss pathos and ethos, to further develop our rhetorical analysis.  We finish with a few posts about the target audience so that we can come full circle about the atmosphere of the era.  Concluding our blog with a post that describes the audience allows our readers (you guys!) to come back to the idea of how important the time period was, and how the two songs fit into it.  From an aesthetic aspect, the majority of our posts all contain a GIF, a mini video, of The Beatles, or of something that pertains to the era.  These fun and colorful additions to our blog build upon the fact that The Beatles were fun-loving and radical.

Thanks for reading and we hope you enjoy the blog!