Briana Salcido: For What It's Worth- Buffalo Springfield

The birth of music in the sixties was so vital to life during an era that was so engulfed in death. When I think of a time period in our nation’s history when protest music was most prominent, the first thing that comes to mind is the 1960’s. Epitomizing that era in film, is Forrest Gump, and that is where my song selection comes in, which is “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield. There is not a more historical, and yet emotional movie like Forrest Gump, and one of its key elements is the soundtrack. The songs chosen for the film tell the stories of a time period filled with war, protest, and a musical revolution; as in the words of Buffalo Springfield, “there’s somethin’ happenin’ here, what it is ain’t exactly clear.” This song speaks for the American people of the 1960’s.

“For What It’s Worth” portrays a time period in U.S. history composed of rebellion, civil rights, and the Vietnam War; it [the song] “came to encapsulate ‘60’s turmoil so perfectly that resorting to it is a subconscious admission by a documentarian: ‘I have nothing to say that Stephen Stills didn’t say better in 2 minutes 41 seconds’” (Genzlinger). The protest in America presented itself not only with the war outside of our nation’s borders, but in our country as well, as racial prejudices were still prominent, and with the biggest issue facing the time leading up to 1968; the draft. The music video shown below is the clip from the movie Forrest Gump, in which the song was used, and it is a scene during the Vietnam War. The famous Uncle Sam poster with the demanding slogan “We Want You!” portrays the American government’s notion at the time, which was forceful draft into the very war we were protesting within our own borders at home.

Rebellion was now in the birth rights of the time, as the song goes “young people speakin’ their minds, getting so much resistance from behind,” and in the words of Bruce Springstein “the sixties made room for outsiders and their ideas” (1968 with Tom Brokaw). Rebellion now seems so unacceptable, but at the time it was necessary at the wake of a new era; people felt entitled to maximize their American rights with freedom of speech, as the song goes: “a thousand people in the street, singing songs and carrying signs.” The biggest notion with youngsters of the time was peace, but the irony of it was accompanied with so much violence; “there’s battle lines being drawn, nobody’s right if everbody’s wrong.” The government was trying to draft Americans to fight a war in Vietnam, but at the same time they were turning their backs to the war they were causing at home. They couldn’t have the United States fighting against another nation when they were everything but united about the war.

In closing, I just want to note the title of the song and the most common chorus line, typically they go hand in hand, but that is not the case with this song, especially since the titled line is not in the song at all. The title speaks volumes “For What It’s Worth,” it’s telling a story, voicing an opinion, and expressing emotions to its audience, but ultimately not expecting much of a reaction. Perhaps it’s written to the government, or the fellow American people, or both, but for what it’s worth, “it’s time we stop, children, what’s that sound, everybody look what’s goin’ down.” This song is a stop sign to all the protest of the time, it’s an attention-grabber, it’s meant to halt its listener for 2 minutes and 41 seconds to be still and look at all that is going on around and how it is being handled.

Briana Salcido: For What It's Worth- Buffalo Springfield

Thursday, November 8, 2012

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