Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Sti Lesson 20: The 1960s Through Music

By listening to and analyzing the lyrics of selected examples of popular music from the 1960s era, young scholars will develop a greater understanding of the historical and political forces as well as the emotional climate of the decade. This lesson breaks the decade up into various thematic sections, each illuminated by a group of songs. The songs are studied from two perspectives. First, approaching them as primary sources, students will consider from an historical perspective what the songs reveal about the attitudes of this decade. Secondly, the lyrics will provide an opportunity for literary and poetic analysis.