Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Audience analysis of "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane
"White Rabbit", famously written in 1965 and performed by Jefferson Airplane in 1967, was top 10 in the Billboard Hot 100 and currently resides in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs list. Being as popular as it was in an iconic era of music and revolutionary movements, it is apparent how well absorbed the message of this song was by the young people of the Psycahdelic era. During most of the 1960's, many social movements propelled the young generation into freedom-fighting and independence. A very important aspect of these revolutions was music, and there were many songs that influenced and inspired many young people to strive for independence, especially through the drug revolution. "White Rabbit" appeals especially to its young audience because it referenced characters and events from the other-worldly children's story "Alice in Wonderland". The lyrics illustrate desirable fantasies that seemingly result from taking drugs. There is even a line at the beginning that says the pills "that mother gives you, don't do anything at all", pushing the audience to act on their own and to pursue what stimulates their minds. "White Rabbit"'s influence on young people to pursue drug use and independent thinking was made through the reference of a popular childhood fantasy and the implication of a calming, Psycahdelic, and enjoyable experience.
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I really liked how you included how the song was apart of the hit charts, explaining its relevance of the 60s. I also liked how you connected the story of Alice in Wonderland to the audience of the youth who could relate to the book/movie also.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting how this music was so aimed towards the youth of the generation, and how it tried to inspire rebellion against parents. It's also interesting to see how this music was received by the vast majority of the adult population, and yet managed to get such high ratings.
ReplyDeleteI think the contrast between the ratings and the reaction from the older generation(s) just shows how quickly society evolves in such a way that youths philosophically disconnect from their parents. This can be seen too in adults' reaction to jazz, rock and roll, and rap music.
ReplyDeleteYour explanation is definitely agreeable. The influence of music on young minds transcends time and reading how this song impacted the youth this much is just another example of this concept. Though the message of the song was drug use, I think, for the first time, the youth had a chance to think for themselves and hone their individuality.
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