“Blowing in the Wind” by Peter, Paul & Mary

Peter, Paul and Mary was a very famous American folk trio formed in New York City in 1961, consisting of Peter Yarrow (tenor), Paul Stookey (baritone) and Mary Travers (alto). Peter, Paul and Mary was formally considered part of the folk revival of the 1960s. Moreover, their work was not only a cultural, but also a social force in America. One could even say that Peter, Paul and Mary “picked up the torch” of the protest folk in the 1960s. Thus, the main aim of the assignment is to explain how the music was a reaction to the events happening during the Vietnam War.

To begin, it is important to mention that “Blowing in the Wind” by Peter, Paul and Mary is a good example of protest, and at the same time, philosophical songs. For the first time, it has appeared in the album “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan”, as well as it has became a single a little bit later. In 1999, the song received the Grammy Award, and it was introduced to the Grammy Awards Hall of Fame. The song takes the 14th place in the list of “500 Greatest Songs of All time according to the version of Rolling Stone magazine”. In such a way, it is good to explore this song from various perspectives for the purpose to understand its hidden sense and deep meaning.

Does the war make sense? The question is rather rhetorical. However, any war has its negative consequences, such as human sacrifices, material losses, and mutilated fates. On the other hand, any war gives a rise to different anti-war movements. The consequence of which, at times, is music. On the other hand, any war changes people’s attitude to everything around, helping to understand that human life is the most valuable thing in the world. Thus, there are no right or wrong answers about the Vietnam War because it became a part of life for many people, and it forced people to feel pain and despair in their hearts.

Observing the influence of the song on human minds, it can be said that in the 1960s, “Blowing in the Wind” became the anthem of the civil rights movement in America, as it covered different issues associated with war and peace, freedom and happiness, life and death. The chorus of the song “The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind” was characterized by musicologists as “ambiguous” because every person may put something special for the own heart in it. Moreover, the song was especially raised on the banner during the Vietnam War in the second half of the 1960s because the vague meaning of the lyrics can be attached to any aspect of such a general term as freedom.

Exploring the song with some details, it can be noted that the song starts with the words: “How many roads must a man walk down, before you call him a man?” These words demonstrate a questioning about the stock of life experience for the person to prove others than he can be considered grown up, in both moral and psychological senses. Moreover, there exists additional hidden interpretation of these words, and it includes some references to the power and quantity of civil right marches that were very popular in the period when the song was created, asking a simple question about readiness of people to protect their rights in those times society.

To continue, the words “How many times must a man look up, before he can see the sky?” show that people need to realize that the world is facing many global problems and there is no time to ignore them. Almost the same meaning was also hidden in the phrase “How many ears must one man have, before he can hear people cry?” proving people that to have ears is not the same to understand the inner feelings of other people. These lines are similar to the appeal to stop ignore people’s pain and oppression, sadness and despair, while it is important to start helping others as fast as possible. Moreover, the lines “How many deaths will it take till he knows, that too many people have died?” open the audience the truth that killing each other during the war, as well as hate somebody is a big sin. Thus, it is time to open the own eyes and to begin to show own protests against the system that is destroying nation.

In conclusion, the Vietnam War was one of the most horrific wars in the history of humankind. It was associated with colossal human casualties and destruction, as well as a huge number of crippled destinies. The war in Vietnam brought terrible consequences to many people. For many Americans, it was the beginning of a rethinking of the role of their country in the world. It split the American society, gave birth to a whole range of value orientations and social ideas that succeeded each other, intertwined in complex combinations. Thus, the song “Blowing in the Wind” includes many anti-war symbols does not naming the events of the Vietnam War, but allowing people to make their own conclusions and be ready to stop ignore the situation.

Work Cited

Peter, Paul and Mary. “Blowing in the Wind.” Youtube.com, 2018. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld6fAO4idaI