Following a folk tradition started by artists like Woody Guthrie in the 1940′s, Bob Dylan started writing political songs in the 60′s. His compositions like “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “The Times They Are A Changin’” were some of the most powerful written during the Civil Rights era. And his music helped empower people of all races who bonded together to march, protest and sing for equal rights for African-Americans.
“The Times They Are A Changin’” gave voice to a young generation of the 60′s who felt that segregation and oppression were outdated practices. It’s a wake-up call that says:
Don’t stand in the doorway
Don’t block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There’s a battle outside
And it is ragin’
It’ll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin’.
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KEXP Documentaries are produced by Michele Myers with assistance from John Felthous. Made possible by a grant from the American Music Partnership of Seattle. Listen to all our series including: Musical Revolutionaries, The New World, Pop Goes Electronic and The Heart of Soul in the on-demand section of kexp.org and listen to more of the series Civil Rights Songs here.
