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Jamison Harris

Professor Diaz

English 002

15 November 2010

Power in the Bar: The Influencing Capacity of Music

Sound, auditory stimulation which travels through the air in waves, through the cochlea,

basilar membrane, organ of Corti, and finally to the auditory nerve where it is interpreted by the

brain. Every note, lyric, and verse that is interpreted by the described process carries the weight

of the entire human race behind it. The power in the bar is the influencing capacity of music to

establish meaningful development. Music has a captivating command over the human psyche,

having the ability to inspire creation, motivate movements, or to create culture. Music is said to

have the ability to tame the heart of a savage beast. That is because music, broken down to its

very essence, is the earnest expression of the human soul in its most basic form, sound.

Music plays a pivotal part in the development of man-kind, creating the space for

transformational breakthroughs and innovation. The interaction between man-kind and music can

be seen all throughout human history. The development of musical expression and ancient

civilizations are inherently linked. Ancient Mayan and Aztec civilizations have been documented

with discovering marvelous and innovative architectural designs, however they were also known

for their breathtaking artistic creations in music. In the era of time before European

encroachment into Africa, it is well-known that the African nations were highly developed, but

that development also came along with advanced forms of musical expression. During medieval

warfare, fanfares were blasted before battles of enormous proportion in order to spur the

combatants to greater levels of exertion. Music has also had an influence upon the development
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of modern history. The great minds of our time have found inspiration to achieve greatness

through the melodic frequencies found in song. As Thomas Jefferson began the formulation of

the Declaration of Independence, he would often turn to his violin for inspiration during times of

mental deadlock. Albert Einstein, commonly recognized as the figure of brain power in western

civilization, also regularly turned to muse-like power of the violin for insight. When you look at

the effects that music has upon the body, it become easy to identify the correlation between

music and achievement. Music has the ability to affect the human body in both its physical and

mental processes.Tune inflations and rhythm within songs hold the ability to structure the way in

which the brain works. Take into consideration a study done by the Center for New Discoveries

in Learning, in which they found that “learning potential can be increased a minimum of five

times by using 60 beat per minute music.”(Center for New Discoveries in Learning) Rhythm also

plays a part in physical movement. In 1982, tests preformed at the University of North Texas

concluded that rhythm is responsible for the organization of physical movement. Responses to

classical music causes the heartbeat and pulse to relax and allows for higher levels of

concentration, while upbeat music results in the opposite effect resulting in increased activity and

less rational thought. Even as I write this paper, I find that the different songs that are played

through my audio device elicit different behavior. When uptempo songs are played I find that my

typing speed increases, however the amount of errors made increases also. Whereas, when a

slower song comes on more concrete sentences are formed. The power in the bar is the ability to

influence innovation and stimulate creativity.

The political world is very volatile and easily changed, therefore, the tools used to

participate in this world must be universal to connect everyone with a political message. This is

why music can find a place in political expression, because it connects everyone despite age,
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gender, or race. Political songs typically express views on a specific issues. Hip Hop is a more

recent form of political expression through music, in which artists express their views through

bass rattling beats and controversial lyrics. Common themes in hip hop include racism, poverty,

and inequality. Another commonly known genre in politics is Folk Music. Folk Music has been

incorporated by huge movements within the political sphere, including, the Civil Rights

Movement, various labor movements, and the Anti-Vietnam War struggle. The impact of music

on politics is undeniable. According to Bernice Reagon, involved in the Freedom Singers which

was a special group created during the Civil Rights Movement, “ music was a part of cultural

expression that was powerful enough to take people from their conscious selves to a place where

the physical and intellectual being work in harmony with the spirit.”(Reagon) Bernice Reagon

and her Freedom Singers are a perfect example of the power in the bar and its ability to effect

change. The Albany Movement was one the earliest organized struggles for civil rights in the

1960’s. The problem with the movement was that as protests began to get lengthy participants

would lose the fervor they initially began the protest had. The Freedom Singers were created to

be source of rejuvenation for protesters as singers led the crowds in songs and chants. With the

addition of the Freedom Singers, The Albany Movement was able to gain steam from various sit-

ins and boycotts across the state. Music has also been used to obtain military objectives and in

the preservation of hegemony. During the United States invasion of Panama, in an operation

called Nifty Package the United States employed psychological attacks upon the enemy,

relentlessly playing rock and roll music to prevent the escape of leader Manuel Antonio Noriega.

Also during the Waco Siege, also known as the Battle of Mt. Carmel, the FBI and US Army used

media devices to disorient the Branch Davidians. The power in the bar is the ability to influence

the way in which the world works.

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The main purpose of music is to act as a stimulus to evoke a response. Thus, the purpose

of music inherently plays a role in the shaping of culture. Pop culture today is determined by

media conglomerates and their medium for expressing their version of what is acceptable is

music. New music has contributed to the expansion of the english language. The addition of

words an phrases such as “what’s up dawg”, use of the “izle’s” after a word, “bottle poppin”,

“goin ham”, “ redonkulus”, and the expansive use of the n-word stand as a testimony to the

ability of music to change language. Music also plays a role in determining socially acceptable

behavior. According to the New York Times, today’s youth, under the influence of music, have

indulged in alcohol consumption and drug usage. Provocative dancing and sexual tendencies are

also promoted through the music medium making such acts commonplace within society. The

type of music you listen to will shape the person you become. “At the subconscious level the

brain is condition or “shaped” to commit action based upon the different frequencies brought

forth. The more volatile the music, the more active the corpus and vice versa.”(Rathus)Therefore,

the genre of music one listens to is an adequate indicator of personality types. Rock and Rap

music are typically indicated by aggressive behavior. Classical and Jazz music suggest relaxed,

thought-provoking attitudes. Those that tend to prefer various types of music are often

individuals who have the largest sense of culture and tend to produce more for society. The

power in the bar is the ability to induce culture.

“Music is so naturally united with us that we cannot be free from it even if we so

desired."(Boethius) In conclusion, the power in the bar traverses simple musical expression and

ascends to a pedestal resting next to the essence of humanity. The development of humanity has

been marked by spectacular expression of music. “ And we need it all-blues, gospel, rap, jazz,

ballads, rock, love songs, country-doing what it has always done. We need music that function in
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relation to the people and the community to provide the nurturing compost that makes

humanities creation and continuation possible.”(Reagon) Music has an interesting control over

man-kind, having the ability to inspire creation, motivate movements, or to create culture.
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Works Cited

"Music and the Brain." "Brain & Mind" Magazine - WWW Home Page. Web. 15 Nov.

2010. <http://www.cerebromente.org.br/n15/mente/musica.html>.

Parker-pope, By Tara. "Under the Influence Of...Music? - NYTimes.com." Health and

Wellness - Well Blog - NYTimes.com. Web. 15 Nov. 2010.

<http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/ 2008/02/05/under-the-influence-ofmusic/>.

Rathus, Spencer A. Psych. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning, 2009. Print.

Redd, Teresa M. "Black Music in Our Hands." Revelations: an Anthology of Expository

Essays by and about Blacks. Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Pub., 1997. Print.
Power in the Bar: The Influencing Capacity of Music

Thesis: Music has a captivating influence over the human psyche, having the ability to inspire
creation, motivate movements, or to create culture.

A. Music often serves as a muse for inspiration, allowing for transformational breakthroughs and
innovation.
i. Music has inspired great artists and philosophers to create their greatest work
ii. Music has the ability to influence chemicals in the body to stimulate greater
performance

B. The power within the bar, lyrics, is largely responsible for the success of political movements
across the spectrum of international politics.
i. Music has blown the trumpet to expose civil right abuses.
ii.Music is used by politicians to inspire hope and inspire followers.
iii.Music has been used as a tool to obtain military objectives.
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C. For better or worse, music has had a defining impact on the shaping of human culture.
i. The music industry defines the pop culture of the world creating fashion, language, and
relationships.
ii. Hip-hop, for example, has had a great influence upon the black culture.
iii.The type of music you listen too defines you as a person.

Conclusion: Music has a substantial power over the outcome of society;and, every aspect of
society, whether it be art, politics, or culture, has been touched by the power within the bars.