The hardest hate: a sociological analysis of country hate music
Introduction
Ethno- musicologists contend that music is a universal medium for conveying messages and meaning to listeners. So-called “hate music” is a medium used to spread intolerance, bias, prejudice, and disdain for particular “groups” held in low esteem by certain segments of society. Such music can serve to label, devalue, persecute, and scapegoat particular groups of people–namely minorities. While much recent attention has been given to “hate rock” (e.g. Brown; Cotter; Futrell, Simi, and Gottschalk; Hamm), such as racist skinhead and neo-Nazi music (e.g. Skrewdriver, Rahowa), there have been no empirical examinations of hate themes found within country music. This absence is particularly noteworthy given that rock music’s genesis can be traced to folk and country genres. Our purpose is to examine songs that pre-date the formal advent of “hate rock” in the 1970s. We call these songs “country hate music” because they can be placed in the country music genre based on their musical style.
We contend that music which pre-dates hate rock merits examination given that these musical traditions build upon one another. In addition, “hate music” encompasses much more than “hate rock” given the origins of rock music (i.e. folk tradition, country music, blue-grass, Americana). Our purpose is to examine a select group of songs that can be classified as “country hate music.” These songs appeared on a few rather obscure labels in the 1960s. This analysis will provide a greater understanding of modern forms of intolerant music by examining some of the hate-based music which came before it. Such an examination aids in a better understanding of white racial extremist movements and activists both during the 1960s and today. With this goal in mind, we first address literature related to music, particularly as it is used in social movements. We also provide a brief discussion of the social psychology of hate and prejudice before a discussion of the country-based music that is the basis of this analysis.
Literature Review
While the sociological and rhetorical examination of music within society is rather extensive (Blaukopf; Martin; Shepherd), there is a shortage of literature that specifically examines hate music and its lyrics within popular culture (Brown; Cotter; Futrell, Simi, and Gottschalk; Hamm). The available literature on music and society may be found in a number of different venues; most is located in journals that devote attention to the influences of popular culture and society. As Adorno noted, there has been significant academic examination of the sociology of music in general, and the role of music in social movements in particular. Music is a common social phenomenon–a cultural universal if you will–that spans nations, peoples, and societies. Music has many functions; it has been used to comfort in times of need, to entertain, to seek spiritual connectedness, to help pass the time, to persuade, and to provide rhythmic continuity to various social causes and ideologies.
Research conducted on the relationship between social movements and music indicates that music provides social movements with important themes, social meaning, and a sense of connectedness (Eyerman; Eyerman and Jamison; Rosenthal). Such “protest music” has been an important conduit for popularizing social movements–typically those of the political Left (Denisoff and Levine; Knupp; Kramer; Rodnitzky; Rosenthal; Roy). As Stewart, Smith, and Denton (2001) maintain, music in social movements possesses multiple functions, including the identification of direction and purpose, achieving movement legitimacy, requesting social change, and promoting members’ commitment to the “movement.” Perhaps a function more in line with any ideologically driven music is “serving the committed” (Rosenthal). In addition, Rosenthal notes that protest music can facilitate conversion to the movement’s cause by “inoculating” society to its values. Therefore, new converts may face less resistance to the idea of joining the movement.
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