Counter Culture

Counter culture, emancipation and liberation are the characteristics of the Disco era. No complications and a carefree attitude defined Disco. Individualism as well as empowerment were at the forefront of the movement, characterized in songs like “I will survive” By Gloria Gaynor or the Village people “I am what I am”. The age of Discotheques 1974 thru 1981, arguably, originated in the underground gay clubs of New York. it is said Disco is dead, but the music lives on in the hearts of many. As a generation of individuals, the homosexual community identified with disco as a means of escapism and expression. There they could dance and mingle with out the judgement of hetero America. The Village people with the very popular “Y.M.C.A” dance tune was one of the era’s popular groups/song. Y.M.C.A discretely tells about meeting gay young men in a facility that provides shelter and activities. Racial and sexual liberation was the underlying message in many songs, however there are songs that speak of fun times, getting along and loving one another as well as being strong and steadfast. The lyrics reinforce the concept of having fun, forgetting your troubles and prompting one to Dance, Dance, Dance. Disco was defined by the upbeat tempo of the highly danceable music. It is a compilation of Latin, funk and soul. This syncretic music held its audience for years due to the rhythm and effective use of lyrics to convey the messages of Individualism and strength in addition to sexual liberation. “The use of beat, pulse, and rhythm to compel our immediate bodily involvement in an organization of time that the music itself controls. Hence the pleasure of dance and disco; clubs and parties provide a setting, a society which seems to be defined only by the time-scale of the music, which escapes the real passing of time outside” (Dispirito,1997) The Stonewall riot of 1969 provided the basis for New York to repeal the bylaws which “criminalized two or more men dancing together” (Mattera,2012). Many gay rights groups and movements sprung up and used songs to resourcefully deliver messages and affect emotions, As well as to motivate and empower after this incident. This genre became so popular in mainstream America that Ethel Merman and Perry Como both …show more content…
The popularity of this music was evident in that one could hear Disco music streaming from radios and out of open windows in addition to people singing and dancing to these songs. The proliferation of Discos in New York as well as California was a testament to the popularity and acceptance of this genre in American Culture. On such popular club was the infamous Studio 54. The culture of this club encompassed many things, such as fashion, dance and a subculture of drug use. This led to promiscuity and some studies suggest the proliferation of the AIDS epidemic. There are many songs associated with Disco that have been used to empower those fighting this terrible disease as well as those fighting for research and treatment. The evolution of Disco music to somewhat political songs is an easy and not such an unexpected transition. The lyrics of some spoke of love, acceptance and of being true to who you are. However, there are also many that speak of sex and drugs. , At the time of protest against the inactivity of the government and medical professionals these songs provided “strength and inspiration” (Hast,