The 1960’s decade has often been recalled as a cultural decade due to the emergence of the counterculture and civil right movement against the social norms. Changes in clothing, drugs usage, sexuality, formalities, schooling, flamboyance, and civil disobedience all took place in these controversial years of the Swinging Sixties. The social norm was no longer the norm and counterculture took over. And ironically enough, all of these events can be reflected into the musical scene of the decade. New genre, Chicano Rock emerged among the old genres and artists from Laurel Canyon became sensationalized.
However, in he mid-1960’s around 1966 was when people started to realize the impacts and popularity of Chicano Rock and Laurel Canyon artists since their works were placed on top of the mainstream musical charts like “California Dreaming” by The Mamas and the Papas and “My Heart Cries” by the Romancers. This essay will compare and contrast the two songs; one is a classified Chicano Rock and the other from a Laurel Canyon’s album in theirs musical style and symbolism, while analyzing the political and social movements of the 1960’s. For starter, Laurel Canyon is located in the Hollywood Hills region of the Santa Monica Mountains.
There were not much of the canyon beside a few modest bungalows, log cabins and very few faded mansions; it was semi-rural. The location was much secluded than the flamboyance Central Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard; hence it was a surprise to some that the neighborhood became a nexus of counterculture activities and home to several of Los Angeles’s rock musicians in the 1960s. However, the reasons why musicians chose to settle in Laurel Canyon rather than anywhere else in Los Angeles were because of its isolated and beautiful scenery, and cheap rent.
In an interview, Mark Volman of the Turtles states “[Laurel Canyon] oused musicians because musicians made no money in those days,” because of their situation these rising artists were forced to live together1. They record music together, formed bands, took drugs and enjoy their free lives in the utopian-liked neighborhood. In this location, they were free from society and its judgments and therefore, they formed a counterculture. Among these artists and musician were the song writers and performers.
Both the writers of the song “California Dreaming,” Michelle and John Phillips and the artist The Mamas and the Papas both lived on Lookout Mountain in 19652. It was eleased by Lou Adler and Dunhill Label at RCA in 1966. The song, however was written when the Phillips was yearning for California’s warm weather during a cold winter in New York City. Their intense longing for California sparked inspiration for a song that people dreamt to migrate to the sunny California. The song contains an alto flute solo that being played in a lower register, which can express sadness, loneliness and desire for something more.
The song gives off both a relaxing yet unsatisfied feeling as if there should be something more to it. And thus “California Dreaming” created this perfect image of a eautiful and sunshine land that promise nothing less but perfection for the golden state, especially Los Angeles. Everyone wants to live in California, the land of opportunities. According to the writers, living in New York City is cold, gloomy and restricted implied through the line “pretend to pray”, while living in California is free.
Both writers and performers are part of the counterculture, thus “church” and “prayer” can be their way of expressing situation bounded by convention and the system of society and they have to pretend to pray, follow the rules even if they do not support them3. In this case, California is a etaphor for fulfillment, love and successful since the musicians suggested that by living in California, they achieved the highest level of freedom and happiness. California serves as their haven where there is no rule, like the Utopian society of musicians on Laurel Canyon, and where they can isolate themselves from Whites society.
In addition of voicing out their own alienation through music, White counterculture activist also gave reasons to the transitional dimensions of progressive Chicano politics happening at the time. At around the same time as rock musicians resided in Laurel Canyon, a new genre of known as “Chicano Rock” emerged in he popular musical scene. Chicano rock is a style of rock and roll music performed by Mexican Americans from East Los Angeles that often contains themes of cultural experiences. The rise of the Chicano civil rights movement in the 1960’s influenced many young Chicano bands.
Through their music they were able to defy prejudice and stereotypes of Mexican American because their music was not the typical Mexican music. Chicano rock was described as a blend of “white rock, black-soul, and Latin rhythm”4. Like early rock and roll music, Chicano rock also adopted the rhythm and blues based style of African American music, while adding their improvisations. It is a misconception that most Chicano rock received its name because bands sing in Spanish, but rather was because of the rhythms and blues influences.
Some of the primarily used instruments in Chicano rock are the electric guitar, bass, drums and brass. The genre is linked with social and political movements due to its themes of Chicano culture, experience, and identity, urban exile, and multiracial unity in LOs Angeles. However like other style of music, there are also the lighter and brighter themes of love and youth. The song “My Heart Cries” by The Romancer, part of the East Side Revue, Golden Treasure, Vol. 1 album produced by Rampart Records, can be interpreted in both directions.
The Romancers was the first East Los Angeles band to record an album with a label, and with their success, they opened the doors to numerous opportunities to following East Los Angeles artists. Max Uballez was the band leader, chief songwriter and rhythm guitarist; hence he has a considerable control over the band’s works. Uballez however, was inspired by the Mexican songs and rock and roll, therefore “My Heart Cries” contains elements from both genres4. The song has harmonic vocals with risp instrument notes of mariachi accompanying the consistent drum beats. These elements give off a jazzy sense with the addition of the electric guitar.
The harmonic vocals in “My Heart Cries” is similar to the vocal in “California Dreaming” since both represent a sense of waiting and desire for something to happen. At first listen, “My Heart Cries” appears to be your typical love song between a boy and a girl, but what if we view the lyrics in a more political and figuratively manner instead of the literal lyrics of the song? Since the song was released in the mid-late 1960s, we cannot overlook the civil right movement. What if the lonely boy in the song represents Mexican American as a minority group and the female being equality and social justice?
The boy in the song was lost and trapped with no purpose in life; he was only set free after he met his counterpart. His heart cries when they shared a kiss, and he then proclaimed his love for her several times. He was overjoyed when she appeared in his life, like how minority groups would be when they finally gain equality in the United States while exclaiming love for their culture and identities. Chicano rock was supposed to provide another cultural opening or understanding the relationship between the Chicano movements and the broader social and political currents of Mexican American during the postwar era.
Maybe the song is a metaphor for the waiting and yearning of freedom and equality for the Mexican American community in America, in particular Los Angeles. Although the two songs “California Dreaming” by The Mamas and the Papas and “My Heart Cries” by the Romancers are part of two different genre of music, they both indicate desire for cultural distance from the white mainstream and social norm, while expressing their longing for a better situation. Both songs play important roles in
