“Rock … is an open endorsement of sex permissiveness, perversion, drugs, disobedience to parents, hostility to society.”  David Ewen, “All the Years of American Popular Music”

“From its beginning rock ‘n’ roll has been characterized by an almost antiliterate lyric style which at first developed organically from teenage slang (Crazy, man, crazy) and black idiom and later became somewhat contrived. Rock ‘n’ roll at its best has always been raw, sexy, a bit incoherent and never afraid of being inelegant or just plain stupid.  Both in its lyric content and its style of presentation rock is the most overtly sexual form of pop music. This sexuality was derived principally from the tough rhythm and blues genre.  Rock ‘n’ roll is more than music, “it is a way of living.” Loyd Grossman, “A Social History of Rock Music.”

“Rock is more than just music. It is the energy center of the new culture and youth revolution.”  “Rolling Stone” Magazine.

“The Counter-culture sprang more than anything else from rock ‘n’ roll music and is the world’s first socio-political movement to grow out of electronically amplified music.” “Time” magazine, Feb. 22, 1971.

“Music affects the young very deeply; it carries the message of lies and is the most accessible popular communication.  The population control in the U.S. blames rock lyrics for theunmarried teen baby boom of the country.”

“Country music is becoming a smutty world. It’s a shame to think of the “graphic business that has hit country music and infiltrated the ranks.” Lay Ulster and Grand Ole Opry member Billy Grammer.

“Some of it becomes so sexually explicit that almost nothing was left to the fans’ imagination. Song writers as a group state that their lives are energized and bounded by things like speed and whiskey and groupies being on the road and one night stands.” Frye Gaillard, “Watermelon Wine”.

“Since rock is a highly effective medium of communication, it has been a major force in precipitating the so-called generation gap, drug abuse and sexual immorality.” Phil Harbach, “Modern Entertainment and the Christian”, “Beacon Lights”, February 1975.

“The morals and philosophy of tomorrow’s adults are being molded more by today’s music than by any other force.” The “Christian News” as quoted by Rev. G. Van Baren in “The Standard Bearer”, May 1, 1981.

“Love means sex to most contemporary rock composers entertainers glorify the perverse and forbidden, lyrics present themes of drugs, sex, perversion and blasphemy.” Bob Larson, “Rock”.

“What all too few realized was that rock ‘n’ roll was the major force responsible for reshaping the moral fiber of the world’s youth.” Rev. Ray Allen, “They’re Out to Steal Your Children”.

There are two things in particular we would like you to notice about these quotations. First, the great diversity of the sources, some are Christian, most are non-Christian; sociologist, musicologist, rock star, – fan and – reviewer, journalist, converted rock band leader, male, female, Christian layman and minister – all are represented here. Secondly, the one common theme the almost frightening implications of the impact of rock music not only on the young but on the whole of our society and culture.

The most logical thing to do now would be to furnish you with many concrete examples to show the evil of rock lyrics. But, once again, this presents a great difficulty which other Christian writers have also expressed. Rev. G. Van Baren, commenting on an article about today’s corrupt popular music in the “Christian News” writes: “The article . . .gives rather shocking examples of words which are clearly pornographic . . . the worst of the words the author considers far too shocking even to print.” 1) Bob Larson in the book “Rock” states: “Parents should know that the examples in this book aren’t for fear of having this book classified as pornography.” We, in turn, can not by any means even use the worst that is mentioned in Larson’s book. Not only many of

the lyrics but even many of the titles of rock songs are, for us, unprintable and we will therefore have to write more in generalities than specifics, omitting much of the most offensive material.

When Christians are confronted plainly with some of the shockingly evil rock lyrics, the effect is sometimes actual physical nausea. This was the case when I read some of the more explicit examples such as found in the pamphlet, “They’re Out to Steal Your Children” , and this was also the case for a number of Covenant Christian High School students as a result of the informative and frank presentation of rock lyrics by Mr. D. Veldman during a chapel this past year.

One of the most striking features of the Rock Revolution is that popular music shifted from romance to sex. This was very obvious already in the earliest form of rock ‘n’ roll: rockabilly, which one (non-Christian) writer described as “a pagan, sexy horror”, and “a thing that bordered on mania.” Jerry Lee Lewis with his “Great Balls of Fire” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and Elvis Presley with his pelvis-grinding renditions of “All Shook Up”, “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Hound Dog” were the most prominent of these (in the words of one writer) “wild men with pianos and guitars who would have been laughing stocks in any earlier generation.”

Typical of the sexual imagery inherited from the blues were some of the songs Chuck Berry sang which to the unsuspecting adult merely showed a fascination with cars but which actually used a series of sexual-automotive metaphors.

The latter half of the fifties also brought a rash of “teen-songs”, “Be Bop Baby” (Ricky Nelson), “Queen of the Hop” (Bobby Darin), “A Teenager’s Romance” (Tommy Sands). Many were of a self-pitying nature, lamenting unrequited love and parental domination (“Yakety Yak” and “Why Don’t They Understand”) and loneliness (“I’m a Lonely Teenager”).

Although rebellion was already evident, it was an aimless sort of hostility, with no clearly defined enemies except parents.

But the sixties brought the Rebel Generation; it was the decade of protest, both individual and social. The “rebels without a cause” became rebels with many causes such as the Vietnam War, civil rights, social inequities, the Establishment. This rebellion of the young was expressed through folk music in such songs as “Blowin’ in the Wind”, “The Times They are a-Changin’ ”, “1 Shall Be Free”, “We Shall Overcome”, “Birmingham Sunday” and “My Country ‘Tis People You’re Dyin’ ” by folk artists such as Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul and Mary, Joan Baez and Buffy St. Marie.

Folk music was without a doubt the best and least offensive of the popular music of the last three decades, although we must remember that even the “best” of pop is still based on the philosophy “There is no God”, or “if there is, we don’t care”. Folk music died out, possibly because things did not improve but, in fact, got worse.

The sixties also produced the “Beach Boys” and the California Sound, glorifying everything middle-class and Californian -“Surfin’ ”, “Shut Down” and “Little Deuce Coupe” (hot rods), “Little Honda” (motor scooters).

More significantly, the sixties was also the decade of the hippies – the starting point and focus of the Counter-culture. Hair became longer, clothes wilder, speech more inarticulate (like wow, man), drug use prevalent and sex “free”. Bob Dylan’s song “Mr. Tambourine Man” – referring to a drug pusher who used a tambourine to peddle his wares – became the unofficial anthem of the hippies. As rock ‘n’ roll turned into rock and the music became somewhat more sophisticated, lyrics became increasingly evil. Drug usage was glorified: The “Beatles” sang “I Get High with a Little Help from My Friends” and “Yellow Submarine” (an obvious reference to marijuana). Along the same lines were songs like “Eight Miles High”, Magic Carpet Ride”, “Journey to the Center of Your Mind”, “Mr. Spaceman” and Five D (Fifty Dimension)”. There was acid or psychedelic rock.

Sex became more obscenely explicit: “(Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” was a typical example of the boastfulness of the male filled with vanity over his virility so characteristic in rock music. The “Beatles” sang “Why Don’t We Do It in the Road”; there was “Let’s Spend the Night Together” and “Light My Fire”. Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention were already beginning to explore bi-sexual themes.

There was the start of Satan worship as evidenced by the Rolling Stones album “Their Satanic Majesties Request” and one of the number from the album “Beggar’s Banquet” – “Sympathy for the Devil”.

And so we move from the sixties – the Rebel Generation – to the seventies – the Me Generation. To some it may have seemed that rock could hardly get worse but, sad to say, it did!

“Vile perversions that were merely hinted at in earlier records are now displayed openly and defiantly by ‘punk’ and ‘sex’ rock groups …. In addition, disco has moved to the forefront of the music industry complete with its homosexual origins and its overt sexual lyrics. Whereas 60’s rock pushed drugs, promiscuity and revolution, the punk, sex rock and disco groups now openly advocate the aforementioned . . . with an extraordinary addition, perversion of the basest sort, homosexuality, bestiality, sadism, masochism and necrophilism.” 2)

Glitter -, monster -, punk -, sex – , gay -, and God rock; new wave, disco, reggae; drugs, Satan worship, mysticism, the occult, fascination with the philosophies and religions of the East; blasphemy, perversions scarcely imaginable to the normal person: all this is represented in the rock music of the seventies. Some examples:

Drug abuse: “Sister Morphine” and “Sweet Cousin Cocaine” (Rolling Stones), “I’m Gonna Be High as a Kite By Then” and “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” – LSD – (Elton John)

The occult and Satan worship: “Witchy Woman” (The Eagles) – a “restless spirit” who flies through the air with sparks flying from her fingertips. “Your Mind Has Left Your Body’’ (Jefferson Starship). “Stargazer”- about the slave of an Egyptian witch – and “Tarot Woman” – about the predictions of the occultic Tarot cards – (Ritchie Blackmore). “Rhiannon” – dedicated to a Welsh witch (Fleetwood Mac). The album “Bat Out of Hell” (Meat Loaf). “Dancing with Mr. D.” – devil – (Rolling Stones). “Blue” – “Well, everybody’s saying/ that hell’s the hippest way to go/ Well, I don’t think so/ But I’m gonna take a look around it, though”. (Joni Mitchell)

Eastern philosophy and religion: The album “Ra” – dedicated to the Egyptian sun god, Ra (Todd Rundgren), “Instant Karma” (John Lennon), “My Sweet Lord” and “The Light that has Lighted the World”, respectively a prayer of dedication and an anthem to Lord Krishna, an incarnation of the Hindu godhead, “Grave New World” – a quotation from the Buddha as well as a prayer of praise dedicated to the Egyptian sun god Ra.

Homosexuality, bisexuality: “Glad to be Gay” (Tom Robinson), “YMCA”-  a paean of raise to homosexuality (Village People), “Cruising” – referring to the homosexual practice of driving around to spot other gays who can be propositioned, “All the Young Girls Love Alice” (Elton John), “It Takes a Man Like Me to Like a Woman Like Me” (Wayne County).

Sado-masochism: “Black and Blue” and “When the Whip Comes Down” (Rolling Stones), “Pleasure and Pain” (Dr. Hook), “Heartbeat” – about tying up a lover to beat her (Bad Company).

Necrophilia: “I Love the Dead”, “Cold Ethyl” (Alice Cooper).

Blasphemy: “I Am an Anti-Christ” (Johnny Rotten), “All Going Down to See the Lord Jesus”, “Aqualung” – a blasphemous attack on Christ, “A Passion Play” – with sacrilegious references to the Father and Son, G. Oddie Sr. and G. Oddie Jr. (Jethro Tull), the album “Long John Silver” – describing Jesus as a bastard having an affair with Mary Magdalene (Jefferson Starship).

And for those who have a weakness for country, how about the titles of some recent hits: “You’ve Never Been This Far Before”, “What Did I Promise Her Last Night”, “Put Your Clothes Back On”, “Whiskey Trip”, “The Power of Positive Drinking”, “Heaven Was a Drink of Wine”, “The Pill”, “Take This Job and Shove It”, “Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down”.

And where are we today? What will the eighties bring? In the words of one of the spokesmen on the program “The Roots of Rock” shown on T.V. channel 8 this past summer: “We are totally open today to anything”.

A few concluding remarks: We have, in this article, merely given you a brief overview; much must be left unsaid both in the interest of brevity and decency. For many of the examples of 70’s rock I am indebted to Bob Larson and his book “Rock”. At a future time, the Lord willing, we may write something concerning the implications of rock lyrics for society and for the Christian.

Next time, D.V., PERFORMERS AND PERFORMANCES.

1) Standard Bearer, May 1, 1981, “All Around Us”

2) Rev. Ray Allen, “They’re Out to Steal Your Children”