Table of ContentsIntroductionComparisonConclusionReferencesIntroduction “A Change is Coming” is one of the Top 10 protest songs of the 1960s and “What's Going On” is considered one of the one of the most beautiful and convincing. protest songs never recorded. “A Change Is Gonna Come” was written in late 1963, during the period of the civil rights movement in the United States. The song's lyrics and haunting symphonic music capture feelings of nostalgia and hope for an end to segregation. and discrimination based on race. The lyrics do not directly refer to the black struggle for civil rights or to any particular incident of segregation or discrimination experienced by the author. The author of this song is Sam Cooke, he was an American singer, songwriter and songwriter. civil rights activist.Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay “What's Going On” is a song by American recording artist Marvin Gaye, released in 1971. on Motown subsidiary Tamla. Inspired by police brutality, according to Buskin, cops arrested several young anti-war protesters in San Francisco, incidents that Renaldo “Obie” Benson witnessed. The song was composed by Benson, Al Cleveland and Gaye and produced by Gaye himself. ComparisonThese two amazing and profound songs seek change. A change achieved without violence or brutality, only with peace and love. We could realize this by reading the verses “Father, father, /We don't need to escalate/You see, war is not the answer, /For only love can overcome hatred” and the verse “Do not punish me brutally. » from “What's Going On” by the incredible singer Marvin Gaye. Sam Cooke expresses this feeling of change when he sings "It's been a long, long time coming, / But I know a change will come, oh yes, it will." According to the verse "Picket lines and piquet sign", these songs are used to protest the injustices felt in the United States of America. These two songs have enormous relevance to the topics studied in English class as police brutality was one of the topics studied; one can also find similar topics like discrimination and segregation against black people. All of these topics gave birth to the civil rights movement and these two songs deal with precisely these issues. It is very important that people remember that these problems are still present even if we cannot see them today or directly feel their impact. At the time the songs were written, the situation in the United States was much worse than it is today. This is the main reason that inspired these two singers to compose music. The writers felt the need to speak out against the violence and hatred that was happening against black people and the way to express it was through songs. The title of Sam Cooke's song, "A Change Is Gonna Come" is connected to the song because it expresses the feeling of hope for change, especially for those who have had their rights violated and, as we know , it was about African-Americans. The song looks forward to something that will come in the future that will make things better. Marvin Gaye's title, "What's Going On" relates to the song because the composer wonders what is happening as he witnesses the protest. Benson discussed what he witnessed with friend and songwriter Al Cleveland, who in turn wrote and composed a song to reflect the concernsby Benson. This song describes the current situation and the benefits for the whole society if the dialogue took place today, while the events continue – the Vietnam War which cost so many sons and brothers. The image used in the first song is that of a flowing river. , referring to the Mississippi Delta where he experienced a poor life. This metaphor means that, just like the river, his life went by running and with many difficult moments. We can read this on the verse “I was born by the river in a little tent / Oh and just like the river, I have been flowing ever since”; this verse and the troubled waters refer to the violence and brutality that he and his people endured. On the second song, the image used is of American families who have lost someone to war and all the pain they endured because their loved ones died: "Mother, mother / There are too many of you crying.” Both songs have a sad emotional content but on the first there is more suffering: "It's been too hard to live, but I'm afraid of dying" and on the second it's a feeling of loss due to all families who have lost a loved one: “There are too many of you crying... Far too many of you are dying.” There is a sense of hope on the first song, where the singer hopes for a change to come: "But I know a change will come, oh yes, it will come." The level of directness and indirectness differs on the two songs. In Sam Cooke, the level is indirect because the author is not addressing anyone in particular, but black people in general, that is, people reject him and others publicly because 'they're black: "I go to the movies and I go to town, someone keeps saying that. I'm not hanging around" and on "What's Going On" the level is direct since Marvin Gaye addresses the family members directly: "Mother, Mother, / There are too many of you crying, / Brother, brother, brother, / he There are far too many of you dying... Father, father, everyone thinks we are wrong.” On the other hand, both songs are indirect about the political message they want to convey. At the time as today, everyone can deduce the true meaning and the true message due to the political context of American society. The message was probably not too explicit to avoid the writers or singers being accused of supporting civil rights movements opposing current government practices. There is a reflection on the relationship between the lyrics and the music as at the beginning of "A Change Is Gonna Come", the lyrics are as calm as the music but as the song continues the lyrics begin to have a more loud and the pace of the music also picks up. This song begins with a melodramatic playing of strings and a horn. With the first verse, Cooke refers to the long wait that black people have had: "It's been a long time, "It's been a long time." Furthermore, in the verse "So I go to my brother, / And I say brother, please help me, / But he finally hits me, / Gets on his knees", he refers to the white population, who denied black people justice, civil rights and peace. Marvin Gaye's song has a constant musical rhythm with a very calm tone due to the perplexity of the composer – Benson, on the. moving events of the period he was going through. Soul music has its roots in traditional African-American gospel music and rhythm. and blues and as the hybridization of their respective religious and secular styles – both in lyrical content and instrumentation – which began in the 1950s. The term "soul" was used by African-American musicians to. 2019].