OLD HIPPIES, OLD ROCKERS (1)

TOO OLD TO ROCK 'N' ROLL: TOO YOUNG TO DIE (JETHRO TULL)
Talking points



0.) Explain "blue suede shoes" !
Ad 0.) There is a famous song, which reached Number 2 in the US charts in 1956, by Carl Perkins (covered by Elvis Presley, the so-called king of Rock 'n' Roll), called "Blue Suede Shoes". The lyrics go like this: "You can knock me down, step in my face, slander my name all over the place, do anything that you want to do, but ... don't step on my blue suede shoes."

1.1.) Portray the old rocker ! What makes it difficult for him ?
Ad 1.1.) He has long hair, is unfashionable, wears skintight trousers with double sewn seams, drinks light ale, has a death head on his belt bluckle, owns a bike, looks like an old "Hell's Angel".

1.2.) In which respect is he different from his former friends ?
Ad 1.2.) His friends have changed. They have married and have made friends with the establishment, have become bourgeois. They are no longer the rockers they used to be. From his point of view they have "sold their souls", i.e. given up their old ideals because of financial reasons.

2.1.) What happened to the old rocker on the A1 ?
Ad 2.1.) Although this is not stated explicitly, we are led to believe that the old rocker died in a fatal accident when he hit the trunk road doing around 120 miles per hour.

2.2.) Was it an accident or a suicide ? Find evidence for both interpretations !
Ad 2.2.) Accident: The tears are in his eyes because he goes so fast. He goes so fast because it is so much fun.
Suicide: He does not break, i.e. he consciously does not avoid a collision. He has tears in his eyes, because his life has become so sad.

3.) Analyze the different variations of the title line ! What is your opinion ?
Ad 3.) Other people may believe that only young people may have a right to rock 'n' roll. However, even musicians grow old and they can still make music, maybe not as wildly as they used to when they were young. The same holds true for the consumers of the music.
The message lies in the very last line of the lyrics, which is:
You are never too old to rock 'n' roll. I agree.

4.) Is this a gloomy, pessimistic song ?
Yes and no.
Yes, because it describes the case of an old rocker who cannot cope with life any more. His final days were full of doom and gloom, he has become an outsider, the death head on his belt buckle is a pessimistic symbol.
No, because the message is an optimistic one. It tells the audience that old rockers should not give up, that they have a right to be the way they are.


OLD HIPPIES, OLD ROCKERS (2)

OLD HIPPIE (BELLAMY BROTHERS)
Talking points


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0. Collect information on "hippies", "Woodstock", "Vietnam", "the day John Lennon died"
Ad 0.) In the late 1960's people called themselves hippies, who rejected the establishment, who had flowers in their hair, whose slogan was "love and peace". The movement reached its climax with the open air pop music festival in "Woodstock". They were against the involvement of the USA in the war in Vietnam, which ended in 1975.
John Lennon was one of the stars of the famous "Beatles", a leader of the peace movement, composer of a song called "Give Peace a Chance". He was shot on December 8th outside his New York City apartment, aged 40.

1.1.) Describe the old hippie ! What makes it difficult for him ?
Ad 1.1.) He still lives the life of a hippie, prefers natural food which grows in his own garden. He is neither willing nor able to adapt himself to the modern times. He still dreams of the good old times, of Woodstock and John Lennon. He has become an outsider and a loner, who does not go to parties any more and only goes into his garden in the twilight zone.
1.2.) What are the characteristics of the hippie aera ?
See above.
1.3.) In which respect is he different from the young ones ?
They prefer a different kind of music ("disco" and "new wave"), they still go to parties and clubs. They do not suffer from a Vietnam trauma. They are able to adjust to the latest trends.

2.1.) Describe his problems ?
2.2.) How can his adjustment problems be explained ?
Ad 2.2.) When he was still a boy he was sent to Vietnam, where he must have experienced awful things ("tragedy", "that torpedo"). This can cause a trauma, a lasting impression, which makes it hard to function as a normal citizen after the war.
2.3.) How serious do you consider his problems ? What makes you optimistic ?
Ad 2.3.) On one hand his case seems to be quite serious: "Sometimes when it just don't make no sense" sounds like a depression, "self defense" sounds like persecution mania, "he just can't change no more" sounds hopeless.
On the other hand, he has not completely given up (he is still trying real hard to adjust), he has succeeded in giving up hard drugs and goes jogging, he seems to have "young friends".

3.) What do you think: Should outsiders like the old hippie be tolerated ? What should the old hippie do ?
Of course he should be tolerated because he does not hurt anybody. He should go on trying to adjust. Maybe a therapy that deals with the events in Vietnam might help him.

4.) What happened to the hippie values and aims ?
They have disappeared. The musicians have become a part of the music industry where money counts and not ideals. Peace has not been realized. Free sex is no longer realizable because of the dangers of AIDS.

5.) Do you think that social change is a problem only for old hippies and rockers ?
Ad 5.) No, growing old and changing is a universal problem. Yesterday's truths are no longer true today. Older people always tend to be conservative and stick to what they have learnt in their youth.

6.) Do you know other works of art about the adaptation problems of former soldiers ?
Ad 6.) Short story "Soldier's Home" by Hemingway, film "Coming Home", book and film "Born on the 4th of July" (Ron Kovic)

7.) Point out where the writer of the lyrics does not use correct grammar !
Ad 7.) Double negation in "He just can't change no more", "it just don't make no sense", "he ain't trying to change nobody"
missing third person singular "s" in "it just don't make no sense",
"he don't know what to do",
the use of "ain't" in "he still ain't changed his lifestyle","he ain't trying to change nobody"
"sure" as an adverb, "cause" instead of "because"