| TRADITION IN TRANSITION | FEBRUARY 1963 | |||
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| TIMELINE | FILM | TV | MUSIC | ADS |
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MUSIC
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| Music
in 1963 is undergoing a transition. Like the social climate in America,
unrest and uproar boil just beneath the surface. The musical bebop lyricism
of the 1950's is slowly being phased out as artists tentatively pave the
way to the youth movement of the 1960's. Nevertheless, the main theme throughout
the music industry in Februrary of 1963 is still one of structure, simplicity,
and normalcy. Not quite ready to start dealing with socio-political issues
affecting the American culture, the themes of pop chart hits in February
1963, still focus on love, marriage, breaking up, etc. Embedded into the
very lyrics of these songs are the rigid ideals of right and wrong as well
as a certain respect for authority. The focus and goal of music at this
time almost seemed to be escapist as much of it was fanciful. |
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Hey Paula |
 Paul and Paula |
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| Paul: Hey, hey Paula, I wanna marry you Hey, hey Paula, no one else will ever do I've waited so long for school to be through Paula, I can't wait no more for you My love, my love |
Paula:
Hey Paul, I've been waiting for you Hey, hey, hey Paul, I want to marry you too If you love me true, if you love me still Our love will always be real My love, my love |
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Both:
True love means planning a life for two Being together the whole day through True love means waiting and hoping that soon Wishes we've made will come true My love, my love |
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| February, the month of love, celebrates Valentine's Day, which itself conjures ideas of romance and undying love vows. It is no surprise then that "Hey Paula" topped the charts in this month, staying at number one for three full weeks. The song's centrally focuses on finding true love and planning for marriage and a life together. With such a strong message of simplicity and stability, "Hey Paula" reinforces a certain conventional norm. Rooted in the 1950's, the light-hearted "Hey Paula" did not stand alone but rather exemplified the dominant style of music at the time. | ||||
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| "Walk Like a Man" talks about leaving a girl who has been cheating and lying. With its inclusion of fatherly advice, "Walk Like a Man" embraces authoritative ideals. Presumably, the popularity of this song among the youth audience demonstrates their relative acceptance of these conventional messages. Yet only a few years later, anything relating to authoritative advice or ideals are shunned and rejected by the youth movement. While the themes remain, the advice and actions in the songs evolve significantly. |
Walk Like A Man (He said just) Walk like a man Good-bye baby I dont mean maybe (I'm gonna) walk like a man |
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 Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons |
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You
would never know of the extreme political and social upheaval occurring
in America to listen to the popular music of February 1963. The Civil
Rights movement, Cuban missile crisis, and the Feminist movement directly
challenged society but none of these are being dealt with in the realm
of popular music. On a level, the intent of the music industry was to
gloss over the social and political issues of the day, taking an apolitical
stance. This is a huge contrast to the musical movement of the later 60's
that takes stands on racial intolerance, the Vietnam War, and the sexual
revolution. As singers such as Patsy Cline, who dies in the next month,
fade out of the scene, new forms, sounds, and styles in music, such as
the Beatles, take their place.
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 The Fab Four |
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| Walk Right In Walk right in and sit right down, daddy, let your mind roll on. You'd better walk right in and stay a little while, daddy, you can't stay too long. Now everybody's talkin' 'bout your new way of walkin', Do you wanna lose your mind ? Lord, walk right in and sit right down, daddy, let your mind roll on. Walk right in and sit right down, and daddy, let your hair hang low. You'd better walk right in and stay a little while, daddy, you can stay too long. Now everybody's talkin' 'bout a new way of walkin', Do you wanna lose your mind ? Lord, walk right in and sit right down, daddy, let your mind roll on. Walk right in and sit right down, daddy, let your mind roll on. You'd better walk right in and stay a little while, daddy, you can't stay too long. Now everybody's talkin' 'bout a two-way woman, Do you wanna lose your mind ? You'd better walk right in, sit right down, daddy, let your mind roll on!!! |
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| A quiet air of rebellion is slowly emerging in February 1963, furthered by the Beatles and soon embraced by the entire music industry within a years time. "Walk Right In", the number one hit for the first week in February, is a song that begins to demarginalize the youth movement. Consider some of the subversive messages that this song brings forefront. "Let your hair hang down" references the burgeoning trend among men of growing their hair long to signal their rejection of 50's conservatism. Similarly, "Let your mind roll on" alludes to marijuana use. This song is definitely more loose and open to interpretation and is a precursor for the musical revolution that takes place later in the 1960's. | ||||
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| Please Please Me Last night I said these words to my girl, I know you never even try, girl Come on, (come on), come on, (come on), come on (come on) come on (come on) Please, please me, whoa yeah, like I please you You don't need me to show the way, love, why do I always have to say, love Come on, (come on), come on, (come on), come on (come on) come on (come on) Please, please me, whoa yeah, like I please you I don't want to sound complaining but you know there's always rain in my heart, (in my heart) I do all the pleasing with you, it's so hard to reason, with you whoa yeah, why do you make me blue? Last night I said these words to my girl, I know you never even try, girl Come on, (come on), come on, (come on), come on (come on) come on (come on) Please, please me, wo yeah, like I please you, whoa yeah, like I please you, whoa yeah, like I please you |
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 Discography for Please Please Me Single |
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 Press Conference 1963 |
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| On February 25, 1963, the Beatles release their single "Please Please Me". As one of the first singles released in the U. S., "Please Please Me" signals the beginning of "BeatleMania." The Beatles became the single strongest force in music in the 1960's, and this song marks the beginning of their reign. With their new style, nonchalant air, daring hair-do's, and flowing harmonious vocals, they paved the way for the transformation of the music industry. Definite trend setters, they influenced hair styles, opened up America to the international music scene, and birthed a new brand of rock and roll, one that defied convention rather than embracing cultural norms. | ||||
| Play Please Please Me | ||||
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| The comparison of "HeyPaula" to "Please Please Me" gives a clear representation of the transition that the musical sphere is undergoing in the early 1960's. The lyrical moral messages portrayed in "Hey Paula" are remnants of the postwar conservativism which saturated the 1950's. The veneration of marriage and abstinence are glorified through the lyrics of this song. These mature moral ideals slowly begin to evolve into a more youth oriented amoral fiber, demonstrated by the increasing sexualized messages in music. In stark contrast to the simplistic sweetness of "Hey Paula", "Please Please Me" presents an aggressive sexual message of instant gratification. The words "come on, come on, come on, come on, please please me, whoa yeah, like I please you" communicate a strong message through the use of subtle sexual intonations which the youth pick up on but are unrecognizable to the older adult audience. | ||||
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| Click here for a listing of the songs that topped the charts in February 1963. | ||||