To answer the question of whether or not psychedelic music can be classified as rock music, the definitions of psychedelic music and rock music must be clarified.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the definition of psychedelia is “music, culture, or art based on the experiences produced by psychedelic drugs” 3. In the 1960s, psychedelic drugs such as LSD (the most common, legal psychedelic drug of the time), dominated the scene and it was common place for different artists to use it. LSD was the original inspiration for psychedelic music 3. Psychedelia causes an altered mental state that heightens the senses in ways that causes symptoms such extreme emotions and hallucinations. 2. The hallucinations and realities that the artists experienced would lead them to experiment with the sounds in their music. I feel that psychedelic music was a way for musicians to embody their hallucinations in an auditory format. The extreme emotions are also depicted in the music as well. Psychedelic music is also very experimental, including complex song arrangements, dreamy lyrics, Eastern music instruments, new studio inventions, and the usage of different keyboard instruments contributed to the different qualities that psychedelic music brought to the rock scene.
Examples of psychedelic music include the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album as well as the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds album. They previously had the typical teenage idol band image, but soon started experimenting with different sounds and drugs.
In “Within You Without You,” George Harrison incorporated the use of Indian instruments such as the sitar and the tabla:
The lyrics to this song were also surreal and dream-like, and includes spiritual influence from when George Harrison traveled to India:
When you've seen beyond yourself/
Then you may find peace of mind is waiting there/
And the time will come when you see we're all one/
And life flows on within you and without you – George Harrison
As we have learned earlier in the semester, rock ‘n’ roll music has roots in early African American spirituals, rhythm and blues, jazz, and country music. Characteristics of rock music include a strong rhythm section, harmonies, and it also made mainstream the electric guitar. Rock ‘n’ roll music was also very experimental for its time, especially in terms of its sexual and rebellious image (as depicted by Elvis Presley). Rockers such as Elvis Presley, Little Richard, and Chuck Berry experimented with the electric guitar, catchy lyrics, and extreme dance moves. Later rock ‘n’ roll artists such as the teen idols and the early Beatles had a safe and put together look, with lyrics that could swoon crowds of teenage girls. However, later in the 60s, rock music did change, and there was more focus on the lyrics and its message, rather than focusing on catering to the audience (especially with the rise of many political and social events). Furthermore, rock musicians drew more influence from folk music
Comparisons between rock music and psychedelic music are that both were experimental for their time period. In the rock ‘n’ roll period, the music that was considered to be progressive was those from Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry.
An example is Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry, which was considered innovative for its time due to his melodic guitar playing and for his classic riffs. Psychedelic music from bands such as Jethro Tull, Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, and The Grateful Dead worked beyond the fundamentals of rock ‘n’ roll, taking what was innovative and became traditional, and expanded upon it further.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFo8-JqzSCM
However, in comparison to psychedelic music, the classic rock ‘n’ roll music is basic, with its basic 4/4 time signature, basic lyrics, and a bigger focus on an image that appealed more to teenage girls. Psychedelic music on the other hand had less of a focus on image and was more of a response to the political and social events going on at the time, such as the Civil Rights Movement, the Feminist Movement, and the Vietnam War. Also, musicians wanted to break out of the jazz/rhythm and blues mold that had been defined, and they started using other instruments (like Jethro Tull, whose lead singer Ian Anderson played the flute in performances). The lyrics in psychedelic music also went beyond lyrics that were typical of early rock bands (for example, the early Beatles song “I Wanna Hold Your Hand”
“Oh yeah I tell you somethin'
I think you'll understand
When I say that somethin'
I want to hold your hand
I want to hold your hand
I want to hold your hand” –The Beatles
These lyrics are repetitive and have a simple, direct meaning. Comparing it to the song “Within You Without You,” “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” has a simple beat, key, and message.
The Beatles: Before and after starting to experiment with the sounds, lyrics, and effects in their music.
Ultimately, I believe that psychedelic music is a subset of the rock genre although it strayed far away from the original rock ‘n’ roll. What I have learned from this course is that rock music is an ever-changing movement, and there is not one definition or type of music that can encompass the whole history of rock. So even though psychedelic music strays far from the fundamentals of rock ‘n’ roll, it still embodies one of rock’s most important traits: its progressiveness.
“The History of Psychedelia – A Brief History of Psychedelia in Eight Colours.” BBC, BBC,
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4nWcSYlCbk9BDJryvdBZMNg/a-brief-history-of-psychedelia-in-eight-colours.
“Psychedelic Music, Its Origins, and Its Effects on Music Today.” Hamlet's Loneliness Essay
Example – 648 Words | Bartleby, www.bartleby.com/essay/Psychedelic-Music-Its-Origins-and-Its-Effects-P3VZLPYTJ.
Weigel, David. “The Man Who Murdered His Keyboard.” Slate Magazine, Slate, 14 Aug. 2012,
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/prog_spring/features/2012/prog_rock/history_of_prog_the_nice_emerson_lake_palmer_and_other_bands_of_the_1970s_.html
“Psychedelic Music.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Aug. 2018,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychedelic_music
“Rock Music.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Aug. 2018,
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_music.