In several regions, the spark of revolution ignited the consciences of the people, who rebelled against oppression, imposition and official silencing. Protest after protest, march after march, the walls of political and ideological intolerance began to fall throughout the world, especially in Europe. This is the case of France and Czechoslovakia.
The protagonists of the revolution that began at the end of the sixties of the 20th century were young people. In ’68 it was really dangerous to raise your voice as a student, especially in Mexico, which already had a history of oppression by the ruling party from the previous decade.
The music of ’68, without a doubt, provided the perfect framework for the inspiration of young people who were already rebelling against the authority of their parents, traditional education and the values of yesteryear that limited the new founding paradigm of our parents’ generation. : the revolution of consciences.
A musical genre emerged as the banner of the youth of ’68: psychedelic rock. We are referring to bands and songs that challenged reality and looked for alternatives beyond the senses; something that would tear them away from time and space, from the here and now. Hence the identity, the essence of psychedelic rock: the search for happiness through the “psyche”. Let’s look at some examples.
“Somebody to love”, by Jefferson Airplane, is a song that invites self-reflection, to think about the inner being to find the truth with the mind, while attempting personal liberation through “someone to love.”
“My back pages”, by the Byrds, very much in the style of Bob Dylan, is a song that invites deep reflection on personal development, useful time and the present as a solid foundation for the future.
“Sympathy for the devil”, by the Rolling Stones, is a song written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards caused much criticism for the content of its lyrics, whose narration is verified in the first person as if it were the “devil” himself. . Currently, “Sympathy for the Devil” is considered another Mick Jagger anthem, controversial and rebellious, just as was the style of the young people of ’68.
In Mexico, psychedelic rock began with the release of the album “Hippies” by Los Ovnis. The album, considered one of the most influential in rock in Spanish by Rolling Stone magazine, inaugurates the era of psychedelic acid rock in our country. The content of its lyrics reflects the generational clash of young Mexicans with the traditional values of our society.