The Book of Ezekiel
The prophet Ezekiel is one of the most underrated prophets of the Old Testament. He lived in a time of massive international upheaval in the Middle East thousands of years ago. Back then, warring empires fought each other for control over millions of square miles. Ezekiel lived during the time when the Assyrian Empire conquered the areas of modern-day Syria, Iraq, Palestine, and Israel. The northern kingdom of Israel ended by the Assyrians in ca. 722 to 721 B.C. Assyrians also started to crumble under the blows of a resurgent Babylon. In 612 B.C., the Assyrian city of Nineveh fell to a combined force of the Babylonians and the Medes. Three years later, Pharoah Neco II of Egypt tried to conquer Israel and Syria (Aram). At Megiddo, King Josiah of Judah, who may have been an ally of Babylon as King Hezekiah had been, attempted to intercept the Egyptian forces but was crushed, losing his life in the battle (see 2 Kings 23:29-30; 2 Ch 35:20-24). Wars continued. Jehoahaz, a son of Josiah, ruled Judah for only three months, after which Neco installed Jehoiakim, another son of Josiah, as his royal vassal in Jerusalem (609 B.C.). In 605 B.C., the Babylonians overwhelmed the Egyptian army at Carchemish (see Jer 46:2), then pressed south as far as the Philistine plain. In the same year, Nebuchadnezzar was elevated to the Babylonian throne and Jehoiakim shifted allegiance to him. When a few years later the Egyptian and Babylonian forces met in a standoff battle, Jehoiakim rebelled against his new overlord.
Nebuchadnezzar soon responded by sending a force against Jerusalem, subduing it in 597 B.C. Jehoiakim's son Jehoiachin and about 10,000 Jewish human beings (see 2 Kings 24:14), including Ezekiel, were exiled to Babylon, where they joined those who had been exiled in Jehoiakim's "third year" (see Daniel 1:1 and note). Nebuchadnezzar placed Jehoiachin's uncle, Zedekiah, on the throne in Jerusalem, but within five or six years he too rebelled. The Babylonians laid siege to Jerusalem in 588, and in July, 586, the walls were breached, and the city plundered. On Aug. 14, 586 B.C., the city and temple were burned. It wouldn't be until the time of Cyrus the Persian that the Second Temple would be rebuilt. Ezekiel was one of the many Jewish people exiled to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar in ca. 597 B.C. Ezekiel was a wise man, he was married, and had a house of his own. Ezekiel knew of international affairs and had a powerful intellect. In the book of Ezekiel, it focused on God's sovereignty, criticisms of Israel's imperfections, criticisms of other nations' imperfections, and redemption. The dry bones being revived and the words about Gog and Magog are some of the great prophetic symbolic messages in the Bible. Therefore, Ezekiel starts with conflicts and judgments and ends with a newly established society filled with justice and tranquility.
The Prophet Ezekiel's Words
The book of Ezekiel has some of the most vivid imagery found in all of the books of the Bible. By 931 B.C., there was the division of Israel from Judah. The 12 tribes existed in Israel for centuries after the Exodus. The 10 Northern tribes existed with their capital in Samaria, and Judah (or the 2 Southern tribes) had its capital in Jerusalem. 2 Kings 17:5, 6 showed the event of how the Northern Kingdom was defeated by the Assyrians by 722 B.C. The 10 tribes were not lost as they existed long after the Great Exile and were mentioned by the apostle Paul in the New Testament as found in Acts 26:7 and Revelations 21:12. The prophet Ezekiel lived during the time of the 3 sieges of Jerusalem by Babylon. In Ezekiel 1, Ezekiel gives his prophecy while in exile in Chebar. Ezekiel was 30 years old, which is the age he would have been eligible for the priesthood (as found in Numbers 4:3). The story starts on the fifth of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile or ca. 593 B.C. The reason was that Jehoiachin was taken from Jerusalem to Babylon in 597 B.C., so the fifth year would be 593 B.C. Ezekiel's ministry was overtly prophetic. As the book of Ezekiel exists, the judgments shift from Judah to the judgments against the nations harming Israel and the Jewish people in general.
In Ezekiel 1, there is the inaugural vision that Ezekiel has experienced. He lived near Babylon where he recorded his visions and prophecies. By Ezekiel 2, God gives Ezekiel his calling and instruction. In Ezekiel 3, Ezekiel eats the scroll which has a lot of prophetic significance. When Ezekiel ate the scroll, it tasted sweet like honey in his mouth. God said to Ezekiel to speak his words to the people of Israel. Ezekiel was chosen by God as a watchman for the people of Israel. The Lord in this chapter wanted the wicked people to turn from their wickedness and evil ways. The siege of Jerusalem was predicted by Ezekiel in Ezekiel 4 and 5. In Ezekiel 5, this chapter said that the Lord says that Jerusalem has idols and has done evil in the land. Ezekiel's vision of the end of time is found in Ezekiel 6 and 7. His First Temple vision was found in Ezekiel 8 to 19. In Ezekiel 8:1, he talks about the vision of temple abominations. In chapter 8, Ezekiel saw a vision of a person whose appearance was bright as glowing metal. The Spirit lifted Ezekiel up between Earth and Heaven and showed visions. One common theme of the Old Testament is its condemnation of Israelites using pagan idols in rituals. In Judaism, the Temple is sacred, and worshipers must be righteous and serious went entering a house of worship. That's customary for a diversity of religions too. False prophets are condemned in Ezekiel 13 too. Ezekiel 18 showed the Lord condemning evils like people defiling his neighbor's wife, those who do robbery, and idol worship. The chapter mentions that those who do righteousness shall live.
By Ezekiel 20, he writes how he sees God refuse the Elders. In that chapter, many Israelites who followed idols defiled themselves, and rejected the commandments are explicitly condemned. Also, Chapter 20 had a prophecy against the southland. Ezekiel criticizes Jerusalem in Ezekiel 21 and 22. He prophesies against two sisters in Ezekiel 23. The siege of Jerusalem starts as found in Ezekiel 24. Ezekiel 25 talks about God's vengeance on Ammon and Edom. Ezekiel pronounced judgment on Tyre in Ezekiel 26-28. Tyre was one of the major cities of the ancient world inhabitants by the Phoenicians and other groups of people. Ezekiel 26 mentions the prophecy against Tyre for mocking the suffering of Jerusalem. It is no secret that the Babylonian and Assyrian Empires conquered Tyre for centuries.
Then, Ezekiel prophesies against Egypt in Ezekiel 29-32. The Kingdom of ancient Egypt ended as we know it in the future by the time of Alexander the Great conquered Egypt fully by the 300's B.C. Ezekiel is called the Watchman in Ezekiel 33. Jerusalem's fall is found in Ezekiel 33. Ezekiel talked about Jerusalem's fall in Ezekiel 33:21. Ezekiel foresees reproof and restoration in Ezekiel 34-36. The resurrection of the dry bones is found in Ezekiel 37. The dry bones are a symbol of the Jewish people coming together to see their nation return fully in the future. Ezekiel sees a future battle in Ezekiel 38. Ezekiel 38 is one of the most important prophetic chapters in the whole Bible. The chapter dealt with a future alliance made by Gog, the land of Magog. Gog is the chief prince of Meshek and Tubal. The chapter mentioned that Gog will make an alliance with Persia, Cush, Put, Gomer, Togarmah, etc. This alliance seeks to harm and destroy Israel, but they will fail. There are many interpretations of the identity of Magog, Tubal, and Meshek in that chapter like Russia or other locations. Later, Ezekiel saw God's judgment on Gog by Ezekiel 39. The Ezekiel Second Temple vision is found in Ezekiel 40-48. Ezekiel 40 mentioned the Temple area being restored. Ezekiel 45 mentioned how Israel is fully restored. Ezekiel also saw another Jerusalem, a city with the glorious name of Jehaovah shammah (the Lord is Here) as found in Ezekiel 48:35.
Conclusion
Out of all of the prophets of the Old Testament and New Testament, Ezekiel is one of the most underrated prophets of the Bible. The Book of Ezekiel isn't for the faint of heart. Many parts of the book have some of the harshest criticisms against the backslidden of Israel in the Bible. It didn't pull any punches on the corruption found among some Israelis during ancient times. During the time of Ezekiel's time, much of Israel was in exile. Wars were constantly shown, and new empires grew to conquer a large part of the Levant and other regions of the Middle East. Ezekiel lived during the 600's B.C. and in the late 500's B.C. Ezekiel is a Hebrew name meaning "God is strong" or "God strengthens." The Bible mentions that Ezekiel is the son of Buzi, born into the priestly (kohen) lineage. Ezekiel describes his calling to be a prophet and encounters God and four living creatures with four wheels that stayed beside the creatures. Vivid descriptions define the Book of Ezekiel from beginning to end. Ezekiel and his wife lived in Babylon during the Babylonian captivity on the banks of the Chebar River in Tel Abib. Ezekiel lived during the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. It is important to note that Revelation 20:28 refers to the Ezekiel prophecy of Gog and Magog. In Revelation 21-22, the prophet is transported to a high mountain where a heavenly messenger measures the symmetrical of the new Jerusalem. Therefore, the Book of Ezekiel is filled with insights into the ancient world that can help people to this very day in 2023.
The Music of the 1970's
The 1970's saw massive changes in the world. It was the first generation seeing of the first fruits of the massive social and cultural changes that were born from the 1960's. It was a time of massive economic upheaval after the postwar economic boom. By the early to mid 1970's, economic inequality worldwide increased. There were coups, wars, civil wars, and the rise of the conservative backlash against progressive reforms by the end of the 1970's (with the wise of Ronald Reagan and Conservative UK leader Margaret Thatcher). We saw serial killers, military coups, and the growth of neoliberal economic theory in the replacement of Keynesian economics. Some good news is that more women and persons of color (including black people) expanded into positions of power, there were decolonization in many parts of the world, and the Green Revolution helped to provide food for billions of people. Also, there was a musical revolution in the 1970's too. Fashion and culture were filled with swagger, color, and creativity. The music of the 1970's saw rock, pop, R&B, country, gospel, and other genres of music being more international. Popular culture became more like a business. Movies reflected the time dealing with race, the drug trade, sex, culture, divorce, and science fiction like The French Connection, Coffy, Kramer vs. Kramer, Jaws, Saturday Night Fever, The Godfather, etc.
Groups and solo artists like Earth, Wind, and Fire, Led Zeppelin, Johnny Cash, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson Five, REO Speedwagon, The Doobie Brothers, etc. weren't just expressed in the States. These artists displayed their talents globally. Funk developed into the next level by the 1970's, as funk is an offshoot of soul music. The latter half of the decade was dominated by disco bands and singers from Donna Summer, Chic, etc. Metal bands have grown from Deep Purple, and other people. Rock music in general became more diverse with progressive rock, folk rock, soft rock, and punk. Punk was all about rebellion against the establishment, and it existed from the poor and the suffering. Punk, is similar to hip hop, as hip hop was born in the 1970's in the poor and suffering communities of New York City. From the death of musical icons of the early 1970's to the end of the 1970's seeing new sounds exploding, the 1970's had some of the most talented musical artists in human history.
Folk Sounds
Folk music during the 1970’s had a widespread renaissance. Many people used rock influences in the genre too. Many people from the 1950’s and 1960’s expressed themselves with folk music in the 1970’s. Also, new artists grew too. Traditional folk music existed since the 1950’s. Many folk musical songs and albums had oral traditions, references to events, love of human culture, discussions of social issues, and a fusion of cultures too. Folk music has been part of Cajun music in Louisiana, Appalachian music, and in the African American community too. By the 1970’s, folk music was more diverse. Pete Seeger is a famous folk singer who was blacklisted because of his political views. We know about the singer Odetta with her folk sounds. Bonnie Koloc is a Chicago based American folk music singer-songwriter who made her recording debut in 1971. As early as 1968, she released her first album called Melanie. Folk music of the 1970’s has been fueled by many new singer songwriters like Steve Goodman, John Prine, Emmylou Harris, Joni Mitchell, John Denver, Harry Chapin, and more human beings. Anne Briggs in 1971 made the album of Living by the Water.
One of the most 1970’s folk singer Cat Stevens (who is now known as Yusuf Islam). He was one of the most influential folks singers and songwriters of the decade. He was born in London, England on July 21, 1948. He was famous for the 1967 song of The First Cut is the Deepest. He incorporated folk, pop, rock, and Islamic music during his career. In the 1970’s, he had many albums like Tea for the Tillerman (1970) and Teaser and the Firecat (1971). The song of Peace Train by Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) was an anthem during the Vietnam War that explicitly called for peace in the world. Father and Son, Morning Has Broken, Oh Very Young, Ready, Sweet Jamaica are some of his other classic musical songs too. He earned ASCAP songwriting awards in 2005 and in 2005 for The First Cut is the Deepest. He converted to Islam in December of 1977. James Taylor has been a very great folk-rock artist for decades. He was born on March 12, 1948. He can play the guitar, is a songwriter, is a singer, and is an actor. He earned six Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Hall of Fame in 2000. Boston is the location of his birth. He has made duets with Caroline King and other iconic artists. With songs like Fire and Rain, You’ve Got a Friend, and Handy Man, we know that his music deals with love, the philosophy of life, and other impactful themes that we contemplate on a daily basis. I even heard of John Denver as a child. John Denver was an actor, humanitarian, and environmentalist. Denver released about 300 songs. Many of his 33 albums were gold and platinum in America. Some of his famous songs are Take Me Home, Country Roads, Calypso, Sunshine on My Shoulders, Annie’s Song, etc. Rocky Mountain High from 1972 (in his album Rocky Mountain High) was one of his famous songs that is one of the two official state songs of Colorado.
Hard Rock and Metal
Rock Music went towards many evolutions in the 1970's. The rock music of the late 1970's was completely different than the rock of the early 1970's. The Beatles broke up after the release of their last 1970 album of Let it Be. All four members of the Beatles would go on to have successful solo careers. The Isle of Wight festival was held in the UK with an audience of over 600,000 people. The festival had Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Doors, Chicago, Joni Mitchell, Donovan, Jethro Tull, Free, Taste, Ten Years After, and Miles Davis in August of 1970. Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and other people passed away during the early 1970's. Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Trouble Water was their last album and sold over 25 million copies. Rock groups like Shocking Blue, Black Sabbath, and others released albums. Crosby, Still, Nash, and Young was a supergroup of rock artists that had many songs like Our House, Teach Your Children, and a cover of Joni Mitchell's song of "Woodstock." Santana had the song of Evil Ways. Spirit in the Sky was a gospel and western movie-inspired song by California singer/songwriter Norman Greenbaum. It told more than 2 million copies. American Woman was a song made by The Guess Who. The Motown rock group of Rare Earth did a cover of the Temptations' hit of Get Ready in 1970. Paul McCartney made an album of McCartney where he played all of the instruments of the album. Maybe I'm Amazed was one of his singles on the album. Music from Mountain, Deep Purple, Grand Funk Railroad, The Stooges, Three Dog Night, and Bread existed. Chicago's album of 25 or 6 to 4 was a prominent album. Neil Diamond had the song of Cracklin' Rosie. The Kinks, and Sugarloaf made music. James Taylor had the song of Fire and Rain which was one of his greatest songs. The Patridge Family was on TV in November of 1970 which is about a family band. The Grateful Dead, John Lennon, etc. made music. George Harrison's My Sweet Lord was released in December 1970. Harrison was probably the Beatle with the best solo album. The song wasn't about Jesus Christ. It was about Krishna and the religion of Hinduism. For most of his life, Harrison followed Hinduism until his passing. Jim Morrison passed away in 1971. George Harrison in 1971 had an album called All Things Must Pass. In 1971, George Harrison organized a concert for Bangladesh in New York City. It raised money to help the suffering people of Bangladesh.
The first UK Glastonbury Festival was held in 1971. Your Song was made by Elton John, and it was popular in 1971. Lonely Days was made by the Bee Gees, a group from Australia who lived in the UK. The Bee Gees would be supported by pop, rock, and R&B audiences. The Utah-based group of The Osmonds had their song of One Bad Apple. Janis Joplin, after her death, many people promoted the song Me and Bobby McGee being highly influential. Gordon Lightfoot and Jethro Tull made music. Proud Mary was a song made by Ike and Tina Turner. Proud Mary was their rearranged version of Creedence Clearwater Revival. Bloodrock, The Doors, and Rolling Stones (who had the song of Brown Sugar) made music. Jesus Christ Superstar was like the Kirk Franklin's Stomp of the 1970's generation. Jesus Christ Superstar was a rock religious album that talked about the Gospel and Jesus Christ. It was a Broadway play and a movie too. It was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Time Rice. It was controversial back then and became more accepted by the public as time went on. The legendary writer Carole made the album of It's Too Late. Ringo Starr of the Beatles made the single of It Don't Come Easy. Carly Simon, James Taylor, T. Rex, John Denver, Bob Dylan, Five Man Electrical Band, John Prine, and the Who made music too. Duane Allman died in 1971 in a motorcycle accident. The song of Imagine was released by John Lennon in late 1971. Imagine was about the Utopian vision of John Lennon and how he felt the world should be. It was a song that opposed the Vietnam War. Led Zeppelin had their album of Lep Zeppelin IV with their symbolic-filled song of Stairway to Heaven with many esoteric meanings. David Bowie and Alice Cooper had their albums out too. Glitter rock grew by 1972. The first New Years Rockin' Eve is televised on NBC and hosted by Dick Clar. Neil Young had the song of Heart of Gold. Starman from David Bowie's album of Ziggy Stardust promoted the glitter rock movement in 1972. Cat Stevens, Rocket Man from Elton John, Looking Glass, Argent, Chuck Berry, and Elvis Presley (with his song of Burning Love being a cover) was massively prominent during that time.
Lou Reed, Helen Reddy's I Am Woman, and Neil Diamond had music standing the test of time. In 1973, Lep Zepplin played to 56,800 people at Tampa Stadium breaking the Beatles Shea Stadium for the largest record during that time. The Summer Jam at Watkings Glen, NYC has 600,000 seeing The Band, The Allman Brothers, and The Grateful Dead. Carly Simon had the song of You're So Vain. It was the number-one single in the country by January 1973. Elvis Presley had a concert in Honolulu, Hawaii in January of 1973. NBC's Midnight Special had concerts from rock, pop, soul, and R&B acts. The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd modernized their music. Bob Marley and the Wailers, Alice Cooper, Roberta Flack, Doobie Brothers, and George Harrison (with Give Me Love) had influential music in 1973. Paul McCarthy, Cher, The Rolling Stones, Ringo Star, Eddie Kendricks' Keep on Truckin', and Todd Rundgren made music. By 1974, there are many experimental bands and artists like Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, Kiss, Queen, Frank Kaappa, Maria Mulduar, and other artists had their albums. Eric Clapton had the number-one album by the summer of 1974. The Three Degrees were popular too. By 1975, The Average White Band, the Ohio Players, Van McCocy, the Bee Gees, and Linda Ronstadt had many hits. Bruce Springsteen was on the covers of Time and Newsweek magazines. Bruce Springsteen was a different type of rock star. He wanted his working-class roots from New Jersey to be expressed without excessive materialism and flash. He wanted old-school, topical, and down to Earth music to be expressed to the people. John Lennon and Elton John performed on stage in January 1975 too. Bob Dylan loved to show his music too. By the late 1970's, disco dominated the charts. The Rolling Stones had great influence. Aerosmith had Dream On which is a famous rock ballad. AC/DC had their first international album of High Voltage. They were from Australia. Hall and Oates, and Wings made music. Blondie had its debut album in December 1976. It was punk influenced from the New York City's CBGB's club scene. Punk was full of rebellion. It was anti-establishment, controversial, and in your face.
Studio 54 was opened in New York City in 1977. Studio 54 showed disco music with men and women doing drugs, dancing, and other things went on in that club. It was controversial and filled with musical expression. Leo Sayer, David Bowie, and other music flourished. American Bandstand celebrated its 25th anniversary in February 1977. Iggy pop, the punk band the Clash from London, and ABBA were popular. The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, UFO, and Kenny Rogers had hits. Elvis Presley passed away on August 16, 1977. Crystal Gayle, and other people made hits too. By 1978, Saturday Night Fever was popular. Blue Bayou by Linda Ronstadt was famous. Queen had its hit of We are the Champions. Kate Bush, Billy Joel, VanHalen, Yvonne Elliman, and other artists had their music shown. Boney M from the Caribbean had their single of Rivers of Babylon. Meatloaf had hits along with A Taste of Honey. Chic made Le Freak too. In 1979, disco dominated the charts. Also, music from Blondie, Rod Stewart, Electric Light Orchestra, Kenny Rogers, and Kiss expressed songs. The Sony Walkman was created by 1979. The Blues Brothers with Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi made the cover of Dam and Dave's Soul Man. Joe Jackson, Elvis Costello made music. Fire from The Pointer Sisters was popular. It was a cover of Bruce Springsteen's song of Fire. By February 1979, YMCA was released by The Village People to confront stereotypes and show expression. Sid Vicious (a punk artist) died in February 1979 over a heroin overdose. Lotta Love was shown by Nicolette Larson. Heart of Glass from Blondie were some of their most influential songs. Journey, Suzi Quatro, The Cure with its debut album, and Sister Sledge's We Are Family defined 70s music. Cheap Trick, The B-52s, and other groups shown their songs. By this time, music was different from the early 70's. By 1979, the new wave music explosion started. Synthesizers started to group. The Knack and Lep Zeppelin released albums. Gary Numan, Charlie Daniels, the Slits, and the Police made their music. The Police had Sting filled with the New wave movement back in October 1979. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Pink Floyd, and Prince's I Wanna Be Your Lover broke barriers. Styx, and the Clash explored many styles. The 1970's ended and the 1980's would start with new music rising like hip hop, the unjust bashing of disco, the development of BET and MTV, and new superstars going into the next level like Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna, Janet Jackson, and other human beings.
Disco and Soulful Sounds
By the 1970's, soulful music and disco were prominent in America. Motown artist Edwin Starr had the song War which is an anti-war protest song. By the 1970's, political songs were still very powerfully shown by many artists. Diana Ross in 1970 had her first number single as a solo artist with the remake of A'int No Mountain High Enough (which was recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell). From the year of 1970 and onward, The Jackson Five had hit after hit. I'll Be There was their famous song that was their fourth U.S. Number one single in a row. In the UK by December 1970, Smokey Robinson re-released his 1967 song of The Tears of a Clown. Dawn had the 1971 song of Knock Three Times. King Floyd's Groove was very popular. Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong wrote the song of Just My Imagination (which was shown in 1971). That song was one of the best songs of The Temptations. By April of 1971, Marvin Gaye released What's Going on, which would be one of his best albums. The album called about life, racism, ecology, war, and other important issues in urban communities. What's Going On is a socially conscious anthem to this day.
Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose has the song of Treat Her Like a Lady. Jean Knight had the single of Mr. Big Stuff. A'int No Sunshine from Bill Withers was a song about romance and reflections. Isaac Hayes' theme from Shaft won an award. By 1972, Al Green had the classic song of Let's Stay Together. Many people know of the Dramatics having the single of In The Rain. Roberta Flack increased her career with the song of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (which came from a 1957 folk song of the same name). By 1972, the anthem of love called Oh Girl from The Chi-Lites shook up the world. The group was from Chicago. The soul and gospel group The Staple Singles had the single called I'll Take You There. Bill Withers had the classic song of Lean on Me. The August 1972 Wattstax concert at Los Angeles Coliseum was to remember the 1965 Watts rebellion and a celebration of black culture. It was a sold-out concert and was made into a double album and film. It has The Staple Singers, Albert King, and other people. Luther Ingram had the song o If Loving You is Wong, I Don't Want to be Right in August of 1972. Michael Jackson had the solo hit of Ben. The O'Jays had Back Stabbers song. Leon Huff and Kenny Gamble from Philadelphia worked with many artists making hits too.
The 1970's had legendary artists like Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Curtis Mayfield, the Temptations (with Papa Was a Roling Stone), Billy Paul, The Stylistics, The Dramatics, etc. Stevie Wonder's Superstition song from the 1970's was about Wonder having creative control. By 1973, Talking Book was already a classic, and Stevie Wonder would make some of the best music in history throughout the 1970's. Stevie Wonder would use keyboards and synthesizers that would influence the sounds of the 1980's with Zapp, etc. Killing Me Softly With Song from Roberta Flack was her number 1 single with powerful lyrics and sounds. To Catch A Fire was an album done by Bob Marley and the Wailers which helped to expand reggae music internationally. By the time of 1973, we see groups and artists like War, Billy Preston, Marvin Gaye (with his song of Let's Get It On), The Isley Brothers (with the song of Who's That Lady), Glady Knights and the Pips (with the song of Midnight Train to Georgia), Eddie Kendricks' Keep on Truckin', etc. Also, by this time disco became modernized. Roots from disco came from the 1960's from soul/R&B music and other influences like from other producers. Dancing songs like Dancing Machine from the Jackson Five (from April 1974) existed too. The Stylistics had the song of You Make Me Feel Brand New, and the song of Hollywood Swinging. Tell Me Something Good was made by Rufus by 1974. The Three Degrees had their hit of Sound of Philadelphia. The Three Degrees made music since the early 1960's. Carl Douglas's Kung Fu Fighting in November 1974 caused an explosion of disco culture. Carl Douglas is from Kingston, Jamaica.
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Love Rollercoaster was released by Ohio Players in 1975. Lady Marmalade was a song made by Labelle filled with innuendo in French. By this time, disco and funk exploded with artists like Earth, Wind, and Fire with Shining Star. Many people in KC and the Sunshine Band didn't like to be called a disco group. They wanted to be known in R&B, but Get Down Tonight had disco sounds. The original Fight the Power was released by Isley Brothers in 1975. Songs from War, Dian Ross, Hot Chocolate, and Donna Summer existed. In 1976, Donna Summer was called the Queen of Disco. Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte inspired many new sounds found in disco music too. Boogie Fever was released by The Sylvers. The Manhattans' Kiss and Say Goodbye, George Benson, Bee Gees, KC and the Sunshine Band, Lou Rawls, The Spinners' The Rubberband Man, and other artists shined. Stevie Wonder released the Songs in the Key of Life by December 1976. It was another classic with hits like I Wish and Sir Duke. Rose Royce with Car Wash was another classic song. Music from Thelma Houston (with Don't Leave Me This Way), Marvin Gaye's Got to Give It Up, and Donna Summer's I Feel Love defined a lot of how music is shown today. Donna Summer is one of the greatest vocalists in history by singing disco, R&B, pop, country, rock, gospel, and other genres of music. Donna Summer was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach No. 1 on Billboard's album chart: Live and More, Bad Girls, and On the Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I & II. Donna Summer was a Christian. She said these words:
"...I don't really try to predict what can and will happen with things. Sometimes you think something's gonna be a huge success, and it isn't. And sometimes you pay no attention to something whatsoever, and God just makes it into everything..."
The Emotions' Best of My Love is a huge song. The Emotions are from Chicago. The song was co-written and produced by fellow Chicagoan and Earth, Wind, and Fire founder Maurice White. Brothers Johnson, Heatwave, Commodores, and the music from the movie Saturday Night Fever made disco more powerful. By 1978, The Bees Grees had Night Fever and Stayin' Alive. The O'Jays in 1978 had the classic song of Used to Be My Girl. Donna Summer had MacArthur Park. Le Freak from Chic was decades ahead of its time. It was released in December 1978. Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards along with people were part of the supergroup of Chic. By 1979, R&B and disco were changing. YMCA was shown by The Village People in February 1979. I will Survive was shown by singer Gloria Gaynor. Disco singer Amii Stewart's Knock on Wood was shown in 1979. Shake Your Groove Thing was shown by Peaches and Herb. Ring My Bell was released by Anita Ward.
Rapper's Delight from Sugarhill Gang was shown by September 1979. Michael Jackson released Off the Wall in 1979. It was very much influential in music as it was probably his best soulful album. Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enough was a classic. Quincy Jones worked with Michael Jackson on the album. Donna Summer worked with Barbara Streisand on the song No More Tears. Prince had the song of I Wanna Be Your Lover. Disco had a backlash from music snobbish people and outright racists. The haters of disco viewed disco as a distraction. Yet, disco was expressed by many people, and many real messages are found in disco like I will Survive by Gloria Gaynor. Also, racism (including anti-LBGTQ+ sentiments) was definitely a motivation for much of the hate of disco too. In Chicago, racists and extremists blew up disco and R&B records in a stadium (as part of the hate disco movement). This caused disco to be heavily suppressed in the 1980's except in rare situations. Yet, contemporary R&B, disco, and soul music persist to this day in 2023.
Funk
Funk had roots in the 1960's, but funk music was modernized during the 1970's. It was created by black Americans in the mid-1960's being a cousin of soul music. Funk has a rhythmic, danceable new style filled with melody and chord progressions. It has a strong, rhythmic groove of a bassline by an electric bassist and a drum part by a percussionist, often at a slower tempo than other popular music. Funk heavily uses instruments in its performances. Funk uses the same richly-colored extended chords found in bebop jazz, such as minor chords with added sevenths and elevenths, or dominant seventh chords with altered ninths and thirteenths. The Godfather of funk music was James Brown. He made a signature groove that emphasized the downbeat—with a heavy emphasis on the first beat of every measure ("The One"), and the application of swung 16th notes and syncopation on all basslines, drum patterns, and guitar riffs—and rock and psychedelia-influenced musicians Sly and the Family Stone and Jimi Hendrix, fostering improvisation in funk. Other musical groups, including Kool and the Gang, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chic, B.T. Express, Loose Ends, Shalamar, The S.O.S. Band, Slave, The Whispers, Cameo, and the Bar-Kays began to adopt and develop Brown's innovations during the 1970s and adding R&B essences to the genre from the early 1970s, while others like Parliament-Funkadelic and Ohio Players followed Hendrix's path.
Funk has evolved over the years and decades too. There is avant-funk, boogie (a hybrid of electronic music and funk), funk metal, G-funk (that is a mixture of hip hop and funk), timba (a form of funky Cuban dance music), and funk jam. Funk influenced the development of Washington D.C.'s go-go music. Funk samples and breakbeats are heavily used in hip-hop and electronic dance music. Funk in African American communities also related to the hard work and effort musicians made to create an outstanding performance. In early jam sessions, musicians would encourage one another to "get down" by telling one another, "Now, put some stank on it!" At least as early as 1907, jazz songs carried titles such as Funky. The first example is an unrecorded number by Buddy Bolden. As late as the 1950s and early 1960s, when "funk" and "funky" were used increasingly in the context of jazz music, the terms still were considered indelicate and inappropriate for use in polite company. According to one source, New Orleans-born drummer Earl Palmer "was the first to use the word 'funky' to explain to other musicians that their music should be made more syncopated and danceable." The style later evolved into a rather hard-driving, insistent rhythm, implying a more carnal quality. This early form of music set the pattern for later musicians. The music was identified as slow, sexy, loose, riff-oriented, and danceable.
Funk music is heavily related to dance music. This is similar to soul music. There is a strong rhythmic style in funk. Funk's other cousin is disco. Yet, funk has a central dance beat that's slower and more syncopated than disco. Funk music uses the sequences of eighth notes. A great deal of funk is rhythmically based on a two-celled onbeat/offbeat structure, which originated in sub-Saharan African music traditions. New Orleans appropriated the bifurcated structure from the Afro-Cuban mambo and conga in the late 1940s, and made it its own. New Orleans funk, as it was called, gained international acclaim largely because James Brown's rhythm section used it to great effect. There is no funk music without the bass, groove, and guitar riffs at times. Basslines are common in funk. That is why there is funky bassline and percussive slapping, and other effects in funk music. This funk music has been shown by Bernard Edward, Robert Bell, Mark Adams, Johnny Flippin, and Bootsy Collins including Rocco Prestia (from Tower of Power).
Funk artists include James Jamerson and Larry Graham from Sly and the Family Stone. Funk uses drums like the I'll Take You There sounds shown by The Staple Singers. Electric guitars are integral parts of funk. A range of keyboard instruments are used in funk. The acoustic piano is used in funk, including in "September" by Earth Wind & Fire and "Will It Go Round in Circles" by Billy Preston. The electric piano is used on songs such as Herbie Hancock's "Chameleon" (a Fender Rhodes) and "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" by Joe Zawinul (a Wurlitzer). The clavinet is used for its percussive tone, and it can be heard in songs such as Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" and "Higher Ground" and Bill Withers' "Use Me". The Hammond B-3 organ is used in funk, in songs done by The Meters and "Love the One You're With" (with Aretha Franklin singing and Billy Preston on keyboards). Bernie Worrell's range of keyboards from his recordings with Parliament Funkadelic demonstrates the wide range of keyboards used in funk. Funk can talk about spirituality, black life, love, romance, social issues, dance, having fun in general, and other topics.
The Funkadelic song "One Nation Under A Groove" (1978) is about the challenges that black people overcame during the 1960s civil rights movement, and it includes an exhortation for black people in the 1970s to capitalize on the new "social and political opportunities" that had become available in the 1970s. The Isley Brothers' song "Fight the Power" (1975) has a political message. Parliament's song "Chocolate City" (1975) metaphorically refers to Washington D.C. and other US cities that have a mainly Black population, and it draws attention to the potential power that Black voters wield and suggests that a Black President be considered in the future. The political themes of funk songs and the aiming of the messages to a Black audience echoed the new image of black people that was created in Blaxploitation films, which depicted "African American men and women standing their ground and fighting for what was right." Both funk and Blaxploitation films addressed issues faced by Blacks and told stories from a Black perspective. Another link between 1970s funk and Blaxploitation films is that many of these films used funk soundtracks (e.g., Curtis Mayfield for Superfly; James Brown and Fred Wesley for Black Caesar and War for Youngblood).
James Brown credited Little Richard's 1950s R&B road band, The Upsetters from New Orleans, as "the first to put the funk into the rhythm" of rock and roll. Following his temporary exit from secular music to become an evangelist in 1957, some of Little Richard's band members joined Brown and the Famous Flames, beginning a long string of hits for them in 1958. By the mid-1960s, James Brown had developed his signature groove that emphasized the downbeat—with heavy emphasis on the first beat of every measure to etch his distinctive sound, rather than the backbeat that typified African American music. This one-three beat launched the shift in Brown's signature music style, starting with his 1964 hit single, "Out of Sight" and his 1965 hits, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" and "I Got You (I Feel Good)". By the late 1960's and early 1970's, Funky Broadway was a song with funk influences along with songs from West Coast, Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band. Oakland's Tower of Power group was created in 1968. We know about how in 1970, Sly & the Family Stone's "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" reached #1 on the charts, as did "Family Affair" in 1971. Notably, these afforded the group and the genre crossover success and greater recognition, yet such success escaped comparatively talented and moderately popular funk band peers. The Meters defined funk in New Orleans. Even the Isley Brothers had the song of It's Your Thing with funk influences. Jimi Hendrix and The Temptations started to use funky songs.
There were tons of women in funk music too like Mother's Finest. It was a group made up of Joyce Kennedy and Glenn Murdock back then. There are a lot of women involved in funk music like Chaka Khan, Labelle, Brides of Funkenstein, Klymaxx, Mother's Finest, Lyn Collins, Betty Davis, and Teena Marie. As cultural critic Cheryl Keyes explains in her essay "She Was Too Black for Rock and Too Hard for Soul: (Re)discovering the Musical Career of Betty Mabry Davis," most of the scholarship around funk has focused on the cultural work of men. She states that "Betty Davis is an artist whose name has gone unheralded as a pioneer in the annals of funk and rock. Most writing on these musical genres has traditionally placed male artists like Jimi Hendrix, George Clinton (of Parliament-Funkadelic), and bassist Larry Graham as trendsetters in the shaping of a rock music sensibility."
In The Feminist Funk Power of Betty Davis and Renée Stout, Nikki A. Greene notes that Davis' provocative and controversial style helped her rise to popularity in the 1970s as she focused on sexually motivated, self-empowered subject matter. Furthermore, this affected the young artist's ability to draw large audiences and commercial success. Greene also notes that Davis was never made an official spokesperson or champion for the civil rights and feminist movements of the time, although more recently[when] her work has become a symbol of sexual liberation for women of color. Davis' song "If I'm In Luck I Just Might Get Picked Up", on her self-titled debut album, sparked controversy and was banned by the Detroit NAACP. Maureen Mahan, a musicologist and anthropologist, examines Davis' impact on the music industry and the American public in her article "They Say She's Different: Race, Gender, Genre, and the Liberated Black Femininity of Betty Davis."
Laina Dawes, the author of What Are You Doing Here: A Black Woman's Life and Liberation in Heavy Metal, believes respectability politics is the reason artists like Davis do not get the same recognition as their men counterparts: "I blame what I call respectability politics as part of the reason the funk-rock some of the women from the '70s aren't better known. Despite the importance of their music and presence, many of the funk-rock females represented the aggressive behavior and sexuality that many people were not comfortable with." Janelle Monae (born in 1985) helped to start a new generation of women funk artists filled with themes of Afro-futuristic concepts, women's rights, identity, and just plain expression of creativity. Her mentor was Prince. She was inspired by many funk artists like Funkadelic, Betty Davis, and others like Lauryn Hill. In fact, Janelle Monae's 2013 album of The Electric Lady was influenced by Jimi Hendrix's Electric Ladyland. Jimi Hendrix was inspired by funk artists Devon Wilson and Betty Davis.
The 1970s were the era of the highest mainstream visibility for funk music. In addition to Parliament Funkadelic, artists like Sly and the Family Stone, Rufus & Chaka Khan, Bootsy's Rubber Band, the Isley Brothers, Ohio Players, Con Funk Shun, Kool and the Gang, the Bar-Kays, Commodores, Roy Ayers, Curtis Mayfield, and Stevie Wonder, among others, were successful in getting radio play. Disco music owed a great deal to funk. Many early disco songs and performers came directly from funk-oriented backgrounds. Some disco music hits, such as all of Barry White's hits, "Kung Fu Fighting" by Biddu and Carl Douglas, Donna Summer's "Love To Love You Baby", Diana Ross' "Love Hangover", KC and the Sunshine Band's "I'm Your Boogie Man", "I'm Every Woman" by Chaka Khan (also known as the Queen of Funk), and Chic's "Le Freak" conspicuously include riffs and rhythms derived from funk. In 1976, Rose Royce scored a number-one hit with a purely dance-funk record, "Car Wash". Even with the arrival of disco, funk became increasingly popular well into the early 1980s. Jazz funk was developed by many artists like Miles Davis with his On the Corner album of 1972. Funk will continue to grow in the 1980's to the presence with innovative artists like Prince, Living Colour, Brand New Heavies, Brooklyn Funk Essentials, Me'shell Ndegeocello, etc.
Hip Hop at Its Start
Hip hop existed in many events in the world. First, the world had the Civil Rights Movement and by the early 1970's, deindustrialization and poverty were widespread in New York City. Manufacturing jobs were being increasingly replaced with FIRE jobs. The oppressed were desperate for survival. Music is one instrument where people can feel joy and a means to cope. That is why hip-hop was born. It was born by black people who desired human expression, creativity, and their humanity to be honored. In recent months, there have been huge debates on the origin of hip hop and its contents. The truth is that modern-day hip hop was created on August 11, 1973, in the Bronx, NYC by Kool Herc. So, Kool Herc was one founding father of hip hop. Was Herc the only founding father? No. Were all elements from hip hop created in 1973 and no elements came before 1973? No. Many elements of hip hop like rapping, dancing, DJs, graffiti, partying, sampling, etc. existed long before 1973. There is no hip hop without funk music, disco, jazz, spoken word, and the blues. During ancient times, West African griots showed lyrics and songs to outline their own stories. The power of the African drum influenced modern music completely, including hip-hop. The banjo came from African influences too. Rapping is one aspect of hip-hop. Many scholars say that blues music, spirituals, etc. were influenced by West African musical traditions. The call-and-response style, which is common in jazz, gospel, and blues, came from West Africa. Blues musician and historian Elijah Wald said that rapping existed as early as the 1920's. We know about the Jubalaires rapping in a song called the Preacher and the Bear in the 1930's and the 1940's. The Beale Street Sheiks in 1927 had rapping. Jazz poetry was very common in America back then. By the 1960's, we had Muhammad Ali with his rhymes about his boxing opponents and Pigmeat Markahm's Here Comes the Judge song in 1968.
By the 1960's and 1970's, Gil Scott Heron, the Watts Prophets, James Brown, the Last Poets, and other groups did spoken word songs, rapping, and creative sounds that influenced the development of modern-day hip hop. Kool Herc in 1984 said that he couldn't play reggae in the Bronx and the inspiration for rap was James Brown and the album Hustlers' Convention. Disco King Mario (who was a member of the Black Spades) was one of the godfathers of modern hip hop. He was born in Edenton, North Carolina. Later, he moved into Bronxdale, NY to escape racial oppression from the South. By 1971, Disco King Mario was a prominent DJ in the Bronx. He helped Afrika Bambaata (I don't agree with Afrika on everything that he did) to have popularity by loaning him equipment. Mobile Djs existed in New York City, and Grandmaster Flowers and the Smith Brothers in the early 1970's did Djing too. King Charles, Grandmaster Flowers, Pete DJ Jones, and Pete DJ did Djing with hip hop elements since the late 1960's too. Later, the Bronx style and the Brooklyn, Queens style started to become one. Then, modern-day hip hop as we know it was born. It is important to note that African American and Afro-Caribbean cultures (with toasting and other musical themes. Many Afro-Caribbeans admit that they were also influenced by black American music) played a huge role in hip hop's development. Later, Latino Americans contributed to hip-hop too. Many Latino human beings are our cousins (many of my cousins have black and Latino heritage) and even brothers and sisters to us black people (i.e. Afro-Latinos are black people), and we honor the Latino contributions to hip hop. DJs like Grand Wizzard Theodore, Grandmaster Flash (who was taught to mix turntables by DJ John Brown), and Jazzy Jay refined and developed the use of breakbeats, cutting, and scratching on the turntables. Smokey were b-boys back in 1972. So, hip hop was 50/50 invented by African Americans and Afro-Caribbean human beings. The contributions of black Americans and black Caribbeans should be honored and respected 100 percent period. Also, black people are the first humans on Earth, and us (as black people) are beautiful and amazing.
Contemporary Pop
The Contemporary pop music of the 1970's was diverse and prominent in society. The Bee Gees scored the most number hits or 9 songs and had the longest cumulative run atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart (in 27 weeks) during the 1970's. Rod Stewart and Elton John did rock and pop songs throughout the 1970's and beyond. Back in the early 1970's, sentimental songs dominated the pop world like The Jackson Five's I Want You Back and The Beatles Let It Be. ABC from The Jackson 5 dominated everywhere. We know about the Venus song from Shocking Blue and Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head done by B.J. Thomas. Diana Ross's solo career took off by this time too. Carly Simon with You're so Vain was a song about romance. Bad Bad Leroy Brown was a song by Jim Croce. Top of the World was a song by The Carpenters who were known for showing soft rock ballads. Al Wilson's Show and Tell was one of his most vocally powerful records in 1974. By the mid 1970's, disco dominated music along with other genres with songs like Shining Star by Earth, Wind, and Fire, etc. David Bowe did experimental music with the song Fame. He was from the United Kingdom and was serious about the display of music, about symbolism in his music, and he married the famous model and activist Iman. The end of the 1970s saw contemporary music seeing the rise of new solo artists like Michael Jackson, Prince, etc. By 1977, Barbara Streisand had the song of Love Theme From a Star is Born (Evergreen). Pop icons like ABBA and others were on the scene. Johnny Mathis, Denice Williams, Olivia Newton-John, Robert Homles, M, Herb Alpert, and other people had tons of music shown. Donna Summer was a pop icon, a disco icon, and a musical icon in genre. By the end of 1979, the Commodores had the single of Still. The Commodores did R&B music, soul, and pop music.
By Timothy
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