I Wanna Be Your Man - pop songs as weapons for the rebellious teens
Article by Robert Furnell
Today, if teenagers want to distance themselves from irritating parents, they can use their own hi-fi, TV, computer, mobile phone and/or personal stereo, with or without headphones, together with an "out of reach" attitude, to achieve the desired effect. These methods filter out all but the most urgent of parental messages.
But back in the early fifties, that kind of technology just wasn't there. Teenage self-assertion and rebellion was limited to walking out and slamming doors. Often that found you outside in the rain with no coat. There was the record player if you had one, but you were not going to make your point by storming off to your room and blasting out "Teddy Bears Picnic".
By '56, there was rock and roll, but most of the songs, although loud, were uplifting, jolly affairs on the whole. There was nothing to play up loud that had a hint of threat or danger.
Until 1963. The Rolling Stone's version of "I Wanna Be Your Man" was just what you wanted: rowdy, untidy guitars, aggressive and tuneless vocals and a jarring, distorted lead break. The Rolling Stones themselves, by 1964, had become the symbol of anarchy and rebellion with their long hair, disreputable behaviour and a growing repertoire of intimidating music.
Teenagers wanted their own music and culture. But Mums were beginning to "quite like" the Beatles, and they adored Gerry (of the Pacemakers) and Freddie (of the Dreamers)! Dads were abandoning the greasy Brylcreem hairdressing and having doubts about "short back and sides". Parents were becoming immune to the Stones. They still pulled faces at the music, but were dismissing them as theatrical. It really looked as if the game was up.
The secret of defeating the adults lay in exploiting their weaknesses, and they had two: the need for a conventional melody and a cheery chorus with which they could join in. And Bob Dylan, together with Jimi Hendrix, supplied the answer: harsh drones with indecipherable lyrics. Parents were never caught humming along to Subterranean Homesick Blues, or joining in with Purple Haze. "Maggie comes fleet foot, face full of black soot, talking bout the heat, put plants in the...." ?........... "Purple haze, all in my brain" ?............. What's all that about, Doris? Don't know, Sid!
After '68, the parents still kept in touch with the lighter side of pop through Simon and Garfunkel, Neil Diamond, the Elvis revival and so on. But the teens who sought alienation were in orbit with The Doors, Captain Beefheart, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and Janis Joplin. Whenever pop music has been in trouble there have always been rebels to the rescue: Johnny Rotten, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Fall, Nick Cave, Diamanda Galas, etc.
Throughout most of the twentieth century, people continued the time-honoured tradition of defining themselves and others through fashion, particularly if they were young. It had always been de rigueur for teenagers to want to establish their personal identity and individuality and the normal way to do that was through music, clothes, hairstyle, speech patterns, and controversial opinion. But the modern, savvy, articulate parent was not going to be phased by strange trousers and retorts of the "You guys are just too uncool, man!" variety. For the cornered teen, only music could turn the tables.