The times ain't like they used to be, I know. Still, i read this in a relatively interesting article in the NY Times today, about new anti-war songs that seems to emerge:

"Music's modes of persuasion have also changed, from strum-and-sing to stomp-and-shout. Although there are still plenty of folky guitar-slingers who are writing topical songs — including relative youngsters like Stephan Smith and Dan Bern — it has been more than a generation since the coffeehouse singalong was close to the center of a pop mainstream. Now a song with a political message is more likely to reach a broad public if that message is slipped into a rhythm-and-blues or hip-hop song, eased along by a groove or blurted out over headbanging metal chords."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but these coffeehouse were marginals? I can believe there were two number #1 in the charts in the 60's with "Blowin' in the wind", but none of them were by Dylan. All the folks at Broadside, Sing Out! or at the Newport Festival (I mean, all the folk scene), while they were certainly the most interesting movement of the era, were not a mass movement?

I raise this question because there seems to be a nostalgia that tends to cause a distorsion of time. This kind of comment is relatively common, and it always makes me frown. I just wonder what were the #1 hits in those days?

Your thoughts?

Maybe reading the article could help: New Songs, Old Message: 'No War'
(registration required, I could cut and paste if it is allowed)

SP