The Flower Power Artists And Their Lyrics Inspired A Generation
The Flower Power era was born out of a generation’s need to have their voices heard and to deliver those messages to the world. The words that led, inspired and symbolized the movement were particularly powerful when transformed into lyrics. We took a look at the songs by our Flower Power Cruise artists and continue to be in awe of how they helped carry the spirit of love, equality and peace to people everywhere.
Herman's Hermits (starring Peter Noone) crafted breezy love songs that captured the euphoria of love and romance in the late 1960s and early 1970s. “There’s a Kind of Hush” sweetly sighed, “There's a kind of hush all over the world tonight, All over the world people just like us are fallin' in love,” and an entire generation swooned.
The Hollies recorded their version of ”He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” with lyrics that spoke of the universal responsibility the Flower Power Generation felt for one another.
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
If I'm laden at all
I'm laden with sadness
That everyone's heart
Isn't filled with the gladness
Of love for one another
The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie selected “Eve of Destruction,” a song that boldly asks what was on the minds of so many, “Don’t you understand what I’m trying to say…and can’t you feel the fears that I’m feeling today?”
Felix Cavaliere's Rascals sang of love in tumultuous times with “How Can I Be Sure.”
How can I be sure in a world that's constantly changing?
How can I be sure where I stand with you?
And in “People Got To Be Free,” they asked:You should see
What a lovely, lovely world this'd be
Everyone learned to live together, ah hah
Seems to me
Such an itty bitty thing should be
Why can't you and me learn to love one another?
The Guess Who rocked the powerful lyrics of “Share The Land:”
You know I'll be standin' by
(Share the land) to help you if you're worried
(Shake your hand) no more sadness, no more sorrow
(Share the land) and no more bad times
(Shake your hand) every day comin' sunshine
(Share the land) every day everybody laughin'
(Shake your hand) walkin' together by the river
(Share the land) walkin' together and laughin'
(Shake your hand) everybody singin' together
(Share the land) everybody singin' and laughin'
(Shake your hand) good times, good times
(Share the land) everybody walkin' by the river now
(Shake your hand) walkin', singin', talkin'
(Share the land) smilin', laughin', diggin' each other
The Grass Roots and their hit, “Walking Through The Country,” reflected the drive to embrace nature as a salve for our bodies and our souls.
Groovy day,
A sunny day,
Walking through the country.Just a breeze,
And I feel at ease,
Walkin' through the country.Blades of grass,
Playin' with my feet,
And there's nothing so sweet,
As the way you treat me.
The Association declared “Enter The Young” to the world:
Enter the young, yeah
Yeah, they've learned how to think
Enter the young, yeah
More than you think they think
Not only learned to think, but to care
Not only learned to think, but to dare
The Family Stone recorded so many songs that will forever remain icons of the Flower Power era. But it’s their “Everyday People” that struck a chord with most.
I am no better and neither are you
We are the same whatever we do
You love me you hate me you know me and then
You can't figure out the bag I'm in
I am everyday people, yeah yeah
When Peter Asher recorded “Exodus,” it echoed many of sentiments of the era.
And when the morning sun
Reveals her hills and plains
Then I see a land
Where children can run free
Canned Heat urged “Let’s Work Together,” singing:
Together we stand, divided we fall
Come on now people, let's get on the ball and work together
Come on, come on let's work together, now now people
The Buckinghams were optimistic and hopeful for a better future in “It’s A Beautiful Day.”
Shadows are gone
'Cause I've reached the dawn
The birds with their songs
Are flying with me
The Cowsills sang one of the most symbolic songs of the Flower Power Era, “The Rain, the Park & Other Things,” known to most as “The Flower Girl” song:
I love the flower girl
Was she reality or just a dream to me?
I love the flower girl
Her love showed me the way to find a sunny day
Even Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels took on a tone of defiance in his song, “Breakout.”
Aw hey, I'm sick and tired of everybody just pushin' us around
Yeah, treatin' us like we're nothin and always puttin' us down
Micky Dolenz was best known for his perfect pop songs with The Monkees, but the group were well aware of the changes swirling around them. In their film, “Head,” the band performed “Circle Sky” in front of fervent teenage fans while harrowing footage of the Vietnam War flashed on the screen intermittently.
And while much of the Flower Power Era movement urged civil rights change and called an end to the Vietnam War, Mark Lindsay decried another kind of injustice within our borders when he recorded “Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian),” written about the Trail of Tears forced relocation of Native Americans in the 1800s.
Cherokee people, Cherokee tribe
So proud to live, so proud to die
They took the whole Indian nation
Locked us on this reservation
We’re incredibly proud and honored to host these talented artists that reflected the sign of the times and continue to inspire messages of peace, love and tolerance.