by Elizabeth Millar
On November 9, 1989 the Berlin Wall fell—uniting East and West Germany. This iconic moment was televised as the nation watched on. Even though I was a mere child when the wall fell, I always relate it to music. Perhaps that’s because I can still hear MTV’s Kurt Loder reporting on the event in his “Week in Rock” segment. (I’m not sure if he really did, in fact I’ve searched the web to see if my memory serves me right, and I’m not sure, but I digress…let’s talk about some music.) Nothing seems to rally up the masses like a good rock song with a solid chorus and gnarly political message. The year that the Berlin Wall fell, there was a certain song that seemed to be constantly playing on the airwaves.
In 1989, Neil Young released “Rockin’ in the Free World” in his album, Freedom. The song was basically about how displeased he was with the Republican administration at the time, particularly George H. W. Bush. As with many great sounding rock songs with deep meaning, only the chorus is heard by the general public, and “Rockin’ in the Free World” soon became the “de facto anthem” for the fall of the Berlin Wall that year same year. What’s that, you’re too young to remember the fall of the Berlin Wall? Wait, you don’t know how great Neil Young is? Ok, whippersnapper, you might have heard “Rockin’ in the Free World” covered by Pearl Jam—they often play it at their live shows. It’s on a few of their “bootleg series” live albums out there. If you still don’t know what I’m talking about, check out the music video on YouTube.
Seriously, it’s great, right?
This is something that I just learned, thanks to Pop Culture Universe: did you know that only a few days after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Nirvana played various sold out gigs in Berlin? They were pretty new and unknown back in 1989, so I thought that bit of information was pretty cool.
For those of you that are really too young to have first-hand memories of the fall of the Berlin Wall or would just like more background, ABC-CLIO has put together a collection of free resources to explore this event in the latest installment of History and the Headlines. Click here to access this free resource site—check out essays, audio clips, images, and reference entries to get you on your way to understanding the history that lead up to the wall peacefully coming down in 1989.
What is your most prominent memory of the fall of the Berlin Wall? Did you watch it on TV? Did you hear about it on the radio? Do you have a piece of it on your bookshelf? Leave a comment—let’s start a conversation!
by Bob Batchelor
Ray Browne, who died at his home last weekend at age 87, did more than study and teach popular culture, he served as an embodiment of its ideals and a driving force behind its creation. His personal story is one of humble beginnings, overcoming a poor childhood in rural Alabama, and ultimately carving out a piece of the American Dream as an internationally-recognized writer and scholar.
Given that it is virtually impossible to escape popular culture’s reach in today’s world, it’s hard to imagine that Ray had to fight to get the topic accepted in academic circles. Out of this effort, Ray and a close band of like-minded colleagues founded the Popular Culture Association (PCA) and the American Culture Association (ACA), which serve as the intellectual home for untold scholars devoted to exploring popular culture in all its guises. One of the thoughts members of the PCA/ACA most often express is the friendliness and welcoming nature of these organizations. When one joins the PCA/ACA, there is a sense of entering a family. This culture is a direct reflection of Ray’s leadership, and may ultimately serve as his most lasting legacy.
On a personal note, Ray served as a mentor for me and countless others. I still remember my anxiety in meeting him for the first time, since this was “THE Ray Browne.” Yet he could not have been more kind. Unlike many senior scholars in other fields, Ray reached out to younger scholars, offering publishing opportunities and priceless counsel. I owe much of my philosophical thinking and writing to his influence.
One of the last projects I worked with Ray on was when he graciously agreed to write the foreword for the four-volume collection I edited: American Pop: Popular Culture Decade by Decade (2009). In it, Ray presented a lyrical definition of popular culture that I treasure: “Similar to a growing garden, culture is the gatherings of community beliefs and behaviors, which depends on its roots for sustenance. As the plants grow both individually and collectively, they develop and influence the surrounding societies.” It will be difficult for a scholar to more beautifully or succinctly analyze American popular culture in the 21st century.
Editor’s note: Ray Browne was the series editor of the American Pop Culture through History series by Greenwood Press, and the author of the Civil War and Reconstruction book in that series (see cover above). Those of us that take pop culture seriously owe him a debt of gratitude for his pioneering work in the field. R.I.P.
by Elizabeth Millar
October 2nd, Ruben Fleischer’s Zombieland premiers in theatres around the country. I can’t tell you how excited I am for a new zombie flick, and it’s right in time for Halloween! Zombieland is being described as an American post-apocalyptic, zombie comedy—bring it on! I wouldn’t say that I’m obsessed with zombies, but I pretty much [...]