American

and

Culture

History of Youth Culture

Part 1

1950s to early the 1960s The presentation will examine both Britain

and America after World War II, and the rise of a new form of culture that we now call, ‘Youth Culture’.

We will look at how the 2 countries heavily influenced each other during this time through the cross-cultural mixing of music, fashion, movies, literature and political activism.

Rebuilding Europe After WWII The Marshall Plan was a financial aid

program, developed by the USA to help rebuild Europe after WWII. The UK which had been bombed heavily, and suffered financially got a large amount of money from the USA to rebuild the country.

Food was still being rationed in the UK well into the 1950s, and recovery was slow. They looked at the USA as the rich relative who had prospered economically after the war.

Mass Culture & The Teenager By the end of the 1950s, the American way of

life had become key to the aspirations of the British public, in terms of both culture and material goods.

During the 1950s young Americans gained both in number and economic power and so had a big influence over popular culture. Movies, music, magazines, and clothes. This all reflected teenage interests that were separate from their parents. The ‘teenager’ became an independent economic group.

Movies – Teen Movies In 1955 the movie Blackboard Jungle was released. Based on a novel, it was the story of delinquent teenagers in a school.

The movie is famous for spreading the Rock ‘n’ Roll revolution, as the song Rock Around The Clock by Bill Haley and the Comets played during the opening credits.

Movies – Young Rebel Cinema

‘Rebel Without A Cause’ was released in 1955, starring James Dean. Based on a 1944 book about teenage angst and delinquency by Robert M. Lindner.

‘The Wild One’ was the 1953 movie starring Marlon Brando, based on the short story, The Cyclists' Raid by Frank Rooney published in 1951.

Music – Rock ‘n’ Roll

White suburban America was afraid of the ‘primitive tribal beats’, whose roots originated in rhythm and blues of black America. It was banned from radio, records smashed, church leaders called it the “Devil’s Music”.

The Americanization of the UK In the 1950s in

Britain could be seen American entertainment, with movies and music. British youth found their identity, hanging out in ‘coffee bars’.

A new style emerged that was a mixture of both British and American culture.

Fashion – The American Teen Most American teens were not rebels known

as ‘greasers’, they dressed conservatively.

Fashion – The British Teen Many British teens embraced new styles of

fashion, most famously was the Teddy Boy.

Subcultures – The Teddy Boys See video link on suwon.weebly.com for this

documentary video.

Subcultures – The Beatniks An American subculture, based on

the Beat writers. They listened to jazz music, were usually educated and well read. Notably they were politically aware, and usually left-wing in their beliefs.

The Beat culture also moved over to the UK and was central in the anti-nuclear movement led by CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) which still exists.

Language – Teen Slang Slang is a way in which young people can

identify themselves and each other. The use of slang places the user in a group, and distances them from other members of society. In the case of ‘youth slang’, it separates world of young people from the adult world. Sometimes the slang becomes almost like a form of coded secret language young people can use around adults without them understanding. Many youth slang becomes common language over time.

Examples of 1950s-60s Slang Cool – ‘Really good’, is still used today. (Also ‘Groovy’,

‘Far out’ or ‘Outta Sight’… Followed by ‘man’ or ‘dude’.) Square – (or Squaresville) ‘Not cool’. (Also ‘Cube’.) Flick – ‘Movie’, also sometimes used today. Nerd – A word still used. Now it’s ‘cool’ to be a ‘nerd’. Kookie – Weird, or a bit crazy. Split – (or ‘Cut-out’) To leave a place. Rap – ‘To talk’, now refers to a style of music. Fag – Cigarette, as in ‘bum a fag’. Borrow a cigarette.

(In the USA ‘fag’ means a homosexual.)

The British Music Invasion Young Brits listened to American music. Much

of the music was black music, that wasn’t listened to by most American teens. British bands influenced by this music created a new kind of music, much of it based in the city of Liverpool. The biggest band of the time was The Beatles. What was known as ‘Beatlemania’ spread to the USA. Which allowed them and many other UK bands to tour America. Bringing music of American origin back to them for the ‘first time’!!!

The Beatles

The Beatles first went to America in 1964. They soon became the biggest band in the world. Their influence can be seen to this day, and they are considered to be the greatest rock band in the history of modern music.

What Next? Next we will watch the first part of the BBC

documentary series ‘How The Brits Rocked America’, which looks at the British Invasion of the early 1960s.

Next Week... We will look at British and American youth culture from the mid-1960s and into the 1970s.