Whitey On The Moon By Gil Scott Heron Analysis

Introduction

Music has always been a way for communities to come together either with small tribes or giant temples. It is not only a way to come together as a society but it also controls society. “If you want to measure the spiritual depth of society, make sure to mark its music,” (Plato) and this is true because music, just like religion, can be highly influential in effecting society. Music has been a major expression of cultures back to when humans started to populate the world. Musical instruments have been found in different parts of the world and some being 4000 years old. In modern society the use of music to influence society can been seen throughout the years but especially around the 1960‘s with the Civil Rights Movement

Gil Scott-Heron, poet and writer of this piece discussed the growing amount of people in poverty and how the government were willing to spend money on sending men to the moon, which they have already done previously, instead of fixing some major problems throughout the country. Some of the lyrics that prove this are “Taxes takin’ my whole damn check,” “the price of food is goin’ up” “that man jus’ upped my rest las’ night,” “but Whitey’s on the moon.” The problems started at the end of World War 2 with the start of the Cold War and the U.S. starting to spend money in programs to stay with or ahead of the Soviet Union, which at the time was becoming a very advanced country in World Powers. With the success of the Soviet’s satellite, Sputnik-1 caused alarm as the Office of the Historian states, “the fact that the Soviets were successful fed fears that the U.S. Military had generally fallen behind in developing new technology.”(History) That caused a push from the government to raise education and become the first to reach the moon, which many speculate to be used as a military base and used to attack enemies at any moment. At first the space race there was a giant support from the country due to the hopeful advancement and success

I do believe that. I think religion stops people from thinking. I think it justified crazies,” (Maher) is a quote by Bill Maher, comedian, makes a great point and helps me lead into the next song “Faye Tucker” by Indigo Girls. The song was written by the singer Amy Ray in Indigo Girls and in it, it discusses Karla Faye Tucker case about a murderess being put to death. The murder, Karla, and the first one to be executed since before the civil war. She was convicted in 1984 for killing her ex-lover and his companion, according to clarkprosecutor “she put a pick axe to Dean’s head and Dean began begging for his life. Tucker struck him with the pickaxe 28 ties, and expressed that every time she struck Dean she received sexual gratification,” “Deborah Thorton, Dean’s lover, was hiding under some sheets in the bedroom and because the lights were on and Dean had said Deborah’s name several times, Tucker and Garret, helped her kill the two, to kill her as well.”(Clarkprosecutor) Instead of a normal sentence and execution the media went into a frenzy after she started to claim she was a changed person due to the power of God. She had celebrities like Newt Gingrich and Pat Robertson that fought for an appeal but they were denied, even at the time “Gov. George W. Bush refused to grant Tucker a one-time temporary reprieve,” saying “ like many touched by this case, I have sought guidance through prayer. I have