Open Letter to the Older Generation
1967 · Dunhill D-4112 · Hollywood, California
- Artist
- Dick Clark
- Title
- Open Letter to the Older Generation
- Release
- Open Letter to the Older Generation / The Fable of Fun Country
- Year
- 1967
- Label
- Dunhill # D-4112
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- Hollywood, California, USA
- Genre
- Spoken Word · Spoken Word
- Primary theme
- Peace, Protest & Anti-War
Annotation
The track "Open Letter to the Older Generation" (Dunhill Records # D-4112) was narrated by Dick Clark, a well known American television personality. He hosted the famous American Bandstand from 1956-1989, in which teenagers danced to a top 40 hit on television. (1) Perhaps this association to teenagers led him to releasing this answer to Lundberg's "An Open Letter to My Teenage Son". It does not express a pro or anti war stance, although is clearly a protest song. It calls on the older generation to show a greater understanding for the youth of America, and to stop knocking them, because they "do their thing quite well". The narration makes references to teen culture, drugs, the draftboard, and kids fighting in the army. Clark sarcastically notes "riots at the draftboard, blame it on the kids", while highlighting the importance of free speech in a democracy: "they are not afraid to protest, free speech begs they should".
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
Born 30 November 1929, Mount Vernon, New York, USA. Died 18 April 2012, Santa Monica, California, USA
Themes
In collections
Lundberg's "An Open Letter" & Answer Songs · Draft Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs