Hair is historically, one of the most controversial musicals to date. The script and soundtrack masterfully encompasses the issues, controversies and emotions during the era in which the musical is set. A time of individualism and protest, Hair opens the door for discussion and awareness. There are so many elements that were highly disputed when the musical first opened that are still relevant today. Almost 48 years later and we, as Americans, are still struggling with thing like racism, sexuality and drug use.
One of the central themes of Hair is acceptance, including sexuality. Just this past year, marriage equality is now recognized in all 50 states. Our founding fathers set out to create a country where, “all men are created equal,” and we are just now starting to live up to those famous words. Even the moments of brief nudity are meant to recognize the beauty and variety seen in the human body. The bare-all time …show more content…
One news source contested that the Golden Globes award show did not show enough diversity among nominees and winners. Personally, I believe that those who search for racism in things like award shows are the real racists. Hair challenges these ideas through satire. In songs like “Colored Spade” Darius Nichols sings, “I'm a colored spade. A nigger, a black nigger, a jungle bunny, Jigaboo coon, pick-a-ninny mau mau, Uncle Tom, Aunt Jemima, Little Black Sambo. Cotton pickin' swamp guinea, junk man, Shoeshine boy.” These lyrics are incredibly impactful because he is simultaneously identifying and breaking these hurtful, loaded words. Through singing them, Darius is deconstructing them and attempting to remove the negative connotations and fight them. As an English Linguistics minor, I understand that words are completely arbitrary. Their meaning is defined and perpetuated by those who use them in that way. As a human being, I understand that words can be so much more than
One of the central themes of Hair is acceptance, including sexuality. Just this past year, marriage equality is now recognized in all 50 states. Our founding fathers set out to create a country where, “all men are created equal,” and we are just now starting to live up to those famous words. Even the moments of brief nudity are meant to recognize the beauty and variety seen in the human body. The bare-all time …show more content…
One news source contested that the Golden Globes award show did not show enough diversity among nominees and winners. Personally, I believe that those who search for racism in things like award shows are the real racists. Hair challenges these ideas through satire. In songs like “Colored Spade” Darius Nichols sings, “I'm a colored spade. A nigger, a black nigger, a jungle bunny, Jigaboo coon, pick-a-ninny mau mau, Uncle Tom, Aunt Jemima, Little Black Sambo. Cotton pickin' swamp guinea, junk man, Shoeshine boy.” These lyrics are incredibly impactful because he is simultaneously identifying and breaking these hurtful, loaded words. Through singing them, Darius is deconstructing them and attempting to remove the negative connotations and fight them. As an English Linguistics minor, I understand that words are completely arbitrary. Their meaning is defined and perpetuated by those who use them in that way. As a human being, I understand that words can be so much more than