THE HIPPIE MOVEMENT

What comes on your mind when you see those pictures ?!

What do you know

about hippies ?

The 1960’s hippie counter culture movement involved a variety of social concerns and beliefs. The hippies’ primary tenet was that life was about being happy, not about what others thought you should be. Their “if it feels good, do it” attitudes included little forethought nor concern for the consequences of their actions. Hippies were dissatisfied with what their parents had built for them, a rather strange belief given that their parents had built the greatest booming economy the world had ever seen.

Against war ! Hippies rejected middle class values,

opposed nuclear weapons and the Vietnam War. They embraced aspects of eastern philosophy and sought to find new meaning in life.

Anti-war

Counter-culture Hippies participated in alternative arts

and street theater and listened to folk music and psychedelic rock as part of their anti-establishment lifestyle. They opposed political and social violence and promoted a gentle ideology that focused on peace, love, and personal freedom. Some hippies lived in communes or aggregated communities of other hippies. Some described the 1960’s hippies movement as a religious movement.

Anti-establishment lifestyle

Hippies were often vegetarian and believed in eco

friendly environmental

practices.

The psychedelic dream Hippies created their own counter culture

founded on psychedelic rock and the embracement of the sexual revolution. Drugs such as marijuana and LSD were tightly integrated into their culture as a means to explore altered states of consciousness. Contrary to what many believe, hippies tended to avoid harder drugs such as heroin and amphetamines because they considered them harmful or addictive.

Dress freedom Hippie dress, which they believed was part of the

statement of who you were, included brightly colored, ragged clothes, tie-dyed t-shirts, beads, sandals (or barefoot), and jewelry, all of which served to differentiate them from the “straight” or “square” mainstream segments of society. Their aversion to commercialism also influenced their style of dress. Much of their clothing was often purchased at flea markets or second hand shops.

Hippie men wore their hair long and typically wore beards and mustaches while the women wore little or no makeup and often went braless (occasionally shirtless).

Travelings It has been estimated that 100,000

people travelled to San Francisco during the summer of 1967. The media followed the movement of the hippies casting a spotlight on the Haight-Ashbury district where many of the psychedelic bands lived and played. In the hippies’ eyes, they had become freaks and little more than a sideshow for the amusement of visiting tourists. Many began to flee Haight in search of calmer, more remote settings.

Hippie Music:  Songs With A Message

Hippies use music to express themselves emotionally, spiritually, and politically. Music can make a statement, give voice to a movement, even unite us. As hippies explore their inner world, music guides them along in their quest for meaning. Without drugs it can get you high. With drugs, well, let's just say, music can be a religious experience. The early sixties saw music becoming more than just entertainment. It was now music with a message. And the messages our poets sang helped us identify with important issues and events that concerned us all. They spurred us to action. These songs had an impact on the consciousness of not just hippies but all society. Some of these songs also broke new ground musically. One way or another they hit us deeply, made us think, made us dream, made us feel as one people. 

The beatles When the Beatles came to America in 1964 it really was

an invasion of new music, style and attitude. They not only turned the music world upside down with their electric guitars, their happy harmonies, long hair and mod fashions, but suddenly music was fun like it hadn't been since Elvis. We boomers couldn't get enough of them, as Beatlemania swept the country.

With fame and fortune theirs, they realized they could do anything, and decided to experiment with new sounds, new electronic techniques, and new drugs. What followed was the most innovative music the world had ever seen. The Beatles got serious about their music and the messages it conveyed. After all they are the biggest band ever and their influence was worldwide. 

The doors Jim Morrison still lives on as a rock icon.

His sensuous voice, defiant attitude and iconoclastic lyrics along with Ray Manzarek's great keyboard work propelled the Doors to the top of the charts. Jim defied the authorities, pushing the envelope especially during his live performances. A passionate poet, he touched those most sensitive areas of our collective psyche. 

Bob Dylan In the early 60's Bob Dylan transformed

folk music into protest music with tunes like "Blowin' in the Wind" and "The Times They Are A-Changin'". These songs influenced a whole generation and just about everyone who calls himself a musician. Bob the poet reminds us that words and music can be a potent force. No can be unmoved by the urgency and power of his lyrics. Bob's continuing metamorphoses keep everyone guessing what he'll do next. 

Jimi Hendrix Jimi Hendrix was one of those rare talents that

appears once in a lifetime. Like a saint he walked among us to remind us that there are greater things than we can possibly understand. Through his music he let us hear and see these wondrous things. Whether in the studio, at Woodstock, Monterey, the Isle of Wight or the Fillmore, Jimi fed his heart and soul into his music. The result was music that could lift you so high you could "Kiss the Sky" or plunge you into a 'Manic Depression'. His influence on rock music was profound. Jimi's legend lives on now that some new releases are out.  

Janis Joplin No one sang the blues like Janis. She

could put more feeling into one song, than many people put into their whole lives. We feel your pain, Janis!  

Led zeppelin Led Zeppelin defined heavy metal music.

The hard rockin' blues of Robert Plant and Jimmy Page and their live concerts are the stuff of legends. Plant's extraordinary vocal range and Jimmy's mastery of the guitar are a great combination. Exotic influences permeate their sound sending us back in time to distant lands. If you get a chance check out their movie "The Song Remains the Same" to see their remarkable live performance. 

John Lennon John's legacy and his inspired songwriting

lives on in some new releases. Lennon's influence goes far beyond his music, as we've all been touched by his magic and spirit. 

The Rolling stones Since 1964, The Stones always seemed

to be the best music to play at a party. Their infectious tunes got everyone up and dancing. The lack of current hits hasn't hurt their popularity any. As long as Mick, Keith and Charlie can still stand I guess we'll have more to look forward to.  

Carlos Santana Carlos Santana and company managed to

define a whole genre back in the early '70s. His great performance at Woodstock made him a legend. And today he's back on the charts with a new hit. Their pioneering funky, latin, soul, rock sound is unmistakable. Carlos' mesmerizing lead guitar playing is your ticket to nirvana. It's nearly impossible to sit through this music. Dance, sister dance! 

The death of the hippie At the end of summer 1967, The Diggers declared the

“death” of the hippie movement and burned an effigy of a hippie in Golden Gate Park. The Haight-Ashbury scene had deteriorated dramatically. The Haight Ashbury district simply could not accommodate the influx of hundreds of thousands of hippies. Many hippies, some no older than teenagers, took to living on the street, panhandling, and drug dealing. Problems such as malnourishment, disease, and drug addiction grew prominent in the Haight community. Crime and violence in the area skyrocketed as homeless drug addicted hippies stole to survive and drug dealers moved in to control the drug trade. By the end of 1967, many of the hippies and musicians who initiated the Summer of Love moved on, leaving many misgivings about the hippie culture, particularly with regards to their drug abuse and lenient morality.

Woodstock ends the hippie era

The gap that existed between the hippies and mainstream society widened. In August 1969, 500,000 people attended the Woodstock Music and Art Fair in Bethel, New York. Bands at the event included Joan Baez, Janis Joplin, Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Carlos Santana, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, and Jimi Hendrix. The Wavy Gravy Hog Farm provided security for what was a mostly peaceful event. The mainstream public was treated to visuals of drug using hippies covered in mud and exhibiting bizarre behavior.

The modern hippie  Though 40 years have passed since the

original hippie culture first decided to rebel and fight convention, there are still strong threads running throughout today’s hippie scene.

Totally like my teenage cousin named Idriss El Kheiri who lives in Casablanca