As I recall, the hippie movement was going to bring peace and love and all things good to us. Wiping out war and greed and racism and sexism (and anything else that ended in"ism"). We would all work toward the greater good and so forth.

They did a great friggin' job, didn't they?

A song won't change the world. It WILL make whining more palatable, however, if it has a good beat.
Lord, I'm cynical. Sorry.

I think it could do this in 60's or 70's but the world has
dramatically changed these days. I don't think it can change the
world anymore.

I think you are on to something... We are supposed to gain wisdom with age, and part of that wisdom is related to knowing the difference between utopia and reality. Can a song change the world? In a word: no. I always find it killingly funny when musicians (or "artists") think that because they can make good money entertaining people, that those same people demand or even want their political views. One can be incredibly artistic and musically gifted, and at the same time be about as dumb as a post. Artistry and intelligence are not joined at the hip, contrary to what most successful artists believe. I could care less what the lead singer of Korn, or Rage Against the Machine, or U2 thinks about rain forests, peace in Darfur, or the evils of Bush, yada yada yada... I think those that push their views through their music do so either because of strong convictions (right or wrongly held) or a preening self-important ego. I'd prefer they shut up and play their guitar, to quote Zappa! Sorry for the rant, but politics and music mixing are pet peeves of mine.

Kinda with ya bro, but I recall times when the politicians have had no problem at all telling us what we should think about certain musics. Gotta let it be a 2-way street.

(I'm STRIVING to not get into a political rant. Let's not!)

Heard about Tom Leherer? He had a few thought on that already in the 60ies:

Folksong Army (google for the rest of the text)

We are the Folk Song Army
Everyone of us cares
We all hate poverty, war and injustice
Unlike the rest of you squares

(---)

Remember the war against Franco
That's the kind where each of us belongs
Though he may have won all the battles
We had all the good songs

So join in the Folk Song Army
Guitars are the weapons we bring
To the fight against poverty, war, and injustice
Ready, aim, sing


LOL!

M.

Songs certainly have their influence - to various degrees. A national anthem or song of independence can be a powerful and moving thing. But a magical song to move the entire world cannot exist only because what moves an individual is purely a subjective thing. What moves one, may not move another. Nations & peoples have been profoundly affected by a song throughout history though. I would not go so far as to say that the song (in of itself) caused the change though. Rather it is a reflection of the desired change.