Music of Moonchildren - Part 1: “For What It’s Worth”

Stop,
Children,
What's that sound?
everbody look what's going down...

For many, those words speak clearly to struggle and conflict of America in the 1960's.

Hello, and welcome to a new series of posts: "The Music of Moonchildren" where we will be posting information about songs that were influential in the 1960's and speak to the world of the play.

This classic song, "For What It's Worth (Stop, Hey What's That Sound)" by Buffalo Springfield originally appeared on the album "Buffalo Springfield" in 1967. According to http://www.songfacts.com/,

This was going to be about rookie soldiers who had been thrown to the front lines during the Vietnam War, but when Stephen Stills witnessed a Los Angeles Police Department overreaction to a protest on Sunset Strip, he changed the message of the song. It became a song about unrest among youth who have been subjected to police oppression in the name of law and order. (thanks, Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England)

Steve from Los Angeles, California, adds:

Stills had penned some lyrics on an envelope, and handed it to his manager, telling him he just wrote it "for what its worth" its about riots at Pandora's Box , a club on the Sunset Strip. The LAPD started arresting kids after 10 PM (curfew) and the hippies protested. [...]

Songfacts also provides the full lyrics and more information here.

Another website here, will let you listen to a sample of the song, and others.

Stay tuned for more Music of Moonchildren!