Elizabeth Quarles

4/2/16
Mr. Murphy
Gracyk vs Whole Lotta Love
Music is such a controversial issue. After reading Theodore Gracyks Romanticizing
Rock Music, it is simply unfair to to classify all Rock music as the music of rebellion.
Gracyk gives interesting insight into rock musicians and what he thinks Rock music is really
about. Stating that rock is the music of rebellion is such a broad statement, which makes it
hard to agree with. However, there are artists out there that just strive to be popular. Artists such
as Led Zeppelin can be put in that category in some ways. Comparing rock music to fine art is
like comparing apples to oranges. Rock is an art and Gracyk challenges that in his article
Romanticizing Rock Music. Led Zeppelin, ultimately goes against what most people would
consider rock music. He put his own spin on his lyrics and his rhythm, that it is hard to
compare him to what Gracyk is saying.
The song Whole Lotta Love became their first hit single, after selling one million
copies. What Gracyk is saying in his article generalizes rock artists as a whole. This song is a
great example to what Gracyk is saying rock music has turned into. He points out that the music
they compose mostly has a message about sex. It would be a lie by stating this is not true. This
song in particular is all about sex, including the name itself. Gracyk also blames rock artists for
their negative reputation. While it is unfortunate that this music is all about sex, money and fame,
most music in this era was. However, when people think of what they consider raunchy music,
rock and roll doesnt come to mind. What it comes down to is, in order to receive respect, you
must give respect. Which means, the music artists cant complain about their bad reputation if

they are being ill-mannered with their lyrics. Gracyk believes that rock and roll music shouldnt
be a special major for college students as Paglia believes. Gracyk even writes that rock and roll
music is not fine art, but rather modern urban folk music. (560).
This song really changes things for rock and roll in that time. The lyrics in this song
really show what Gracyk explains in his article. It is very repetitive and has an extremely catchy
rhythm to it. Wanna whole lotta love is repeated sixteen times throughout the song which is a
great example of what Gracyk was saying that there isnt much thought into writing these songs.
The rest of the lyrics are pretty explicit in explaining that he wants to love her. As Gracyk writes
about how rock artists form their music around being popular and catching the ear of their
audience, Led Zeppelin sings the same line numerous times. Anybody can write a verse over and
over again to attract a certain audience.
When Gracyk starts sharing his thoughts on what Camille Paglia, he seems to not agree
with what her thoughts on rock and roll should be like. She contends that it is time to accept
rock musicians as legitimate artists and to treat rock as we treat other arts, supporting it directly
with government subsidies and private grants and indirectly through special college
scholarships. (560). She has a more positive view on the whole situation versus Theodore
Gracyk. Stating the rock is the music of rebellion is sucha broad statement. It certainly is true
for some artists and music groups, but not all. Many people believe there should be a place for
rock artists to express their talent and go into life doing what they love to do. It should be
determined on whether certain people dont like that genre of music. However, this is not to say
that just anyone should get this opportunity simply because they believe they are talented. A
person should not be able to get this opportunity just because they can be a jerk through music.
They should have to work hard for it and deeply mean something to them. Though, as Paglia

points out, managers in the business may offer all the things that can destroy someones image, it
is the responsibility of the individual artists of whether to take those risks or not.
Music can be interpreted in many different ways and is still a controversial issue to this
day. Rock artists vary in whether their passion is real or whether their passion is just for making
their music popular. After reading this article, it is almost impossible to sway to one side or the
other. Rock and Roll music can be perceived as both sides of these opinions and is not just one
style. All genres of music should be judged equally and individually by each artists that writes
their own song. Music means so much to so many people around the world that people cant
expect that their judgements on artists music mean anything to them. If someone doesnt enjoy a
type of music, they have the choice to listen or not to listen to it.

Works Cited

Gracyk, Theodore A. Romanticizing Rock Music. Writing in the Disciplines. Ed. Mary
Lynch Kennedy and William J. Kennedy. 6th edition. Upper Saddle River, New
Jersey: Pearson Education, 2008. 559-70. Print.

Led Zeppelin. Stairway to Heaven. Led Zeppelin IV. Island Studios, 1971. Vinyl.