From its roots in the black and white "under classes" through its clash with the broader culture to its multifaceted incarnation today, rock and roll has fostered and reflected a genuine cultural revolution which has gone on to influence the world. This critical text investigates rock music from a philosophical perspective, an approach rarely seen in the literature. Topics covered include a definition of rock music and a suggested typology; an examination of rock on radio and in television and film; and a depiction of what is to come. Of particular interest is how rock's shifting mores have mirrored the complex changes experienced by American society as it has undergone almost continuous turbulence.

What does it all mean, this thing called arock and rolla? This is different from asking what happened, and who did what. A lot books have dealt with these questions. The meaning of rock music in American Culture is another matter entirely. From its roots in the black and white aunder-classes, a through its clash with the established culture and the inevitable backlash, to its multi-faceted incarnation today, rock and roll has both fostered and reflected a genuine cultural revolution which has gone on to influence the world. Looking at this phenomenon is what distinguishes You Say You Want a Revolution from all the others. Specifically, during the brief history of rock music, American culture has undergone a period of continuous turbulence, with the fundamental values pertaining to race, sex, work and authority undergoing challenge and change. You Say You Want a Revolution examines the interplay in this period between the larger American culture and this musical phenomenon that has become so much a part of it. One Reviewer notes: aThis is one of the most accurate and significant books ever written describing the impact of rock 'n' roll as a cultural form that worked to transform American culture.a [Richard Koenigsberg, Ph. D. New York]