Why English? The cultural legacy
At the same time, other commentators have drawn attention to the way popular music in the English language has had a profound and positive impact on the nature of modern popular culture in general. As the lyrics (as distinct from the tunes) of Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, John Lennon, Joan Baez and others spread around the world, during the 1960s and 1970s, English for the younger generation in many countries became a symbol of freedom, rebellion and modernism. The social, political, and spiritual messages carried by the words (such as ‘We Shall Overcome') resounded at gatherings in many countries, providing experience many people with a first - and often highly charged – experience of the unifying power of English in action. And the language of the has continued to play this role, being the medium of such international projects as ‘Live Aid’.