n to ask: Who is willing to try and save a world that is destined to die?, yet goes on to say live life for the childrenlets save the children (Gaye). So, even in the midst of great despair, Gaye, and other artist of his genre, did believe in the possibility of change. "Ball of Confusion," debuting in 1970, gave the Temptation's take on the societal ills plaguing their times. It explored the white migration to the suburbs, urban riots, politicians, etc., as it expressed the sense of turmoil experienced during that time which seemed to all come together in a "Ball of Confusion." The lyrics state that "the only person talking about love my brother is the preacherthe only person interested in learning is the teacher"(Temptations). These lines express a theme of love and education as the cure to society's problems. In a deeper sense, it says that people should focus on solutions, not the problems which create despair. In the spirit of this solution-based songwriting, a strong, no-holds-barred message to youth about the importance of getting an education was given voice in October of 1966. James Brown's "Don't Be a Drop Out" is a story of a drop out who compares himself to friends who continued their education. The song says, "they kept on pushing when the going got tough, and now they know that things don't seem so rough"(Brown). James Brown knew the importance of this first hand having no formal education. He implemented a program that encouraged kids to stay in school and gave scholarships for those that wanted to go to college. Brown also worked to improve the quality of education in urban areas. He later releases two anti-drug songs, "King Heroin" and "Public Enemy No. 1." He had realized the devastation that drugs brought to the black community and the songs were used as the tool to educate blacks about their danger. James had become a role model for black youth not only through his music but through his commitment to the black communi...
