In my previous post My Generation Looking Back I recounted some of the tumultuous events of the 1960s. For the baby boomers, Bob Dylan fittingly gave us the songs The Times They Are a-Changing and Blowin’ In The Wind. Both these songs united us with a purpose. The prevailing anti-establishment angst of the young people, the Vietnam War, flower power, peace and freedom were our central issues.

The 1960s…

The 1960s Tumultuous Times

My Generation…

The other immortal song from those times was The Who‘s My Generation, written by its guitarist and song-writer Pete Townshend. Although it wasn’t intended as a anti-establishment song by the young, it reflected concerns for the impending constraints of adult life and about trying to find a rightful place in society.

Critics have pointed out that the most striking element of the song are “the lyrics, considered one of the most distilled statements of youthful rebellion in rock history”. And if you are reading/listening to the My Generation song’s lyrics and belong to Gen X or Gen Y, see if you can find common grounds with us, the baby boomers.

People try to put us d-down (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Just because we get around (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I hope I die before I get old (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)

This is my generation
This is my generation, baby

Why don’t you all f-fade away (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
And don’t try to dig what we all s-s-say (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I’m not trying to cause a big s-s-sensation (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I’m just talkin’ ’bout my g-g-g-generation (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)

This is my generation
This is my generation, baby

Why don’t you all f-fade away (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
And don’t try to d-dig what we all s-s-say (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I’m not trying to cause a b-big s-s-sensation (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I’m just talkin’ ’bout my g-g-generation (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)

This is my generation
This is my generation, baby

People try to put us d-down (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Just because we g-g-get around (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Yeah, I hope I die before I get old (Talkin’ ’bout my generation)

This is my generation
This is my generation

Let’s build a bridge to great intergenerational understanding across all generations.