Stasis Theory of "For What It's Worth"

Finding stasis theory in songs can be difficult as most songs are not written from a “problem, solution” viewpoint. It’s clear that the problem being addressed in “For What It’s Worth” is that of the war in Vietnam; or rather that there should be a lack of war in Vietnam.  The solution provided is more vague,  and generally open to interpretation. Clearly the war does exist, so it becomes more of a question of why it exists.  Buffalo Springfield doesn’t offer much on this subject in their song, however they do explain why the war is bad thing.  The line “Paranoia strikes deep/Into your life it will creep” tells the audience that the war will only dig into their lives and make them afraid. The solution offered to end the war is told through these lines, “It’s time we stop/…/Everybody look – what’s going down?”  Buffalo Springfield is telling people that they have to stop and look at what’s going on around them before doing more damage. Before anything can be fixed, people must recognize that what they’re doing is wrong. 

-Christina Atchison

Pathos of the Photograph of the Woolworth Sit-In

Regardless of the audience, this picture evoked many strong emotions. If the audience does not believe that black people deserve equal rights, they would feel angered at the actions of these men. They might also feel that the police should get involved to prevent similar protests. However, if the audience agrees that blacks should be equal, they would be proud of the four men refusing to follow the store’s regulations. They could also be incited to help out with the movement. The passive look on the faces of the men shows their quiet determination, and encourages the audience to protest nonviolently. The men at the counter were all freshmen in college, so the picture evoked feelings in the younger population. Evoking strong emotions in the audience, this photograph encouraged people to stand up for what they believe in.

-Andrew Fein

Arrangement of Woolworth Sit-in Photograph

Most photographs, at first glance, don’t appear to have much thought of arrangement put into them. This photo of the Woolworth Sit-in is no exception; and in all probability the photographer most likely didn’t think about arrangement at all while snapping the photo. Even though Jack Moebes, the photographer, had to quickly take this photo and be on his way, there are aspects of arrangement that definitely benefit this photo’s rhetoric. By capturing primarily the four men at the counter, a viewer is more likely to the specific issue at hand; rather than be distracted by other people. The lack of people also implies that the protest was not desirable thing to be around, so people stayed away as they didn’t agree. Moebes also captured the man behind the counter; the man who is dark skinned just like the protesters. If even he won’t serve the four men, Woolworth’s policies must be totally reasonable..right? With not much intention, Moebes said a lot with his arrangement of this photo.

-Christina Atchison

Style of “For What It’s Worth”

The music and word choice of the song “For What It’s Worth” lends even more importance to its meaning. The beginning of the song is very calm, and Steve Stills’ begins in a quiet and conversational tone. The first few lines, “There’s something happening here/ What it is ain’t exactly clear” catches the listener’s attention, and creates a feeling of suspense at the unknown threat. This first verse demonstrates the “central tension of the song: the contrast between the drama of the situation on one hand, and the emotional reserve of the singer and the music on the other” (ReasonToRock.com). The source of the controversy is ambiguous, which seems to indicate that the singer is focusing on the feelings evoked by it, and the increasing intensity. This would explain why the song is so quiet, as it is asking us to rationally approach the situation and “look what’s going down,” rather than give in to our emotions. In the final verse, the singer explicitly warns the listener of the troubles ahead. To punctuate this, another voice harmonizes in the background, and handclaps are added. After the lyrics end, the guitar continues almost aimlessly, leaving the listener with the unspoken threat of the potential chaos and destruction caused by their actions, or perhaps even more so by their inaction.

-Andrew Fein

Pathos of “For What It’s Worth”

There are many strong appeals to emotion throughout the song “For What It’s Worth.” From the first verse of the song, the audience is called to attention with the phrase “There’s a man with a gun over there.” This immediately strikes a sense of fear and danger. Then the chorus begins, telling the audience to “stop, children, what's that sound? / Everybody look what's going down.” The sense of danger accentuates the urgency of the situation. The fact that he uses “children” contrasts the man with the gun with the innocence of children. In the second verse, Buffalo Springfield speaks of the paranoia of getting in trouble for protesting, as seen in the line ” Step out of line, the man come and take you away.” Many of these lyrics incite the audience to speak their minds, and stand up for what they believe.

-Andrew Fein

Logos of "For What it's Worth

The arts are best known for appealing to pathos.  However, logos can be extremely effective in song lyrics.  In “For What it’s Worth,” Buffalo Springfield argues against the curfew set on the Sunset Strip.  The introduction of “paranoia” is the basis of his logical approach.  The pervading fear created by the increased presence of law enforcement (the “man with a gun over there”) creates a harmful sense of insecurity.  Springfield further emphasizes this point by the repetitive line, “what’s that sound? Everybody look-what’s going down?”  This musical phrase represents uncertainty and fear.  In the third verse, Springfield brings attention to the difficulty the young protesters were having gaining support “from behind.”  Just like the civil rights movement in the 1960s, when the young people of the Sunset Strip were denied their rights, they turned to protest.

Chris Rother

Ethos of "For What It's Worth"

“For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield was a song that heavily resonated with the hippies and war protesters of the 1960s.  Originally, the song was written in protest of curfews, but the interpretation quickly changed. Even though the song wasn’t composed to gear people against the war, it did exactly that. Music was a prime outlet of expression for people of this time period. Because of the expression through music, many bands of this era were a looked up to as a respectable source of information. Buffalo Springfield, in this song, simply wrote and sang what many people were already feeling at the time. This only worked to increase the band’s power of ethos over the public. The people’s passion for ending the war was mirrored in this song that went on to become a sort of “political anthem” for the US. 

-Christina Atchison