What does it all mean, this thing called “rock and roll”?

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 “under-classes,” 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.