This dissertation is about the relationship between popular songs, society, and identity in Quebec during the period 1960-1995. Songs related to the themes of the dissertation's five chapters are analyzed in their social and political context.; Chapter 1 deals with the origins of la chanson quebecoise, the naming of the geographic environment and celebration of ordinary citizens in songs. The subject of chapter 2 is the role singer-songwriters played in Quebec's transition from colonialism to modernization and cultural and political nationalism. In chapter 3, the political commitment of singer-songwriters during the past three decades is examined. Chapter 4 explores how singer-songwriters express concerns about the future of the French language, which they view as the cornerstone of the Queebecois collective identity. In chapter 5, an analysis of songs dealing with the North American experience of the Quebecois and with their relationship to the wider world is made.; The study shows how popular songs express the still-evolving intertwining and complex ideas and emotions which make up contemporary Quebecois nationalism. In the framework of a modern cultural industry and using varied musical styles, the songwriters studied in this dissertation have been engaged in nation-building and the exploration of values for a rapidly-evolving society. Because songs are a mirror of this society, this study contributes to a better understanding of Quebec's distinct culture.
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