The Music of the Gulf War

 by Miles Davidson

Today, the 22nd of January 2022, marks the 31st anniversary of the burning of the Kuwaiti oil fields by Iraqi forces. So it felt fitting to write about the War, and bring in a component which I see written about so little in comparison to articles on the Vietnam War. Famed for its very own soundtrack, the Vietnam War was so culturally significant that it altered the course of American history. Instead, due to this anniversary, I thought I would explore the Gulf War and its own soundtrack that is just as significant and interesting in terms of the culture at the time.

Highly controversial, the Gulf War was a war in which many believed should never have occurred, much like Vietnam. The difference between Vietnam and the Gulf War, other than location and the lack of a draft, is the multitude of nations entered into the war as part of a coalition. These countries include New Zealand, Argentina, Australia, the UK, Canada and the United States of America, with all of these nations committed in some shape or form to stopping Iraqi advances into Kuwait or decreasing the impact of the war on the surrounding areas. This brought about many different cultures and tastes into one battlefield, and so the Gulf War has one of the most diverse and independent cultures out of many conflicts in the time period. Due to it being more modern in terms of timescale, social ideas had shifted from the Vietnam era and thus new social ideas had formed surrounding war. This created new social ideologies that furthered the culture of the war, both back home in nations such as the US and in Kuwait where ground forces were based. 

Some commentators on the cultural implications of the war, particularly the music surrounding it, argue that the war was a sort of ‘midpoint’ between the era of bands such as The Rolling Stones and The Jimi Hendrix Experience commentating on wars, and the 1990s revival of punk and alternative rock. My response to such points would be that, despite the culture of the time utilising songs from the Vietnam era to phrase their frustrations, many bands that would become very mainstream in the years following the Gulf War were uncovered during the conflict and the months surrounding it. For example, the hugely successful band the Red Hot Chilli Peppers released their breakthrough commercial album ‘Blood Sugar Sex Magik’ during the time of the war, with many of their songs being firm favourites for the soldiers in conflict and the audience back home in a time of trepidation. Their lyrics on songs such as ‘Give It Away’ framed views of the time surrounding the war in a way which would live on for decades. 

It was not just new music / artists that gave the Gulf War its distinctive soundtrack. Old tracks expressing the same feelings felt decades ago were vital. Vietnam era tracks, pop songs from the 80s and even punk rock featured heavily to enable the population of the time to give the war such a distinguished sound. For example, the 1985 track ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’ by the pop band Tears for Fears was banned from air in the UK throughout the conflict due to its political connotations, particularly surrounding the war. Images of the war make it hard to not have an emotional response to the conflict. Media coverage of the war, whilst limited by the military, still enabled the general public at home an insight into the horrors of the war.

Finally, the impact of the war on America culturally. Despite the war not being costly to the Coalition forces, it brought about an immense reaction in the months and years after the war. Politically, it was viewed as a war fought for no rhyme or reason, becoming increasingly clear the years after the conflict when other Middle Eastern states began to break down in terms of rule, such as Afghanistan. The veterans of this war have perhaps suffered the most, with Gulf War syndrome ( a medley of illnesses relating to service) costing many veterans thousands in medical treatment that is not covered by the Veterans Office of the United States or other such organisations. The effects on the Gulf War veterans mentally is some of the worst seen throughout any conflict due to their exposure to violence and the lack of physical fighting. All of these issues have culminated into the Gulf War being one of the most culturally shifting conflicts throughout the world, and arguably shifted the world from the ‘old’ times of the 70s/80s into the modern times of the late 90’s / early 2000s.