- Discuss the evolution of black music in America from the time Africans arrived in the United States (circa 1619) to the time of the first jazz recording in 1917. Be sure to include all information derived from Lessons, videos, and all reading assignments from Blues People and the article, Africanisms in African American Music by Portia Maultsby. (3-4 pages double spaced)
2. Listen to the songs listed below from the Blues Zip file found under Resources on Sakai. Discuss the meaning of each song and identify which common theme(s) found in the Blues relate to the lyrical content of each song. If you cannot understand the lyrics, you can find them for them online. (Discuss all 5 songs combined within 1-2 pages double spaced )
A) Four OClock Flower Blues
Willie Blackwell, William Brown
Four o’clock flowers bloom out in the morning, and close in the afternoon
Four o’clock flowers bloom out in the morning, and they close in the afternoon
They are only a summer beauty, so as my little Betty June
If you’d only stop playing hooky, and be a little more true
If you’d only stop playing hooky, and be a little more true
All the love I have to spare, Betty June, would be for you
I’m a hard-working man, and I never gets my loving soon
I’m a hard-working man, and I never gets my loving soon
And when I thinks about it in the mornin’, makes my heart ache in the afternoon
My job calls me at six PM, I don’t get home ’til day
My job calls me at six PM, and I don’t gets home ’til day
My friends say you have done, Betty June, don’t make me feel that way
I’m not jealous but I’m superstitious, though most working mens that way
I’m not jealous but I’m superstitious, the most working mens that way
And if I catch you playing hooky, Betty June, what a day, what a day!
B) Trouble So Hard
Vera Hall
Ooh Lordy, troubles so hard
Ooh Lordy, troubles so hard
Don’t nobody know my troubles but God
Don’t nobody know my troubles but God
Went down the hill
Other day
My soul got happy
And stayed all day
Ooh Lordy, troubles so hard
Ooh Lordy, troubles so hard
Don’t nobody know my troubles but God
Don’t nobody know my troubles but God
C) StaggerLee
D) Black, Brown, and White
This little song that I’m singin’ about,
People, you all know that it’s true,
If you’re black and gotta work for livin’,
Now, this is what they will say to you,
They says: “If you was white,
You’s alright,
If you was brown,
Stick around,
But if you’s black, oh, brother,
Get back, get back, get back.”
I was in a place one night,
They was all havin’ fun,
They was all buyin’ beer and wine,
But they would not sell me none.
They said: “If you was white,
You’s alright,
If you was brown,
You could stick around,
But as you’s black, hmm, hmm, brother,
Get back, get back, get back.”
I went to an employment office,
I got a number and I got in line,
They called everybody’s number,
But they never did call mine.
They said: “If you was white,
You’s alright,
If you was brown,
You could stick around,
But as you’s black, hmm, hmm, brother,
Get back, get back, get back.”
Me and a man was workin’ side by side,
Now, this is what it meant:
They was payin’ him a dollar an hour,
And they was payin’ me fifty cent.
They said: “If you was white,
You’d be alright,
If you was brown,
You could stick around,
But as you’s black, oh, brother,
Get back, get back, get back.”
I helped win sweet victories,
With my plow and hoe,
Now, I want you to tell me, brother,
What you gonna do ’bout the old Jim Crow?
Now, if you is white,
You’s alright,
If you’s brown,
Stick around,
But if you’s black, oh, brother,
Get back, get back, get back.
E) Rolled and Tumbled
