Givith Us Free

The Civil Rights Movement is the most remember and celebrated movement in American history. The movement lasted for well over a decade and it continues to effect lives today. The goal of those moving the movement was to change the laws that allowed racism to ruin lives. Music played a large part in accomplishing this goal. As Joe Glazer said about the American Labor Movement, “without solidarity you have nothing” and music provided solidarity for civil rights activists. To be more specific, freedom songs were the music that provided this oneness between freedom seekers. One of our favorite activists Bernice  Johnson Reagon said “When I sing, at full voice, you can hear me a block away. If you're walking toward me, you're walking inside the sound of my voice.” Freedom songs were powerful not only for black people, but also for the white people who understood the injustices of America. The familiarity of the melodies made the songs very easy to sing for those willing to be a part of the movement.

To view more of Bernice Johnson Reagons views on the civil rights movement and music click here

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eyesontheprize/reflect/r03_music.html

Freedom songs were just as important to the movement as Dr. Martin Luther King himself in terms of impact.  Freedom songs were congregational songs in which ability was not important it was the passion that made these songs impactful. Freedom songs had an overwhelming amount of soul and pain in them.  They were like broadside ballads on musical steroids. The church is where most of the freedom singing took place because this was the one location black people had autonomy. Again the freedom songs were powerful so it was no way that these songs were going to stay in the black church.

For more information on freedom songs click here

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eyesontheprize/story/09_summer.html#music

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=123599617&m=123606957

It took years but racism is now illegal. I cannot say that racism is dead, but now black people have the same amount of opportunity that white people have. Hence my main man O-Beezy…Oops I mean Obama. Those courageous individual during the movement are the reason that I can sit in a class with white people and not be considered anything other than a human being.

For a visual on the impact of the Civil Rights movement watch this clip

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment/jan-june10/music_02-11.html

The American Labor Movement

The American Labor movement could be viewed as the civil rights movement for oppressed labor-men. The movement was fueled by the labor men’s desire to reverse the wage cuts and improve working conditions in the work place. The Government took a blind eye to the battle, therefore chaos continued for years. The workers began to understand that in order to overcome adversity they had to band together and maintain solidarity. Joe Hill and his music played an instrumental role in the labor movement. Joe Hill helped unite workers everywhere in the unified fight for fair rights. He used the broadside ballad to reach workers all across America. Hill also reached the souls of aspiring artists such as Woody Guthrie, Paul Robeson, and Bob Dylan. Paul Robeson was a popular activist and proved that Joe Hill was a timeless character in his song “Joe Hill”. The song was just one example of how powerful and inspiring Joe will was during and post American Labor movement.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8Kxq9uFDes

Watch This

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaQ7qWo6120

In this video Joe Glazer discusses that American Labor Movement and the importance of solidarity. Without solidarity it would be easy for the crooked bosses and politicians to dismantle the movement. The great thing about labor music is that it provided unanimous solidarity because of the universal message.  Music itself may have been the best weapon that the movement was able to use. Music can be used when words and contracts have exhausted their meanings. Courtney Brown added validity to the power of music theory by stating that music was exactly what the workers needed during the chaos.  

Pete Seegers popular song “Solidarity forever is an example of how song not only preached unity but also promoted the union. 

The song I choose is called “Casey Jones” this tune was not normal it may in fact have been completely original tune. This song is metaphorical and humorously illustrates the results of not joining the union. This song won’t prove effective in every situation but it has a catchy tune, and message that takes labor music from just inspirational to the field of entertaining. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEbu7z9Lvds

First Verse To Our Rendition Of Blowing In The Wind

How Many Roads Must Our Elders Pave
Before were all equal as man
And How many times must our ancestors fail
before we can all hold hands
how many times will hate prevail
before its forever banned

the answer my friend is blowing in the wind
the answer is blowing in the wind

My Main Man John Jonhson

Broadside Ballads were the ipods of the 16th Century. However due to the lack of technology ballads were printed on cheap paper and widely distrubted. Broadside ballad's are rich in music history, but ballads also helped the progression of the printing press. These ballads are songs with a very common and familiar ryhthm that address a temporary issue, or ephemral issue. These issues are typically soical or political and are very powerful due to the lack of censorship the government can't put on them. However all broadside ballads weren't meant to be revolutionary, some were meaninful as well as entertaining.

John Jackson was a well respected guitarist and songwriter from Blueridge, Virginia. His broadside ballads were very rhythmic and honestly I see alot of his "style" in Hip Hop artists. John Jackson didnt keep the same melody for everysong and the subject matter changed from song to song. His joyful sound and plesant accent was so entertaining to crowds that he forced Arhoolie Records founder Chris Strachwitz to shout "I must record that man" during one of Johnson performances.

John Jackson is an amazing musician from Blueridge Virginia.

Key Words: Amazing Musician

This meaning that John Johnson not only played the guitar but he sang on top of writing the songs!! He was like Andre 3000 of the 1940's.
Johnson Composed a song called Railroad Bill.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqacttmgWsg

This song didn't tackle racism or fight for freedom, however it provided a universal message of wanting to be free.
Now this is just my interpretation so I could be off but thought out the song Railroad bill is runnin, and John Jackson insists that you let Bill run. Bill Is a free spirit, and free spirts are meant to live and see the world, just like railroad bill. If you were to apply this song directly to a social issue, it would be the concept of "freedom" but freedom for all, because we all want and have the right to live freely

Freedom Singing

Bernice Johnson Reagon was and still is a black activist. Ms. Reagon’s primary of objective during the civil rights movement was to integrate black and white people thru music.  During time period when racism was alive and well Ms. Reagon took the chance to put both black and white musicians on the same stage.

Bernice Johnson Reagon delivered a message of unity and integration. Songs such as “We’ve come a long way to be together” and “There’s a new world coming” implied that the world is changing (disappearance of racism) and that it’s ok to accept everyone no matter what race you were.  Ms. Reagon attempted to integrate races not only in her song subject matter but also thru her live performances. During the 1960’s integration was at times dangerous but mostly feared and Reagan used music to help bring the two races together.

http://www.folkways.si.edu/explore_folkways/bernice_reagon.aspx

http://www.bernicejohnsonreagon.com/

Being a leader is difficult for most. Being different is very uncommon. Now imagine being a leader amongst a group of people who you are completely different from you. Bernice Johnson Reagan managed to lead a group of racially different people during a time when you could be killed for accepting those with a different skin color. Ms. Reagon didn’t have a platinum record nor make it on MTV’s top 10 list but she did help so that the Sammy Davis’s and Dean Martins of the world could make music together.

I Am A-Game.....Better Known as Anthoney Ellis

Mus 300 would be best described as a music history class. Try not to take the history part and directly associate it with bland World War 1 or British history. This history class explores music at its roots, in this class we will explore the styles of music that helped change a nation and the music we listen to today. I am a music minor so this is a requirement.

Fun Fact: I'm not just a college student, I'm also an aspiring artist, and in order to be really good at something you have to know almost everything about it. So the opportunity to learn about music is not only interesting but a career requirement.

After the semester I plan to have a better knowledge and understanding of the impact that different types of music can have. Ill also use my knowledge to trump people in music debates :)