Common Letter to the Free- Language and Representation

Question 1

Historical and cultural references in the lyrics

Answer 1

• “Southern trees we hung from”

- “Slavery’s still alive, check amendment 13”- 1865

Question 2

Historical and cultural references in the music

Answer 2

• Bricolage of genres from black culture- gospel, jazz (C.’s all black outfit connotes this), blues, - forms which gave African-Americans a voice in times of oppression
• Marching percussion beat- chain-gang songs, mournful, grieve over slavery w/dreams of finding future liberty- links to Christian beliefs, often presented as afterlife

Question 3

1. Why is gospel so important to african-american culture?

2. How does the video connote African culture?

Answer 3

1. Christian beliefs strong part of giving hope of freedom to the enslaved African Americans.
2. Barefoot drummer + headwear of one of the female singers connotes African culture.

Question 4

Modern references in the lyrics

Answer 4

• “They stop, search and arrest our souls”
• “Shot me with your ray-gun/And now you want to trump me”
• “For Americans to rise it’s a matter of black lives”

Question 5

How does the actual video content represent racism?

Answer 5

• Abstract black square
• Brightly lit areas highlight aspects of mise-en-scene but don’t show performer’s faces- racist approach of us penal system, dehumanising
  e. g. at one point performers are in long-shot, overhead lighting reflects off walls instead of illuminating performers.

Question 6

Visuals: Black and white

Answer 6

• Connotes history, realism: early photography seen as representing reality + newsreel originally filmed in b+w + newspaper photos so b+w often used to create idea of realism in modern media, feeds into symbolism of this aesthetic choice
• Seriousness: looks stark, clean lines

Question 7

Cinematography

Answer 7

• Consistently slow tracking of camera- presents sense of unease, reinforced by the setting, screeching synthesised sound at the beginning
• Camera going forward, represents journey, camera going backwards in the end shows how society is taking a step back, or how a yt audience is able to take a syep back from black ppl’s problems and ignore them

Question 8

Mise-en-scene (General)

Answer 8

• Before piano comes in, black square reflects ceiling- audience hasn’t seen the ceiling yet, so it seems to be a cross- spirituality
• Ordinary costumes
• Minimal props- barren, stripped back- reality of prison
• Actors are all divided into groups of 2- the division of black people by system. Never a sense of community