Spirituals, Etc

Question 1

What are spirituals?

Answer 1

Religious songs originally sung in churches

Call-and-response pattern of West & Central Africa, combined with Protestant hymns, calling out lyrics for the group to respond

Question 2

THEMES 1

Answer 2

HEAVEN/DEATH: Looking forward to an afterlife of peace & REST, significant for a group of people forced to work all day

Question 3

THEMES 2

Answer 3

ESCAPE: Leaving a cruel world behind; critique of overwork, injustice, violence

Question 4

THEMES 3

Answer 4

OLD TESTAMENT: Comparison to ‘chosen people’ protected by God, increasing a sense of self-worth; the South resembles Egypt, the slaves resemble Israelites

Question 5

What are some characteristics of secular rhymes & songs?

Answer 5

Mock-prayers, mock-sermons, parodies of church forms

Question 6

Describe the heroes in secular rhymes & songs.

Answer 6

Fast-moving and -talking heroes, figures of action & violence: “badman” with a gun who doesn’t mind dying & can outsmart The Man (i.e. white authority figure)

Question 7

What is the influence of secular rhymes & songs on blues & rap music?

Answer 7

Wish-fulfillment, bragging, getting into trouble, ready to fight

Question 8

When did the blues originate?

Answer 8

Originates in early 1900s, mostly in the South

Example sentence: The blues originated in the early 1900s in the South.

Question 9

What were some early blues centers?

Answer 9

Early blues centers: New Orleans, Memphis, Mississippi Delta

Example sentence: New Orleans, Memphis, and the Mississippi Delta were early blues centers.

Question 10

What structure did the blues borrow from work songs & spirituals?

Answer 10

Borrow structure from work songs & spirituals, replacing chorus with a single voice accompanied by instruments

Example sentence: The blues borrowed structure from work songs and spirituals, replacing the chorus with a single voice accompanied by instruments.

Question 11

What is the call-and-response pattern in the blues?

Answer 11

Call-and-response pattern between singer & audience, sometimes between singer & instrument

Example sentence: The blues feature a call-and-response pattern between the singer and the audience, sometimes between the singer and the instrument.

Question 12

What is the theme of the blues?

Answer 12

Secular, offering no promise of heavenly grace, but complaint about trials & refusal to offer solutions

Example sentence: The blues are secular, offering no promise of heavenly grace, but instead focusing on complaints about trials and refusal to offer solutions.

Question 13

How does the blues acknowledge life?

Answer 13

Acknowledge life is tough & must be confronted without formulas or escapism, especially when left by a lover

Example sentence: The blues acknowledge that life is tough and must be confronted without formulas or escapism, especially when dealing with heartbreak.

Question 14

What is a key element of the blues?

Answer 14

IMPROVISATION

Example sentence: Improvisation is a key element of the blues.