Music

Music Negro Spirituals Spirituals derived from Christianity: a religion that enslaved people adapted or converted to when they came over from Africa. David McD. Simms stated that slaves were able to adapt to the religion easily because they were able to cherish the virtues and morals Christianity had taught under the conditions they were in (35). Spirituals were songs that the enslaved used to cope with the issues they encountered throughout their daily lives as slaves. They served as a form of secretive communication between slaves.

Slaves were able to express themselves freely without being caught by their slave masters (Simms 36). Forms of symbolism were established into the spirituals. Some songs expressed ideas of escaping slavery, going back to Africa, and themes based on freedom, death, hope, and life. The experiences slaves encountered, elements of the bible and nature were influenced the content of spirituals. Songs such as Freedom Land and Swing low, sweet chariot were used as symbolism to escape slavery through the Underground Railroad or to go back to Africa (Simms 36- 37). Simms, David. "The Negro Spiritual: Origins and Themes." //Journal of Negro Education// 35.1 (1966): 35-41. Web. 8 May 2011. .

Strange Fruit Strange Fruit was a poem originally written by Abel Meeropool in 1939. He was a Jewish schoolteacher and a union activist from Bronx, New York. He was motivated to write the poem due to a horror image he saw in a lynching photo. While forming the poem, he wrote under the name of Lewis Allan. The manager of Cafe Society, a popular Greenwich Village nightclub played a role in transforming the poem into a song. He introduced Billie Holiday to Abel Meeropool. The poem had caught the manager’s attention when it was performed at a New York teacher’s union meeting.



Strange Fruit became popular when Billie Holiday turned it into a song. However, the song was not recorded on her record label due to their refusal. It became the anthem for the anti-lynching movement. People began to recognize the horrors of lynching and could not avoid the fact that it was going on in America. []  A Change is Gonna Come “A Change is Gonna Come” was a song by Sam Cooke. He had written it after talking with sit-in demonstrators in Durham, N.C. during May, 1963. It was released in 1965. It was a protest song to support the Civil Rights Movement. It was influenced by personal experiences Cooke encountered in his life. One incident took place when he traveled to Shreveport, Louisiana to do a music tour during the month of October in 1963. He and his group of friends were denied access to stay in a white motel. They were arrested for starting commotion after being denied. Another incident was the death of his one- year old son who had drowned. http://songsofsamcooke.com/songs/a_change_is_gonna_come.htm



I was born by the river in a little tent  Oh and just like the river I've been running ever since  It's been a long, a long time coming  But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

 It's been too hard living but I'm afraid to die  Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky  It's been a long, a long time coming  But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will [ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/s/sam_cooke/a_change_is_gonna_come.html ]  I go to the movie and I go downtown  Somebody keep telling me don't hang around <span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> It's been a long, a long time coming <span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> Then I go to my brother <span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> And I say brother help me please <span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> But he winds up knocking me <span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> Back down on my knees

<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> Ohhhhhhhhh.....

<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> There been times that I thought I couldn't last for long <span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> But now I think I'm able to carry on <span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> It's been a long, a long time coming <span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"> But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will []

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<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: center;">I Have A Dream “I have a Dream” is a song by Common and Will. I. Am. It came from Common’s 2007 album “Finding Forever”. It was part of the soundtrack in the movie __Freedom Writers__. The song used a sample from Martin Luther King Jr. speech “I have a Dream”. www.mlkonline.net/video-i-**have-a-dream**-**common**.html



• [Chorus - Will.i.am and Martin Luther King] (I am happy...I Have a Dream) I got a Dream (That One Day ) Were gonna work it out out out (That One Day ) Were gonna work it out out out (That One Day ) Were gonna work it out (I Have a Dream) I got a Dream (That One Day ) Were gonna work it out out out (That One Day ) Were gonna work it out out out (That One Day ) Were gonna work it out (I Have a Dream) I got a Dream (That One Day) That one day (That One Day) I'ma look deep within myself (I Have a Dream) I gotta find a way... My Dream Is To Be Free My Dream Is To Be My Dream Is To Be  My Dream Is To Be Free

[Verse 1] In search of brighter days, I ride through the maze of the madness, Struggle is my address, where pain and crack lives, Gunshots comin' from sounds of Blackness, Given this game with no time to practice, Born on the Black list, told I'm below average, A life with no cabbage, That's no money if you from where I'm from, Funny, I just want some of your sun Dark clouds seem to follow me, Alcohol that my pops swallowed bottled me, No apology, I walk with a boulder on my shoulder, It's a Cold War - I'm a colder soldier, Hold the same fight that made Martin Luther the King, I ain't usin' it for the right thing, In between Lean and the fiens, hustle and the schemes, I put together pieces of a Dream I still have one [Chorus]

[ From: http://www.metrolyrics.com/i-have-a-dream-lyrics-common.html ]

media type="youtube" key="r_2cwhJndKY" height="349" width="425" <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: center;">You Can’t Stop Us Now “You can’t stop us now” is by the rapper Nas. It came from his 2008 album “Untitled”. The album was controversy due to Nas’s original title “Nigger”. During the controversy, Nas decided to leave the album untitled. On the album cover, there are scars on Nas’s back which represents lynching scars. In the song, he talks about what African Americans have gone through. http://rapgenius.com/lyrics/Nas/America



From Willie Lynch to Willie Hutch, right on, we (Superfly) <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;"> Made Gucci the shit – Louie too, suits and ties <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;"> Player trophies, pray to Goldie <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;"> Picture wax museums full of Black Panth’s and triple OGs’ <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;"> Aunt Jemina hoes, historic horse shit <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;"> Girls from long time ago, stagecoach with the horse, kid <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;"> Witchdoctors, good ol’ pickpockets <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;"> Sip Moonshine, so-called coons, shines, and darkies <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;"> I love y’all; pyramids to cotton fields <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;"> to Wrigley Fields, forgetten men who DID get killed <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;"> Crispus Attucks, the first blasted <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;"> Peace to the rich lady, purse snatcher shot in the back <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;"> I know your hunger kid, I know they hung your dad <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;"> Burnt ya mama crib, I know that hurt you bad <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;"> Minstrel shows; from gold to shackles and back to gold <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;"> We act like we home, matter of fact – we are home <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;"> Bad attitudes, octoroon skin tones <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;"> Slave food turned to soul food, collards to neck bones <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;"> Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;"> Bet she had a nigga with her to help her old ass! <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.25pt;">[]

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