African-American Work Songs /
Music 8 /
Mrs. Barrett /
WJHS /
Name ______Period ____
African-American Work Songs
Common Musical Elements
- Rhythmic
- A cappella
- Call and response form
- Verses are often improvised sung differently each time
- Slaves sung improvised verses about escaping
- Sailors spoke of ills with work conditions and captains
Purpose
- increase productivity
- Reduce feelings of boredom.
- Synchronize physical movement in groups
- Many work songs serve to create connection and familiarity between workers.
- Groups and individuals to locate each other
- Maintain the slow, steady tempo needed for rowing a ship
Origins
- Africa
- Useddrum accompaniment,
- To coordinate sowing and hoeing.
What Happens Next?
- Slaves/Ex-slaves sing work Songs
a.)They convert to Christianity
- Work Songs become Spirituals
a.)Leads to Gospel Music and The Blues
Interesting Fact…
In early African captivity drums were used to provide rhythm, but they were banned in later years because of the fear that Africans would use them to communicate in a rebellion; nevertheless, Africans managed to generate percussion and percussive sounds, using other instruments or their own bodies.
CREATE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN WORK SONG
Brainstorm Page
- CREATE: Create a group task/job.
Our task/job is to….. ______
- PURPOSE:Review the purpose of an African American Work Song (pg. 2)
What is the purpose of YOUR GROUP’s work song?
______
Create and Choreograph your work song!
Reference musical elements on pg. 2
“Lightning Long John”
REFRAIN
He's long John [He's long gone]
He's Long gone [He's long John]
He's Long, gone [He's gone, gone]
He's Lone, gone [He's gone, gone]
Verses:
Well Ef I had a-listened
What Rosie said
I'd a-been at a home
In a-Rosie's bed
But-a I wouldn' listen
Got to runnin' aroun'
firs' thing I know
I was jailhouse bound
Well, I got in de jail
Wid my mouf poked out
An Now I'm in the pen
An I cain' get out
(REFRAIN)
Well-a John made
Is A pair of shoes
Was the Funnies' shoes
Dat was ever seen
Had a heel in front
An' a heel behind
Well, you couldn’ know where
Dat boy was a-gwine
Well a two three minutes
I’ll be catchin my wind
And in two, three minutes,
I’ll be gone again
Gonna call dis summer
Ain’ goin’ call no mo'
Ef I call nex' summer
Den I'm gone some mo'
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