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“ I have sometimes thought that the mere hearing of those songs would do more to impress some minds with the horrible character of slavery, than the reading of whole volumes of philosophy on the subject could do. I did not, when a slave, understand the deep meaning of those rude and apparently incoherent songs. I was myself within the circle; so that I neither saw nor heard as those without might see and hear. They told a tale of woe which was then altogether beyond my feeble comprehension; they were tones loud, long and deep; they breathed the prayer and complaint of souls boiling over with the bitterest anguish. Every tone was a testimony against slavery, and a prayer to god for deliverance from chains. The hearing of those wild notes always depressed my spirit, and filled me with ineffable sadness. I have frequently found myself in tears while hearing them. The mere recurrence of those song, even now, afflicts me; and while I am writing these lines, an expression of feeling has already found its way down my cheek. To those songs I trace my first glimmering conception of the dehumanizing character of slavery. I can never get rid of that conception. Those songs still follow me, to deepen my hatred of slavery, and quicken my sympathies for my brethren in bonds. If anyone wishes to be impressed with the soul-killing effects of slavery… I have often been utterly astonished, since I came to the north, to find persons who could speak of the singing, among slaves, as evidence of their contentment and happiness. It is impossible to conceive of a greater mistake. Slaves sing most when they are unhappy. The songs of the slave represent the sorrows of his heart; and he is relieved by them, only as an aching heart is relieved by its tears. At least such is my experience. I have often sung to drown my sorrow, but seldom to express my happiness. Crying for joy, and singing for joy, were alike uncommon to me while in the jaws of slavery. The singing of a man cast away upon a desolate island might be as appropriately considered as evidence of contentment and happiness, as the singing of a slave; the songs of the one and of the other are prompted by the same emotion.” (Frederick Douglass) Black secular song, along with other forms of oral tradition, allowed them to express themselves communally and individually, to derive pleasure, to perpetuate traditions, to keep values from eroding, and to begin to create new expressive moods...which continued a rich internal life. (Lawrence Levine, 1977) Ralph Ellison suggests that music has the capacity to carry ‘ a whole unrecorded history’ [Songs] they told a tale of woe which was then altogether beyond my feeble comprehension…they breathed the complaint of souls boiling with the bitterest anguish…the songs of slaves represent the sorrows of his heart; and he is relieved by them, only as an aching heart is relieved by tears. (Douglass) Cornel West commented in an interview that ‘music and preaching’ are central to African-American communication and that ‘rap is unique because it combines the black preacher and the black music tradition’ White folks don’t understand about blues. They hear it come out, but they don’t know how it got there. They don’t understand that’s life’s way of talking. You don’t sing to feel better. You sing ‘cause that’s a way of understanding life. …This be an empty world without the blues. I take that emptiness and try to fill it up with something. (August Wilson, 1985) Tricia Rose about rap: “polyvocal conversations; rap becomes an elaborate story ‘to articulate the shifting terms of black marginality in contemporary American culture’ Rap provides resistance to ‘dominant public transcripts’ Rappers…are miners, they are the cultivators of communal artifacts, refining and developing the framework of alternative identities that draw on Afrodiasporic approaches to sound organization, rhythm, pleasure, style and community. Rap is a technologically sophisticated project in African-America recuperation and revision…yet another way to unnerve and simultaneously revitalize American culture. (Tricia Rose). (What Did I Do To Be So) Black and Blue Verse: Out in the street, shufflin' feet, Couples passin' two by two, While here am I, left high and dry, Black, and 'cause I'm black I'm blue. Browns and yellers, all have fellers, Gentlemen prefer them light, Wish I could fade, can't make the grade, Nothing but dark days in sight: Chous 1: Cold, empty bed, Springs hard as lead, Pains in my head, Feel like old Ned. What did I do, to be so Black And Blue? No joys for me, No company, Even the mouse ran from my house, All my life through, I've been so Black And Blue. I'm white inside, It don't help my case 'Cause I can't hide, what is on my face, oh! I'm so forlorn, Life's just a thorn, My heart is torn, Why was I born? What did I do, to be so Black And Blue? 'Cause you're black, Folks think you lack They laugh at you, And scorn you too, What did I do, to be so Black And Blue? When you are near, they laugh and sneer, Set you aside and you're denied, What did I do, to be so Black And Blue? How sad I am, each day I feel worse, My mark of Ham seems to be a curse! How will it end? Ain't got a friend, My only sin Is my skin. What did I do, to be so Black And Blue? SLAVE SONGS DIDN'T MY LORD DELIVER DANIEL? Traditional Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel Deliver Daniel, deliver Daniel Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel? So why not every man? He delivered Daniel from the lion's den And Jonah from the belly of the whale And the Hebrew children from the fiery furnace Why not every man? Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel Deliver Daniel, deliver Daniel Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel? So why not every man? The moon runs down in a purple flame And the sun refuse to shine And every star that disappear King Jesus shall be mine! Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel Deliver Daniel, deliver Daniel Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel? So why not every man? Why not every man? Why not every man? Take My Hand Precious Lord - By T.A. Dorsey Precious Lord, take my hand, Lead me on, help me stand, I am tired, I am weak, I am worn, Through the storm, through the night, Lead me on to the light, Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me home, When my ways grow drear, Precious Lord linger near, When my life is almost gone, Hear my cry, hear my call, Lead me on lest I fall, Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me home. Steal Away to Jesus Steal Away Steal Away. Steal Away. Steal Away to Jesus. Steal Away. Steal Away home. I haven't got long to stay here. Steal Away. Steal Away. Steal Away. Steal Away to Jesus. Steal Away. (steal home) Steal Away home. I haven't got long to stay here. My lord, my lord, he calls me. (calls me) He calls me by the thunder. (thunder) The trumpet sounds way down in my sanctified soul. I haven't got long to stay here. Green trees are bending. (are bending) Sinners stand a-tembling. (a-trembling) The trumpet sounds within my soul. I haven't got long to stay here. Steal Away. (in the midnight hour) Steal Away. (when you need some power) Steal Away.(when you heart is heavy) Steal Away to Jesus. (steal away to jesus) Steal Away. (steal away home) Steal Away home. (haven't got long) I haven't got long to stay here. My Lord , he calls me. (calls me) I can hear him calling me by the lightning. (lightnin') The trumpet sounds within my soul. I haven't got long to stay here. (its gonna be over after while) Steal away to Jesus. (oh) Steal away. Steal Away Home Steal Away to jesus. I haven't got long to stay here. I haven't got long to stay here. (hallelujah steal away) I haven't got long to stay here.