Thoughts and Commentary on Sub-Saharan African Music and Culture

Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
Subject
Date
MUSIC HISTORY AND LISTENING ASSIGNMENT
Sub-Saharan African Music and Culture
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2VUK0VzruC5b5VSTVAqreH?si=muXEFMl0T4GuJqBJxb-MxA&nd=1
NOTES:
The playlist is full of rich and entertaining songs with amazing African grooves and beats. Additionally, the songs have messages portrayed in an African way of storytelling. An example is a song Water No Get Enemy by Fela Kuti, which passes the message that nobody can hate something as useful as water. Most of the instruments used in the songs are of African origins, such as xylophone and drums. The songs exhibit the rhythm of African dances and match the energy, with most of the lyrics being in Sub-Saharan native languages, as seen in Thomas Mapfumo's Gwindingew Rine Shumba and Amadou and Miriam’s Sabali.
The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and the Power of Black Music
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4zTFT2GWS7i2R4ebn64rTS?si=rIzqlVbLTbW66pu3SAjkEA&nd=1
NOTES:
The songs in this playlist had a somber tone, for example, Hut Song by Baka Pygmies, which has polyphonic vocal choirs of women humming. Other songs like Good Lord and My Soul is a Witness by Austin Coleman, Jesus Knows all about my Troubles and Reborn, Reborn Again by The moving Star Hill Singers sifted to religion to give comfort to the listeners as a consolation for the hardship and torment endured by the black community during the slave trade period. The instruments were mostly vocals and clapping.
African American Music before the Civil War
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2sv45BSQ5GLCwE4n0okXhd?si=5kL_T82gT2WqYXIxSFytdA&nd=1
NOTES:
The songs in the playlist showcase the events the African Americans experienced before the civil war. For example, Lay Down, Body by The McIntosh County Shouters talks of a tired slave's body desperate for a rest. The song also narrates how it is not only the body of the slave that is tired but their soul too. The song, I’m Free at Last by Southern Sons jubilates a victory that has been waiting yawned for a long time. The song shows some of the fantasies a black man had once he got his freedom, like looking at the devil straight in the eyes of which by the devil the song means the white slavers. Other songs like I’d be so glad when the song goes down by Ed Lewis has of sounds of tools and chains during the slave period; the song has African Americans during the slave trade yawning for the sun to go down so they could have a rest.
African American Music after the Civil War
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4mIq4QlcLZzWXxaIxRdMEJ?si=68BkQ2aCRUuAbJSoYcPTdA&nd=1
NOTES:
African American music after the civil war continued to have religion at the center of the themes, which can be seen in the playlist in songs like religion is a fortune by Wheat Street Female Quartet and Peter on the sea by Utica Institute Jubilee Singers. The jubilation of the freedom achieved was also evident in songs like Po’ Mo’ner got a home at last, a song in a tenor tone.
Blues and the Crossroads
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5KKjY02LipohEJEUzC89kY?si=I4WzJcu0QUu38eZIHoacKg&nd=1
NOTES:
The blues has a slow rhythm with romantic and fli...