I Shall Not Be Moved

I love listening to Mississippi John Hurt's music. He has a distinct style that is unlike any musician's I've heard. There is a gentleness and warmth that comes through in his voice and through his lyrical fingerpicking guitar style. This tree symbolizes his music for me - delicate and beautiful, yet steady, and powerful.

I based this piece of of the song "I Shall Not Be Moved". I listened to a version of Mississippi John Hurt singing it and found it extremely powerful. The song is an African American spiritual that describes how African Americans' faith in God overcomes all obstacles. The song later gained popularity as a Civil Rights Movement unison song.

Down by the Sally Garden

The more I read about Appalachian history, the more I realize how little I know about it. I really enjoyed hearing and listening to this week's British Ballads. I find the consistency in theme intriguing; the ballads seem to personal, single narratives about love affairs, revenge, escape. I think a majority were written by women because they concern sexual struggles from a female standpoint. It is interesting that "love" emerged as such a powerful theme in the British ballads, above religion, death and afterlife. Perhaps this speaks to the loneliness people were encountering at this time.

The imagery that comes to mind when I hear these ballads and read about Appalachian history is of a desolate, isolate, and beautiful place. The lyrics are often simple and rhythmical. I read in an encyclopedia that Appalachia came to be viewed as a "repository for a dying tradition" in the late 19th century, and this is why collectors/folklorists began to search for ballad singers and their repertoires.

I'm grateful that these songs were preserved. They speak of a time and place that was destined to be forgotten or looked over in history, had it not been for the Appalachian music tradition that came out of it.

This makes me wonder what has been lost in time. To think that so many beautiful songs could emerge from Appalachia makes me think that a great many others, from different places in America and around the world, have been lost. Thank goodness these were not among them.

Will the Circle Be Unbroken

I had a difficult time with this week's assignment, although I'm not sure why that is. I really enjoyed listening to and singing both "Banks of the Ohio" and "Will the Circle Be Unbroken". My favorite version of each is Doc Watson and Clarence Ashley's "Banks of the Ohio" and Johnny Cash's "Will the Circle Be Unbroken".  Needless to say, I could not get through Ollie Gilbert singing.

The songs this week were very dark and unsettling. I can't help but wonder what kind of hardship people were enduring that inspired such creepy, tragic songs. Tony asked in his blog "what was the Appalachian mindset", and the only thing I can think of is that peoples' lives were so dark and unpleasant, that the afterlife was what gave people hope. Although that doesn't quite solve the mystery as to why murder was such a common theme. It's unsettling to think that perhaps being murdered was a fantasy to some? Just a thought.

It was interesting to research the meaning behind "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" because there are so many interpretations of the lyrics. Most involve the singer asking whether his/her family will be whole once again in heaven.  There's something melancholy about the song, and it is the sense of hope that comes through in the lyrics. It seems the singer is hoping that his/her afterlife will be better than what he/she is experiencing now. 

I think perhaps the reason that I struggled with this piece is because I got too wrapped up in the lyrics. I felt that I could not relate to the song on a personal level because I am not religious, and the idea of there NOT being an afterlife scares me. I didn't take a risk in drawing this piece; in my opinion, it's just too lighthearted to fit the songs and the times. Not to mention the actual subject matter - a city. The relationship between what I drew and Appalachian history just isn't there.

I decided to draw a city because this represents where the singer is now; it is the familiar. I then cut cracks into the drawing to show that things are changing and to give a sense of unknown, as conveyed in the lyrics. I tried to show, through the distant perspective and cracks, that everything we know and see is limited to our world. There is so much unknown, and our universe is just a fragment of that.

Lyrics: (Johnny Cash)

Will the circle be unbroken?

Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye

There's a better home awaiting

In the sky, Lord, in the sky

I was standing by the window

On a dark and cloudy day

When I saw the hearse come rolling

Oh, to carry my mother away

Will the circle be unbroken?

Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye

There's a better home awaiting

In the sky, Lord, in the sky

Lord, I told the undertaker

Undertaker, please drive slow

For this body you are haulin'

Lord, I hate to see her go

Will the circle be unbroken?

Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye

There's a better home awaiting

In the sky, Lord, in the sky

Well, I followed close behind her

Tried to hold up and be brave

But I could not hide my sorrow

When they laid her in that grave

Will the circle be unbroken?

Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye

There's a better home awaiting

In the sky, Lord, in the sky

Will the circle be unbroken?

Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye

There's a better home awaiting

In the sky, Lord, in the sky

Oh Mary Don't You Weep

Of all the versions of "Oh Mary Don't You Weep" that Tony discussed on his blog, Mississippi John Hurt's was my favorite. Hurt's voice combined, the background instrumentals, and the flow-like melody worked in concordance to create a beautiful, soothing rendition of the song that I really enjoyed. 

I drew this picture while listening to Hurt's version. I wanted to make the figure anonymous because the song is intended to appeal to many. I tried to use gentle curves as opposed to sharp corners to parallel the lyrical style of the song. The actual image is of a female floating out of a dark hole or shadow - a reminder that good things will come.

A few other versions resonated with me, and I will briefly summarize why:

Swan Silvertones: I can't quite put into words why, but this version just didn't line up. I thought that the tune and meaning of the song did not work in harmony with the background snapping. 

Leadbelly: This was the version that immediately felt "familiar" because of it's folk-song, sing-songy aesthetic. It was likely because of this familiarity that the other versions stood out more to me.

Pete Seeger: This was one of my least favorite renditions of the song. The background instrumentals felt a bit rushed and jumbled to me, and the way Seeger sang the song sounded almost forced - as if he cared about the way his voice sounded, but not the message behind the lyrics.

Max Romeo: I was surprised by how much I appreciated this version of the song. The reggae style made for a less lyrical, soothing version than Hurt's, but I thought that Romeo's voice combined with the other singers and background instruments worked to create a catchy, enjoyable song that somehow didn't make light of the powerful message behind the lyrics.  I also found that the changes in wording were extremely powerful. The line "We Shall Overcome Someday", especially, stood out to me. I think that this is because of the inclusiveness in "we". When the lyrics (literally) only address Mary, this results in an almost pedantic aesthetic where the musician is telling the listener not to lose hope because God rewards good people. In contrast, the "we" in Romeo's version includes the musician, making him more relateable. It was also interesting how Romeo chose to say "We shall overcome someday" and "o children" as opposed to "O Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn" and "Pharoah's army got drownded". The two versions have similar messages, but Romeo's strays further from biblical references - perhaps to appeal to more people. He also sings about Daniel and Jonah, as opposed to Mary.

The Gomorrans: I really did not like this version - the singer's style just took away from the song and made it sound almost aggressive (and creepy - but that could just be a result of watching the video)

I find it interesting that most versions of "Oh Mary Don't You Weep" reference both the Old and New Testament. I think the effect of this is to tell listeners that their situations will improve, as shown in the past. The Old Testament thus serves as a source of wisdom; lessons can be learned through studying history.

Most likely, black people learned of these biblical passages orally through relatives and friends, or even by their white masters (if they were slaves). The specifics of the passages likely differed from person to person, but the overall meanings were the same. 

This parallels all the different "Oh Mary Don't You Weep" songs and explains why it is so widespread and adaptable. No matter the wording, singer, instrument, time period, etc - the message stays the same: God rewards good; don't give up - be patient, good people will be rewarded.

Lyrics (Mississippi John Hurt):

Oh, Mary don't you weep, don't you mourn.

Pharoah's army got drownded,

Oh, Mary don't you weep.

If I could, I surely would,

Stand on the rock where Moses stood.

Pharoah's army got drownded,

Oh, Mary don't you weep.

Mary weep, Martha moaned,

All around God's holy strong.

Pharoah's army got drownded,

Oh, Mary don't you weep.

Well, God told Noah about the rainbow sound.

No more water but the God makes...

Pharoah's army got drownded,

Oh, Mary don't you weep.

Repeat first verse.

Sinners don't come by the ...

No need to come when the train done gone.

Pharoah's army got drownded,

Oh, Mary don't you weep.

Repeat first verse.

One of these days about 12 o'clock,

This 0l' world gonna reel and rock.

Pharoah's army got drownded,

Oh, Mary don't you weep.