The Musical Transmission of Black Culture

Baldwin begins his article by saying, “It is only in his music... that the Negro in America has been able to tell his story,” (24).  Music is a very distinct mark of any culture or people group; however, Baldwin argues that even this extremely individualized and moving form of music hasn’t been strong enough to bridge the “dangerous and reverberating  silence” between the Negro community and the white majority(24). He ultimately concludes that the true message has failed to be transmitted do to a difference in frame of reference. This is due to several factors, such as the white cultures’ lack of experience in the subject matter, a sense guilt that the music potentially conjures, and segregation that existed in the process of defining the genre itself. 

     Blues music, which is the earliest recorded example of African-American music (the first recordings surfaced in the early 20’s, is rooted in the Negro experience (i.e. slavery, emancipation, segregation) that Baldwin refers to as “ that shadow which lies athwart our national life;” an intensely personal experience in which white Americans often played an antagonistic role. One that the white majority did not have to experience.  Simply (and generally) put, the whites don’t know what the black musicians are singing about. 

     It could be argued that, in hearing the stories told by various Negro musicians, they are hearing the stories of the damage they have inflicted and the pain they’ve caused.  This sense of guilt serves as a hindrance to the reception of black culture in that, as long as it exists, the white majority, Baldwin argues, seeks absolution.  He believesthat result of this search for a clean conscience results in a paradox in which whites seek to feel the guilt in order to be free of it. Balwin says, “we (white Americans) reinvest the black face with our guilt; and we do this... out of an unrealized need to suffer absolution,” (26).  As long as whites are caught in this paradox, they are unable to  truly receive the messages ingrained in black music and culture.

     Another factor that contributed to the difficult transmission and reception of black music and culture was the way the people who recorded and listened to the music (a majority of which were white) chose to classify it.  At the time of it’s inception, blues music was not referred to as blues.  Both whites and black played music with the characteristics that have come to define blues; (AAB structure, the use of “blue” notes, and slide guitar) however, as producers began to market this seemingly emerging form of music, the black and white interpretations were defined in completely different terms.   Where as white music was referred to as “country” or “hillbilly” music, the black form was marketed as “blues” or “race” music.  Although both “hillbilly” and “race” are somewhat derogatory terms, labeling something as “race” music is quite dehumanizing and extremely segregational.  It could be assumed that a white listener, given the choice, would listen to his own race’s songs and , in doing that, miss the stories and experiences (culture) presented in the “race” music.  And if Baldwin argues that “music is the only way in which Negro America has been able to tell his story,” that story is not going to be heard. 

Charlie Patton- High Water Everywhere

The Origin of the Blues

Well, backwater done rose all around Sumner now,
drove me down the line
Backwater done rose at Sumner,
drove poor Charley down the line
Lord, I'll tell the world the water,
done crept through this town
Lord, the whole round country,
Lord, river has overflowed
Lord, the whole round country,
man, is overflowed
You know I can't stay here,
I'll go where it's high, boy
I would goto the hilly country,
but, they got me barred
Now, look-a here now at Leland
river was risin' high
Look-a here boys around Leland tell me,
river was raisin' high
Boy, it's risin' over there, yeah
I'm gonna move to Greenville
fore I leave, goodbye
Look-a here the water now, Lordy,
Levee broke, rose most everywhere
The water at Greenville and Leland,
Lord, it done rose everywhere
Boy, you can't never stay here
I would go down to Rosedale
but, they tell me there's water there
Now, the water now, mama,
done took Charley's town
Well, they tell me the water,
done took Charley's town
Boy, I'm goin' to Vicksburg
Well, I'm goin' to Vicksburg,
for that high of mine
I am goin' up that water,
where lands don't never flow
Well, I'm goin' over the hill where,
water, oh don't ever flow
Boy, hit Sharkey County and everything was down in Stovall
But, that whole county was leavin',
over that Tallahatchie shore Boy,
went to Tallahatchie and got it over there
Lord, the water done rushed all over,
down old Jackson road
Lord, the water done raised,
over the Jackson road
Boy, it starched my clothes
I'm goin' back to the hilly country,
won't be worried no more