DARKIE SONGS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 29 August 1925, Page 11

DARKIE SONGS.

TUNES OF THE PLANTATIONS

How did the negro “spirituals,” which New Zealanders have heard from the concert platform, the eoon songs of yesterday, and the jazz noises of today, come to be sung? The tale is told in “The Negro and His Songs,.” a book published in America as. part of the story of the negro race. A large number of the true folk songs, as exemplified by the religious songs and a distinct common type of popular song of the present day classed as “social” and “work” songs, are incorporated in this collection by investigators who have an intimate class of Negro of-which they write. Jt- would,- of course, be impossible to depict the progress of a race as a whole through the medium of cheap songs of ephemeral' character drawn from the loAvest classes, but the authors remind the reader that “while the negroes in. the book are real negroes, they do not represent all the negro race.” The words of.the songs have been collected in Northern Mississippi, Northern Georgia, and a few fiom Tennessee and North Carolina. It. is principally from the Mississippi delta that America (and the world) have, acquired the primitive “jazz” and “blues. ” v.

For the purpose of this work, the folk verse is regarded as of more importance than the music of the songs. A description is given, however, of the role of the “music physicianer” and the. “knife song” and “train song” of the imitative “musicianer”. are explained in .full. The innovations of the illiterate music-makers who desired to make their instruments “talk” and “sing” :thro>V new light on the origin of some, of the jazz noises of today. • .. -

While the- collection in its entirety lays no claim to the title of “folk songs,” the first section is devoted to the old religious melodies, the “spirit-

uals,” and as significant and true folk music they are the most appealing songs to .be found l in this book of nine chapters.. One marvels at.the negro’s intimate knowledge of Adam, Moses, Noah, Ezekiel, Alary and Martha, and other Biblical characters of whom he sings with a familiarity befitting a well- linOwn personal acquaintanceship. “King Jesus” was his bosom friend who bestowed grace upon the singer: God made man an ’ man Avns sure, There Avas no sin ail’ his heart was pure.

The • authors note as a racial characteristic that: “There is no parallel instance of an oppressed race thus sustained by - the . religious sentiment alone. These songs .are but the vocal expression of the simplicity of their faith and'the sublimity of their long resignation. ” It is also correctly noted that while many of the younger negroes’ do not enter into the mood of the old songs, that “six decades- of liberty; for tli esla ve people have signalised the better civilisation, and there still remains among the negroes the. same emotional, nature, the same sad, plaintive, beautiful, rhyriimic sorrowfeeling in their songs.” As to style; and poetic effbrt,” we" find that: “'the negro not onl#' sees objects and persons, clearly, but lie makes others see what he himself sees. His- pictures stand out in bold relief; they are painted on appropriate backgrounds. The local impression, be it serious or; ludicrous, is formed with - unchangeable . definite: .ness. ” -■ . ~

“iThe 1 Judgment Day” is nn outstanding example of startling vivid phrases ineprporated into mental images which would not be unwoithy Of (he. pictorial presentation of a Sar-, gent. . . !

Among the “spirituals,” in contrast to such master sorrow songs as “Steal

Away,” we find many songs bearing quaint and unusual expressions and original ideas. Not in the confidence of the, mechanism of a 'plane of the air, but in. the trust of the sustaining power of angel’s wings, the singer of yesterday shouted: I goin’ try the. air, I goin ! try the air. Pray come air go wid me. Well I got on my trnvellin’ shoes (thrice) Pray come an’ go wid me. And again he sings: Some o’ dose mornin’s bright an' fair ’Way in de middle of de air; Goin’ hitch oh my wings an’ try de air ’ Way in de middle of de air Apart from their religions fervour, many of the songs of many verses, si ch as ‘‘De Ole Ark a’ Moverin,” the story of Noah and the Hood, are notable for the employment of the humour of the expressions alone. That, even among the reckless “social” songs a definite vein _of sadness is found, leads the collectors to conclude: “ hhhhhhhee.tth ivA?w

elude that: “Bound down as he'is bv the eternal force, of circumstances, condemned to ' live a life which is destined to bring him a very small share of tiie enjoyments and decencies that characterise the civilisation of which he lias become a part, it is no wonder that lie either forgets himself in gaiety or purges his feelings with his sad and plaintive outbursts.” As an example of experiences attendant upon the- collecting of folk songs the | following amusing incident is given: “Sitting on a rock wall, listening with interest to the songs of a road gang, and. enjoying the: singing, a university dean decided to take down some of the s mgs as lie heard , them. With the thought of how oblivious the workers were to his presence, with difficulty he finally caught the words of their song: White man seittin’ on wall White man settin’ on wall all day long, Wastin’ his time, wastin’ his time. “That the ‘white man’ immediately moved on need, not be: taken as evidence that he appreciated the song the less.”