November 18-19, 2023: Sandra Hamilton’s Guest Post on the Blues in American Culture

[is one of our star Senior English Studies Majors at Fitchburg State, gettingready to move into the next stages of her professional writing career. I’ve hadthe chance to work with her in this semester’s EnglishStudies Capstone course, and am beyond excited to share her Guest Post inresponse and addition to this week’s BluesStudying blog series!]

On the topic of the Blues, I am reminded of the 2006 film, BlackSnake Moan, with Samuel L Jackson and Christina Ricci, music by the late90’s bluesman, Bill Withers and then the songs referenced by Frederick Douglassin his narrative published in 1845.

The film Black Snake Moan opens with a blues musiciandiscussing the blues as “[being between] two people, supposed to be in love,when one or the other deceives the other through their love.” He said he wrotelyrics saying, “love hides all fault and make you do things you don’t wanna do.Love sometimes will leave you feeling sad and blue.”

The plot for the film is about a woman with an overwhelmingaddiction and a religious ex-bluesman who attempts to cure her. Within fiveminutes of the film, the audience knows both characters have been left by theirpartners. One has just gone off to war, and the other to be with another man. Withinthe plot are beautiful sentiments, dominated by music that captures the emotionand moves the audience from one scene to the next.

Samuel L Jackson sings in the film. One such song has lyricsthat ring out, “Just a bird without a feather” by the American blues singer andsongwriter R.L. Burnside, leaving the audience with a sense of longing. “Youknow I’m lost without your love”.

The sentiment behind these songs reminded me of the Narrativeof the Life of Frederick Douglass. Frederick was born into slavery in theearly 1800’s and after running away, he spoke towards anti-slavery and wroteprolifically on the subject.

On page 7 of his narrative, Fredrick talks about the GreatHouse Farm, and how the slaves often favored being assigned to this house overany others. “Few privileges were esteemed higher, by the slaves of theout-farms, than that of being selected to do errands at the Great House Farm.It was associated in their minds with greatness.”

On the next two pages, Frederick talks about the slaveschosen for the Great House Farm and the songs they would make up along the way.Listen to Frederick describe them.

“The slaves selected to go to the Great House Farm, for themonthly allowance for themselves and their fellow-slaves, were peculiarlyenthusiastic. While on their way, they would make the dense old woods, formiles around, reverberate with their wild songs, revealing at once the highestjoy and the deepest sadness.”

In the next few paragraphs Frederick talks about the lyricsof the songs.

“I did not, when a slave, understand the deep meaning ofthose rude and apparently incoherent songs. I was myself within the circle; sothat I neither saw nor heard as those without might see and hear.”

“They told a tale of woe…”

“Every tone was a testimony against slavery, and a prayer toGod for deliverance from chains.”

In the film Black Snake Moan, Samuel L Jackson’s characterliterally has Christina Ricci’s character locked in his house with a chainaround her waist.

Still on page 8, Frederick goes on. “The hearing of thosewild notes always depressed my spirit, and filled me with ineffable sadness. Ihave frequently found myself in tears while hearing them. The mere recurrenceto those songs, even now, afflicts me…”

The memory of the songs is enough to bring Frederick totears. But why?

“To those songs I trace my first glimmering conception ofthe dehumanizing character of slavery.” He said.

“Slaves sing most when they are most unhappy.” He adds, “Thesongs of the slave represent the sorrow of his heart; and he is relieved bythem, only as an aching heart is relieved by its tears. At least, such is myexperience. I have often sung to drown my sorrow, but seldom to express myhappiness.”

The songs give movement and expression to the lives of theslaves, just like the songs in the film add to the plot and move it along. DoesSamuel L Jackson’s character feel like a bird without a feather? Or is hetrying to reach Christina Ricci’s character, empathizing that she is a slave toher substance. A slave to an idea. Maybe these songs enable Samuel L Jackson’scharacter to meet her where she is at. Maybe that can be more powerful than throwingdown a ladder for someone to climb out of the darkness alone.

A quick film reference is Disney Pixar’s, Inside-out.Have you seen it? It’s hilarious but one scene in particular emphasizes thatsometimes all you need is a good cry.

Back to Samuel L Jackson, towards the end of the film, heunbottles his anger and is playing the blues again while Christina Ricci danceswith a newfound freedom.

Maybe it’s in the differences between, “Ain’t no sunshinewhen she’s gone” and “Lovely day”. Two songs by bluesman Bill Withers and bothan expression of emotion.

Standing in the kitchen, Samuel L Jackson tugs on the chain,“Come here”. Christina Ricci walks over and he puts a key into the lock. Thechains are rattling. “It ain’t on me to change your life or nobody else’s.Shit, people gunna do what the hell they wanna do anyway.” Christina’scharacter stays silent as she watches the chains fall to the ground and with eyeswide-open, lifts her gaze to meet Samuel L Jackson’s. “You ain’t got but onelife. Ya’ll live it the way you want.”

[Nextseries starts Monday,

Ben

PS. Whatdo you think?]