Swing Low, Sweet Chariot; Jimmy Crack Corn; Frankie and Johnny; String of Pearls; Blue Moon; Jingle Bell Rock; and Dirty Pop: none of these songs would be here today without influence from African-American culture. ... ” To understand and fully appreciate the music you enjoy today, you must first understand that while African-American slave songs were a prominent part of pre-Civil War culture, they have also had great influence on modern culture.
In order to further understand African-American music, you must first know a certain amount of information about African music and culture. Music was and is a very important part of African culture. Much of African music was used as a way to document history. Because they did not have a written language, history was told through stories and in traditional folk songs. ... There were traditional songs to celebrate weddings, births, and even the loss of a baby tooth. In response to his own findings, Ralph Ellison wrote “[I]t was the African’s origin in cultures in which art was highly functional which gave him an edge in shaping the music and dance of this nation. (Collier 1)” African speech added to the use of music. Much like changing the tone of your voice can add a new meaning to a sentence, changing the pitch or quality of your voice changes the meaning of most African words. ...
The rhythmic structure of African music, and likewise African-American music, was unlike any other music in America at the time. Prior to African influence, American music always worked within a strict set of “rules. ... African-American music worked outside of this set of rules, sometimes seeming to ignore measure lines all together. ... These new ideas introduced syncopation and other such rhythmic patterns to American music (Collier 5). ... As an oral culture, African music celebrated the differences in sound and voice. ...
African-American slave music also encompassed several types of instrumentation. ...
The slaves also brought several African instruments with them to America. Such instruments as the banjo, tambourine, and calabash were introduced to us by African-American slaves. By the 19th centaury the banjo had become an American standard and most people have completely forgotten its African heritage.
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