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After work they sang in the camps. They sang sections of texts from the Bible and melodic parts of songs, which they heard outside churches (Western music). They used these “bits and pieces” of music and texts to compose their own spirituals of hope and faith.
The first form of spirituals was called shouts - the remnants of a primitive African dance. Men and women stand in a circle and start dancing, clapping hands and stamping their feet, initially slowly and then faster and faster. The same musical phrase is repeated for hours until everyone is in a trance. This led to women falling down and shouting and tired men leaving the circle.
The lyrics of spirituals are closely related to their "composers", the slaves. Working songs are based on daily lives, whereas spirituals are based on the message of the Bible, "You can be saved." They could identify with Biblical figures like Joseph (who was sold as a slave by his brothers) and the Jews who were also slaves in Egypt. They believed that they would be helped and freed, just as the Lord helped the Biblical figures.
The lyrics are thus based on a longing for freedom and a better land. Words like "Home" and "Canaan's land" are used often and are symbolic of their search for a better life in this world as well as in the hereafter.
As with folk music, the "composers " of most spirituals are unknown, as they were passed down by word of mouth. The words differ from region to region as people added their own words when the original words were forgotten.
Answer the following questions:
Listen to the recording of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and join in each time when the words “Coming for to carry me home” are sung.
Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
If you get there before I do
Coming for to carry me home
Tell all my friends, I’m coming too
Coming for to carry me home
What is the message of this song?
STEP 2
Spirituals are examples where overlapping in music takes place; elements from Western as well as African music are combined.
A number of characteristics of spirituals are listed below. Listen to the recording again and complete the questionnaire.
Is the characteristic typical of African (A) or Western (W) music?
Is this specific characteristic present () in the specific song?
| CHARACTERISTIC | WESTERN/AFRICA | PRESENT |
| a whole group of people participate | ||
| accompanied by dancing, movement, clapping of hands | ||
| call-and-response: the group answers the leader | ||
| the group often repeats the same words (phrase) | ||
| the leader often sings the longer phrases | ||
| the group often sings the shorter syncopated phrases. | ||
| is accompanied by moaning and groaning | ||
| strong rhythm with syncopation | ||
| melodies derived from hymns | ||
| rhythmical patterns are repeated | ||
| melodical patterns are repeated | ||
| based on pentatonic scale |
STEP 3
Homework and Research
Think of more gospel songs.
What would modern singers sing about in their songs?
Why is there a difference?
Make a list of gospel singers.
Read the following. What feeling do you experience?
“When I’m feeling blue..........” / Blue-Monday: Despondency or depression
Background Information
Like work songs and spirituals, the blues are also a mixture of African and Western music. Just like these two genres, the lyrics of the blues also portray the feelings, fears and hopes of the singer. The blues are however more personal as only one singer is singing - a solo in contrast with the groups of the work songs and spirituals.
First read the story of Cesaria Evora.
Listen to a recording of Cesaria Evora that your educator will play for you.
What is your opinion about this music?
Cesaria Evoria comes from the Cape Verde Islands and is known as the barefoot diva. The reason for this is that when she appears on stage during a performance, she is usually barefoot in support of the less privileged women and children of her country. Her songs are based on her country’s history of isolation, slavery and emigration: more than half of the inhabitants of the country have moved to other countries.
The words of the songs are in Portuguese-Creole and the style is known as "Morna", a type of blues, as it portrays the hardships of life through music.
Finally: Collect material on the three different styles and paste it into your learner journal. It can be examples of CD covers, lyrics, pictures or general information.
| Learning Outcomes(LOs) |
| LO 2 |
| REFLECTION The learner will be able to reflect critically and creatively on artistic and cultural processes, products and styles in past and present contexts. |
| Assessment Standards(ASs) |
| We know this when the learner: |
| DANCE |
| 2.1 researches the historical background of dances done by their elders in terms of social or cultural contexts, purpose and unique characteristics; |
| DRAMA |
| 2.2 finds out about different types of drama in the country and makes connections between some of them in terms of origins and similarities; |
| MUSIC |
| 2.3 listens to and discusses the use of repetition as an organising principle in African music; |
| 2.4 selects a repertoire of songs that are used in various cultural environments, describes what cultural events they are drawn from, explains what the message of the lyrical content is and what the songs are used for; |
| VISUAL ARTS |
| 2.5 identifies the main purposes and design features of artworks in the home, the community and public places in terms of theme, subject and scale; |
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