Liberation Music

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Liberation Music and the Underground Railroad
By Kaileigh Sheffer
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Music Is A Call For Change
It is said that music is somewhat like a
revolution. If enough people listen to the
message behind the music, and decide that changes
need to take place, there will most likely be a
difference made.
Music asks us these questions Who are these
songs directed towards? What message are they
portraying? Should we listen?
Music tells the truth, no matter how harsh it may
be. Lyrics help people realize what is happening
around them. Music grabs peoples attention,
sometimes better than spoken words.
Music is

• Passionate
• Expressive
• Emotional
• Unifying
• A snapshot in time

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Music In Different Time Periods

• Songs usually reflect upon the time in which they
  were written and composed.
• Many of the songs written during the time of the
  Underground Railroad have to do with the
  political, cultural, and social issues of that
  time.
• Song lyrics are an easy and global way to let
  people know what is going on.
• Most music, no matter what time period they were
  written in, call for some type of change.

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Liberation Music Then

• Many of the songs written during the time of the
  Underground Railroad were called spirituals.
• These songs were originally expressions of
  religious faith, and many held secret meanings
  for only the enslaved African Americans to
  understand.
• The song I chose to represent the music of the
  past is called The Gospel Train.

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The Gospel Train

• This song was a spiritual written during the time
  of the Underground Railroad.
• The Gospel Train quickly became a code name for
  the Underground Railroad.
• When slaves heard this song being sung, they
  knew that either a conductor was among them, or
  that fleeing slaves were close by, along with an
  opportunity to escape.

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Lyrics
The Gospel train's comin'I hear it just at
handI hear the car wheel rumblin'And rollin'
thro' the land Get on board little childrenGet
on board little childrenGet on board little
childrenThere's room for many more I hear the
train a-comin'She's comin' round the curveShe's
loosened all her steam and brakesAnd strainin'
ev'ry nerve The fare is cheap and all can goThe
rich and poor are thereNo second class aboard
this trainNo difference in the fare
http//youtube.com/watch?vAz2z8ZLsuqEfeaturerel
ated
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Liberation Music Now

• Artists continue to write liberation music today.
• Although most having nothing to do with the
  Underground Railroad, many current songs have to
  do with freedom from oppression of any type.
• The modern liberation song I enjoy the most is
  called Zimbabwe.

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Zimbabwe

• Zimbabwe was written by Bob Marley in 1979.
• Marley wrote the song in order to support the
  freedom fighters in Rhodesia, which was a British
  colony until 1980. During the independence
  celebrations in present-day Harare, Marley was
  invited to play at the ceremony.
• Marleys song later became the unofficial anthem
  of Zimbabwe.

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Every man gotta right to decide his own
destiny,And in this judgement there is no
partiality.So arm in arms, with arms, we'll
fight this little struggle,'Cause that's the
only way we can overcome our little
trouble.Brother, you're right, you're
right,You're right, you're right, you're so
right!We gon' fight (we gon' fight), we'll have
to fight (we gon' fight),We gonna fight (we gon'
fight), fight for our rights!Natty Dread it
in-a (Zimbabwe)Set it up in (Zimbabwe)Mash it
up-a in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe)Africans
a-liberate (Zimbabwe), yeah.No more internal
power struggleWe come together to overcome the
little trouble.Soon we'll find out who is the
real revolutionary,'Cause I don't want my people
to be contrary.To divide and rule could only
tear us apartIn everyman chest, mm - there
beats a heart.So soon we'll find out who is the
real revolutionariesAnd I don't want my people
to be tricked by mercenaries.
Lyrics
http//youtube.com/watch?vozLHwHcXIvk
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How Are These Songs Related?

• Although the lyrics are quite different, the
  artists are very different, and the tone of each
  song is different, they are both spelling out the
  same message.
• This is that there are serious problems, and
  wherever or whenever they may be, something needs
  to be done to change them.
• Whether it be fighting for freedom from slavery
  or fighting for your own country, each song has
  powerful lyrics that give listeners a strong
  message of hope.

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How I Grew

• Not only did I learn more about the Underground
  Railroad itself, I felt like I was able to
  connect more with the enslaved. By listening to
  the spiritual, I realized that the African
  Americans thrived on these messages of hope.
• Ive always loved Bob Marley, but really reading
  his lyrics to Zimbabwe and learning the history
  behind them made me realize that there are
  freedom fighters everywhere, and that their
  voices need to be heard.
• Music is such a powerful tool. It can be used to
  express joy, anger, rage, sadness, hope, courage,
  and thousands more emotions.

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Bibliography

• www.youtube.com
• http//www.osblackhistory.com/songs.php
• http//www.negrospirituals.com/news-song/the_gospe
  l_train.htm
• www.wikipedia.en.org