Soul Music As A Vehicle Of Social Expression
Music is the most powerful vehicle of human expression. As the embodiment of
love, disapproval, happiness, experience – life, music speaks to us, because it
comes from us. Each people, in each paradine of the human experience
instinctively and systematically change the music of the past to represent the
realities of the present. In this century, black music, more specifically Soul
music, has been that music that has brought to plain view that which evidences
our humanity – hope, hurt, joy and passion – in such a way that the world has no
other choice than to feel its power and marvel in its brilliance. When one
discusses the relationship between Soul music and the civil rights movement, it
becomes a dialouge very akin to that of the chicken and the egg. The period of
“Classic Soul” is that period primarily, but not exclusively referenced as the
1950’s, 60’s and 70’s (Stephenson 186). This is the time frame of the American
Civil Rights Movement, and the impact of the massive changes going on, are
reflected in the music and the culture. So one would be correct in both assuming
that the Civil Rights Movement gave rise to Soul music, as much Soul music
contributed to the success of the campaign for civil rights. Soul music during
its heyday, did more than simply entertain. For a race of people it served as a
source of motivation, strength and education, for a people immersed in turmoil
and tragedy. The institution of segregation had effectively inhibited the
general populace’s awareness of the great achievements and contributions made by
African-americans throughout the history of the United States (Franklin 429).
Inasmuch, Soul music sought to bring that undersight to light. Soul songs like
Donny Hathaway’s “To Be Young, Gifted and Black,” was revolutionary, in that
they sought to instill pride of one’s history, but at the same time motivate a
new generation to reach new heights. As Hathaway says, “We must begin to tell
our young, ‘Don’t you know that there is a whole world waiting for you?’”, he is
calling for the teaching of black pride to the youth, which was a wide spread
trend in black communities of the ‘60s and ‘70s (Hathaway).
James Brown’s “Say
It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud,” became an anthem for the movement (Brown).
The song’s lyrics like, “….Don’t quit moving, until we get what we deserve…we’d
rather die on our feet, than keep living on our knees,” were words of
inspiration for those involved in the struggle for equality. “Whereas the
predominant theme of rhythm and blues was love and other kind of human
relationships, soul singers voiced concern about the social injustice, racial
pride, black militancy, and forms of protest (Southern 517).” Eileen Southern’s
statement on Soul music greatly describes the type of works produced by Hathaway
and Brown at the time, yet was definetly not exclusive to these two artists. The
period wherein Soul intertwined with the Civil Rights Movement, produced music
greatly influenced by the environment in which its creators lived. Donny
Hathaway’s, “Ghetto,” and Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna
Holler),” speak of the harshness of life in the Inner City (Hathaway/Gaye).
Societal ills and political unrest were a major theme of Soul music, and Marvin
Gaye’s work, almost more than any other artist, was demonstrative of this fact.
Gaye’s album What’s Goin On, was his commentary on the social problems of the
period, and through its success tremendously impacted the increasing social
awareness. Despair within the black community was given voice in Gaye’s “Inner
City Blues”. Inflation, taxes, unemployment and police brutality were numbered
among the themes addressed in the song. The sense of hopelesness of the piece
can best be conveyed in the line saying, “this life ain’t worth the
living….makes me wanna holler, throw up both my hands!”(Gaye). “Save the
Children” goes on to ask: “Who is willing to try and save a world that is
destined to die?”, yet goes on to say “live life for the children…let’s save the
children (Gaye). So, even in the midst of great despair, Gaye, and other artist
of his genre, did believe in the possibility of change. Ball of Confusion,
debuting in 1970, gave the Temptation's take on the societal ills plaguing their
times. It explored the white migration to the suburbs, urban riots, politicians,
etc., as it expressed the sense of turmoil experienced during that time which
seemed to all come together in a Ball of Confusion.
