The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #59186 Message #941238
Posted By: Rick Fielding
27-Apr-03 - 11:26 AM
Thread Name: The Songs of Mississippi.
Subject: The Songs of Mississippi.
I was listening to a CBC program on the late Nina Simone this morning, and was absolutely amazed at her song Mississippi God-Damn. I of course had heard ABOUT this song because she wrote it during the Civil rights struggle (shortly after the discovery of the bodies of Goodman, Schwerner and Chaney, I believe) and it was printed in Sing-Out.
I had no idea it was a "Show-tune", as she called it. Very much like a Broadway song but with very angry lyrics.
It made me also think of Phil Ochs' awkward epic "Here's To The State of Mississippi". (later to morph into ".....State of Richard Nixon") His anger is so palpable in that song that his syntax simply can't keep up with it. A bit unusual for Phil...but those were unusual times.
Dylan's "Oxford Town", and "Emmett Til" also come to mind, but then I started to think of much more 'positive' songs about the Mississippi (State AND river).
Jimmie Rogers "Miss the Mississippi and you" is a knockout (can't remember who wrote it) and I love "Mississippi Heavy Water Blues". My Mum even used to play a novelty song called "It's a treat to beat your feet in the Mississippi Mud". Wasn't there even something called "Mr. and Mississippi"??!!
Any interest in a Mississippi discussion?
Cheers
Rick