Folklore: Folk Music - World Music - Full Circle

Subject: Folklore: Folk Music - World Music - Full Circle
From: GUEST,Bluesman James
Date: 22 Mar 09 - 09:32 AM

Wow: We have gone full circle regarding the music of the world:
Years ago, when I first moved to the Hudson Valley, I met a old singer from the 50s Roy Godes: Roy played and sang beautifully. He had a duet with Leon Bibb back in the day.
Besides doing Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly and Josh White tunes, Roy sang many songs from many lands in quite a few languages. He could sing in Spanish, French, Hebrew and Yiddish. I was fascinated. He reminded me that in the 50's kind of Pre Bob Dylan, folk singers were expected to sing in several languages. Well it got me going back to to Leon Bibb,
Theodore Bikel, Harry Belafonte and Paul Robeson and yes, they were all multi-lingual and multi-cultural before the term existed.
Today we have the Putamayo Label and its radio station; the Buena Vista Social Club, Nuevo Flamenco,Congolese Rumba, Cuban Guarilo, Klezma, jibaro de puerto rico , Mexican Ranchero Portuguese Fado I can go on and on and on~ Does anyone stop and realize how much wonderful music exists in the world and much of it is not sung in English! Even though I am based in the Blues, my other guitarist is trying to mix Latin and Spanish tinge to our music.
I play a lot of 12 string guitar and I love double string instruments
The Cuban Laud, the Purto Rican Cuarto Arabic and Turkish Lutes they all sound incredible.
So in a way we are back to where we came from. Raul Robeson would be proud

Subject: RE: Folklore: Folk Music - World Music - Full Circle
From: oldhippie
Date: 22 Mar 09 - 10:55 AM

Check out the song "Paul Robeson - Born To Be Free" by NYC Irish Rock Band Black 47:

PAUL ROBESON (BORN TO BE FREE)
(Someday, when the Cold War becomes a memory,he will rival Martin as the great American hero. Until then, sleep on, Paul). from the CD "Home of the Brave"

You can wreck my name, vilify me, stretch me on the rack
But I won't bow down to any man, be he white or be he black
Take away my passport, refuse to let me travel
But I will not get down on my knees,
You're never gonna make me grovel
There's a lot more to democracy than havin' a vote
I'm the equal here of any man, free my people, let them go
These chains around my body are never gonna hold me And I refuse to be a slave in my own country
The great are only great 'cause we're down on our knees
Rise up, my brothers and sisters, we were born to be free
Born to be free You can call me a traitor but I love my country
And I will not sell out it because of your hypocrisy I refuse to hide behind the Fifth,
I've no fear of honesty
You always know exactly where I am, so why don't you just
Come on over here and get me
You can tap my phone but there's one thing you will never hear
'Cause the drumbeat of freedom wasn't meant for your slaves' ears I'll never turn my back on my comrades and my friends
The poor and the dispossessed, the women and the men
The great are only great 'cause we're down on our knees
Rise up, my brothers and sisters, we were born to be free
Born to be free
I stand here struggling for the rights of my people to be full citizens in this country and they are not!
Close your halls to stop me singin'
Close your minds to stop me speakin'
Close your kitchens to stop me eatin'
Close your hotels to stop me sleepin'
But I'll never turn my back on my comrades and my friends
The poor and the dispossessed, the women and the men
The great are only great 'cause we're down on our knees
Rise up, my brothers and sisters, we were born to be free
Born to be free
These chains around my body are never gonna hold me
And I refuse to be a slave in my own country
The great are only great 'cause we're down on our knees
Rise up, my brothers and sisters, we were born to be free
Born to be free I am born and bred in this America of ours.
I want to love it, but we must have the courage to shout at the top of our voices about our injustices, and we must lay the blame right where it has belonged for over three hundred years of slavery and misery - right here on our own doorstep.
My father was a slave, and my people died to build this country, and I'm going to stay here and have a part of it just like you!
And no facist-minded people will drive me from it--is that clear?

© Starry Plough Music (BMI)

And, yes Bluesman, I agree with you about the music. Regardless of what tongue it is sung in, it's a universal language.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Folk Music - World Music - Full Circle
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 22 Mar 09 - 06:58 PM

I disagree quite strongly. Folk music is not only melody but also meaning. One should never sing a song without understanding its meaning and it is better to stick to sings that speak to you deeply, are part of your heritage and wellspring. Although I loved blues I gave it up in my 20s when I realised that I was not a black sharecropper and it would never speak through me with its full meaning unless I were.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Folk Music - World Music - Full Circle
From: Jack Campin
Date: 22 Mar 09 - 09:06 PM

Maybe the black sharecroppers would have LIKED you to sing their songs? Did you ask?

Some cultures believe in exclusive ownership of their music, others don't and want it spread as widely as possible.

I've always found people abroad like me to join in with their songs. I have a pretty good idea what they're about in Turkish but next to none in Croatian or Hungarian - it doesn't make any difference when you're joining in a chorus.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Folk Music - World Music - Full Circle
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 23 Mar 09 - 06:05 AM

I was not a black sharecropper and it would never speak through me with its full meaning unless I were.

So what are you now that entitles you to sing the songs you do, Richard? How does your employment relate to your repertoire??

Subject: RE: Folklore: Folk Music - World Music - Full Circle
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 23 Mar 09 - 06:26 AM

It is the music of generations of my people.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Folk Music - World Music - Full Circle
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 23 Mar 09 - 06:33 AM

My people are the people of Planet Earth.