Page 8 Portland Obaarvar Section II February 28.1981
chanted were directly traceable to their former homes in
A frica in their rhythm s. Because the rough workers
sand songs that were not likely to interest “ genteel”
people, the intellectual snobbery o f the aristocracy, as
evidenced in the Jubilee, again prevented them from
recognizing any irreverencies directed toward them
from the fields. The only factor that was important was
that a singing slave was lik e ly to produce more.
Frederick Douglass noted that, “ slaves arc generally
expected to sing as well as to work. A silent slave is not
liked by masters or overseers...This may account for the
almost constant singing heard in the southern states.”
He refuted the philosophy erroneously held by many
that the singing indicated contentment. Hundreds o f
documented slave revolts and thousands o f runaways
also bear witness to this.
The apologist historian U.B. Phillips painted plan
tation life as idyllic as did the movie Gone With The
Wind. Phillips stated: "The plantation was pageant and
variety show in alternation...the bonfire in the quarter
w ith contests in clogs, cakewalks, and charlestons
whose fascinations were as yet undiscovered by the great
world; the work songs in solo and refrain..."
The “ solo" part that Phillips mentioned was sung by
a leader who was an im portant, i f not the im portant
member o f the field hands; and, as such, often com
manded a higher price on the market. Because o f the
mood o f the workers and the work to be done dictated
the timing and rhythm o f the music, the leader had to
intuitively determine what to sing. Reminiscent o f the
bards in far-off Africa, he improvised and created lyrics
and mellodies as needed.
So, to, were messages disseminated in this fashion.
Whenever H arriet Tubman was in the area, a special
song was sung: "D a rk and thorny is de pathway, where
de p ilg rim makes his ways; but beyong dis vale o f
sorrow, lie de fields o f endless days. "
Specifics, as to meeting places and departure times.
The "Jubilee,'' a traditional slave celebration of many southern plantations, produced a music that
was to have a dominant influence upon American musical experssion. (The Bettman Archive)
might be extemporaneous verses added to work, secular
or religious songs to alert potential runaways.
Other songs that served to inform listeners that there
was an escape plot being planned were: Steal Away to
Jesus; Oh Sinner, You'd Better Get Ready; Good News,
de C hariot’s Coming; and / Hear from heaven To-Day.
Follow the D rinking Gourd alluded to the Big Dipper
Constellation as a way o f traveling north.
Although both slave and freeman had been exposed
to white church music, it often was too stilted or un
satisfactory to express th eir needs. N o ticin g the
dichotomy between the master’ s Sunday piety and his
godless manners from M onday to Saturday, the
southern Black was never more attuned to a need for
music and rhetoric that not only nourished his soul, but
also helped to dispel the malaise o f slavery.
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