THE BLUES

A BRIEF HISTORY Origin: Spirituals…African roots - 1865 – abolished slavery (Southern) Slaves were allowed to go to church and sing, but couldn’t at their slave master’s homes Lyrics: gospel/real life Follow the Drinking Gourd Description 1925 – Black Renaissance

A BRIEF HISTORY…Continued Mississippi Delta / New Orleans Beale St. Memphis (WC Handy Started trend) Spread outward 30’s-40’s Evolution of Gospel Praise the Lord Moved to Chicago/Detroit in the 50’s Evolved into Rhythm & Blues in the 60’s Influenced American Rock and Roll

Progressions…and Star Players 1912 – W.C. Handy (First recording) The St. Louis Blues Ma Rainey (Did she name the blues?) Mamie Smith – Crazy Blues Muddy Waters/Howlin’ Wolf - Electric Slide Guitar – Blind Willie Johnson Robert Johnson …BB King (King of the blues – guitar technique), Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker (60’s) 70’s – Influenced Rockers – Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, ZZ Top 80’s – Present Day – Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Joe Bonamassa From Mississippi to Chicago (Great Migration)

SONG STRUCTURE Verse - Chorus – Bridge –

SONG STRUCTURE Verse – A group of lines that constitute a unit (like a verse in poetry). Typically a song has several verses with a repeated rhyme scheme Chorus – song’s refrain – repeats throughout the song. The part that is memorable Bridge – Transitional passage connecting two sections of a song

Love Story Lyrics

Lyrical Structure of a Blues Song Lost Your Head Blues – Bessie Smith I was with you, baby, when you didn't have a dime I was with you, baby, when you didn't have a dime Now since you got a lot of money, you have thrown a good gal down Once ain't for always and two ain't for twice Once ain't for always and two ain't for twice When you get a good gal, you'd better treat her nice When you were lonesome, I treated you kind When you were lonesome, I treated you kind But since you've got money, it has changed your mind I'm goin' to leave you, baby, and I ain't goin' to say goodbye I'm goin' to leave you, baby, and I ain't goin' to say goodbye But I'll write you a letter and tell you the reason why Days are lonesome, nights are so long Days are lonesome, nights are so long I'm a good gal, but I just been treated wrong

Lyrical Structure of a Blues Song AAB Format Rhyme scheme (usually AAB) Problem/Resolution Crossroads – Eric Clapton

3 O’Clock Blues Well now it's three o'clock in the morning And I can't even close my eyes Three o'clock in the morning baby And I can't even close my eyes Can't find my baby And I can't be satisfied I've looked around me And my baby she can't be found I've looked all around me, people And my baby she can't be found You know if I don't find my baby I'm going down to the Golden Ground (That's where the men hang out) Goodbye, everybody I believe this is the end Oh goodbye everybody I believe this is the end I want you to tell my baby Tell her please, please forgive me (Forgive me for my sins)

Got a call from my neighbor this morning Told me that my baby was gone Got a call from my neighbor this morning Told me that my baby was gone Took the keys to my Cadillac Left my clothes out all alone

Musical Structure 12 Bar Blues: I, IV, I, V, IV, I (Do, mi, so; fa, la, do: so, ti, re) Ray Charles, Johnny B. Goode Lynyrd Skynyrd (With Improvisation)

Floating Verses Dust My Broom A floating verse is a line or lines from a song that musicians “borrow” from each other. This is very common in blues music “….lines that have circulated so long in folk communities that tradition-steeped singers call them instantly to mind and rearrange them constantly, and often unconsciously, to suit their personal and community aesthetics” Dust My Broom

Floating verse, rip-offs, or samples? Michael Jackson / Rhianna Imogen Heap / Jason Derulo Queen/ Vanilla Ice Jay Z / Alphaville Paula Abdul / J-Cole Kid Rock / Lynyrd Skynyrd Brad Paisley / Alabama

NOTHING IS EXCLUSIVE! Stack o-Lee Manish Boy Led Zeppelin - Dazed and Confused Everlast John Mayer Grace Potter and the Nocturnals