Music & History Tutorial
An old Wobblie saying goes "Right was the tyrant king who once said, 'Beware of a movement that sings'...whenever and wherever the oppressed challenge the old order, songs are on their lips." Songs have been on the lips of nearly every social and political movement in American history. A simple search through the Ohio Historical Society's on-line collection catalog will yield more than a dozen songbooks for particular occupations, ethnic groups, religious traditions, unions, political parties, military forces and social movements. Groups like the Women's Christian Temperance Union, the National Woman Suffrage Association, the United Mine Workers, and various civil rights organizations have published and distributed their music to members and supporters.
Music has long been a companion of movements aimed at changing American society. People express their vision, beliefs, values, and struggles through music in order to convey their conviction and pass along their message and history. By studying and analyzing these songs, historians can gain insight and perspective on the people who sang them. Songs also make an effective teaching medium. Classrooms are able to break out of lecture-mode, have fun, and conduct primary source research.
Researching
Historic music is not difficult to find. There are several paths you may wish to follow.
- Begin with an Internet search. A search will most likely result in a number of on and off-line music repositories. Some organizations, such as the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), although much smaller than their 1910 incarnation, are still active and post songs with historical notes on their web site.
- Songbooks are widely available in libraries, archives, and museums across the county. Most libraries have on-line catalogs and interlibrary loans programs that aid in locating and duplicating these resources.
- CDs are available from folk singers such as Utah Phillips, Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. Those who are still alive continue to tour and produce recordings.
- A number of books on historic music have been published in the past decade.
Interpreting Music
Evaluating music for historical relevance can be tricky at first, but with enough practice and research the process will become routine.
- Address your cultural bias and perspective. All people have life experiences that shape the way in which they view the world. Your background may be radically different than the people you are studying. Recognizing your own unique perspective will allow you to avoid interpretation pitfalls.
- Begin by researching the history of the organization, institution, and culture. A group's background and experience will reflect in the music it creates. Often times the most valuable information can be found in diaries, personal papers and oral histories.
- Check your research for references to music or events where music may have been incorporated such as parades, rallies, ceremonies, conferences, family gatherings, or parties.
- Once you feel you have a firm grasp of the subject's history, read the song lyrics. How do the lyrics relate to the subject's history? Do the lyrics reference events, people or places?
- Lyrics may contain code words, slang, or institutionally specific language. Use your research to uncover the meaning of words and phrases. Rewrite the song in a familiar language, while bearing history in mind. The meanings of words change over time; use the Oxford English Dictionary to check definitions during different time periods.
- Be aware of the ethnic diversity of your subject. Some groups had significant numbers of immigrants in their ranks, while others were global organizations. Assorted cultural influences may add a new dimension to the meaning of the song.
- If there is a particular tune that accompanies the lyrics, find a copy and listen. Some songs use tunes from other music that was very familiar such as marching tunes or religious hymns of the day.
- Examine different variations of the song. Lyrics and tunes may vary regionally based on the different taste and mood of the performers. Other songs experience slight changes or none at all.
- Put the tune and lyrics together and listen. Examine the mood of the song. Is it joyous and happy, sober, sad, confrontational or militant?
- Using your research, try to identify when the song was used and how.
- Finally, use the information you have gathered in your research and analysis to write a descriptive paragraph regarding how the music reflects the values, attitudes, beliefs, and convictions of the subject. Make comparisons to other examples from the time period.
Exercise
Print a copy of the Music Analysis Form (MAF) from the link under Resources. Use lyrics under the next link in conjunction with the MAF to interpret the meaning and history behind each song. Share your conclusions with classmates and analyze how each person's perspective adds to the interpretation.
