Response To The Song 'Going Down, Moses'

He mentions the fight in the House of Representatives that broke out, in relation with the civil rights bill. He also about the equality between black and white people in the 1960’s. At this point this is being read the words “all is calm, all is bright” this completely contrast from the subject about racism but the song is representing a sense of tranquillity as if everything is okay when it is not.

While work songs dealt only with their daily life, spirituals were inspired by the message of Jesus Christ and his Good News (Gospel) of the Bible, “You can be saved”. They are different from hymns and psalms, because they were a way of sharing the hard condition of being a slave. Many slaves in town and in plantations tried to run to a “free country”, that they called “my home” or “Sweet Canaan, the Promised Land”. This country was on the Northern side of Ohio River, that they called “Jordan”. Some negro spirituals refer to the Underground Railroad, an organization for helping slaves to run away.

The first verse describes the actions of the“clampdown”. People who are advocates for the clampdown seem like unreasonable and undesirable additions to society; they’re Anti-Semitic and they are eager to brainwash those who might stand against them. The refrain in the first verse “Working for the clampdowns” is mocking and upbeat, as if the narrator is wondering why anyone would ever want to work for the clampdown. This attitude is still present in the second verse. The narrator is still idealistic and he will stand up for his principles even when he faces the unpleasant consequences of his actions. Ie. going to jail. He challenges the judge, “double my time” and proclaims boldly that no one with a “living soul” could work for the “clampdown.”

In the time period of slavery, many famous slave songs were produced, and most of the slave owners and others found their singing as a form of joy. In reality, singing was the slave’s form of sadness, and emotion. Slaves got through the day by singing about their hardships and troubles. Fredrick Douglass in the quote above explains that through all of his hardships, he got through it with his “sorrow songs” to pacify him and his fellow slaves to be able to complete their

With rhetorical tact, Douglass uses his narrative to underscore the overwhelming desperation inherent to slave songs. Says Douglass, “The singing of a man cast away upon a desert island might be as appropriately considered as evidence of contentment and happiness, as the singing of a slave; the songs of the one and of the other are prompted by the same emotion.” Driven by an all-consuming

In some cases, the songs sung by the slaves do portray happiness, but this is very temporary. When beginning to explain the songs that he is hearing he say that the songs can

To me the song Swanee River has a different meaning to the song on page 129. To me Swanne River was talking about being at home and a child, being around the familiar faces; your family and friends. Also, I think that home refers to being back on the plantation where they know they have security. Not in the sense of being safe, but being where they know and somewhat have fun. The song on page 129 about "god's hebben" means to me that black and white people are the same, minus the color of their skin. It is saying that every one is the same in God's eyes, and when we get to heaven we are all going to look the same. To me the Swanee River song tells me that the black people miss being at home and as much as they hated being owned by whites they miss being on the

Reason: A lot of emphasis of was placed on the effect these songs had on Frederick Douglass’ soul, and his view on slavery. Song was used as an outlet by the slaves to express their sadness and desolate emotions, a rallying cry and proof of their humanity, despite the dehumanization they faced as slaves.

I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ “This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation. “Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to

A spiritual journey dominates these songs, but the concern for physical freedom is there as well. The most pervasive image in the spirituals is that of the chosen people for the slaves believed that they had been chosen by God just as the Israelites had. They also believed that they understood better than anyone what freedom truly meant in both a spiritual and physical sense. The Old Testament characters that the slaves referred to in their songs experienced deliverance by God. The slaves believed that the same God that had granted them spiritual freedom would someday loose the chains of slavery. The wonderful flexibility of the spirituals allowed for that double meaning of freedom. For example, Frederick Douglass claimed that the line” I am bound for Canaan” in one of the songs he frequently sang meant that he was going North, not just that he would experience the freedom of the promised land in a spiritual sense. The flexibility and multiplicity of meanings also allowed for slaves to use these sacred songs as secret communication. Some songs, such as “Steal Away to Jesus,” were used to call a secret meeting where the people could worship without the supervision of the whites. Other songs, such as “Wade in the Water” served as coded directions for runaway slaves. With the eventual emancipation of the slaves, religious music of African Americans became prominently

In order to occupy her child, the mother dresses her daughter up to go sing in the children’s choir at church in the fifth stanza. She brushes her hair, bathes her, and puts on her gloves and shoes. Randall appeals to the senses in this stanza; he uses a metaphor here to inform the reader a visual that the family is African American. She has “night-dark” hair and small brown hands. She is dressed in white and smells of sweet rose petals. The mother takes the girls mind off of the Freedom March and fixes it on the children’s choir. The tone is one of content. The sixth stanza is a

The servant songs brilliantly exemplify the passion of Christ as prophesied by Isaiah. Additionally, Isaiah clearly declares the coming of the Messiah who was the willing servant who modeled for the world a level of servanthood which has not occurred since his life here on earth. Furthermore, his life, and affliction on behalf of others opens up a window in which humans can observe the heart of God. As a servant he was despised and rejected yet he remained faithful to God. He took upon himself our punishment for sin, although he had no sin. His death was

The first verse begins with, “No, we will not stand here in silence while they take the lives of our brothas and partnas. We will not turn a blind eye to the murder with no repercussions. Oh, we will not.” Listener’s could assume that TI is referring to “we” as the black community, and “they” referring to the police taking these innocent lives. He is simply making it known that the voices of his association refuse to let this be ignored. Not only black lives, but heritages all around America are infuriated because most of the time, these officers are not pled guilty. They claim it was an action of self defense, and little to no officers lose their jobs because of these excuses. Next, TI makes the listener realize that this something they will not live down. “We will not live on our knees, we will die on our feet. This ain’t no lie I speak.” These lyrics mean they will not plead and beg to survive in the streets, and they will fight against all the chaos. TI also made a biblical quote, and connected this song to religion. “Oh no, we will not go and repeat the mistakes of the past, ignorin’ the snakes in the grass.” It may not be a direct implication that the snakes in the grass were referred to as Adam and Eve in the garden. However, he compares these snakes to the policemen taking these guiltless lives. “We sick of the garbage you kickin’ and teachin’ and lynchin’ us, lockin’ us up for no reason.” These lyrics are much deeper than the violence going on in today’s generation, as to it is hinting at slavery. Slavery started in Jamestown, Virginia in the year of 1619. Unfortunately, slavery is still around to this day. Women, men, and even children are traded for labor or human trafficking. America has looked at racism and slavery as one of our last priorities for the past few centuries. Iconic individuals have been assassinated for protesting racism and segregation, which leads to why TI mentioned

The song “Go Down Moses” was an important song in the slave generation, it symbolized the slave and their masters. The word “Pharaoh” was called upon many times in this song, when used in slave times the word, referred to the slave master. When the song states “Let My People Go” it is referring to the slaves and how the activists wanted all slave owners to disown their slaves so all blacks could be free. The main reason the slaves used this song was to let themselves believe that one day a saviour will come and free them all. The slaves thought that this would lift their spirits and give them something to hope for. When the slaves used these songs the masters could not understand them so they used it as a way to communicate and talk about seeking

When delving into the song and trying to grasp the meaning, it can be understood that the author really desires to be free and go back home to where he belongs and desires. The author or writer of the song does not like the idea of slavery, nor does he like being a slave himself, his perspective on the topic shows that he is not happy about the current situation and no one should because of how cruel slavery is. The author also uses certain rhetorical strategies, one of them being metaphors. They can be used to explain his sadness and other feelings he has about the topic of slavery. An example of this is,