Art & Power 2

Go Down Moses has a slow, regular and repetitive rhythm. There's a lead singer and a choir (backing vocals). We suggested the song was more complex than it seemed.

It's got 3 meanings.

1. A religious song

2. a song about slavery / freedom

3. A secret Code : it was a warning

 

Harriet Tubman used to be a slave. She escaped and joined a secret network called the "Underground Railroad." This network helped slaves escape to Canada or the North of the USA. They were abolitionists. She was also known as Black Moses.

Go Down Moses had a third meaning : it was used by slaves to communicate, like a secret code. Here, it was a warning. Harriet Tubman sang it when she wanted the slaves she helped to hide and wait.

 

1. Contentment is when you're satisfied with your situation.

2. An activist is a militant.

3. To be famished is to be hungry

Much has been said = beaucoup a été dit

A lot = leur sort

be warned = être prévenu

 

Soul Music

After that, we listened to a song by Soul singer Al Green. It was called Let's Stay Together.

We noticed (on a remarqué) right away (tout de suite) that the rhythm was slow and repetitive, just like work songs. Another point was the singing parts : there was a lead singer (Al Green) and a choir (backing vocals), just like Gospel songs.

Here, the basic meaning, meaning number 1, is not about slaves or religion, it's about profane love between a man and a woman. The lyrics seem really simple, is it possible for this song to have more than one meaning ?

In fact, just like work songs, there is more than meets the eye (les apparences sont trompeuses), and we suppose that 3 meanings exist here too.

 

After reading a few more texts, we finally found out about meanings 2 and 3 of Soul Music. After he had a spiritual crisis, soul music Al Green decided to renounce Soul and become a minister (priest). After 8 years, he started singing his old love song again, giving them a religious meaning.

Meaning 2 : Love between Man and God.

But there's also a third meaning : the struggle for the Civil Rights of the African-Americans. Soul Music was the soundtrack to this struggle (lutte).