Your trusty global companion for spiritual, sensual, and literary journeys with author Lyn Fuchs
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
The Mississippi Cradle of American Music
From Vicksburg to Memphis, the Mississippi Delta was once a vast swamp of gum trees, panthers, snakes, mosquitoes, and malaria. For eons, the great muddy river gently deposited dirt on the site. Now, it's a land of rich black soil and poor black people, of fat white cotton bolls and fat white cotton bosses. The population is around 80% black. The landscape is awash in shotgun shacks without plumbing or electricity.
Ironically, a century ago, as diminishing crops were being carefully weighed and sold, a priceless musical harvest sprung up unnoticed, then scattered its seeds to the wind and the Windy City. A journey along the Mississippi River is a stroll thru the history of American music. The sensual mystic power of Rock and Roll is not an accident. This global fire was lit by the sweat, blood, and passion of slaves forced to live in hell, with only the rhythms and melodies hummed in their minds or shared at the local juke joint bar to transport them heavenward.
The story begins with the great bluesmen of the Mississippi Delta. Robert Johnson is the best known founding father of the blues for leaving behind some of the earliest song recordings and a legend that he sold his soul to the Devil at a dusty Mississippi crossroads in exchange for the primal power of his art. Brit Eric Clapton later globalized his song Crossroads. The demonic origin of blues-based music was merely the gossip of religious folks. However, the lost soul theme heard in Johnson's Hell Hounds On My Trail has circled the planet in haunting rock classics such as Hell's Bells by Australian band AC/DC. This infernal anthem gave new meaning to the phrase "music from down under".
The raw sexuality of Robert Johnson was not a myth. His lyric "squeeze my lemon till the juice runs down my leg" was used by Led Zepplin's Robert Plant (Lemon Song), who explained his own musical charisma by quipping "I sing from the groin". The leading theory for the mysterious roadhouse death of Johnson is liquor poisoned by the angry husband of one such "lemon squeezer". I could use a little lemon-aid right now myself, so enjoy ZZ Top's tribute to the Delta Blues, while I spend some quality time with my main squeeze. Our next post will continue this saga on the Mississippi birthplace of American music.
I think the only thing I liked about the video were the beards and sunglasses of the members of the band . I didn't like the lyrics of the song neither scantily clad scenes. Robert's story is interesting, a little strange, but interesting.
I'd heard something about the story of Robert Johnson, but with this blog, i remain fascinated by the story about how the rock and roll and blues was born, it's very interesting.
I like it so much....because it wake up into me the curisity for know more about the origin of this type of music and i would like know more about the rock..it just liked
This text it´s very interesting because i like the rock ando roll music and i think that it´s necessary to know the history of how starts and where starts.
The article is interesting, but the video I do not like at all. I do not like rock music , I think it is not pleasing to my ears and the video image proposes to the woman as an object and that is offensive when it comes to moral values
Marcecy Adilene Gil Desales I do not like this kind of music really, but the story of the birth of the blues is very interesting, the development of music influenced by black people that characterize the tone. Very interesting.
The history of Mississippi is very interenting, but I do'nt like this kind of musi. For me tihis kind of music is slow, boring, but with only seeing the picture I can see the history of music.
One can never get tired of the blues!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting!! (Y)
ReplyDeleteIncredible!. I like it. I belive that It's good and importan know new things like music.
ReplyDeleteI did not know anything about of this, but it is very interesting
ReplyDeleteI like it
This is a very good article. I like it. I'd like know all about this topic because I like music of all world. thanks
ReplyDeleteI think the only thing I liked about the video were the beards and sunglasses of the members of the band . I didn't like the lyrics of the song neither scantily clad scenes.
ReplyDeleteRobert's story is interesting, a little strange, but interesting.
Well, I don´t like very much this type of music but it´s interesting know the story of the type of music we hear. So it´s amazing.
ReplyDeleteI love the relationship between the two musical styles, I like the article.
ReplyDeleteI liked the guys videos
ReplyDeleteAmazing!
ReplyDeleteIt's a very good article about one of the best things of the world: the music.
I loved the information about the publisher.
It's really fun.
I don´t like this type music, but know the history is very good and interesting, I like the article and the song of crossroad.
ReplyDeleteDo not really like this kind of music, it is still interesting to know where it comes from and how it was revealing
ReplyDeleteI think the jazz music is very interesting, for your history
ReplyDeleteI like this, the music and the information is very interesting
ReplyDeleteI like It :D
I liked Robert Johnson's history. I think is interesting, but I don’t like that kind of music.
ReplyDeleteI like the article, is interesting know about the history of music.i like listen this type of music.
ReplyDeleteThis article is interesting, I have known that there was something new that Mississippi had imagined to do musically.
ReplyDeleteI am no fan of Rock and Roll I like the videos and the history of Rock and Roll.
ReplyDeleteLilibeth Guadalupe Castellanos Perez
ReplyDeleteold school music, interesting history about mississippi river and his own people.
I'd heard something about the story of Robert Johnson, but with this blog, i remain fascinated by the story about how the rock and roll and blues was born, it's very interesting.
ReplyDeletethis very interesting, the music too
ReplyDeleteIs very interesting. :)
ReplyDeleteit's so interesting learn the story about this kind of music
ReplyDeleteVery interesting!
ReplyDeleteI like it so much....because it wake up into me the curisity for know more about the origin of this type of music and i would like know more about the rock..it just liked
ReplyDeleteThe article is very interesting. The music video I did not like , because I do not hear that kind of music, but it is interesting.
ReplyDeleteThis text it´s very interesting because i like the rock ando roll music and i think that it´s necessary to know the history of how starts and where starts.
ReplyDeleteThe article is interesting, but the video I do not like at all. I do not like rock music , I think it is not pleasing to my ears and the video image proposes to the woman as an object and that is offensive when it comes to moral values
ReplyDeleteReally I loved this kind of music and the history behind of song "crossroad" I'm in love with tha song from AC/DC "Hll's Bell's" very nice article
ReplyDeleteMarcecy Adilene Gil Desales
ReplyDeleteI do not like this kind of music really, but the story of the birth of the blues is very interesting, the development of music influenced by black people that characterize the tone. Very interesting.
The history of Mississippi is very interenting, but I do'nt like this kind of musi. For me tihis kind of music is slow, boring, but with only seeing the picture I can see the history of music.
ReplyDeleteInteresting article. I love the music
ReplyDeleteI like article, the history of mississipi is very interesting
ReplyDeleteThe article is interesting but I do not like rock music.
ReplyDeleteI like it :)
ReplyDeleteI learned new things of music, with this article.
Me encanta, la Historia y la música juntas!!!
ReplyDeleteI like the information, its very interesting the live of Robert Johnson and his music, thanks lyn
ReplyDeleteVery interesting article, the story of Mississippi and Music. I like it
ReplyDeleteLesly Mariela Valencia Sánchez
ReplyDeleteI liked the article and I like listening to all types of music.
The information is very interesing.
ReplyDeleteNow i have idea of american music.
Gabriela García Ramirez
ReplyDeleteI really liked this article , very good information and history of American music I found very interesting .
The rock history is very interesting 👌
ReplyDeletePedro Abiud León Balderas
the information is very,very interesting. I liked this article.
ReplyDeleteBelen Madai Sanchez A.