Skip James The Blues Analysis

Response Essay #4: “The Blues” Deriving from the soulful spirituals and purposeful work songs the blues was born in the Deep South. African American sharecroppers developed a new outlet allowing them to channel their sorrows into something others enjoyed. Many musicians wishing to further distance themselves from the south and all the negative connotations associated with the area, decided to move northward. They themselves and their music were not always welcome as middle class African Americans frowned upon the culture in which these musicians were grown. I believe a blues musician traveling to the north had a difficult time. It must have been very hard to leave behind what you knew best in hopes of finding a new light only to be shunned once again. Their music however, did reach many audiences laying the ground work for the popular music we all listen to and love today. A great example of the struggle these musicians faced is present in “Hard Time Killing Floor Blues” by Skip James. …show more content…
The beginning lines paint this picture vividly “Hard time here and everywhere you go, Times is harder than ever been before”. (“HTKFB” James) James mentions how the hard times will drive you door to door. I think this line has a double meaning in that he is so broke he must beg. I think it could also be an illustration of what it was like for the “Delta” blues musicians reaching such a low point when they made the decision to travel north driving them door to door just as James says. I believe this clearly expresses the feelings of African American migrants of the time. They left home in hopes of a new life and world only to be downtrodden with poverty and