Work Songs

Work songs have been a significant part of the history of music for centuries. These songs were created by individuals working in industries such as agriculture, mining, forestry, and railroads. The purpose of work songs was to create a rhythm and tempo that would make the work easier and help workers coordinate their movements. The history of work songs can be traced back to the African slaves who were brought to the United States in the 18th century to work on plantations. The slaves were forbidden from communicating with each other, learning to read, or playing musical instruments. In response, they began to create songs that would help them communicate with each other and express their feelings. The work songs created by the slaves were often call-and-response songs where a lead singer would call out a line and the workers would respond in unison. These songs became a way for the slaves to express their pain, sorrow, and hopes for a better future. They were also a way to maintain their cultural identity and traditions in a foreign land. As the slave population grew and spread throughout the United States, their work songs became a part of American culture and music. The songs were adapted to different industries and became a vital part of the work culture in the South. During the era of Jim Crow laws, work songs played a significant role in the labor movement and the struggle for civil rights. The songs were used to inspire and motivate workers to demand better wages, safer working conditions, and their right to unionize. In the 20th century, work songs evolved into different forms such as blues, jazz, and gospel music. The blues, in particular, were heavily influenced by the work songs of the Southern African-American community. The songs often dealt with the struggles and hardships of daily life, including work. In the 1930s, folklorists John and Alan Lomax traveled around the United States collecting work songs and other forms of folk music. They recorded work songs from the Mississippi Delta, logging camps in Louisiana, and the steel mills of Alabama. One of the most famous and enduring work songs is "John Henry." The song tells the story of a steel-driving man who works on the railroad. John Henry's strength and determination are put to the test when a machine is introduced to do his job. The song became a symbol of the struggle between man and machine and has been recorded by countless artists over the years. Another significant work song is "Follow the Drinking Gourd." It was a song used to guide slaves escaping to freedom on the Underground Railroad. The lyrics contained hidden messages and instructions on how to navigate the journey to freedom. In more recent times, work songs have been adapted to fit various genres of music. Hip hop artists have used work songs as a source of inspiration and as a way to celebrate the struggles and achievements of the working-class community.

Lead Belly: Lead Belly is considered one of the most important folk singers of the 20th century. He recorded many work songs, including “The Bourgeois Blues” and “Goodnight Irene.” Odetta: Odetta’s booming voice and powerful presence made her a staple in the folk music scene in the 1950s and 1960s. Her album “Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues” features several work songs. B.B. King: Though better known as a blues singer, B.B. King also recorded several work songs, including “Cotton Plantation Blues” and “My Own Fault Darlin’.” Woody Guthrie: Woody Guthrie was known for his socially conscious songwriting, and many of his songs were work songs. “This Land is Your Land” and “Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)” are two of his most well-known songs. Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter: Another one by Lead Belly. Huddie Ledbetter, known as Lead Belly, recorded over 500 songs during his lifetime, many of which were work songs. His versions of “Midnight Special” and “Goodnight Irene” are especially noteworthy. Nina Simone: Nina Simone’s voice and piano playing are instantly recognizable. Her album “Nina Simone Sings the Blues” features several work songs, including “Do I Move You.” Pete Seeger: Pete Seeger was a staple in the folk music scene for decades. He recorded many work songs, including “If I Had a Hammer” and “We Shall Overcome.” Alan Lomax: Alan Lomax was an ethnomusicologist who recorded thousands of songs during his career. Many of these songs were work songs, and Lomax’s recordings are an important part of folk music history. Mississippi John Hurt: Mississippi John Hurt was a country blues musician who recorded many work songs, including “Frankie” and “Stack O’ Lee Blues.” Lead Belly: Another one, I know. But he’s worth including twice! Lead Belly’s influence on folk music is immeasurable, and his recordings of work songs are some of his best-known songs, including “The Midnight Special” and “Pick a Bale of Cotton.”

1. “Pick a Bale of Cotton" - Lead Belly 2. ”John Henry" - Various Artists 3. "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" - Traditional 4. ”Drill Ye Tarriers, Drill" - The Weavers 5. "Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford 6. "I've Been Working on the Railroad" - Traditional 7. "Ezekiel Saw the Wheel" - Traditional 8. "Haul Away Joe" - Sea Shanty 9. "Cotton-Eyed Joe" - Traditional 10. "Haul on the Bowline" - Sea Shanty 11. "Mary Don't You Weep" - Traditional 12. "Heave Away" - Great Big Sea 13. "The Eddystone Light" - Jim Kweskin & The Jug Band 14. "Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad" - Woody Guthrie 15. "Wayfaring Stranger" - Traditional 16. "Yankee Doodle" - Traditional (with work-related lyrics) 17. "Roll, Jordan, Roll" - Traditional 18. "Fifteen Miles on the Erie Canal" - Traditional 19. "Rollin' in My Sweet Baby's Arms" - Buck Owens 20. "Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" - Traditional 21. "Shady Grove" - Traditional 22. "Pay Me My Money Down" - Bruce Springsteen 23. "The Hard Times of Old England" - Steeleye Span 24. "Green Grow the Lilacs" - Traditional 25. "Haul Away, Boys" - Sea Shanty

Alan Lomax, one of the most prominent musicologists and folklorists of the twentieth century, has worked extensively on the subject of work songs. In his book, "The Land Where the Blues Began," Lomax examines the significance of work songs in the development of African American music. He writes, "The blues were born from the songs of the slave gangs, which were a kind of musical reflection of the back-breaking work and the callous, inhuman treatment that the slaves received." Lomax argues that these songs, sung while working in the fields, were the precursor to the blues, which emerged in the twentieth century. Another notable figure who has shed light on the importance of work songs is John Lomax, the father of Alan Lomax. In his book, "Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads," Lomax documents the songs of cowboys and stated, "The cowboy sings as he works and for the good of his work." He goes on to explain that these songs helped cowboys "keep time with their work" and "were a kind of spiritual therapy." In her book, "Power and Protest: Songs of Resistance in a Global Context," Lisa Gilman notes that work songs have also served as a form of protest. She writes, "Resistance songs are often incorporated into work songs as a way of challenging the oppressive nature of labor." Gilman highlights the work songs of coal miners in Appalachia, where "the songs reflected the miners' struggle against the mine owners and their fight for better working conditions." One of the most famous examples of a work song is the African American spiritual "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." In his book, "The African American Spiritual and the Law," Randy J. Sparks writes, "The song was used as a work song by slaves in the rice fields of South Carolina, who would sing it while pushing heavy wooden barrels." The song's poignant lyrics reflect the hope for freedom, providing solace to those who were oppressed. Folk singer Pete Seeger has also written and performed many work songs throughout his career. In his book, "Where Have All the Flowers Gone," Seeger reflects on the role of work songs in American culture. He writes, "Work songs are necessary to keep the worker's mind off his toil, to give him a more vivid sense of his work companions, and to give him a sense of his place in a larger whole." Work songs have also been used in popular music. In his song "Working Class Hero," John Lennon criticizes the oppressive nature of work, singing, "There's room at the top, they're telling you still, but first, you must learn how to smile as you kill, if you want to be like the folks on the hill."

Work songs originated in the context of slavery, where African slaves used music for communication and to maintain their spirits. These slaves had to work long hours without much rest, and the music helped them to endure the hardship and provide synchronization in their work. Work songs were a way of preserving and communicating their African culture and religion. The popularity of work songs continued after slavery with its foundations developing in the form of field hollers, gospel music, and the blues. This musical genre became popular in many cultures for its power of uniting people and improving productivity in various works. Work songs became essential in different aspects of American culture. These songs were part of the cultural heritage of Black Americans, and soon they added rhythm and percussion to their musical style. Along with the country's rise in industrialization, work songs became the background for labor unions and other rights movements. Work songs were essential elements that have been widely used to inspire people to persevere and improve their working conditions. The close association with rhythm and labor led to various types of work songs such as sea shanties and railroad work songs. Sea shanties were sung by sailors to provide rhythm in their physical tasks, and railroad work songs were used to improve coordination and concentration among workers. Work songs were recorded in the 20th century due to the advancements in the recording industry. The use of microphones and electrical recording systems made it possible to capture these songs accurately and create new songs that reflected the workers’ life experiences. Some notable record labels that contributed to the preservation and recording of work songs include Folkways Records and Alan Lomax, who was a sound archivist and musicologist. The recordings of work songs, along with other types of folk music, encouraged a movement known as the American Folk Revival. This movement started in the late 1940s, where journalists such as Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie advocated for the preservation and appreciation of traditional music forms, including work songs.