Generating page narration, please wait...

World War II to the Civil Rights Movement

Overview

The word soul has its origins in the very nature or character of an individual. The soul is that ineffable part of a human being that some people understand as their core. Many people believe that the soul survives the physical body-the flesh, blood, bones, organs, and brain-and that it goes on to another plane of existence upon one's death. Just as the soul is understood to represent the essence of a given individual, soul music was understood, implicitly by some, explicitly by others, to express in some sense the very essence of Black culture.

Be ready to:

Discuss the various meanings of the word "soul" used by African Americans during the 1960s.

Identify pioneering performers and list some of their contributions to the development of soul music.

Compare and contrast the music characteristics of Memphis and Motown Soul and support their arguments with specific performances.

Summarize the significance and history of specific record labels that helped to establish and disseminate soul music.

Articulate influences of gospel music on the development of soul music.

Differentiate between the soul music in different national regions and discuss their peculiar sounds and contributions to the genre.

Discover Music

Discover Video

Keywords

Listening Guides

References

The Church, Civil Rights, and Soul

From its beginnings in the 1950s, the civil rights movement was integrally connected to the Black church, with gospel singers such as Mahalia Jackson and the Staple Singers routinely raising funds and playing at rallies for the movement as they were aware of the difficulties Blacks had to overcome during this time. As the descendent of gospel music, soul music became the music associated with the civil rights movement. In the second half of the 1960s, soul songs such as Otis Redding's "Respect"♫ (1965) and Sam and Dave's "Soul Man"♫ , (1967) while not referring to civil rights per se, were interpreted by many African Americans as anthems of Black pride.

Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C.

In Aretha Franklin's hands, "Respect"♫ (1967) was also understood by many fans as a Black feminist statement. Sam Cooke wrote and recorded the seminal "A Change Is Gonna Come"♫ just before his death in December 1964, another anthem of the civil rights movement. In the late 1960s, songwriters such as Curtis Mayfield, Randy Stewart, Homer Banks, and Bettye Crutcher started writing songs highlighting specific issues that the civil rights movement brought to light. Such is the case with the Impressions' "We're a Winner"♫ , "This Is My Country"♫ , "Choice of Colors"♫ , "Mighty Mighty (Spade and Whitey)"♫ , and the Staple Singers' "When Will We Be Paid"♫ , "Long Walk to D.C."♫ , and "The Ghetto"♫ . Soul music, like popular music in general, was also often about the highs and lows of love.

While a number of soul song lyrics focused on civil rights-oriented topics and the vagaries of love, a small percentage addressed aspects of Black culture and social issues, such as Isaac Hayes's "Soulsville"♫ , Edwin Star's "War"♫ (written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong), and Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On"♫ . The latter, for instance, discusses the effect of war on young Americans, Black and White, and the youth cultural movement.

Long Walk to D.C.

It's a long walk to DC but I've got my walking shoes on
I can't take a plane, passer train, because my money ain't that long
America we believe, oh that you love us still
So people I'm gonna be under to wipe away my tears

A Change is Gonna Come

I was born by the river
In a little tent
Oh, and just like the river, I've been runnin'
Ever since
It's been a long
A long time comin', but I know
A change gon' come
Oh, yes it will