An Exploration of Blues Music: History, Evolution, and Cultural Impact

This essay delves into the origins and evolution of Blues music, tracing its roots from the religious music of the Afro-American community and the hardships of daily life. It explores the genre's connection to spirituals, the myth of the Crossroads, and the influence of key figures like Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters. The essay examines the lyrical themes of loss, despair, and the daily struggles of the working class, highlighting the impact of Blues music on the African American community and its enduring contribution to Western music. The essay also references various YouTube sources to support its analysis, providing a comprehensive overview of the Blues' historical and cultural significance.

Running head: BLUES MUSIC
BLUES MUSIC
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Author Note

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While tracing the origin of the Blues, it is found to be closely related to the religious
music of the Afro American community that started framing music compositions as a means of
recreation and relieve them of the hardships and their daily struggles. The relation of the blues
with the spiritual is traced long back with the Christianization of the African people. The blues
originated from the southern lands of the country and several myths have attached with the
evolution of the music genre. The journey of the Blues has evolved with several musicians
composing outstanding music which started to be associated with the myth of Crossroads. It was
believed that their outstanding music had been the result of their deal with the ‘demon or the
Satan’. The pioneer of the concept of the crossroads initiated with the Robert Johnson who was
believed to have ‘sold his soul to Satan’ in exchange for his extraordinary talent with the guitar.
Robert Johnson was initially known for his extremely pathetic playing of the instrument which
changed after his disappearance for a brief time and his extraordinary talent after this episode.
The Crossroad Blues composed by Johnson perpetuate the myth of the satanic deal and relates to
it. The concept of Blues Musician at the cross roads evolved out of these myths that developed
with the evolution of the music.
In order to understand the sense of the music genre, the origin of the Blues finds
its roots in the plantations, form the share croppers and the working class in which they sought
liberation and freedom. The music thus creates a sense of melancholic expression based on
simple 12 lyrical compositions. The music being originated from the working class provided the
much needed salvation from the daily struggles, thus creating a spiritual, rehabilitative form of
music connecting the stories of the daily lives in the form of lyrics. The songs of Muddy Waters

3BLUES MUSIC
reflect the lives of the plantation workers and finds expression in his composition of “I Be’s
Troubled” which refers to theme of loss and despair. He states about the intense troubles that are
to be faced by the community and refers that “Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Had”. The other
famous works of Robert Johnson include “Preaching the blues”, gives insight into the preaching
lives of the Blues men, and their musical journey that gifted the world with one of the greatest
music cultures- the Blues. The several genres of the Blues started evolving with their
improvisation according to local variations and the pioneers included Muddy Waters, Willie
Dixon, Howlin Wolf and Jimmy Reed who reflected the lives of the working through extensive
journeys over plantations to plantations. The protagonists of the Blues journey including Son
House, Charlie Patton, and Robert Johnson kept continually portraying the songs depicting their
experiences. Another famous Blues the “I Be’s Satisfied” depicts the daily troubles that keep
them from being satisfied. Thus the impact of the blues in the lives of the Afro American
community and their contribution to western music cannot be undermined owing to its huge
popularity even to this day.

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Bibliography
YouTube. (2019). Son House "Preachin' Blues." Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLCbFrfQUCs
YouTube. (2019). Muddy Waters - Louisiana Blues. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhFfJOWPzBQ
YouTube. (2019). Robert Johnson- Crossroad. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Yd60nI4sa9A&list=RDYd60nI4sa9A&index=1
YouTube. (2019). Muddy Waters - I Be's Troubled. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGGNryq08kU
YouTube. (2019). Muddy Waters - I Can't Be Satisfied. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTgwDknZlkA
YouTube. (2019). 'Devil's Got The Blues' LONNIE JOHNSON (1938) Guitar Hero Legend Of
Blues. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp147XFLi4Y
YouTube. (2019). Robert Johnson - Me And The Devil Blues With Lyrics. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYsnRc09csQ