Agricultural Work Songs
Most agricultural work songs were rhythmic a cappella songs intended to increase productivity while reducing feelings of boredom. Rhythms of work songs serve to synchronize physical movement in groups, as they in parts of Africa with drum accompaniment, coordinating sowing and hoeing. The usage of verses in work songs are often improvised and sung differently each time. Improvisation provided singers with a sometimes subversive form of expression. Slaves sung improvised verses about escaping. Improvised verses sung by sailors spoke of ills with work conditions and captains. Many work songs serve to create connection and familiarity between workers.
Read more about this topic: Work Song
Famous quotes containing the words work and/or songs:
“More than ten million women march to work every morning side by side with the men. Steadily the importance of women is gaining not only in the routine tasks of industry but in executive responsibility. I include also the woman who stays at home as the guardian of the welfare of the family. She is a partner in the job and wages. Women constitute a part of our industrial achievement.”
—Herbert Hoover (1874–1964)
“Blues are the songs of despair, but gospel songs are the songs of hope.”
—Mahalia Jackson (1911–1972)