Topic Intro

How is southern food different from other cultures and how does it reflect southern life?

Transformation of Southern Music

Music in the South started before the Civil War with the slaves and traditional folk music. African Americans started the blues, gospel music, bluegrass, and jazz in the South. Other types of music that developed during this time were country, soul, rock and roll, and funk. Rock and roll and country music developed through folk music of the white southerners. Rock and roll began in the South in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. Elvis Presley sold over 1 billion records and is considered the “King of Rock and Roll”. He was known for songs such as “Hound Dog”, “Heartbreak Hotel”, “All Shook Up”, “Jailhouse Rock”, and “Love Me Tender”. Johnny Cash is usually considered a country music artist, but can also be included in the Rock and Roll genre. His most popular songs include “Walk the Line”, “Folsom Prison Blues”, “Ring of Fire” and “Get Rhythm”. Southern rock is defined by Lynyrd Skynyrd and their song “Free Bird”, which is considered a rock and roll anthem. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 13, 2006.
African Americans started the rhythm and blues. Motown Records was the first record label owned by an African American to feature other African Americans artists. Motown signed artists such as Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, and The Jackson 5. Rap music is the newest and most popular genre of music and is a form of hip hop music that emerged in the late 1980’s and is often referred to as the “Dirty South”. The most popular southern rap artists include Lil Wayne, T.I., and Ludacris. Southern music has dramatically changed over time, and continues to transform with new artists bringing their own new style.

The Progression of Southern Music

Music is a cultural aspect of America that never ceases to change. Both black and white Americans help in this process. As the culture changes, so does music. Music in America truly began to flourish and spread during the beginning of the 20th century. Folk and Jazz music became most popular very shortly after the civil war. The Jazz Age began a new era of music. People like Louis Armstrong helped set the tone for this new era of music. No longer was music just people singing with a banjo or violin, but different instruments were brought into a song and the mixtures that were produced are legendary.

From folk music to the blues, from the blues to jazz, from jazz to rock n roll. The early 1950's is the time that rock and roll really began to flourish. Next, blues rock, including such bands as Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd, came into the culture. The next up and coming genre, country, based on folk music of the white southerners, with legendary names such as Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash are where it began. Country music is still very popular in the south today with new artists like Keith Urban and Kenny Chesney.

The newest genre of music, rap music, is the up and coming style. This type of music targets the younger generations. Cities like Atlanta are hot spots for up and coming artists. This development in music can be attributed to the changes that society has gone through. As our society becomes more rebellious and explicit, the music that is created and listened to, follows the trends. Music in the south has gone through drastic changes throughout the years. From folk music to rap, the differences are startling.

Topic Intro

How has music changed over time in the south?

just a little hospitality

When I think of the South, I think of southern hospitality. I chose this picture because it portrays a woman and her child bringing food to their neighbor. This woman is reaching out and making an effort to welcome and become friends with her new neighbor who may not know anyone else by bringing her food that she took the time to prepare. In my neighborhood, this is the polite thing to do and a great way to meet the new neighbor and offer help to them if needed.

This southern hospitality just comes natural to most southerners, but may seem strange to those from the north. Something as simple as a wave in passing to a stranger may be considered southern hospitality to some, but to those in the south it is just a polite way to acknowledge others. This friendly way of living makes the south a pleasant place to visit and makes strangers feel welcome and at home. Northerners sometimes get the reputation of being loud Yankees who may be rude and obnoxious. In comparison, southern hospitality is a very accurate representation of most southerners, evident in their warm and polite manner, and a characteristic to be proud of.

I found a song that talks deeply about what it means to be a Southerner. The song is called Red White and Blue by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Although the instruments used in the song, the rhythm of the song, and the timbre of the singer's voice all say something about the South, the lyrics emphasize the strongest about the modern Southern region, or rather, in the author's opinion what the South is all about now. You can find the lyrics by clicking here.

These lyrics talk specifically about how the people act and behave in the "South." According to this song, a Southerner is a die-hard patriot, a very down-to-earth simple person, a hospitable character, a heavy drinker, religious (to some degree), and of course "my neck's always been red."

Throughout the song, you can see the repetition of "We've always been, Red, White, and Blue." This shows the Southerner's patriotism. Also, in the first stanza, the author says that it doesn't matter if you're a lawyer, a respected oil man, or a lowly waitress; all that matters is that you "got Soul." This, along with a later stanza talking about how love is what makes the South so rich, just shows how the people in the South are simple, hospitable, caring people. And of course, what is a country song without the reference to drinking and God.

Do I think it is a good representation of the South? Well, I lived most of my life in Gwinnett County, which is just north of Atlanta, which is supposed to be "deep" in the heart of the South. I grew up in a place where rednecks were a minority and where diversity flourished. Being Romanian, I grew up in a culture where drinking was frowned up. This song presents many of the stereotypical aspects of growing up in the South, which I feel were almost nonexistent where I grew up! The South that the author is portraying is not a good representation of the South. Actually, it appears that the author knows that his idea of the South is a thing of the past and that he is trying to hold onto it because at one point he states rather strongly, "If they don't like it they can just get the HELL out!" This 'South' portrayed in the song probably exists only in the rural areas, but is definitely not the defining culture of the region anymore.

Dixie

I found the song Dixie, written by Dan Emmett. The song originated in the 1850s, and it eventually became unofficial anthem of the Confederacy, because of its happy view of the South.

The lyrics depict a happy view of the plantation life, the glorious "land of cotton". "In Dixie Land I'll take my stand to live and die in Dixie", one of the lines in the chorus, shows the view taken throughout the song, that the South is a flawless utopia. The song was often performed in blackface, which gave the appearance of the South as a very happy place for slaves.

Dixie represents what seemed to be the common opinion of plantation owner in the South, that everyone was happy and that even the slaves enjoyed their lives working on the plantation. Sadly, this is not a perfect representation because of all of the work that was done by others (mostly by the slaves) in order to create this lifestyle for the plantation owners.

The Confederate South

Still to this day, there are many southerners who believe that the civil war should be referred to as "the war of northern aggression." The confederate flag represents a mindset that many still hold today. Racism still exists in today's society, and many believe that there is an ongoing battle to forgo this way of life. This image is a representation of the deep south, the south that many still believe exists and that is still very real in the lives of some.

The confederate flag was the southern states' symbol during the civil war, and served as a representation of what they stood for against the north.

This flag was a symbol to the southern states. It represented the south as their own independent unit, willing to stand up for their beliefs in what they saw as an attack on their way of life. It stands for many different things. To some, it stands for the south's fight for individuality and the end of their feeling in superior to the northerners. The confederate flag represents the south standing up for what they believed were their American rights.

The confederate flag reminds us of the hard times brought on the south. It also shows how the south dealt with these trials and became better states, leaving an impact on history and the lives of many as well as influencing the actions and thoughts of many American people. This flag is a good representation of southern identity. It reminds southerners of what they have been through, the hard times they fought through together, and also helps us to remember why the south is the way that it is today. This flag is a representation of the south and the ways to which they can to find their identity today.