3 verse lyrics where the first is repeated twice and the third is different (NB: for an interesting twist, vary the first and second phrase while repeating, unchanged, the third phrase in all verses)
The Story Of The Blues DVD is just that: a history of arguably the most influencial music of the 20th century.Mixing a blues soundtrack and narration, the DVD goes as far back as one can to find the origins of the blues,which began before the Emancipation Proclamation.
This disc chronicles the emigration of African-Americans from the southern plantations and up the Mississippi to cities like Memphis,St-Louis, and Chicago. At first the music had no defining structure, but the basics listed above became the norm for the blues throughout America.
The discs touches upon the social importance of the blues as a vehicle for the black man in America to voice his opinions about the politics of the times and the injustices perpetrated on his people by the governing bodies.The word "blues" itself was synonymous with sadness,sorrow,anguish,misfortune. Having the blues meant to be in the worst possible situation imagineable.
The progress of the blues is chronicled from it's inauspicious roots, through it's influence on Jazz as the black man learned to play the white man's instruments. From the '20's "scat", through the female vocal blues of the legendary Bessie Smith , to the proliferation of Jazz, the disc covers all aspects of this quintessential musical form. The '40's "boogie woogie", which was merely a doubling of the 12-beat blues was a precursor to the birth of rock n' roll; as the blues now became danceable.The disc also takes us through the electric blues and the influence of the blues on legendary rock performers of the '60's and onward.
Fans of these kinds of documentaries will be well served here. This is not a Ken Burns big budget show, but it's a very interesting DVD none-the-less. The rarity and/or non-existence of video footage from those early years forced the filmmakers to have to become creative with their images.The juxtaposition of nature scenes, cityscapes, and photographs of blues legends works well with the soundtrack which features some legendary performers. For curious collectors only.