Music has always been an integral component of African-American culture. In the 1930’s, despite slavery being abolished, Jim Crow laws still enforced the segregation of black people. This resulted in blacks residing in more rural areas to become quite isolated from society. However, being disconnected from the outside world is believed to have allowed blacks to rediscover or reinvent the African culture of their ancestors [1]. Thus, eventually inspiring a new genre of music known as the blues, in which stories were shared via song.
Eventually, the blues went on to influence another genre of music. Thomas A. Dorsey, was a blues pianist in the 1920s. Despite being the son of a preacher he had established his career in secular music, that is until one day while at a Baptist Convention, his spirit was moved and he was inspired to use his talents to create music to worship God [2]. When Dorsey began to write what became the first gospel songs, he infused elements of blues music with Protestant hymns and black spirituals [3]. However, the major difference between gospel and the blues was its lyrical content. Gospel means “good news” and the lyrics of gospel songs were meant to uplift its listeners and to provide hope in a higher being. While music was uplifting, the incorporation of the blues scale and seventh chords can still be recognized in many songs in the genre as seen in the video below.
This gospel song has a slower tempo and a kind of somber, bluesy feel to it despite being in a major key, and this is because of the extensive use of seventh chords seen in the chord progressions of the song. Another component of this song that sticks out is the distinctive organ in the background. The Hammond organ was an electric instrument that was initially invented as a cheaper alternative to pipe organs for churches [4]. After its invention in the 30s and integration into churches, it quickly found itself incorporated into black gospel music.
Moving forwards, gospel later influenced another genre of music in the black community. In the 60s, many of the popular black musicians of that time grew up in the church, and thus grew up exposed to church music and gospel. This early exposure influenced their musical styles and provided a way for soul music. Soul music is defined as “emotionally charged black music of the sixties that draws deeply on gospel and blues” [5]. Soul music is raw, and full of emotion. The sounds of soul singers can often elicit emotional reactions from its listeners as it can inspire us to feel, and really empathize with the message that the singer is trying to get across.
An artist who participated in infusing gospel into the blues and synthesizing gospel is Aretha Franklin. Hailed as the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin was one of the most prominent soul singers of her era. Growing up in the church, she was a master at mixing both elements of gospel and the blues and delivering the product via gut-wrenching vocals to create soul. Below is a relatively recognizable song covered by Aretha Franklin:
In this emotion filled performance can see elements of gospel and its influence. Looking at the singing style, we can observed her use of melismas, which were distinctive of earlier black female gospel artists lke Mahalia Jackson. Another gospel trait recognizable in this track is again, the use of the organ, while its presence can only be faintly heard in the background throughout the track (becoming more prominent as the song ends), its mere presence adds to the gospel feel of the track. The prominent sound of the piano in the track and its simplistic chords with sevenths in the progression adds the bluesy element to the song.
Another soul singer who can be seen using gospel traits in their music is Al Green. As seen in the song below:
The track starts off with Green singing raspily in a bluesy manner, however once the beat comes in we are met with a unique, electronic take on the organ, this provides the slight gospel feel to the track. The call-and-response manner of the vocals later in the song also add an element of gospel. The song likely falls within the soul section due to it be being a product of the fusion between gospel and the blues, but one thing noticeably in the track are the horns. The horns add an element of jazz to the song. So in conclusion, this song is gospel influenced crossover of blues and jazz.
As soul music was a product of gospel music fusing with the secular blues, the result was music that did not reflect the message of the gospel. Soul music, despite its gospel inspired sound was quite far from gospel lyrically. Early soul music actually consisted of gospel songs, with their lyrics switched out with secular lyrics. An example of this is James Brown’s song Please, Please, Please where the original lyrics that were about God’s love have now become lyrics about the love of a woman. [6] Imaginably, converting gospel music into secular music, or singing suggestive lyrics over gospel sounding records had to have been met with controversy. Even gospel when it first started was met with controversy as it was introducing a secular sound to spiritual music.
From the blues, to gospel to soul, it is evident that previous musical genres can have an impact and shape newer emerging genres. Gospel music today is much different than gospel music in the 1930s, this is because of synthesis and merging existing genres to create sub-genres or entirely new genres. For example, Chance the Rapper, a rapper, has a unique style and many of his songs showcase gospel influence despite being rap as can be heard in the song below.
- Campbell, Michael. Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes on. 4th ed. Boston, MA: Schirmer Cengage Learning, 2013, 95.
2. Kemp, Kathryn. “The Father of Gospel Music Wanted to Be a Secular Star.” Christian History | Learn the History of Christianity & the Church. Accessed July 22, 2018. https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/2018/may/father-gospel-music-thomas-dorsey.html.
3. Campbell, Popular Music, 103.
4. “Hammond / Leslie Heritage.” Hammond USA. September 19, 2017. Accessed July 22, 2018. http://hammondorganco.com/about-us/company-profile/.
5. Campbell, Popular Music, 223.
6. “History of Soul Music.” EnglishClub. Accessed July 23, 2018. https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/music-soul.htm.