“The blues ain’t nothin’ but a good man feelin’ bad.” This quote from the
bluesman Willie Brown in the motion picture crossroads, could more accurately
state the blues ain’t nothin’ but a good person feelin’ bad, since throughout
its evolution blues music has become an entity embraced by men and woman
of all generations, cultures and race. But why is the blues such a universal
language.
From its days of inception the blueswere sung by the oppressed Afro
Americans of the Deep South. They would use their songs as a vehicle to
express emotions they most likely otherwise could not speak. These songs
dealt largely with the sorrows and tribulations these people encountered
every day. As it progressed, the bluesmanifested into a mode for people
to express virtually any topic or emotion, e.g: - joy, sorrow, love, hate,
life and death - topics that encompass the human condition. As it found
its way to the world, the bluescaptured an audience of varied cultures
who recognized this music as a powerful mode of expression. Because of
this music, they would garner instruments of their own and fulfil a basic
human need - the need to express oneself.
The audience could relate to this music; they understood these songs
of reality. They felt the comfort of another being expressing a mutual
plight, regardless of the performer’s race or culture. Musician Eric Clapton
once recollected on blueslegend, Robert Johnson’s music, saying it “called
to me in my confusion; it seemed to echo something that I had always felt.”
The blueshas travelled far and wide, touching the hearts of millions.
Indeed, the bluesdoes not discriminate; lending itself to anyone who obtains
comfort in relating to another, or has the need to express themselves.
The blueshold the very threads that bind us together, the tales of life
as we all know it. The bluesis the human experience.