Music; and folk music in particular; is often embraced as a form of political expression; a vehicle for bridging or reinforcing social boundaries; and a valuable tool for movements reconfiguring the social landscape. Reds; Whites; and Blues examines the political force of folk music; not through the meaning of its lyrics; but through the concrete social activities that make up movements. Drawing from rich archival material; William Roy shows that the Peoples Songs movement of the 1930s and 40s; and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s implemented folk musics social relationships--specifically between those who sang and those who listened--in different ways; achieving different outcomes. Roy explores how the Peoples Songsters envisioned uniting people in song; but made little headway beyond leftist activists. In contrast; the Civil Rights Movement successfully integrated music into collective action; and used music on the picket lines; at sit-ins; on freedom rides; and in jails. Roy considers how the movements Freedom Songs never gained commercial success; yet contributed to the wider achievements of the Civil Rights struggle. Roy also traces the history of folk music; revealing the complex debates surrounding who or what qualified as "folk" and how the musics status as racially inclusive was not always a given. Examining folk musics galvanizing and unifying power; Reds; Whites; and Blues casts new light on the relationship between cultural forms and social activity.
#258764 in eBooks 2010-07-02 2010-07-02File Name: B003V8BN90
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. More modern than I had expectedBy Sean CFar darker and more modern than I had expected. I can see why this play lives and remains famous long after more traditional plays of its times have become obscure. Far more realistic in some way than Shakespeare. honestly. The argument between Jason and Medea at the very end feels incredibly true to life; bitter recriminations. neither side listening to what the other has to say. leading to absolutely no resolution; no sense of justice whatsoever. either from society or the Gods. and no sense of any to come. either. I mean. Jason paid for what he did. granted. but theres no sense that justice really figures into it. Of course. this is all in translation. so of course it seems more modern in that sense than Elizabethan theater. but the story itself contains so much less poetry in its structure that its honestly hard to believe that this piece is 2.000 years older than. say. Hamlet. Not. of course. that thats everything; Hamlet is a masterpiece. too. but one of a very different sort. My point is more that theres considerably more to get out of at least this bit of Greek theater than you might think. if youve never read any...2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Medea for our timeBy BackpackerAnyone with an eye on producing or directing this play should use this translation. Its edgy and modern. yet it retains the sense of the original.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Tracy Laynethank yiu
