Lead Belly - In the Pines
Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 7:36 PM
The lyrics keep a constant feel throughout the whole song. It is meant to be a consistent feel so that the listener would pay more attention to the lyrics of the song, rather than the tone of the singing. This song is a story that is told with music. Two lines of the lyrics are repeated throughout the whole song as to keep a consistent feel.
Even the style of singing remains similar throughout the song, it does not stray far from the initial feel. The side comments that are put in the song make the song feel less like it is for entertainment, but more as a story to be passed down through generations to come. Overall, this song is meant to be played slowly and with a slight monotone to reinforce the emotion of the song. The pitch stays low and the singing almost drags behind the music.
Reader Comments (1)
In your posts, many of you considered the effect Lead Belly’s spoken interjections had on the authenticity or lack thereof in his version of “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” Christopher Yoshonis made an interesting point when he noted the Jazz influence in Lead Belly’s interjections, implying that they detracted authenticity. Check out Christopher’s post here: (http://benleedscarson.com/by-banks-in-pines/2009/10/10/lead-bellys-in-the-pines.html). Hannah Sherman, on the other hand, felt that these interjections increased authenticity as they reflected what Lead Belly “felt and experienced.” Take a look at Hannah’s post here: (http://benleedscarson.com/by-banks-in-pines/2009/10/9/where-did-you-sleep-last-night-by-leadbelly.html). Using these examples as a springboard, what effect do you think Lead Belly’s spoken interjections have on the song’s authenticity and on the song in general? Why do you think Lead Belly chose to speak the specific lines that he did, as opposed to any other lines? And looking at the topic in broader terms, what effect do you think spoken interjections have on songs today? Feel free to post youtube links to examples of present-day songs featuring spoken interjections and to discuss these examples with your classmates!