I hear this song as a black servant (employed to look after rich white children) singing to the baby she's looking after. It sounds like a happy song the first time you hear it, but every line is loaded with oppression - the servant sings to the baby of its fortune in life - "your daddy's rich and your ma is good-looking" knowing that owing to her own start in life, she will never have as much as this child is certain to have some day.
The song is full of references to the legacy of slavery - references to cotton recalls the plantations, and while "one of these mornings" this baby will "spread its wings and take to the sky", but the singer never will - she will never truly be free.
What confirms this for me is the music. If this was a happy song, it would be full of uncomplicated major chords. The dark lyricism of the music in this song makes me certain that it was never meant to be viewed as a happy song.
the local fire mans band in my relatively upscale town played this today in the memorial day parade, the jaunty swing style they gave the tune bothered me as I have never thought of this a a summer celebratory song.
I came here to see if anyone else thought of this song like I do and the description above is exactly how I have always heard this song. Thats an excellent point on the chosen minor chords to reinforce the somber subject.
the local fire mans band in my relatively upscale town played this today in the memorial day parade, the jaunty swing style they gave the tune bothered me as I have never thought of this a a summer celebratory song.
I came here to see if anyone else thought of this song like I do and the description above is exactly how I have always heard this song. Thats an excellent point on the chosen minor chords to reinforce the somber subject.
I hear this song as a black servant (employed to look after rich white children) singing to the baby she's looking after. It sounds like a happy song the first time you hear it, but every line is loaded with oppression - the servant sings to the baby of its fortune in life - "your daddy's rich and your ma is good-looking" knowing that owing to her own start in life, she will never have as much as this child is certain to have some day. The song is full of references to the legacy of slavery - references to cotton recalls the plantations, and while "one of these mornings" this baby will "spread its wings and take to the sky", but the singer never will - she will never truly be free. What confirms this for me is the music. If this was a happy song, it would be full of uncomplicated major chords. The dark lyricism of the music in this song makes me certain that it was never meant to be viewed as a happy song.
the local fire mans band in my relatively upscale town played this today in the memorial day parade, the jaunty swing style they gave the tune bothered me as I have never thought of this a a summer celebratory song. I came here to see if anyone else thought of this song like I do and the description above is exactly how I have always heard this song. Thats an excellent point on the chosen minor chords to reinforce the somber subject.
the local fire mans band in my relatively upscale town played this today in the memorial day parade, the jaunty swing style they gave the tune bothered me as I have never thought of this a a summer celebratory song. I came here to see if anyone else thought of this song like I do and the description above is exactly how I have always heard this song. Thats an excellent point on the chosen minor chords to reinforce the somber subject.