The Apocalypse in African American Spirituals and Blues

What is it about?

This chapter explores the apocalyptic worldview in spirituals and blues songs. Although the blues is a secular music genre and may be perceived as profane, whereas spirituals are sacred songs, both contain apocalyptic motifs. This chapter consists of two subsections: “The Apocalypse, Death, and Eschatological Images of Heaven in African American Spirituals” and “The Apocalypse in African American Blues.” The first examines apocalyptic imagery in the lyrics of spirituals, while the latter traces it in blues music of the twentieth century. Spirituals and blues are closely intertwined: both reflect a profound devotion to Christianity and the persistent belief that Jesus Christ would lead oppressed American blacks to salvation. Inspired by the Revelation of John, both the unknown composers of the slave spirituals and blues musicians tackled the theme of the destruction of the earthly world, the end of time, catastrophic events, the Day of Judgment, salvation, death, and the fate of the human soul.

Featured Image

Photo by Timo Volz on Unsplash

Photo by Timo Volz on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The chapter demonstrates that spirituals and blues use the language of the end of time and contain themes of profound spirituality arising from the black church. Although there exists a belief that Apocalyptic motifs related to the images of the destruction of the world or a spiritual conversion of man at the time of the Last Judgment are rare in secular musical genres like blues, selected blues texts will be examined to reveal the Apocalyptic worldview. Apocalyptic tropes and themes in slave spirituals and blues lyrics are relatively understudied issues in African American music and literary traditions. I believe that Apocalyptic themes and the language of the end of the time in the slave spirituals and blues songs are topics for further exploration.

Perspectives