From: mishae@niksula.hut.fi (Magic Mike)
Subject: Re: What is ``Modern Blues?''
Organization: Helsinki University of Technology, Finland
	<1992Aug25.175723.22824@bnr.ca> <17e076INNrer@agate.berkeley.edu>
Date: 26 Aug 92 10:56:21

Hi folks,

In article <17e076INNrer@agate.berkeley.edu>
maverick@fir.CS.Berkeley.EDU (Vance Maverick) writes:
   In article <1992Aug25.175723.22824@bnr.ca> labiche@crchh561.BNR.CA
   (Maurice LaBiche) writes:
 > >The blues
 > >goes deeper than merely being a manifestation of 'sorrow' from a people
 > >who were forced into slavery, it is one feeling of living.  Everyone gets 
 > >the blues.  No one is immune. We all feel bad/depressed at some time.
 > >There is blues music for many moods, swing, jump, delta, chicago.....
 >
 >  Am I the only one who feels the explanation of blues as sadness is bogus?
 > convention*!  Are pop musicians more often in love than other mortals?

  [...stuff deleted]

 > Now I admit I hear exceptions.  Skip James' late version of "Special Rider"
 > does sound sad to me.  But most of my favorite blues music doesn't.  Am
 > I sick?

 Yes, you are very sick! I recommend you to see a doctor immediately,
to cure your obvoiusly quite twisted mind. I'm afraid your brain will
have to come out, there's no other possible solution :-).

 Well, jokes aside, you are quite right, in a sense. There's no
denying that blues is one of the saddest forms of music. The lyrics
are ususally pretty gloomy, and are often associated with social
unjustice or lost love/unfaithful lovers. (It could be interesting to
try to find the unhappiest blues artist :-). My personal vote goes to
Champion Jack Dupree, he's *really* had a rough time, according to his
lyrics!)

 On the other hand, there is usually a certain cheeriness and
happy-go-lucky attitude in blues. One of the best examples of this is
John Lee Hooker's tune Whiskey and Wimmin, in which he tells the sad
story how whiskey and women wrecked his life. At the very end, when
the song fades out, you can hear him scream "That's alright!", meaning
(IMHO) that he would do it again, even though he suffered hard from
the consequenses.

 There is one excellent quote concerning the nature of the blues. I
can't remember who's quote it is (might have been B.B.King), but it
goes: "Blues is not about sorrows, it's about the joy of sharing your
sorrows". I think this sums it up fairly well, happy music about sad
things. And it always feels better if you talk about your problems,
however big they might be, which is why there usually is a positive
streak even in the saddest blues tune.
--
Cheers,

            Misha

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