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This is a cross-university blog project between the University of South Carolina - Upstate and Clemson University for the Fall 2007 semester.
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19 comments:
Nina Simone – “Mississippi Goddamn” (1964)
The name of this tune is mississippi goddam
And I mean every word of it
Alabamas gotten me so upset
Tennessee made me lose my rest
And everybody knows about mississippi goddam
Alabamas gotten me so upset
Tennessee made me lose my rest
And everybody knows about mississippi goddam
Cant you see it
Cant you feel it
Its all in the air
I cant stand the pressure much longer
Somebody say a prayer
Alabamas gotten me so upset
Tennessee made me lose my rest
And everybody knows about mississippi goddam
This is a show tune
But the show hasnt been written for it, yet
Hound dogs on my trail
School children sitting in jail
Black cat cross my path
I think every days gonna be my last
Lord have mercy on this land of mine
We all gonna get it in due time
I dont belong here
I dont belong there
Ive even stopped believing in prayer
Dont tell me
I tell you
Me and my people just about due
Ive been there so I know
They keep on saying go slow!
But thats just the trouble
Do it slow
Washing the windows
Do it slow
Picking the cotton
Do it slow
Youre just plain rotten
Do it slow
Youre too damn lazy
Do it slow
The thinkings crazy
Do it slow
Where am I going
What am I doing
I dont know
I dont know
Just try to do your very best
Stand up be counted with all the rest
For everybody knows about mississippi goddam
I made you thought I was kiddin didnt we
Picket lines
School boy cots
They try to say its a communist plot
All I want is equality
For my sister my brother my people and me
Yes you lied to me all these years
You told me to wash and clean my ears
And talk real fine just like a lady
And youd stop calling me sister sadie
Oh but this whole country is full of lies
Youre all gonna die and die like flies
I dont trust you any more
You keep on saying go slow!
Go slow!
But thats just the trouble
Do it slow
Desegregation
Do it slow
Mass participation
Do it slow
Reunification
Do it slow
Do things gradually
Do it slow
But bring more tragedy
Do it slow
Why dont you see it
Why dont you feel it
I dont know
I dont know
You dont have to live next to me
Just give me my equality
Everybody knows about mississippi
Everybody knows about alabama
Everybody knows about mississippi goddam
Hello Everyone!
My name is Sarah Smith, I am a freshman at Clemson University. Nina Simone’s “Mississippi Goddamn”, the lyrics seem to be talking about the hard times people go through during war. It talks about the helplessness one feels during war time and how they feel like each day is going to be their last. She talks about bad omens such as the black cat and hound dogs on her trail which adds to the ominous feeling of the song. It seems like she is saying that the war is going nowhere because people are not doing anything to help, they are moving too “slow”. The speaker in the lyrics is sick of pretending that everything is ok, when everything is a lie and her world is falling apart during the war. She seems to be making the point that everyone needs to stand up and be recognized if their current situation is going to improve.
-Sarah Smith
Hey Y'all! I'm Leigh Haslam (or Elizabeth as this says) and I am a freshman at Clemson, SC. I agree with what Sarah said about this piece being written about the helplessness and hard times people go through, but I read it as more of a civil rights and racism issue. She references the Brown vs. The board of education supreme court decision to desegregate the schools with "all deliberate speed" when she talks about going slow. Also, she is speaking out and deliberately mocking the religious nature of the civil rights movement by usings curse words such as "goddam." This woman's song reminds me of the controversy that the Dixie Chicks brought up a few years ago and the many other stars who chose to rebel against the norms. This is a great example of the mainstream protest music of the 60s and 70s and of how political and controversial even a song can become.
Dear Group,
My name is Mike Schneider and I am a student at Clemson University. I am currently studying Health Science here at Clemson, with the intentions of applying to dental school when I graduate.
When I first looked at the title, “Mississippi Goddamn” of Nina Simone’s song, segregation and equality first came to my mind. In 1964, when this song was created, the Civil Rights Movement was in full force, fighting for desegregation and equality in the United States. Also, the lyrics have several short phrases that had a lot of meaning during this time. Phrases such as, “me and my people just about due,” “picking the cotton,” and “all I want is equality, for my sister my brother my people and me,” all have that central focus of equality. So, Nina Simone expresses her views and opinions about the inequality at this time throughout the entire song.
In addition, the phrase, “me and my people just about due,” refers to the horrible ways African-Americans were being treated at this time, and the phrase, “picking the cotton,” refers to slavery in the south. The third phrase touches upon inequality, and how Nina wants equality for herself, her family, and her race. She does not agree with the way people were being treated and how nothing was being done. This is why the Civil Rights Movement was created; to protest and question the inequality of the United States. It was not until the later 60’s that segregation ended, and some forms of equality had been reached.
Sincerely,
Mike S., 33
Hi Group! I am Natalia M. a freshman at USC-upstate. To me the lyrics of this song describe what different people are going through. It seems nothing is equal and she is getting tired. She's tired of the lies and all the broken promises. She feels she shouldn't be going through all of the chaos. I totally agree with her.
Natalia M.(31)
Hello Everyone!
This is Sarah Smith (freshman at Clemson) again! In response to Leigh Haslam’s post, I completely agree. I also believe that this song deals with civil rights and while I was originally thinking it might have something to do with the civil war, there is a great possibility it could deal with the civil rights movement as well. It seems that Mike Schneider also has the same opinion, believing this song to deal with the civil rights and the inequality of the time. Although Mike believes the song to deal with the Civil Rights Movement, there are hints that would point the song back to the days of slavery and the civil war, which Mike actually talks about in his post (i.e. picking cotton). This song may be using past examples of racial segregation to exemplify the cause at hand(the civil rights movement), or it may have been written during the civil war.
-Sarah Smith
Hey Everyone, my name is David Romero but I go by Max. I'm an architecture major at Clemson University. After reading the title the first feeling I got about the song was that it would have something to do with cultural differences of Mississippi. After reading the second stanza I realized that the song was going to be about racism and civil rights. The words "Do it slow" are a central part of the song. I think the way she uses these words is interesting. When you see the words the first time they are linked with ideas about slavery but the second time they are linked with ideas of the civil rights movement. I think the reason she links these two is to show that despite what civil rights is trying to do nothing is changing.
-David R. (60)
Hey Ya'll my name is Karen Hyatt and I am a freshman Nursing major at USC-Upstate. Personally I see Sarah Smith's "Mississippi Goddam" as being a song written from the point of view of an African American female in her twenties. She is expressing her anger about not only the war but about what is going on in the United States as far as equal rights. She feels that she has done everything that she has been told to and none of it has gained her anymore respect than she had in the beginning. She is telling the world that she's not asking anyone to befriend her, she just wants respect and equal rights. Also, I think that she is saying that she has listened to everything that is being said to try and justify the war but it appears to be only lies in her eyes. She has seen for herself, either first hand or through someone close to her, that nothing is as good as the politicians try to make it seem. The woman seems to feel that at this point not even God can save the world and rescue her from what is going on. She is careful how she lives each day because with everything that is going on and all the death around her she never knows when its going to be her turn. She feels as though she has just been thrown into a world of hate and depair and while everyone is telling her to be patient and change will come she does not forsee it coming anytime soon. In my opinion, to this day it still has not come!
Hi, My name is Tucker Skelley. I am an engineering student at Clemson. When I listened to this song on youtube, I found it very ironic how the tempo of the song was very fast and happy, but her words were solemn. The song is about racial inequality in the south and their fight for equality. She basically damns the entire state because of the way African-Americans are being treated there. For example, she says "I don't belong here, I don't belong there, I've evened stopped believing in prayer." She means that she doesn't belong in America, or Africa and feels so helpless that even God can't help her. Then she says, "Just do your best, stand up and be counted like all the rest." This refers to African-Americans not being able to vote. Then she talks about protests like picket lines and the boycott of desegregated schools, all of which she doesn't care about, she just wants equality. Lastly, and what I think is the most important part of the song, she says, "You don't have to live next to me, just give me my equality." To me this part of the song says a lot. It says that she doesn't care if you like her, but she must be equal. It is a very interesting and controversial song.
Dear Group,
In response to Karen Hyatt’s post, I completely agree with some of her points. It seems like Nina Simone is not asking for any form of friendship, she just wants “respect and equal rights.” Karen also mentions that Nina is living in a world of fear. She is witnessing everything that is going on around her and during the war, and seeing all these innocent lives being taken. Nina can only hope that her life will not be taken next, because of how much hate is in the United States at this time. She says that they are “all going to get it in due time,” referring to the belief that it is just a matter of time until she dies as well. I also agree with Karen that we still haven’t seen some of the changes that were needed back then.
Both Karen and Tucker have stated that Nina has lost her hope in God, and I agree with this as well. Nina says that she is no longer praying or asking God to help her because she really believes that everything has become so bad, that prayer and religion are no longer any hope.
Sincerely,
Mike S., 33
Hello Gorup,
My name is Cassandra Taylor and I am a freshman at USC Upstate. In the song "mississippi goddam", I think that the composer was trying to show how life was during the war from an african americans point of view. I believe the song was talking about all of the hard work that had to be done and how they were criticized. I also think that it was talking about how they had given up all hope pretty much and never knew if there was going to be a tomorrow. I didn't really like the song. Its too sad and depressing and i don't understand how anybody could actually like it.
Hi everyone,
This post is in response to several comments. I agree with Max's post along with several others. When I first read the lyrics I didn't understand the relevance of the "Do it slow" part. I understand now about its relevance to civil rights and slavery. It means that whites wants desegregation to be a slow process, but blacks want their equality now.
Hey everyone! Its Sarah Smith from Clemson. I thought Tucker Skelley’s post was insightful when he said that the song was trying to get the point across that you don’t have to like the person, just treat them equally. I also like the point Max makes in response to the lines “Do it slow”, meaning that the civil rights movement is moving at a slow pace. This photograph http://www.britannica.com/eb/art/print?id=9456&articleTypeId=1 shows the struggle people went through during the civil rights movement. It relates to the lyrics since it shows the hard times people went through to be treated equally. The people in the photograph were not fighting for friendships, they were fighting for equality.
Dear Group,
In response to Tucker and Sarah’s comments, I do agree with their way of interpreting the lyrics. When Nina Simone said, “Do it slow,” she was not only talking about how long it was taking to achieve desegregation, but also how the government and citizens of the United States were taking their time and practically putting off the process. Witnessing all the violence and hatred in the country at this time, Nina knew that something had to be done now, instead of putting it off and waiting. She saw how people were being treated with no respect and that there was no equality, so she wanted change right away before anything became worse.
This photo (http://www.unc.edu/news/pics/desegregation.JPG) shows exactly what people were thinking at this time. As you see in the picture, there is a sign the tells us that even the white race thought something needed to be done and questioned “how much longer” it be until there is equality. This shows that both races were tired of inequality and knew that it was not right and something needed to be done.
Nina Simone’s song and the picture I have provided have a close relationship. Both are expressing what the people think about inequality and segregation, and also touch upon how long it is taking the government and other citizens to realize something had to be done.
Sincerely,
Mike S., 33
Dear Group,
Hey!!! I definitely agree with most of everyones points and views. Especially Tucker's! I also listened to it on youtube and found that pretty funny myself! I guess since she was so sad she needed a fast paced beat to get over it.
Natalia M. (31)
Dear Group,
I apologize for being late with my post, I completely forgot about it. In response to Mike S. I agree totally with you. I took a look at the picture and read the song once more. The two go together very well. They both focus on the inequality of people and the whole civil rights movement. It shows that writter was very sincere on this matter! All she wanted was for everyone to be treated equally!
Natalia M. (31)
Hey Group,
Hope everyone had a great weekend. This comment is in response to Mike S's post. I thought that his last post was a good summary of all that has been unearthed from these lyrics. I also found the picture link to be almost perfect for this song. I like how it shows both races coming together. This photo not only transcends race, but also economic status. If you look closely you'll notice that the white men in the protest are all well dressed, one even has on a suit and tie at a protest. The Blacks are all dressed for blue collar jobs. I think it makes a point to community when there is such a broad spectrum of individuals protesting. If it were all Blacks protesting it would be ironic that they were protesting desegregation, when just one race is present.
Hi ya'll its me Karen again, as I began to read several of your comments I began to see that we all pretty much have the same idea that the song is mainly focusing on the point of view of African Americans concerning the hard times that they were going through. I also now see that yes they were having to do a lot more work than usual and that is probably why she lost her faith in God. I think that you all have made very good points and I agree with all of them and I especially like the connection to the Civil War.
Its me Karen again, I am so sorry that my post are late but at least they are finally here. I guess I will just take this opportunity to basically sum up what we have all said we all see the civil rights concerning African Americans, we see the Civil War, we see the problems with Cultural Differences, the problems with politicians and the government. I think that a main problem that she was fousing on was the government because they were pretending to be solving all of the problems that she was speaking of but never really did. Also Elizabeth I love your first post. This was fun bye ya'll!
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