Week 11: Delta Blues

This week was our first week exploring the Blues. It's a bit of a change from what we were doing before but it's also more familiar territory. 

My art for the week was inspired by "Careless Love." It was originally in reverse order, where the heart is going upwards rather than downwards, but my gut told me to reverse the order. 

Week 10: Woody Guthrie

This week's theme was Woody Guthrie. The first thing I noticed listening to his songs are that they are less emotional than some of the other songs we've listened to: they're less about broken hearts and feelings and more about surroundings and stories.

They're also more upbeat than some of the other music we've heard. Guthrie's version of "This Land is Your Land" is much more upbeat, much faster, than Dylan's version of it. Dylan's version also sounds more commercial than Guthrie's version.

My favorite favorite favorite song of the week is "Blowin' Down the Road" (and I prefer that title to the "Goin' Down the Road" title in our song books. "Blowin'" implies attitude and assertiveness. "Going" is somehow less assertive.

I really like the assertiveness and dignity and pride that this song has. It fits very well with the description of Guthrie that began the reading for the week.

"I am out to sing the songs that make you take pride in yourself and in your work"

In hindsight, I think the glitter backfired on me. I tried to convey the assertiveness that Guthrie has, but I think it made it kind of kitschy - more Liberace, less Woody Guthrie.