The Soul of AfroAmerican Culture——AfroAmerican Music英语论文.doc

The Soul of Afro-American Culture——Afro-American Music Abstract: Afro-American culture is one of the most important parts of American culture, which, though a non-mainstream culture, makes a great impact on the mainstream culture in America, and even all over the world. Afro-American culture is endowed with unique charm by its African factors. Music and dance, the soul of Afro-American culture, are the leading fashion, and play an important role in the international fashion circle. Afro-Americans have inherent talent for music and dance, and since they settle down in this new land, the arduous and bitter lives give them more inspiration to create many outstanding music and dance. Afro-American music and dance are unique with Afro-American root instead of an appendage of the mainstream culture, and truly demonstrate the history and social life of Afro-Americans. And the uniqueness of Afro-American music and dance is the root of the popularity of Afro-American culture. The paper aims at the exploration of the social lives of Afro-Americans through an analysis of Afro-American music and dance.Key Words: Afro-Americans culture; Soul; Music; Dance; Mainstream1.IntroductionAlthough Afro-American music originated from Africa, it developed and hit in America. In American music circle, except country music and Rock &Roll, most types of American music originated from Afro-American music. Blues, as one type of Afro-American music, had a wide effect on the music circle, and it was based on the work song of black slaves. With the development of the society, Blues met various challenges, and then some new styles emerged, such as Jazz, which was famous even now. It gestated the later music form in America. There was no doubt that Blues and Jazz were the most important styles in music circle, and they had immeasurable impacts on international pop music. Spiritual song, which was the production of gospel, had inconceivable impression on people, and touched their heart and their soul. In the current international music circles, R&B and Hip-Hop were the undoubted mainstream, which were also the main styles of Afro-American music. Therefore, Afro-American music was always the core of American music, and also the leading fashionable factor, which dominated the international pop music. 2.A. The Popular Afro-American MusicBy the early 1900s, Blues, which was influenced by African American spirituals, ballads, and work songs, had emerged as a category separate from folk. Because of sufferings from the oppression of the while people, the original style of Afro-American music was full of grief and plaintiveness, which was the keynote of Blues. Blues belonged to the folk music of the black people, which came from the south of America, especially the Mississippi Delta. Now, nobody knows the exact time of its forming, but generally this kind of grieved melody followed the first group of black slaves to the new land. In the beginning, the slaves who lived in the south just got the inspiration from their African ancestors, and got the themes of Blues from their everyday life. Although it’s always so dolorous that it could moved everyone, the slaves just took it as one of the methods to express their feelings in the heart, but not as the way to get others’ sympathy. It was owing to this kind of attitude and purpose that Blues had such a strong vitality.3.B. The Essence of Afro-American MusicDuring the history of struggles of Afro-Americans, they dreamed to get a better prospect under new circumstances and with the social progress, but were disappointed with social reality. They got rid of oppression of planters, but suffered the exploitation by capitalists once again. They got less improvement in their living condition and status. They were always the grass root in America. They could not afford the entertainments of the mainstream society, so they created their own ways to enjoy themselves. In that way, Blues, Jazz, Rap & Hip-Hop emerged. These pop styles of music reflected the feelings and desires. Afro-Americans took themselves as one composition of American society, they wanted more equal rights and respect; they desired to get identity by the white people; they expected to make improvements in their lives. They still struggled for what they desire. Just like Martin Luther King, Jr. claimed that they have a dream—dream to be treated fairly. Although Afro-American music suffered exclusion and suppression initially, their emotional style and free spirit became the power of the popularity of Afro-American music, which was just the soul of Afro-American culture. Because of its unique charm, Afro-American music entered the mainstream society, and got identified. The Afro-American culture spread its influence by the popularity of its music. As a matter of fact, the culture reflected incompatible consciousness of Afro-Americans. There was a double-consciousness for them: they were Black people, but most important t。