Masaryk University Faculty of Arts

Department of English and American Studies

English Language and Literature

Josef Bock

Sex and sexuality in the lyrics of and Bessie Smith Bachelor's Diploma Thesis

Supervisor: Jeffrey Alan Vanderziel, B.A.

2019 I declare that I have worked on this thesis independently, using only the primary and secondary sources listed in the bibliography.

Josef Bock I would like to thank Jeffrey Vanderziel for his time, patience and valuable advice he offered me during the writing of this thesis. Table of Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Lyrics as a form of literature 4

3. Robert Johnson's lyrics and analysis 7

4. Bessie Smith's lyrics and analysis 18

5. Comparison 31

6. Conclusion 34

Works Cited 36

Summary 40

Resume 41 1. Introduction

Song lyrics are usually the medium through which artists express themselves that is the most comprehensible for the listeners. They have been used in the past to comment on various political, cultural and social issues which tend to resonate with audiences the most.

Singers, composers and lyricists always attempt to induce an emotional response from their audiences with their artistic choices and there are countless ways in which they can do it.

The main question that this thesis will attempt to find the answer to is how two artists approach one specific subject matter that is often explored in lyrics of and specifically songs of the genre. The topic of the lyrics that will be examined is sex, sexual desire or romantic relationships of partners together with their stances on or demands regarding sex.

Writers often tend to employ uninspired or overused wordings in their lyrics through which they articulate their feelings and opinions to their listeners. However, in blues songs the use of creative metaphors, symbolism and idiomatic language is very common especially in relation to topics that are naturally filled with tension like violence, drugs and sex. Lyrics in blues music, although they might seem simple and straightforward, usually have much more depth and meaning in them.

The purpose of this thesis is to compare lyrics that explore mainly the theme of sex and sexual desire written or performed by two immensely influential American blues artists, singers and composers of the 1920s and 1930s, Robert Johnson and Bessie Smith, who, along with their highly acclaimed musicianship, prove to be skilled composers and lyricists as well. These artists are now considered to be pioneers of their craft and they are widely followed and respected as musicians and performers. There are similarities in their lives that may have played a role in their musical career to a certain extend like their social background, ethnicity or the rural environment they both come from. Also, in their writing, for both Johnson and Smith the topic of sex was very much present. The value of their

1 musical contributions has been recognized ever since their first recordings but their work as writers is equally as important as their singing skills or the ability to play an instrument. Both of the selected authors are undoubtedly among the most important figures of their era and possibly even of the entire history of recorded blues music. Many different artists who came after them were in one way or another influenced by their music as well as their writing.

The aim of this thesis is to understand how these performers approached the question of the topics of sex or sexual desire in their lyrics. Specifically, it attempts to find out if there is any substantial difference in their attitude to the topic and whether their own gender may have been in any way reflected in their writing during their careers during the period in between the two World Wars. The point of view from which a character in their songs recounts a story and his or her apparent mood during the telling will also be taken into consideration. Variations are expected of how the artists refer to sexual intercourse or how they describe the state of their relationships they are in. They are also likely to differ in the perspective from which the teller of the story is looking at sexual activity or romantic relationships and their aspects depending on their gender as men and women were more likely to think about sex differently at the time adhering to a socially acceptable standard.

The argument for suggesting that there is a difference between the writing methods that both artist chose to express themselves will be supported by literary analysis of lyrics that deal with those topics since lyrics are one of many forms of writing. The different styles of expression of each artist will be analysed and compared with the other one. Word choices and the use of slang language will be among the main points that make their works different.

The sources for the analysis will be exclusively their song lyrics since in this thesis their performance of a song is completely disregarded because they will be considered a piece of literature. Of course, those lyrics with some kind of sexual undertone will be analysed but, as mentioned above, the analysis will not concentrate only on sexual activity as such. Some

2 attention will be paid to their views on relationships of romantic partners and their stances within those relationships as expressed in their lyrics. Those stances might have been influenced in some way by their respective genders particularly due to more rigid upbringings of children in the early twentieth century in the American South however the role of their gender will not be basis for any argument presented in this thesis.

After the introduction, the first chapter of the thesis provides some information on how lyrics are viewed by scholars as a form of literature and the importance of song lyrics in literary analysis as well as the main difference between lyrics and traditional poetry. In the second and third chapter specific song lyrics of both artists are analysed as a literary form of art concentrating on how they achieve an emotional response in their audience and how exactly they use various techniques to suggest or present delicate topics with mostly metaphoric language. Then in the following chapter the findings from the analysis of the sets of lyrics are compared to one another and the differences between the two performers are determined based on the findings from the previous two chapters. The final chapter is the conclusion of the thesis that summarizes the results and methods that have been used to reach them.

3 2. Lyrics as a form of literature

As difficult as it may be to define literature, one acceptable definition would be that it is "a set of texts . . . whose purpose includes, but extends beyond, communication, in which the language itself is as much a part of the end product as is the content" (Kusch 3-4) as it has been written by professor Celena Kusch in her book Literary Analysis: The Basics. What

Kusch says is essentially that literature is any text that uses language in such a way that its form is as important as its message and its function is therefore more than to simply inform.

Such text can be perceived as a work of literature be it poetry, novels, theatrical plays or indeed song lyrics. Although it is quite a broad definition it encompasses what the key aspect of literary expression is which is that the form in which it is presented is as important as the content.

Lyrics have been historically a relatively overlooked subject in terms of literary analysis compared to the other forms of literature although they certainly have been an important tool in verbal expression that deserves attention from scholars. Lars Eckstein in his book Reading Song Lyrics even argues that: "[a]ny literary or cultural history that excludes lyrics from its scope presents a dramatically lopsided view of verbal art, and, by extension, modern culture" (14). The biggest recognition of song lyrics as a form of literature in recent history is probably the Nobel Prize in Literature won by Bob Dylan in 2016 for "having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition" (The Nobel Prize).

Despite the apparent resemblance of song lyrics and poetry, there is, of course, a significant difference between those two forms of literature which Eckstein explains when he remarks that "while the voice in poetry is generally perceived as an internalised one encoded in the medium of writing, the voice of lyrics is by definition external" (10). He later summarizes the most evident difference between lyrics and poetry when he says:

4 The most distinctive marker that distinguishes song lyrics from written poetry, after

all, is that they are sung and that the verbal meaning of the words is set in relation to

the musical meaning of their vocal embodiment and, if applicable, musical

accompaniment. The words of songs, that is to say, are always doubly encoded, as

both verbal and musical referents (67).

With this statement he supports the idea that song lyrics should be considered a work consisting of two parts and that the performative aspect separates it from poetry which is meant to be interpreted solely internally by the readers.

The object of analysis of this paper is, of course, lyrics of particular blues songs and when dealing with compositions of the blues genre the claims made by Eckstein apply even more as Ralph Eastman suggests when he argues that the "blues was a folk art form that was a product of the oral tradition designed for the accompaniment of dancers and the delight of live audiences. While the lyrics may be poetic, they were performance pieces, not poems" (174-

175). The power of lyrics in blues compositions is undoubtedly reinforced by the accompanying music or a singer's voice. Eastman also believes that "[t]here is a dual nature to blues music communication. Musical and inflectional nuances modify the literal meanings of the verses" (162).

The significance of blues lyrics, especially those addressing topics of sexual nature, and their positive contributions to the field of literature is highlighted by Elijah Wald in his book where he says that the "range of sexual themes and metaphors in blues songs reflects an honesty about the complexities of sexual relationships that was missing from most contemporary literature" (121). With this quote not only does he point out the sincerity with which blues texts deal with sexual relationships but he also reaffirms the position of blues lyrics as a form of literature.

5 As expressive an art form as the blues music is and as important as the musical accompaniment is to the emotional impact of a particular song on its listeners, this thesis, however, will not be analysing the musical expression of the examined songs apart from those occasions where it would help distinguish between two possible meanings of the written words or phrases. In that case, deliberate voice inflections or emphases produced to suggest the true meaning of the words will be taken into account. The purpose of this thesis is to provide an analysis of the lyrics that will be, except for the special cases, purely based on textual evidence. Conclusions about the intended meaning will be drawn from the transcriptions of the lyrics.

6 3. Robert Johnson's lyrics and analysis

In this chapter, lyrics of songs by an American blues guitarist and vocalist, Robert

Johnson, will be analysed while the main focus of the analysis will be the sexual collocations used in his lyrics and other mentions of sexual intercourse, love, and romance and his attitude towards those topics. Particular attention will be paid to the emotions that Johnson experiences as well as the stances he takes and positions he puts himself into when he deals with relationships with women in his songs.

Robert Johnson was born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi in 1911 as an eleventh child to his mother Julia Major Dodds. Early in his life he went to live with his step-father, Dodds' husband in Memphis, only to later return to his mother in Mississippi. In 1930 he encountered one of the blues legends named Son House who would later describe that Johnson's guitar playing would "drive the people nuts" (Pearson and McCulloch 7) as he was trying to play when House took a break on stage. During the next few years he made an impressive progress and started to refine what would later become his unique style of playing. He made his first recordings in San Antonio, Texas under the supervision of , manager for the

American Record Corporation, and during five sessions recorded in 1936 and 1937 he made his collection of 29 songs. Johnson died at a young age of twenty seven after allegedly being poisoned by a husband of one of the women he was seeing at the time.

Many of his songs are now considered to be blues standards and his lyrics dealt with most of the common topics in blues at that time such as traveling, alcohol, loneliness and of course sex or romantic relationships with women. In the book by Pearson and McCulloch about Johnson's life and music they write that there was a "sexual quality to his tone and phrasing, and most of his songs were about women, if not directed toward them, balancing aggressive sexuality with pleas for understanding or sexual favors" (71).

7 It is true that not all of the songs in Johnson's repertoire directly address sex or sexual attraction. Many of them are, however, constructed from the point of view of the singer who needs or demands something from his lover in the lyrics. Usually the singer calls to his partner and makes requests from them. These calls are very often variations on the male lover either trying to get his woman back or showing his dissatisfaction with her leaving and expressing his emotional state at the same time.

A good example of such calls would be the song "" (1937) that puts the singer in the place of a man whose partner is leaving in a train at the very moment. The song begins casually with: "And I followed her to the station (2x) / With a suitcase in my hand" and then the purpose of her traveling away is revealed when the lyrics follow with:

When the train rolled up to the station I looked her in the eye When the train rolled up to the station And I looked her in the eye Well, I was lonesome, I felt so lonesome And I could not help but cry All my love's in vain

When the train, it left the station With two lights on behind When the train, it left the station With two lights on behind Well, the blue light was my blues And the red light was my mind All my love's in vain

Every verse in this song is followed by the emblematic phrase "All my love's in vain" that underlines the man's emotional response to what is happening to him. Johnson does so by stating clearly and with a hint of sadness and reconciliation in his voice at the same time that all the love he gave her was to no avail.

Another very common structure, especially in Johnson's lyrics, is the opposite situation where the man is either leaving his woman or he has been gone for some time and

8 now 'talks' to his wife or girlfriend via the song's lyrics. This approach can be seen for example in the song "Rambling On My Mind" (1936):

I got ramblin', I got ramblin' on my mind I got ramblin', I got ramblin' all on my mind Hate to leave my baby, but you treats me so unkind

And I'm leavin' this mornin', with my arm' fold' up and cryin' And I'm leavin' this mornin', with my arm' fold' up and cryin' Hate to leave my baby, but she treats me so unkind

I got mean things, I've got mean things on my mind I got mean things, I got mean things all on my mind I got to leave my baby, well, she treats me so unkind

And again, every verse is resolved with a nearly identical set of words that provide explanation for his actions in this song. He assures her that he has no choice but leave even though he would not have left her had she treated him the way he deserved.

He is apparently discontent with the current situation as it makes him cry and he

"hate[s] to leave" his girlfriend. The repeated use of the third part of a verse, also known as the "response" which is extremely common in the "call and response" format in blues music, is a reaction to what is happening in the man's mind. He explains and justifies his action with it at the end of every verse. Also he says that he has "mean things" on his mind. That indicates that he is worried about his own thoughts that could lead to some possibly violent or hurtful actions so instead he chooses to part ways with his partner before he does something he would later regret.

These are two possible versions of the two most basic situations typically described in blues songs that deal with a very common theme that is leaving one's romantic partner. Some of Johnson's songs were much more direct in terms of their focus on sexual themes and these are going to be the ones analysed in more detail here. Special attention will be paid to sexual innuendos or other perceptible changes of meaning in the lyrics that could be considered to be

9 of sexual nature. Johnson employed a host of attitudes to sexuality and relationships in the lyrics of his songs from passing references to his partner using single words like "woman" or

"babe" to maybe a few words or lines that would reveal what his feelings about her are to metaphors and similes describing sexual intercourse or in the very least woman's body parts in various ways.

One of the songs that are on the more provocative side of the spectrum would definitely be the song titled "" (1936). There are plenty of different themes and emotions within this song and given that this was one of the first successful recordings by

Johnson in terms of popularity, especially with African American audiences during that time, it is important to examine the lyrics and find out why the "Terraplane Blues" (1936) has been described as a song with an "extended sexual metaphor" (Simon) by professor Julia Simon in her analysis of it.

Firstly, a Terraplane was a make and a model of a car that was manufactured in the mid-1930s in the United States. The lyrics are essentially a comparison of a car or parts of a car to a woman's body and the metaphor develops brilliantly throughout the entire song. In the first lines of the verse Johnson repeats the line "I feel so lonesome, you hear me when I moan" twice as is common in the AAB blues form that this song follows. These first words are almost generic in a certain sense because many blues songs might begin in the exact same way establishing the singer's strongest feeling at the moment. The third line, however, is where his mood changes rapidly when it reads: "Who been drivin' my Terraplane, for you since I been gone". Here Johnson uses the car as a substitute for his girlfriend and essentially asks her who she has been cheating on him with while he has been away. He then continues with:

I'd said I flash your lights, mama, you horn won't even blow (Somebody's been runnin' my batteries down on this machine) I even flash my lights, mama, this horn won't even blow Got a short in this connection, hoo well, babe, it's way down below

10 I'm gion' heist your hood, mama, I'm bound to check your oil I'm goin' heist your hood, mama, mmm, I'm bound to check your oil I got a woman that I'm lovin', way down in Arkansas

Now, you know the coils ain't even buzzin', little generator won't get the spark Motor's in a bad condition, you gotta have these batteries charged But I'm cryin', pleease, pleease don't do me wrong. Who been drivin' my Terraplane now for, you since I been gone.

Multiple references to various car parts that also refer to parts of the woman's body are present in the lyrics like: "I'd said I flash your lights", "I'm gion' heist your hood" and "I'm bound to check your oil" are all metaphors of sexual nature. He even elaborates on her cheating on him and makes sure that the listener understands that he knows his partner has been unfaithful to him when he, as if incidentally, talks off the microphone and says that someone has been "runnin' [his] batteries down" on his car.

In this instance the listener is literally forced to read, or listen in this case, in between the lines in order to perceive this remark by Johnson. This creates a more personal quality of his narration as it seems like he is recounting the story to a friend and casually giving away his views on the situation. After these verses and asking rhetorically one more time "Who been drivin' my Terraplane now for, you since I been gone" he finishes the song with these lines: "I'm gon' get down in this connection, keep on tanglin' with your wires (2x) / And when

I mash down on your little starter, then your spark plug will give me fire".

According to Simon, in this section he uses more sexual innuendos but also a sense of persistence is evident in the last lines as he basically tells her girlfriend that he will not give up trying to please her despite her infidelity. Johnson's singing is accompanied by his

"explosive and innovative virtuosic guitar work" (Simon) in this song and that together with the lyrics with obvious sexual undertone is probably what made one of the first songs he had ever recorded popular with his audience.

11 Johnson took a completely different approach with another song of his titled "Stop

Breaking Down Blues" (1937) which Pearson and McCulloch aptly refer to as a "fairly typical sexual boast" (79) because it presents the singer as an irresistible object of sexual attraction. The song is, in essence, only four lines long because these lines are, in slightly varied versions, repeated several times and then resolved by the last line that supports

Pearson's and McCulloch's claim about it being a boasting song. Here is the first verse that sets the tone for the entire recording:

Everytime I'm walkin', down the streets, Some pretty mama start breakin' down with me Stop breakin' down, yes stop breakin' down The stuff I got'll bust your brains out, baby, hoo hoo, it'll make you lose your mind.

The singer proclaims that women cannot resist him and tend to "break down" often with him meaning, in this context, they would either engage in seducing or collapse emotionally in front of him presumably being overwhelmed by his charisma. He reacts by suggestively referring to "the stuff he has got that will make her "lose her mind". This is an unusual song for Johnson since most of his songs exhibit a certain degree of humility when speaking to women or about women. The emotional range expressed in his songs is certainly wide but rarely is he condescending or arrogant in regard to his sexual appeal. There are hints of regret in his lyrics as in "When You Got A Good Friend" (1936) where he says: "I mistreated my baby, but I can't see no reason why / Everytime I think about it, I just wring my hands and cry" or worry as in "Kind Hearted Woman Blues" (1936) in which he says: "My baby don't love me / But I really love that woman / Can't stand to leave her be." Sometimes he would even voice a lack of interest in women as in "I'm A Steady Rollin' Man" (1937) that includes the line: "But I haven't got no sweet woman / Boys to be rollin' this way" but apart from "Stop

Breaking Down Blues" (1937) he is never boastful nor does he present himself as sexually superior.

12 Different metaphors were used by Johnson in his song "Little Queen Of Spades". It has been described as being "reminiscent of ballads about gambling women such as Delia

Holmes" (Pearson and McCulloch 79) that were an inspiration for songs by musicians such as

Bob Dylan or Johnny Cash. The lyrics of the song read as follows:

Now, she is a little queen of spades, and the men will not let her be She is the little queen of spades, and the men will not let her be Everytime she makes a spread, hoo fair brown, cold chill just runs all over me

I'm gon' get me a gamblin' woman, if the last thing that I do Gon' get me a gamblin' woman, if it's the last thing that I do Well, a man don't need a woman, ooh fair brown, that he got to give all his money to

Everybody say she got a mojo, now she's been usin' that stuff Everybody says she got a mojo, 'cause she been usin' that stuff But she got a way trimmin' down, hoo fair brown, and I mean it's most too tough

Now, little girl, since I am the king, baby, and you is a queen Since I am the king baby, and you is a queen Le's us put our heads together, hoo fair brown, then we can make our money green

He clearly chooses to use images connected with gambling and uses them as a metaphor for his partner. In this song, he blurs the line between the literal sense and the hidden meaning of his words a little more but it still incorporates passages with double-meaning phrases like this one: "Everytime she makes a spread, hoo fair brown, cold chill just runs all over me" at the end of the first verse. It is preceded by "she is a little queen of spades" likening a woman to a playing card that allows him to make the claim about her making a "spread" where the sexual meaning appears. What is interesting about these lyrics is the use of the word "mojo" which, according to Pearson and McCulloch, is "a good-luck charm common in hoodoo folk beliefs"

(79) that "can make you lucky in gambling or in love" (79). The use of this word further supports the perception of the song as one about both gambling and sex.

For the song "Phonograph Blues" (1936) a similar technique was used as for the

"Terraplane blues" (1936) in that it is also a comparison of a woman to a physical object. The

13 lyrics begin with the establishing phrases: "Beatrice, she got a phonograph, and it won't say a lonesome word (2x) / What evil have I done, what evil has the poor girl heard". Here Johnson chooses a sound recording and producing device as a substitute for the communication that should be happening between the two partners but clearly is not. He continues and the listener gets a better sense of why they do not talk to each other as he says: "Beatrice, I love my phonograph, but you have broke my windin' chain (2x) / And you've taken my lovin', and give it to your other man".

In the next verse the metaphor is truly developed and the meaning of the word

"phonograph" shifts from a device for communication to an image for sexual intercourse that leaves very little to the imagination.

Now, we played it on the sofa, now, we played it 'side the wall My needles have got rusty, baby, they will not play at all We played it on the sofa, and we played it 'side the wall But my needles have got rusty, and it will not play at all

The following verse includes the last attempt to get his girlfriend back to him by saying:

"Beatrice, I go crazy, baby, I will lose my mind (2x) / Why'n't you bring your clothes back home, and try me one more time" and then he ends the song by repeating the first verse returning to the initial idea of the lack of interaction between him and his lover.

Unlike the "Terraplane blues" (1936) where the metaphors revolved around a woman's body and unfaithfulness of his partner, this song provides clear references to sexual acts that are surrounded by verses in which the male pleads with his woman to come back to him. He is in more of a defensive role here almost begging her to return as opposed to the more powerful position when he made sure the woman knew that he knew what she was doing behind his back.

These are some of the most explicit or most powerful of Johnson's compositions within the borders of the theme of sexuality in their lyrics. He generally alternates in his songs

14 between powerful emotions like longing, lust, despair or regret and always accompanies them with no less powerful and intense guitar playing and vocals. The best description of the overall impression of his lyrics that deal in some way with sexuality, however, would probably be "moderate".

Some of his male contemporaries like Lightnin' Hopkins or Son House used similar techniques and even similar words to describe sexual desire but they were often much more direct with their delivery. Hopkins in "My Starter Won't Start This Morning" (1969) talks about his motor that "won't turn" using the same idea for a metaphor Johnson develops in

"Terraplane blues" (1936) but he reverses the application and portrays himself as the part of an automobile.

The song is an obvious reference to his sexual ability and he uses "motor" or "starter" as code for penis. He even admits that he has been "runnin' with a fast, trashy worn ens" and because of that "[s]omethin' must be wrong with [his] little machine" commenting openly on his sensitive problem. The song "Let Me Play With Your Poodle" (1947) is as straightforward in its suggestions as it can possibly be without actually saying what is meant by the word

"poodle". It is true that after every verse of repeating the title several times Hopkins makes a reassuring claim about the meaning of it by saying: "I mean your little poodle dog!".

Another contemporary of Johnson's named Son House is not so concerned with sex as such in his compositions but when he speaks about relationships and his position in them he presents himself more assertively than Johnson in his songs. His "Special rider blues" (1962) is a resolute farewell to his woman after she has treated him badly when he says: "I won't be your dog no more" and "if you don't want me, what the world I want with you?" with which he firmly declares that he will not tolerate her demeaning attitude towards him. His contempt for her is captured in the last line reading: "You know I'm sorry today that I ever knowed your name". Both Hopkins and House are different in many ways musically from Johnson even if

15 simply because they are different people altogether but in those examples it has been shown that they are more explicit particularly in Hopkins' case because he sings some other songs like "Rock me baby" (1969) that is an evident request for sex.

One particular occasion where Johnson proved to be able to show himself as a partner worthy of respect was in "32-20 Blues" (1936) where he uses rifle ammunition used typically for hunting small game, which is what the numbers in the title refer to, as a threatening device for his girlfriend. He explains with the first few lines what he will do if his wish is not fulfilled. "If I send for my baby, and she don't come (2x) / All the doctors in Hot Springs sure can't help her none". Apparently she has some ammunition as well but her ".38 special" used commonly in revolvers is, according to Johnson, "most too light" for his rifle so she most likely cannot use the bullets she owns giving him an advantage.

He makes it clear that he will shoot if he has to and then questions her about the previous night. "Ahah, baby, where you stayed last night (2x) / You got your hair all tangled and you ain't talking right" he says in the next verse before he repeats the first verse to stress his willingness to harm her if she does not come back to him. The verse where he asks her where she was the night before repeats as well but this time he resolves it with: "You didn't come home until the sun was shining bright" which of course means that wherever she was she spent the entire night there. The final verse suggests the man's nervousness or unease caused by what is happening to him. He says: "Ahoh boy, I just can't take my rest (2x) / With this 32-20 laying up a nd down my breast" to conclude his telling.

Although this was an example of Johnson showing his will to control his life even if it means to intimidate his woman, overall he still remains in roles in his songs that project little determination. As for the topic of sex or sexuality most of his songs do not directly address these topics. In some of Johnson's works he without a doubt incorporates some blatantly obvious allusions to either sexual acts or a woman's body but in his other songs he is rather

16 passive both in terms of his expression of sexual desire and his demeanour as a romantic partner which lacks the sense of an impressive charisma of a boyfriend or husband.

17 4. Bessie Smith's lyrics and analysis

The lyrics of songs written and sung by an American blues singer, Bessie Smith, that explore themes of sexuality and romantic relationships will be analysed in this chapter. Smith was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1892 and after a difficult childhood during which she lost all her family members but her brother when she was still very young, she started busking on the streets. Later, her talent was discovered and she was given a contract for the company where "Ma" Rainey had been the lead singer. She made her first recording which was a cover of the blues standard "Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do" for the record company Columbia in

1923. Smith was an incredibly popular and influential figure who was often called by her nickname the 'Empress of the blues' and together with "Ma" Rainey she was one of the most important female blues performers of her era. After a career spanning almost fifteen years she died in 1937 aged only forty three when she succumbed to injuries she suffered as a passenger during a car accident.

One of the main sources for this section will be a Bessie Smith's biography by professor Michelle R. Scott titled Blues Empress in Black Chattanooga: Bessie Smith and the

Emerging Urban South that provides a comprehensive overview of Smith's life as well as of her music. According to Scott, Bessie Smith "helped transform the blues from a regional

African American music into a national art form whose popularity is evidenced in the development of 'race records"'(2). Those were records of black artists separated by record companies from others due to general public's growing interest in the music produced by

African-Americans at that time (Scott 139).

Sexuality was no strange topic in blues lyrics sung by women at the beginning of the twentieth century. In fact, Scott lists several scholars who, when analysing the role of female blues artists in African American culture, discuss the "the blatant sexuality in blueswomen's lyrics" as one of the topics (5). Of course, women were not alone in recording and producing

18 songs with sexuality as its main focus. Marybeth Hamilton comments on the inter-war era of the blues in terms of gender and sex. "The 1920s and 1930s saw the release of hundreds of raunchy blues recordings by male as well as female singers" she remarks (133).

Similarly to Robert Johnson, sex or sexual pleasure was not the only topic that she covered in her songs or the songs she performed. The song "Me and My Gin" (1928), recorded by Smith in 1928, portrays her as an alcoholic who would do nearly anything to protect a bottle of gin. "Don't try me nobody 'cause you will never win / I'll fight the army, navy just me and my gin" is one of the rhymes and she makes a couple of references to the

Prohibition era as well when she sings: "If this place gets raided, it's just me and my gin" and

"Any bootlegger sure is a pal of mine". In "Poor Man's Blues" (1928) she projects what

Jeffrey B. Ferguson calls a "seemingly patriotic sentiment" (701) when Smith calls for more appreciation for an ordinary 'poor man'.

Poor man fought all the battles Poor man would fight again today Poor man fought all the battles Poor man would fight again today He would do anything you ask him In the name of the U.S.A

Another song of hers that has no sexual content is titled "Blue Spirit Blues" (1929) where she talks about "dreams of hell and the punishment that awaits sinners like herself (Yurchenco

465). Smith really dealt with plenty of topics in the songs she wrote or performed. Most of them were successful and well-received by her audience even though she often sang about unpleasant issues such as alcoholism or poverty.

Michelle R. Scott believes that her success was partly due to the fact that many songs she sang were easy for her audience to understand and connect with. "Her songs speak frankly about the hardships and joys of everyday life—a life that her listeners could comprehend and share" (123) she says and gives an example of a well-known W.C. Handy's song titled "St.

19 Louis Blues" she recorded in 1925 where the protagonist shares her pain after her partner has left her for the "St. Louis woman, wid her diamond rings". Even though it was not her composition the audience could relate to the story easily as most women could imagine the feeling of losing a man to another woman. Scott continues to explain that with her relatable and personal music Smith "captured the hearts of African Americans throughout much of the

South and Midwest" (124). The song that is without a doubt Smith's best known, particularly when it comes to the topic of sex, is the song called "Empty Bed Blues" (1928). As the title itself suggests it is a story that is told by a clearly unsatisfied woman who shares her thoughts on her lover that get more and more explicit as she continues singing. A relatively long composition at over six minutes in duration takes the listener on a journey through the mind of the woman as she recounts what her romantic life is like. The song opens with these lines:

"I woke up this morning with an awful aching head (2x) / My new man had left me just a room and an empty bed" establishing in what state the singer finds herself. The next lines simply depict her buying a new coffee grinder for him with little to no sexual tension underneath the words. Although the following verses reveal more and more of the woman's private life relying on honest and direct language rather than a metaphorical one. The lyrics continue with these two verses:

He's a deep-sea diver, with a stroke that can't go wrong He's a deep-sea diver, with a stroke that can't go wrong He can touch the bottom, and his wind holds out so long

He knows how to thrill me and he thrills me night and day Oh, he knows how to thrill me and he thrills me night and day He's got a new way of loving, almost takes my breath away

A very explicit wording is used in both of those verses even though the first one conceals the true meaning behind a skilfully constructed image for a diver as her lover. "He can touch the bottom" is probably the most innocent and simultaneously the most shocking phrase in that

20 verse. The pure honesty of the following verse leaves no room for doubt as for what she talks about in the previous one.

Then she shares her experience with a friend and comments on it like this: "He's got that sweet something and I told my girlfriend Lou (2x) / But the way she's ravin', she must have gone and tried it too". In two verses she essentially complains that her empty bed makes her feel "awful mean and blue" which logically follows the previous verse where she 'lends' her boyfriend to someone else. When the lover returns two of the most evident references to sex are made. The two verses read:

He came home one evening with his spirit way up high He came home one evening with his spirit way up high What he had to give me, made me ring my hands and cry

He give me a lesson that I never had before He give me a lesson that I never had before When he got through teachin' me, from my elbow down was sore

After these two verses an allusion to cooking with a potential sexual meaning is there to be found but more important verse is certainly the last one where a sense of learning a lesson is present. She concludes the song, talking directly to the audience, with: "When you get good lovin', never go and spread the news (2x) / It'll build up to cross you, and leave you with them empty bed blues".

Marybeth Hamilton wrote about this song in her paper that despite its "doleful opening verse" which points at the theme of abandonment the song's main focus is in fact sex (132).

According to Hamilton the lyrics "spotlight, in ever-more suggestive detail, the physical pleasures the singer experienced with her now vanished lover". She quotes "the transparency of its imagery" as the main cause for both dramatic and entertaining effect the song had on the listeners. (132).

On several occasions her language was even more straightforward in regards to sexual topics. She often would essentially demand her lover to make love to her without much use of

21 masked or vague expressions in a song. An example of such a song is one called "Need a

Little Sugar in My Bowl" (1931) which unequivocally expresses the need for sex via a seemingly mundane request as the title might suggest. In a very slow tempo she narrates the song with power and urgency that only adds to the authenticity of her delivery. Her desire for a man is apparent from the first lines of the song:

Tired of bein' lonely, tired of bein' blue I wished I had some good man, to tell my troubles to Seem like the whole world's wrong Since my man's been gone

A series of commands and various alterations of the titular request follow after that such as: "I need a little hot dog on my roll" and "I need a little steam-heat on my floor" or "Come on and save your mama's soul".

The song is ended with this verse:

I need a little steam-heat on my floor Maybe I can fix things up, so they'll go Get off your knees, I can't see what you're drivin' at It's dark down there looks like a snake! C'mon here and drop somethin' here in my bowl Stop your foolin' and drop somethin' in my bowl

All doubt about what is meant by those words is gone after the song is finished. It is now abundantly clear that this song is, even from today's perspective, an incredibly powerful and direct request for sex by a woman to a man. Strong stresses are placed on the words

"drivin"', "dark", "snake" and "foolin"' in the recording enhancing how important it is for the female that the audience understand exactly what she wants. Hardly any sign is to be found of trying to hide the true meaning behind ambiguous language that would need special interpretation.

In a similar way Smith asks for sex in another of her songs titled "I'm Wild about That

Thing" (1929) and as this phrase repeats multiple times throughout the song she tries to talk

22 her partner into having sex. Lines like: "Please don't hold it, baby, when I cry / Give me every bit of it or else I'll die" or "If you want so satisfy my soul / Come on and rock me with a steady roll" really send a different message from the one in the previous song because in this example the female is asking, almost begging, for what she wants as opposed to "Need a

Little Sugar in My Bowl" (1931) where she was in charge and was demanding sexual pleasure from her man.

Smith could 'play' these situations from different positions or perspectives which she showed in another song that is very similar musically to "I'm Wild about That Thing" (1929) and it conveys nearly identical feelings except for that the woman is essentially giving orders to her man to make love to her. The song is fittingly called "You've Got to Give Me Some"

(1929) and works with the same premise as the previous song. The female protagonist is again clearly craving sexual intercourse as it is apparent from the very first verse that reads:

Loving is the thing I crave For your love I'll be your slave You gotta give me some, yes give me some Can't you hear me pleading, you gotta give me some

The title functions as a reinforcing sequence that is repeated multiple times during the song to strengthen the role of the woman as someone who is in charge. As mentioned above, the composition is fairly similar to the last one in terms of musical structure, tempo and even

Smith narrates the lyrics with a similarly relaxed yet urgent quality in her voice in order to achieve her goal. Already from the first four lines it is evident that this song creates the impression of a woman that is desperate for sexual gratification.

Rhyming "crave" and "slave" is a powerful choice of words on its own and together with bringing sex into the discussion it truly stands out as a strong and ear-catching beginning for a blues song. A number of metaphors and comparisons are made during the song that reinforce and confirm the state of despair of the singer.

23 Immediately after the first verses she finds two variations of food substituting for male genitalia namely: "I crave your round steak, you gotta give me some" and "Sweet as candy in a candy shop / Is just your sweet sweet lollipop". Then she refers to her friend who is also in search for satisfaction and uses it to make a very suggestive allusion "To the milkman I heard

Mary scream / Said she wanted a lots of cream". The level of urgency is apparently rising as she sings:

Hear my cryin' on my bended knees If you wanna put my soul at ease You gotta give me some, please give me some Can't stand it any longer, you gotta give me some

Seeper called to Pele-Mele, sugar lump Said I'm going crazy about your hump You've got to give me some, please give me some I can't wait eight days, you gotta give me some

The prevailing image in these lines is one of addiction or more specifically of an addict desperately begging for another dose. In this part Smith starts with her "cryin' on [her] bended knees" to demonstrate her despair and then stresses her need by stating that she "[c]an't stand it any longer" and she "can't wait eight days" before she gets her 'dose' of sex. The parallel for sex and addiction is an effective combination of topics that were appealing to her listeners.

They had some relevance for Smith as well because she was known for her "love for alcohol" (Scott 4). That particular theme appeared later in songs she performed such as "Me and My Gin" (1928) of which Yurchenco says that it "mirrors her own longtime addiction to alcohol" (464). Smith then concludes with this last verse:

Jay bird said to the peckerwood I like to peck like a pecker should But give me some, yes give me some I'm crazy about them worms, you've gotta give me some

24 The usage of the word "pecker", a vulgar term for a penis, is the final piece in this plea for sex where she went through several layers of need. She began simply with "Loving is the thing I crave" then she displayed signs of eagerness and possible addiction with "Can't stand it any longer" and "Said I'm going crazy about your hump" and subsequently she decided to ask for sex using clear phallic references in the end to emphasize her point and possibly impress or shock her audience.

An extremely practical approach is taken by Smith in the song "Do Your Duty" (1933) as it is, in essence, a series of instructions given to her man. She starts confidently by informing her lover about what she expects from him: "If I call three times a day, baby /

Come and drive my blues away; / When you come be ready to play". Every verse is, as it was common in these songs, once again resolved by the title of the song "Do your duty!" in an exclamatory fashion.

The overall uncompromising attitude of Bessie Smith is evident in this song more than anywhere else. She treats her lover almost as a servant used for sexual pleasure. Nearly every verse that follows is a confirmation of the man's role of a sex toy. In this order Smith says to him: "If you want to have some luck / Give your baby your last buck" and then "When I need attention at home / I'll just call you on the telephone" followed by "If my radiator gets too hot

/ Cool it of in a lotsa spot". In the second to last verse she quite plainly explains that if he does not abide she will find somebody else for him. The final verse reads: "I'm not tryin' to make you feel blue / I'm not satisfied with the way that you do; / I've got to help you find somebody to /Do your duty!".

Smith manages to elegantly link the last line with the repeated titular phrase to create a sentence that has a stronger impact when uttered by her as an ending line with the intonation rising on the last word. Additionally, she switches the role of the phrase by putting it in a new

25 context. She transforms it from an order to a threat implying she is going to swap her partner for somebody else.

Bessie Smith in many songs presents herself as someone who sets the rules in a relationship and when talking of sex rarely displays shyness or uncertainty of what she wants.

The vast majority of the songs were written from her perspective and she portrays herself as someone for whom respect from her partner is vital. She expresses some other emotions apart from requesting or longing for sex in some of her other songs. For example Yurchenko speaks about having "no mercy for the man who sponged off her" (457) in the song hers called "Put

It Right Here" (1928) in which she says at the beginning:

He never brought me a lousy dime And put it in my hand So there'll be some changes from now on According to my plan

She then develops that idea of a dependent man who she is going to change. This example was not sexual in any way but it supports the fact that Smith is likely to be in the position of power in her songs.

She even sometimes showed hostility towards men and complained about their treating of women in her songs. In "Dirty No-Gooder's Blues" (1929) she begins by asking other women an all too familiar question: "Did you ever fall in love with a man that was no good? (2x) / No matter what you did for him, he never understood". The song continues with a couple of examples of the singer's experiences: "The meanest thing he could say would thrill you through and through (2x) / And there wasn't nothin' too dirty for that man to do" and

"He'd treat you nice and kind till he win your heart and hand (2x) / Then he git so cruel that man, you just could not stand". The direct addressing of the listeners again helps to build a connection with which the song becomes more of a confession or rather a well-intentioned warning given to her female friends about the dangers of falling in love. The song turns more

26 personal when the last phrase arrives that says: "That dirty no-good man treats me just like

I'm a dog" pointing at Smith herself deepening the effect of this unpleasant life experience she presumably went through. This is one of a few rare instances where Smith talks about man in general and here she focuses on his behaviour rather than his sexual capabilities. She stays away from sex altogether in an attempt to give sincere advice to other women.

One topic that Bessie Smith exploited in several of her songs is that of sexuality itself.

The themes of homosexuality or bisexuality also appear in the lyrics she sang. In certain songs she reveals her feelings towards other women as she was in point of fact a bisexual woman herself having several affairs with women while she was married to a man named

Jack Gee. Hints at her love for women are to be found in a few of her songs.

She was largely influenced by another great female blues figure of the 1920s who was called "Ma" Rainey. She is considered to be Smith's biggest inspiration as well as professional and personal mentor. Born as Gertrude Pridgett, "Ma" Rainey was an incredibly important performer not only because she helped Smith to make her breakthrough in the beginning of her career but because of her contributions she made early in the development of blues music in the United States. Her songs were often talking of the taboos of the time especially those concerning sex or gender. As a matter of fact, both Smith and Rainey were singers who sang about all kinds of sexualities with "startling explicitness" (Ducille 422).

The song Rainey recorded in 1923 called "Bo-Weevil Blues" includes a metaphor involving sugar. Similarly to Smith's song "Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl" (1931) she describes handling sugar as she sings: "I don't want no man To put no sugar in my tea (2x) /

Some of them are so evil, I'm 'fraid they might poison me." Rainey uses sugar cleverly as a euphemism for sex but what is interesting is how she phrases the line. That is remarkable because she does not want a man to put the sugar in her tea which implies that she would not

27 mind if a woman did it instead. It might be one of many hints pointing at her homosexuality in her performances.

"Ma" Rainey recorded multiple songs dealing with sexuality like possibly her most famous song openly describing her sexual preferences called "Prove It To Me Blues" (1928) that depicted her as a lesbian who treats her love for a woman as a crime that needs to be proven to her by others. After the first two lines where she says she got into a fight, she continues: "I looked up, to my surprise / The gal I was with was gone." Lines that follow only confirm her affection for women. She sings:

I mean to follow everywhere she goes; Folks say I'm crooked. I didn't know where she took it I want the whole world to know. They say I do it, ain't nobody caught me Sure got to prove it on me;

Went out last night with a crowd of my friends, They must've been women, 'cause I don't like no men. It's true I wear a collar and a tie, Makes the wind blow all the while Don't you say I do it, ain't nobody caught me You sure got to prove it on me.

Rainey creates the notion of ambivalence with these lines because on one hand she "want[s] the whole world to know" and claims she does not like men but on the other she dares others to prove that she does what they think she does. Her actions really seem to have some attributes of a crime because it seems that somebody would have to 'catch' her with another woman to call her a lesbian.

Bessie Smith is not as open about sexuality in her lyrics as "Ma" Rainey but she hints at what her preferences are in a few songs as well. She herself was considered a bisexual as she had affairs with female dancers from her ensemble while she was married to a man and she also had been in relationships with other men before. In fact, she was never really secretive about her bisexuality although Jana Evans Braziel comments on the reality of it in

28 her paper on bisexuality, race and music of Bessie Smith and her great admirer Janis Joplin.

She writes that they were "openly bisexual, although this was furtively hidden from various people at various points of time in their lives" (Braziel 5). Unfortunately it might have been perceived as a negative personal quality and generally it was a taboo subject for many people so Smith probably was not sharing the information with everyone.

Nonetheless, the idea of loving both men and women occasionally shows through very brief lines in her songs but the songs are never centred around bisexuality as such. The song

"I Ain't Got Nobody" (1925), whose lyrics were written originally by Roger Graham, sees her as a lonesome woman asking for love from anybody who would give it to her. In it, she mentions that she once resorted to being with a woman because her man had left her alone.

She sings:

There's a saying going 'round and I begin to think it's true It's awful hard to love someone, when they don't care 'bout you Once I had a lovin' man, as good as many in this town But now I'm sad and lonely, for he's gone and turned me down, now I ain't got nobody and nobody cares for me

I got the blues, the weary blues And I'm sad and lonely, won't somebody come and take a chance with me? I'll sing sweet love songs honey, all the time If you'll come and be my sweet baby mine 'Cause I ain't got nobody, and nobody cares for me

It is the last verse though that changes the relatively traditional structure and subject matter of a blues song which at this point must have been an alteration done by Smith because no other artist who recorded the song uses this segment in their version. It says:

Won't somebody go and find my man and bring him back to me It's awful hard to be alone and without sympathy Once I was a loving gal, as good as any in this town But since my daddy left me, I'm a gal with her heart bowed down The remark about her past in which she had an affair with a woman is placed in the verse almost casually as the song nears its end.

29 Unfortunately, that is the most evident reference to her loving a woman because in other songs it could only be argued based on speculations and assumptions about the intended meaning. For example, in "Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do" (1923) Smith in the first four lines says:

There ain't nothing I can do, or nothing I can say That folks don't criticize me But I'm goin' to, do just as I want to anyway And don't care if they all despise me

Then she lists all the things she could do like "jump into the ocean" or give all her money to a friend and nobody should judge by her actions. The argument for her talking about being with a woman instead of a man is definitely not as self-evident as it is towards the end of "I Ain't

Got Nobody" (1925).

30 5. Comparison

The purpose of this thesis is to compare the lyrics containing the themes of sexuality or romance of two different American blues musicians, namely Robert Johnson and Bessie

Smith. The aim is to find discernible differences in their approaches to the topic of sex in their lyrics. There are multiple similarities between the two performers both personally and artistically but within the selected area of examination there are several points in their approach that make them distinguishable.

The lyrics of Bessie Smith were generally honest, straightforward and often they described issues that people recognized and connected with. She showed similar honesty and uncompromising attitude in her songs about sexual matters as well. The lyrics sung by her have been called "risque and ripe with sexual innuendo" (Ducille 421) and it is no wonder why that might be. In just a few examples it has been shown that she would comment on sexual performance of her partner, she would give orders and instructions to him, she would also express a deep need for sex and would make requests for sex with such intensity and urgency that it resembled nervous calls of a person addicted to sexual satisfaction.

Smith used a number of allusions and metaphors that in most cases did not function as a tool of concealment but more as form of connecting with her audience. She often used objects of daily use for her allusions to sex. These might be for example kitchen appliances or tools as was common during that time.

Greg Watson supports this idea in his article when he says that "the use of domestic, culinary imagery and other parallel metaphors was particularly common, especially amongst the lyrics of female singers" (335). In the analysis of the song "Need a Little Sugar in My

Bowl" (1931) one of the most essential ingredients in cooking plays the most crucial part in the song because it is used as part of a metaphor for a need for sex. A coffee grinder is mentioned by Bessie Smith in her "Empty Bed Blues" (1928) even though this particular

31 instance is not a direct allusion to sex it is another image of something found in a typical kitchen. The topic of sexuality, homosexuality or bisexuality is not as prevalent in her lyrics as it is in "Ma" Rainey's but compared to Johnson's work she at least uses some space in her lyrics for ambiguous comments that may provoke reactions and instigate discussion about her own sexual preference.

The overall image that strikes a person who reads and listens to the lyrics is one of domination, control, irony and establishment of the roles in which both the addressor and the addressee are and what is expected of them. Besides having an incredible singing voice in terms of colour, strength and intonation she also could work with her engaging narration skills for example to suggest the sense of lustful intentions or convey irony or exaggeration.

Robert Johnson on the other hand was much more passive in relation to the topic of sex than Bessie Smith. He certainly was not as open and explicit about his needs, hopes and requirements. The songs that describe Johnson's romantic life typically portray him as someone who shares his regrets, misunderstandings, hopes and calls for a change with his lover and his audience. As opposed to someone who would actively try to pursue their partner to do something he wants them to do, Johnson does not use commands very often and when he does they are paired with the word "please" and often it is prolonged and sung in high- pitched voice as a sign of despair from Johnson as if he is begging for something.

Bessie Smith would regularly use phrases similar to "I'm going crazy about your hump" and multiple words referring directly to penis like "pecker" or "snake" whereas

Johnson would only suggest what he wants or what is happening at the moment like in his most explicit work "Terraplane Blues" (1936) where a man having an affair with his partner is depicted as him "driving his Terraplane".

It would be fair to say that all of his 29 songs he recorded in his short life were basically his own compositions. During that time it may have been difficult to claim who

32 exactly composed the music or wrote the lyrics but Johnson was one of those musicians who either wrote and often partially improvised his own songs or took an old folk song and rearranged or altered it slightly to create a new song he then recorded.

Bessie Smith, however, worked with many composers and lyricist in her career and although she was often the first performer of the recorded song she was not always the composer or the author of the lyrics herself. This meant of course that she might not have been as involved in her musical or artistic expression as Johnson but nevertheless she chose to record and regularly perform these songs in front of an audience and some of those songs talked about matters very close to her personally so she could live through them while singing them.

The overall impression of the two styles and attitudes towards the subject of sex that each of those artist make on the listeners is a sense of power, domination, irony and sexual superiority on the side of Bessie Smith and understanding, hope, reconciliation and desire on the side of Robert Johnson.

33 6. Conclusion

The lyrics of two of the most influential blues artists of the twentieth century were analysed in this thesis with particular attention being paid to their attitude towards sex and sexual relationships. Several song lyrics performed or written by each of the two musicians have been examined closely to determine the differences in their approach to the analysed topics.

The universally familiar topic of sex was explored by many singers of that era in countless songs so this thesis aimed to discover how two of the most famous figures in the blues genre approached it. The analysis was almost strictly concerned with purely textual content of the songs. It was based on the carefully considered choices of words made by the selected musicians. It also examined their phrasing, metaphors or comparisons and occasionally the specific performances of the song as it was captured on the recordings.

The first chapter of the thesis provides a base for the literary analysis by establishing why lyrics are generally considered to be a form of literature and what the role of blues lyrics is in today's literature. The following two chapters deal with each artist individually providing an in-depth examination of lyrics that are relevant to the aim of this thesis. Every song is divided into parts as small as one word or a phrase that appears in the lyrics.

The intended meanings of these parts are then explained and every song is briefly commented on afterwards. Many quotations from scholars and writers were used to support the claims made during the analysis. Biographical books were great sources of plenty of information about both their lives and their music.

The results that were found and later summarized in the chapter titled "Comparison" confirmed the initial expectations of each set of the lyrics written or performed by both artists being significantly different from one another not only in some areas of interest but in their

34 intensity and explicitness of expression and in their confidence and often commanding position more projected by Bessie Smith than Robert Johnson.

The factors that affected the visible distinction the most, as described in the last chapter, were the approaches of either of the artists and to a certain degree their matter of choice. The songs selected for the examination are those deemed relevant or in any way helpful in making an argument within the theme analysed in those songs.

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39 Summary

This diploma thesis compares the song lyrics of two American blues musicians Robert

Johnson and Bessie Smith and deals with their approach and methods they employ to speak about sex, sexuality and romantic or sexual relationships in their lyrics. The lyrics are considered to be works of literature and they are therefore examined using literary analysis on the basis of which conclusions are subsequently drawn. After each of the artists is briefly introduced follows the analysis of the lyrics they wrote themselves or they recorded them, often as the first performers.

The main purpose of this thesis is to find identifiable differences in style and approach of these individuals and point out where those differences are within the above mentioned topic. Among the biggest differences between those musicians are the extent to which they depict audacity, explicitness and self-confidence they frequently portrayed in their compositions. While Bessie Smith is mostly represented as a woman who imparts her demands and often commands to her man regarding both their life together and sex. Robert

Johnson is in his lyrics, apart from a few exceptions, less active and decisive in his expression.

Both artists have made an inerasable mark in the history of blues music and partially in literature of the twentieth century. Even though it is true that lyrics are only a small portion of literary output and their analysis is not as prominent as that of novels, theatrical plays or poetry, the role and the influence of lyrics and particularly the influence of certain blues lyrics on the American culture and society in the twentieth century would hardly be contested.

40 Resumé

Tato diplomová práce porovnává texty písní dvou amerických bluesových hudebníků

Roberta Johnsona a Bessie Smith a zabývá se jejich přístupem a způsobu jakým se ve svých

textech vyjadřují o sexu, sexualitě a partnerských nebo milostných vztazích. Texty jsou

považovány za dílo literatury a jsou tudíž podrobeny literární analýze, na základě které jsou

posléze vyvozeny závěry. Po krátkém úvodu u každého z umělců následuje samotný rozbor

textů, které sami napsali nebo které nahráli a nazpívali často jako první interpreti.

Hlavním cílem této práce je najít rozpoznatelné rozdíly ve stylu a přístupu daných

osobností a poukázat v čem se jejich tvorba v rámci zmíněného tématu liší. Mezi největší

rozdíly mezi těmito hudebníky patří míra jejich odvážnosti, explicitnosti a sebevědomí,

s nímž často vystupovali ve svých skladbách. Zatímco Bessie Smith je většinou znázorněna jako žena, která sděluje muži své požadavky a často i rozkazy týkající se jejich společného

soužití i sexu, Robert Johnson je, až na pár výjimek, ve svých textech pasivnější a méně

rozhodný ve svém vyjadřování.

Oba dva umělci se nesmazatelně zapsali do historie bluesové hudby a částečně i do

literatury dvacátého století. I když jsou texty písní jen malá část literární tvorby a jejich

literární analýza nemá v akademii takové místo jako novely, divadelní hry nebo poezie, jen

těžko by byla zpochybněna role a vliv textů a to především některých bluesových textů na

kulturu a společnost ve Spojených Státech minulého století.

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