Blues: The Music of Poverty and Marginalisation

Blues was composed, performed and sung by people who lead lives of immense hardship – grinding poverty and genuine institutionalised racism and discrimination. But reading some of the lyrics I was struck how some of them also reflect the times we’re living in with the cost of living crisis. People of all races are finding it hard to make ends meet, while being expected to watch on and cheer as the global elite get richer and richer.

Here’s a few sample lines expressing the singer’s poverty from Harris’ book, Jazz.

‘I’ve never seen such real hard times before

I’ve never seen such real hard times before

The wolf keeps walkin’ all ’round my door.’

And

‘I can’t go outside to my grocery store

I ain’t got no money and my credit don’t go no more.’

Can we have that last couplet sung by protesters the next time some Tory ratbag goes on a meet and greet of the plebs?

I was also struck by this piece, about a navvy on the roads describing how he’s making it, but it’s only for the rich White folks in their cars.

‘I’m makin’ a road

For the cars

To fly on.

Makin’ a road

Through the palmetto thicket

For light and civilisation

To travel on.

Makin’ a road

For rich old men

Two sweep over in their big cars,

An’ leave me standin’ here.

Sure,

A road helps all of us!

White folks ride –

An’ I gets to see ’em ride.

I ain’t never seen nobody

Ride so fine before.

Hey, buddy!

Look at me!

I’m making a road…’

And many Blacks today share the sentiment behind the lyric, that they’re exploited and marginalised working to produce goods and services that only rich Whites will enjoy.

But I also think it’s possible to go beyond the specific politics of race, as now people of all colours are being pressed into poverty and exploited by the global rich. We’re all expected to work for a pittance so that Priti Patel and the other authors of Britannia Unchained can rave about how strong the British economy is, while working people see precious little of this illusory wealth.

Tags: Blacks, Blues, Britannia Unchained, Discrimination, Jazz, Priti Patel, racism, Rex Harris, the Poor, the Rich, Whites