Musical Traits and their Meaning Within Reggae
Music plays an integral and essential role in our daily lives. Although for most, music is simply seen as just another form of entertainment. What many fail to realize, is that while music is indeed used for entertainment purposes, music is also used in ways that express ideas and emotions, a form of communication, and even used as a way to relay and tell stories. Many individuals also do not realize the origin of most music and how music around the world differs from what we may hear on a daily basis. With this being said, I have decided to thoroughly research and analyze the country of Jamaica and specifically look at the reggae music style. To do so I have selected the song “Is This Love?” by Bob Marley. This song correlates to its African heritage by its demonstration of storytelling throughout the song by the aid of a lot of call and response devices, blue and bent notes, as well as hums and interjections in order to represent significant events and values that have taken place or are of great importance in the Jamaican community. These significant events consist of things such as ceremonies where this music style serves as an alternative in settings such as church (Koskoff, 2000, pp. 838–842), Bob Marley’s childhood experiences of growing up in a low economic Jamaican community were individuals had little to no opportunities (Goldsworthy, 1990, pp. 138–141), and religion where Rastafari is central to the Jamaican community and plays a large role in understanding the reggae music style (Davis, 2001). Collectively these musical traits of the new world show storytelling of these particular events.
One specific example of a musical trait and its connection to its African heritage includes the use of call and response throughout this song. This musical trait connects to the research I have found because of the influences this particular music style has within certain ceremonies in the Jamaican community. Through this song, Marley allows for various opportunities for not only his band members to give a response after one of his lyrical lines, but also allows for the audience members and listeners of the song to give a response as well. This musical trait translates to the information I have found throughout my research because of the fact that reggae music uses this same exact technique within ceremonies in the community as well. For example, the connection to religion we can see within this type of music is the fact that it can and is used in some religious type settings such as church. In this particular setting and ceremony, the reggae music style and its role are to serve as an alternative to the hymns and the adapted chanteys of these local church signings (Koskoff, 2000, pp. 838–842). This also allows for the audience to get involved. By incorporating this connection in Marley’s song, this allows for the individuals native to the Jamaican community develop a deeper connection to the song as well.
Another specific example of a musical trait and its connection to its African heritage includes the use of blue and bent notes throughout this song. This musical trait connects to the research I have found because as a child, Bob Marley had grown up in an environment where there were very few opportunities for black individuals growing up as well as grew up in an environment where violence and crime was glorified and seen as a way to get ahead. With this being said, one of the ways Marley escaped this harsh reality was through music. On his free time, Marley and his friends would build make shift instruments by stringing together any materials they could get their hands on. They would play their instruments and sing as often as they could. This eventually opened up a gate way for Marley and soon became known for his musical abilities (Goldsworthy, 1990, pp. 138–141). This connects to the musical traits of blue and bent notes because, Marley displays his emotion of these particular times of growing up in poverty and avoiding the life style many others in his community took part in by using his voice and singing either above the correct note or below the correct note. By incorporating this musical trait this allows the listeners to not only hear but also feel these same emotions Marley does.
One of the last specific example’s of musical trait’s and its connection to the African heritage includes the use of hums and interjections throughout this song. This musical trait connects to the research I have found because of the heavy influence this particular music style has with Rastafari. Through this song, Marley displays the influences of this particular religion with the incorporation of different hums and interjections. These are reflected the same way they are displayed throughout this religion because of the fact that Rastafari is a complex religious and social movement that originated in Jamaica in the 1930s. The ideas behind Rastafari are central to any understanding of reggae music (Davis, 2001). With this being said, the use of these hums and interjections help to get the message of the song across in a way that those native to Jamaica and this particular culture will truly understand on a different level than those who are not associated with this religion. This also allows those who understand and who are affiliated with this religion to appreciate the song a lot more because they are familiar with the different values and messages that are talked about in the religion as well as in the song. By incorporating this trait this allows for a deeper connection to the music when one is listening.
When conducting this research, I have been able to see the correlations between the musical traits of the new world and their connection to their African heritage of storytelling. Bob Marley displays storytelling through specific musical traits such as call and response, blue and bent notes, as well as hums and interjections. These traits all work together in a way that is of great importance to the Jamaican community and allows those native to the Jamaican culture have a greater appreciation for the reggae music style.
Work Cited:
Goldsworthy, J. (1990). Marley, Bob. In M. L. LaBlanc (Ed.), Contemporary Musicians (Vol. 3, pp. 138–141). Detroit, MI: Gale. Retrieved from https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3492100059/GVRL?u=west41605&sid=GVRL&xid=884854b5
Koskoff, E. (Ed.). (2000). British Caribbean Music. In Garland Encyclopedia of World Music Volume 3 — The United States and Canada (pp. 838–842). Routledge (Publisher). Retrieved from Music Online: The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music database.
Davis, S. (2001). Reggae. Grove Music Online. Retrieved 22 Oct. 2019, from https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000023065.
