Singing the blues?

Singing the blues?: "Singing the Blues?



Singing the Blues?

The Blues is one of the truly American art forms. It has its roots in the African American culture from the Mississippi delta in the late 1800�s (historian�s opinions vary from the 1860�s to the 1890�s). Regardless of the precise year that the music we call the Blues started, we know that by the 1920�s it was wildly popular around the country with Blues joints popping up all around the country and new recording stars popping up in unprecedented numbers.
The Blues, was (and is) different from most any other kind of music known in the western world and the contribution that the Blues have made to American music and lyrics cannot be overstated. It merged western music influences with the cultural influences that reflect the African American heritage from which it was born, giving us (among other things) the �blue� notes, which are often described as bent pitches which don�t fit easily into the western tonal system. Truly, the contribution of the Blues in America is great.
Inherent in the Blues is an idea, however, that one can overcome sadness by listening to, singing, or otherwise performing the Blues. But the question that follows is, does the idea (or philosophy) hold up? Can you overcome major depression through listening to the Blues?
Without a doubt, singing (or listening to) the Blues can be a fun, even exhilarating experience, and probably, if the listener is simply tired or frustrated, this music style may well be able to help. However, a pair of studies conducted in 2003 suggests that depression and other such conditions can best be avoided by focusing on the things an individual has to be thankful for rather than their losses. In these studies they found that people who were actively keeping a journal of thi"