Seriously...words kind of really fail me on that.
Aside from being musically quite gorgeous (and I love that thing she's playing in lieu of a guitar -- it's called a strumstick), Grant (who made her commercial bones as a so-called Christian artist) is not exactly the first person you'd expect the song's lyrical sentiments from. I mean, if I'm reading it right, her metaphorical equation of the secessionists' attack on Harpers Ferry and the titular more recent dark day in American history is pretty damned explicit.
In any event, pretty damned great, and good for her.
I should add that she actually released it last Tuesday, which of course was January 6.
14 comments:
Wow.
Paraphrasing: "right on RED or left on MLK." There's another great line. As my wife and I were talking about this, it's clear Grant is telling her listeners that in many ways, Americans like her, simply lost their way. Good on her.
We get called out! Shame on all of us.
Captain Al
Nice!
Beautiful and powerful. And catchy, to boot.
I admire Miss Grant, and yet I don't know how to understand this song, and I think people will have a variety of understandings. This is because the general understanding of what happened at Harper's Ferry has differed, and still differs, by region, and over time. It was an attempt to start an uprising. John Brown and his followers used violence with the aim of overthrowing an intrinsically violent social order. They failed. Those are the facts.
How those facts are interpreted have changed over time. A research assistant of my acquaintance points to specific relevant Wikipedia articles:
1. John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry
This is the "main" article. It specifically addresses:
The contemporary reaction: It details how Northern opinion was initially split (with many calling him a "fanatic") but shifted toward martyrdom following his trial.
The Southern reaction: It discusses the terror the raid caused in the South, which accelerated the formation of Confederate-style militias.
2. John Brown's Body
This article covers the musical and military legacy:
The Yankee Song: It confirms that "John Brown's Body" was the most popular marching song for Union troops and explains how it evolved from a joke about a different soldier into a genuine anthem for the abolitionist John Brown.
Sanitization: It discusses how Julia Ward Howe wrote the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" to provide more "refined" and religious lyrics for the same tune, as elites found the original song too radical or "coarse."
3. Lost Cause of the Confederacy
This is the article that answers the question about how the "reckless extremist" narrative triumphed. It explains:
Historical Negationism: How Southern (and later Northern) historians at the turn of the 20th century worked to frame the war as a conflict over "states' rights" rather than slavery.
Demonization of Abolitionists: As part of this "Lost Cause" myth, John Brown had to be portrayed as a madman/terrorist to justify the South’s secession as a defensive act against Northern "aggression."
4. Virginia v. John Brown
This article focuses on his trial and contains:
The "Martyrdom" Shift: It describes how Brown’s conduct during the trial—specifically his last speech—transformed him from a failed raider into a Christ-like figure for the North.
The Legal Precedent: He was the first person in U.S. history executed for treason against a state.
5. Legacy and depictions of John Brown
This is a meta-article that tracks how his reputation has fluctuated over time:
Civil Rights Era: It discusses how Black historians and activists (like W.E.B. Du Bois) always viewed him as a hero, while "mainstream" (white) textbooks often labeled him as "insane" until the mid-to-late 20th century.
[end of quote from research assistant]
Speaking for myself, because I went to those schools and read those textbooks back in the mid-20th century, I was surprised to discover later in life that John Brown was considered a hero to some. Now I think I understand why.
As to what happened on January 6, 2021, and why, that is a different can of worms, although it can be considered to be on the same shelf or at least an adjacent shelf. It's sort of like what you think videos of a street shooting in Minneapolis last week show - what is seen depends on who is looking.
John Brown wasn't a secessionist; he was an abolitionist.
I was talking about a later historical incident.
Hit Me With Your Rhythm ( Strum) Stick!
So on strumstick. com it says " Hope for the musically hopeless" as an advertisement for this device. Heh!
rs
Steve:
Do you refer to 1/6/21? :-)
Also, it is unclear what is Amy Grant’s referencing in mentioning Harpers Ferry.
Captain Al
1/6/21 -- Yes, of course.
And on careful reflection, yes -- I think its unclear (deliberately) what the song is saying in mentioning Harper's Ferry. I prefer to believe it's this.
"One of the first military actions by secessionists in Virginia was taken on April 18, 1861, when they wrested control of the Federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry from the Union Army, even before the convention which would consider whether or not the state should secede had been called together"
I should add that Grant didn't write the song -- it's by a musician friend of hers named Sandy Lawrence.
Before I actually listened to the song I thought the reference to Harper's Ferry was a 180-degree pivot on John Brown and the abolitionist cause. Then I listened to the song. Real poetry contains nuance, mystery, even apparent contradiction to heighten its emotional power. This is a truly great song. Thanks for posting.
Can't offer up any additional analysis here, the topic seems to be pretty well explored.
Couldn't shake Amy's intro (almost in homage to Joni) so I visited the Strumstick site as there was a familiar sound in my ears. They are a new take on the mountain Dulcimer - interesting approach...wonder if Mama Maybelle would play
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