Black and Blue by Fats Waller (1929)

From blackwiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Fats Waller

(What Did I Do to Be So) Black and Blue song was released in 1929 composed by American jazz singer Fats Waller with lyrics by Harry Brooks and Andy Razaf. The song was first introduced by Edith Wilson in the 1929’s Broadway musical Hot Chocolates. [1]

The American jazz pianist, organist, composer, singer, and comedic entertainer was one of the most popular performers of his era, reaching his success in his homeland and Europe. [2]

Controversy

The song is an example of underground Jazz which was originally sung by two singers and a piano. The main points of this song is racism and all the problems that restricted rights and privileges for Africa-America people in the 1920’s until 1964.

Racism and discrimination were the biggest problem since the U.S colonial era. Before 1964, many public places like restaurants, theaters, stores and others had separate sections for colored and white people. Career opportunities feel painful for colored citizens, as many companies only hire white people. Most African-Americans and other races have to struggle harder, longer, and very impoverished for jobs compared to whites. Not only being separated in public places, the places they are living in were separated from white people, they lived in different parts of town. They also faced difficulties in education, they cannot attend the same school as white people, and the school of colored people went to is not as prestigious as whites’. [3]

Accordingly, racism is reflected in many parts of media such as music, art and literature. They can reflect their pain and express their feelings to be heard. One of them is jazz, as a music genre that began to develop in the 1920s as a colored people movement in music in the United States. [4]

Below is part of Black and Blue performed by Fats Waller, about longing not to be judged from skin color by the major community :

I'm white inside.

But that don't help my case.

'Cause I can't hide What is on my face.. [5]

References