The Apocalypse in African American Spirituals and Blues

Abstract

This chapter explores the apocalyptic worldview in spirituals and blues songs. Although the blues is a secular music genre and may be perceived as profane, whereas spirituals are sacred songs, both contain apocalyptic motifs. This chapter consists of two subsections: “The Apocalypse, Death, and Eschatological Images of Heaven in African American Spirituals” and “The Apocalypse in African American Blues.” The first examines apocalyptic imagery in the lyrics of spirituals, while the latter traces it in blues music of the twentieth century. Spirituals and blues are closely intertwined: both reflect a profound devotion to Christianity and the persistent belief that Jesus Christ would deliver oppressed American blacks to salvation. Inspired by the Revelation of John, both the unknown composers of the slave spirituals and blues musicians tackled the theme of the destruction of the earthly world, the end of time, catastrophic events, the Day of Judgment, salvation, death, and the fate of the human soul.