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Musical Performancesare YouTube Links
“Black and Blue” by Louis Armstrong
How will it end?Ain’t got a friend,My only sin Is in my skin.What did I doTo be so black and blue?
YouTube Performance
“Black and Blue” by Louis Armstrong
The Invisible Man is high when listening to this song. He descends into its tempo and the song eventually leads him into his “reefer dream.” There is both irony and ambiguity in the title and lyrics.
“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”
A mighty fortress is our God,a bulwark never failing;Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:For still our ancient foedoth seek to work us woe;
YouTube Performance
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,On earth is not his equal. The Invisible Man has fond memories of hearing this song beneath the full moon.
“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”
“Live-A-Humble”
Live a-humble, humbleHumble, yourselves,
The bells done ringGlory and honor!Praise King Jesus!Glory and honor!Praise the Lord!YouTube Performance
“Live-A-Humble”
Watch the sun,How steady he runsDon’t let him catch youWith your work undone
This is Dr. Bledsoe’s favorite spiritual, and the Invisible Man wonders why Bledsoe suddenly does not act humbly.
Dvorák’s New World Symphony
The Invisible Man hears this song when the Reverend Barbee is finished speaking and a new white speaker is about to speak.
YouTube Performance
Wheatstraw Blues
She’s got feet like a monkeyLegs like a frog -- Lawd, Lawd!But when she starts to loving meI holler Whooo, God-dog!Cause I loves my baabay,Better than I do myself.
YouTube Performance
More o’ Dem Blues
She’s got feet like a monkey legsLegs, Legs like a mad bulldog.
Wheatstraw represents the wisdom and “mother wit” of home, with a sense of humor.
Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony
The Invisible Man imagines he hears the opening notes of the first movement of the fifth symphony when he is revived after the explosion. Traditionally associated with death; here it signifies re-birth.
YouTube Performance
“Go Down Moses”
Go down Moses´way down in Egypt´s landTell ol´ Pharaoh,Let my peoples go. The Invisible Man is asked to sing this Negro spiritual at a party.
YouTube Performance
“John Brown’s Body”
John Brown's body liesa-mouldering in the grave, John Brown's body liesa-mouldering in the grave,But his soul goes marching on.
YouTube Performance
“John Brown’s Body”
Glory, glory, hallelujah, Glory, glory, hallelujah,His soul goes marching on.The Invisible Man hears the crowd singing this song when he is about to speak to them.
“Poor Robin”
O well they pickedpoor Robin cleanO well they pickedpoor Robin cleanWell they tiedpoor Robin to a stump
YouTube Performance
“Poor Robin”
Lawd, they pickedall the feathers round from Robin’s rumpWell they pickedpoor Robin clean.
This song inspires feelings of revenge in the Invisible Man.
“Back Water Blues”
Well, it rained five days, andthe clouds turned dark as night. Oh, it rained five days, andthe clouds turned dark as night. And trouble takin' placein the low, low land that night.
YouTube Performance
“Back Water Blues”
When it thunders and lightenin', and the wind began to blow. When it thunders and lightenin', and the wind began to blow. *Well,* there's thousands of people ain't got nowhere to go.
“Back Water Blues”
Mary is humming this song in her apartment. The Invisible Man is feeling guilty about how he has not paid Mary properly, and he hears this song as soon has he enters Mary’s apartment.
“Jelly Jelly”
Jelly jelly jelly Jelly stays on my mind Jelly jelly jelly Jelly stays on my mind Jelly roll killed my pappy, And drove my mama stone blind.
YouTube Performance
“Jelly Jelly”
This song is on the jukebox in the bar Invisible Man visits. The Invisible man is disguised as Rinehart, and he is about to go and confront Brother Maceo.
“Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”
Swing low, sweet chariot,Comin' for to carry me home!
I'm sometimes up and sometimes down,Comin' for to carry me home,
YouTube Performance
“Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”
But still my soul feelsheavenly boundComin' for to carry me homeThe Invisible Man is hearing this song right before he hears the New World Symphony.
“Strange Fruit”
Southern trees beara strange fruit,Blood on the leaves andblood at the root,Black body swingingin the Southern breeze.Strange fruit hangingfrom the poplar trees.
“Strange Fruit”
Though this song does NOT appear in the novel, it is relevant to the riot that breaks out in the final chapters and the drama of the epilogue.
YouTube Performance
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