JeAntae Burnett wrote:
“You got to go to the lonesome valley/You got to go there by yourself,” is known as a spiritual; it tells a story--not only a story of dark unmerciful hardship, but a struggle a people went through, as well as, the certain situations that come along with the hardships of life. Some were more gruesome than others, and many of them were inspirational. Many spirituals have derived from evangelistic preaching among poor Southern whites at Kentucky Camp meetings in the 1800’s. Other Spirituals are said to have originated back in Africa. Many spiritual singers put their feelings and emotions into singing while worshipping or laboring. They were meant to be emotional songs full of strength and power. Being that whites also believed in spirituals, this kills the stereotype that this is solely a black thing. The only main difference is that “Negro spirituals,” arise directly from the experience of slavery—an experience whites in America know nothing about (except as the oppressor or as abolitionists).
“Go Down Moses,” “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” “Deep River,” “Near the Cross,” or “Father I Stretch My Hands to Thee,” are a few spirituals to name. Usually when the song is “lined” a leader says one line alone, then the congregation sings the refrain. The songs were sung during the time of slavery to get slaves’ minds off of the terrible tribulation that they were going through. Spirituals were often based on characters and stories out of the bible. Slaves looked at themselves as the modern day Israelites; spirituals were a part of their everyday life. The songs stirred there faith. Faith was like a mere mustard seed being watered by the imagination and hopes of getting out of the bondage of slave masters.
When hearing the hymn “Lonesome Valley” being “lined” in the movie, it took me back to my roots. These types of religious songs were made famous in the Southern United States, so it is not ironic that this is the type of music that I grew up on being raised in a Southern Baptist church. This was a catalytic movement; many other varieties of Spiritual music heard today have had an impact on those inquiring into the struggles life. Modern-day spiritual singers, such as the Jubilee Singers (Fisk University), have made it their life’s passion to spread knowledge of these empowering songs. They’ve traveled throughout the U.S., England, Germany, and many other countries to raise money for their school. Also, the Fairfield Four have done the same as far as making spirituals known.
In my opinion, the movie O Brother Where Art Thou definitely added “Lonesome Valley” in the movie to enhance the struggle that it took for the three men to make it home back to their families. In the movie “Lonesome Valley,” plays its part in many ways. Let’s start by discussing the bigger things first. In the time depicted in the film, racism existed. It was not common for blacks and whites to get along. It just did not happen. I believe O Brother Where Art Thou gave us an eye opener into a fate that’s destined to happen. “Lonesome Valley” was that eye opener. Every deed that is done on this side of heaven will be judged upon on Judgment Day. There is no escaping it. So what is that telling us? This means that we as humans must get our act together. An live according to a higher standard. When Delmar, Pete, and Ulysses help out Tommy Johnson, they are behaving according to that higher standard. Instead of being socially led into following what the group (southern society) does, they take it upon themselves to go against the “norm.” Whites and blacks were not integrated, but they crossed that barrier. Ulysses, Delmar, and Pete are modern day slaves stuck in a world of adversity. However, they chose to beat the odds. They are not only showing how unselfish they are, but are showing a side of love for the opposite race. I believe that they feel as if they did not want to reap a damned reward like the rest of the society. Many obstacles occur however to detour them from creating a clean path and getting on the right track. There are put in very bad situations, and luck never seems to come there way, but they depend on one another’s wisdom whether through actions or speaking faith words.
A comparison between the film and song is when Pete asks for God’s forgiveness. He “goes against his brothers” and does not feel as if he’s worthy of God‘s mercy. The song justifies the reasoning behind repentance before we finally see our maker. Pete is about to be hung and feels that he must get his last rights in before dieing. He needed for all things to be right within his soul so that he may be able to die a peaceful death. Saying all of that to say this at the end of the movie, Lonesome Valley is actually being sung by the graves as the black man’s way of putting the white man into the hands of bondage, adversity, hatred, and death.
The book, Homer’s: The Odyssey, is depicting a struggle that many people would be scared to complete. Most individuals do not have the inner drive to continue down a road that does not look promising. This epic tale relates to both the movie and the spiritual. Odysseus struggled years prior to making it home to his kingdom. He was forcefully driven into horrible circumstances time and again by Poseidon. Poseidon gave Odysseus living hell while traveling the waters. The journey was so bad that there were times when it did not look like he would make it home.
“You have to go to the lonesome valley, you have to go all by yourself, nobody else can go for you.” Odysseus made it home, but he made it without the rest of his crew. This was a sad and heart-wrenching journey. Judgment came upon Odysseus in the form of fighting for his life and his kingdom. At first Odysseus feels lonely because his wife does not even believe it was him, and he must prove himself to be who he says he is. He must even lower his stature to pretend to be something that he was not use to being, a beggar. This applies to both the movie and spirituals. Sometimes we must lower ourselves as individuals and realize there’s more to life than ourselves. We all should strive to fighting until we get things right. A certain peace must be reached before we leave this earth. Even if there is a lonely road we must take to get there, and even if we are judged/ persecuted all the way through, we must seek this ultimate peace.
Resources:
Ruehl, Kim. “The History of Folk Music: An Introduction to Folk Music in America” 5 July 2010. Web
Camp, Leonard W. Van. “Spiritual.” The World Book Encyclopedia. World Book Inc.1986. Volume 18 So-Sz.
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