Ring Shout Tropes in A Gospel Setting
Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson
What is troping? In my opinion, it is an essential element and a most elusive quality of Afro-American music. When sound events signify on a time-line, against the flow of the music’s pulse, making the pulse itself lilt freely, the sound created is distinct to Afro-American music and prevalent in a variety of musical genres from gospel to jazz, where it is most prevalent. This troping of the time-line by the placement of events against its flow creates the slight resistances that result in the lilt that, while common to all black music, is most pronounced, evident and persistent in jazz where this driving, rhythmic persistence in a relaxed atmosphere is typical[1].
The ring-shout trope commonly used in jazz has early roots in 19th century gospel spirituals. Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson witnessed and recorded “the ring-shout” during a trip to South Carolina. He described returning to the camp many nights and coming upon a circle of people moving in “the rhythmical barbaric dance the negroes call a ‘shout’,” singing the music of their ceremony with the measured clapping of hands. As night wore on and the singing and dancing continued in deepening intensity, Higginson noted that eventually everyone present, of all ages, was “drawn into the vortex” of the music. “Such a response,” he wrote, “from the oldest to the youngest, could not easily have been evoked by an appropriation from another culture; rather the magical pull was an expression of traditional values of a people, those that moved the oldest to engage in sacred dance and the young to join them in the circle.”[2]
New Spirit of Penn Gospel Choir
In this way then, ring shout tropes in both jazz and very early African-American gospel music function in exactly the same capacity. They are used as a direct line of communication between audience and performer that creates a distinctly unique culture for all involved. It’s almost like a secret language that only those who know and are in the tribe can interpret and be involved with. It is something very unique to African-American music, and since the tradition has endured for so long, a very key element.
For examples of ring shout tropes check out New Spirit of Penn Gospel Choir – Souled Out .
Mak Kemenosh
[1] Ring shout! Literary studies, historical studies, and black music inquiry. Black Music Journal; Samuel A. Floyd Jr., Spring 2002.
[2] The Story of the Spirituals, http://ctl.du.edu/spirituals/Religion/development.cfm.
As a Afro-American musician, like many, having grown up in the church, seeing the outpouring over great emotion and expression in the worship service, what seemed like emotional “nonsense” in my childhood years makes a lot of sense to me now, understanding what brings one to such a point. As children, my brother and I would often imitate favorite familiar outbursts we would often hear at church. Heck, like most kids, we found it rather funny, rather than the serious nature of the effect of the song on the listening audience, the congregation. My brother and I were rather reserved at church, like most young men, tryin’ to be all cool and collected. Now, after years of experience, although I cannot testify to having gone through as much emotional turmoil as others, I can truly understand what gospel music can do, with all the powerful messages in the lyrics. Especially, as a church musician, I clearly see the effects of choir singing on the congregation. Some songs can literally “wipe out” a congregation, as the choir and the lead singer engage in “call and response,” as the vamp of the song goes on and on, causing a contagious cloud of emotion to fill the church. Some break into their own dance, some burst into tears, and some simply shout exclamations here and there. Although I try to carry myself rather “cool,” I had to fight back tears on several occasions, as emotions become very involved in the church music. As a people, Afro-Americans have endured much hardship and suffering to get us where we are today. As a father of three, having been married for 15 years, I have been blessed, in the midst of financial stress, although I made unwise choices in the past. When a song is sung about paying those bills, like “Jesus Can Work it Out,” made famous by the Cosmopolitan Church of Prayer Choir, I can’t help but relate, and when the lyrics are embedded in my spirit, I can’t help but show emotion, even if I must “stir it up” on the organ, using “house-raising chords” and stuff to create the praise atmosphere. It’s so funny because you can almost compare it to an aerobic workout. After minutes of heavy activity, you can tone down with some “Yes, Lord,” a popular COGIC tune, and settle down for a bit. The constant repetition of lyrics are often “chanted” throughout the song, driving the lyrics into our souls, causing us to act out of emotion. The “leader”doesn’t necessarily have the most polished voice – just effective enough to carry out the message in song. We can relate to someone with a tired, worn, voice singing about troubled times rather than someone who sounds as though life has always been ever so sweet, never having gone through anything to testify about. Over the years, as gospel music evolves, the ring shout tropes are performed a little differently, in a more “modern” fashion, so to speak, as new and upcoming gospel artists emerge, “getting their praize on” in their own way. Lately, you hear more of the whoop-whoops and cheering in gospel music, especially with the younger set. Overall, the emotion is still the same, as it has been in any typical church setting over the years. This topic is so interesting, ever so true, and I hope to learn more about the roots of gospel music, and what’s behind what goes on from Sunday to Sunday!!!