#abigail 355

[ollieoliveoboelo22]

Music of TURN

Round 24

Thanks for being patient as I edit, was not doing so well post marching band and then had to finish my anthropology readings.

Pick Your Favorite

Jock O'Hazeldean

Read 'Em John

Voting ended onOct 25, 2024

Jock O'Hazeldean

1.08: Challenge

I love this song. I love it... but not so much the scene that accompanies. And yet, it still oddly fits. Anna has always held onto love for Abe even after she married Selah and he Mary. (Mary and Selah deserved way better). And after learning Selah is 'dead' she moves to Abe, who in this would represent Jock O'Hazeldean. I don't have much else on it as I feel it's pretty straight forward.

Read 'Em John

1.05: Epiphany

I've already talked about how masterful this scene in worked in with Rule Britannia. But time to focus on this scene. I absolutely love how the hammering of the attainder that announces the emancipation of all enslaved peoples of Strong Manor, falls near on beat with the song. Except not exactly freed, which I think is a great countenance to the lyrics of Rule Britannia.

I'm including two recordings of live performances, because it adds so much more context than a studio recording.

Also sorry that this was rushed out. I WAY overslept before class and didn't have time to finish my analysis. I'll edit this post when I get home

[ollieoliveoboelo22]

Music of TURN

Round 16

Don't forget round 15

Pick Your Favorite

Read 'Em John

Turpin Hero

Voting ended onOct 16, 2024

Read 'Em John

1.05: Epiphany

There is a surprising lack of research done on this song. It incorporates a lot of musical traditions found in various African communities that were brought to the Americas in the slave trade. They merged with Western European music to what eventually became work songs, field hollers, shouts, and spirituals.

I've covered a lot of this in my jazz history class, but I am no expert and am just using my existing knowledge to give background an analysis for this song.

Read 'Em John incorporates a lot of this, especially shouts and call and response. I'm going to put in a quote from a proper analysis of the lyrics and story told.

"[John] Refers to John the Revelator, doing what the slave was not allowed to do--reading. But not just reading, but reading with an authority that no one else could match of the doom of his masters and the end of the wicked world they had created and ascent of the persecuted and good into heaven."

https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/04/carolina-chocolate-drops-read-em-john.html

It's worked beautifully into the scene when Cicero reads the attainder for Strong Manor that declared all slaves to be free. (not really since the men were instead sent to New York to join the Black Pioneers and Abigail to John Andre to be a house servent. And we have no idea what happened to the other enslaved women shown earlier in the season)

Turpin Hero

1.01: Pilot

This ballad is about the famous English Highwayman, Dick Turpin, (1705 - 1739) whose exploits of theft were romanticised following his execution. The song is believed (or has been claimed) to have been written before his execution.

After accidentally killing fellow highway robber Tom King on accident. Turpin went under the alias John Palmer and fled. He was arrested (as Palmer) about a year later for shooting another man's rooster and then threatening to shoot the man. His identity as Turpin was revealed while imprisoned by his former teacher who recognized his handwriting.

It's very fitting that the song's used as Abe goes to smuggle on the London Trade. An act that eventually brings him to Caleb and eventual formation of the Culper Ring. And just like horse theft (and murder) was punishable by death in the case of Turpin, spying was too for Abe.

[calebbrewster]

Abigail x Akinbode

under-appreciated pairing you love (for @daniellesdarrieux)