- Published: November 17, 2021
- Updated: November 17, 2021
- University / College: University of Glasgow
- Level: Secondary School
- Language: English
- Downloads: 23
Teacher Living and Loving Out Loud, West expresses his fond memories of Sam Cooke’s “ A Change is Gonna Come”. He wrote, “ he [Cooke] expressed the centuries-held hope of black folks trapped in a country that considered them subhuman…Sam Cooke’s ‘ Change’ brought with it a certain hard-earned sense of possibility tempered by reality.” Respond to this notion adding your reaction to the lyrics of both. A Change is Gonna Come as well as to those of Pete Seegar’s, “ Turn, Turn, Turn.” (Find both of these videos in the Videos folder in Course Materials) Also, be sure to include examples from other readings and music from the class and from any outside examples you can find.
West expression of San Cooke’s , “ he [Cooke] expressed the centuries-held hope of black folks trapped in a country that considered them subhuman…Sam Cooke’s ‘ Change’ brought with it a certain hard-earned sense of possibility tempered by reality” is actually a memoir of Cornel West poignant admiration of Sam Cooke’s optimism to pursue the black folks centuries-held hope which most black people have abandoned. This is contained in the book entitled “ Living and Loving Out Loud” where Cooke initiated a dialogue about race and justice where Cooke’s idea of “ change” was one of the topic of discourse as he provoke the reader about the passionate struggle of the black man in the not so distant past which may now have seemingly forgotten. The gist of the expression was simply about the unwavering belief that in due time, the blacks will be free from the shackles of slavery no matter how long it will take.
This is also reflective in Peter Seeger song in the late 50s entitled To Everything There is a Season which is abbreviated as “ Turn, Turn, Turn”. The lyrics of the song is consistent with Cooke’s hope for “ Change” albeit Seegers version has religious connotation because it is lifted from the Holy Bible’s Book of Ecclesiastes in Chapter 3. Nevertheless, both work expressed that “ there is a season for everything” including “ change” that eventually, injustice against the black man will end which it did even if it took long and claimed many lives.