"Dreaming With Tears In My Eyes"

The song starts out with a very nice guitar melody that has a medium tempo, not to fast and not too slow. I originally thought that the song might have been a happier story but I was all too wrong. Jimmie Rodgers then starts to sing and his voice is much like the guitar which has a smooth tone to it, a little raspy here and there but overall its smooth. The lyrics then change everything. Jimmie sings about how he longs for a woman that left him and that the dreams of the past were untrue. I have never been a fan of yodeling songs because the ones I have heard I can barely understand the other lyrics. But when Jimmie sings and yodels it is clear and concise and the yodeling is not too off the top. My favorite lyrics has to be, "Alone, I'll be yearning tomorrow When sunshine brings memories of you My sunshine will turn into sorrow As I dream of the love we once knew" because they show just how much any kind of object or feeling will bring back the feeling of an old love. Love is a universal feeling as you can feel it in almost every aspect of life. I think the target audience are people who just recently got out of a meaningful relationship. And a part that really hurts is when Jimmie sings, "Why did you promise me sweetheart Never to leave me alone." The song itself is very emotionally charged, yet is sung so smoothly by Jimmie.

"How Deep is the Ocean" written by Irving Berlin, sang by Bing Crosby

As the song starts, I initially believed that the song was going to be sad but as soon as Bing started to sing that completely changed. His deep and smooth voice brings the song emotion and a sense of calm. Bing being a crooner also changes the song from the start because it is going to be a lot more emotional and personal. It is not a long song but the lyrics evoke a story of love and vulnerability. I was surprised to find the song to be split into questions and answers. For example, the song goes "how many times in a day Do I think of you?" and the previous verse leads into the question. I personally listen to music that is a lot more gravelly and the music hits harder, but Bing Crosby has to be one of my favorite singers. The part of the song that brings the most emotion to me has to be the verses, "And if I ever lost you How much would I cry?" I had a lover at one point where I thought I was in love and it would last. Unfortunately, after many days of toxicity and a series of issues it ended. However, this song emphasizes the theme of identity and it describes how much we feel when in love. So, this song had a major impact on me and made me look at family, friends, and future lovers through a different light. I think the target audience are people in a relationship or people who have been in love before because they understand the lengths they would go for their significant others.

"Long John" by Lightning Washington and fellow convicts

The song itself is a call and response and certain lyrics repeat throughout the song. But, the basic story behind the song is that an African American worker escaped the confines of slavery and made it to the north. There are no instruments except for the beat provided by the sound of wood chopping. The song itself seems like it has a sad tone or is sad because the the "O"s are stretched out in long, John, and gone. The music surprises me when it mentions the nailing of Jesus Christ to the the cross. My favorite part of the song has to be when John is describing that dogs are coming and that he needs to go. It provides a sense of suspense and anxiousness which gives the story a little terror and livens it up. My least favorite song has to be the "tell my rider That I'm on my way" because I don't really know what that means. "If I call next summer, Be in Baltimore", was very controversial at the time as the idea of African Americans escaping and running to freedom tore apart the country at one point. They had to fight to get there and many African Americans weren't lucky enough to make it. The main theme behind this song is identity. African Americans were fighting for a new life and to make a new identity for themselves. They were no longer the person to be pushed down on as they fought for their rights. I think the target audience was fellow African Americans and to inspire them. Making a message that their is hope and that some do make it to freedom.