The Lord doesn't like us to be dead. Be alive. Sometimes I dance to the glory of the Lord, because He said so.
Mahalia JacksonRead
Anybody singing the blues is in a deep pit yelling for help.
Interpretation
The quote suggests that those who express sorrow through music are seeking assistance and understanding.
Mahalia Jackson's quote highlights the emotional depth behind expressing sadness or struggle through music, particularly the blues. It conveys the idea that when someone sings about their pain and despair, they are not merely entertaining, but rather reaching out for support and connection, often from a place of deep vulnerability.
In practice
During a discussion on the significance of blues music in expressing emotional struggles.
The Lord doesn't like us to be dead. Be alive. Sometimes I dance to the glory of the Lord, because He said so.
The old Devil gets mad when you're trying to do good. Pray that God will move the stumbling blocks.
It is easy to be independent when you've got money. But to be independent when you haven't got a thing, that's the Lord's test.
Faith and prayer are the vitamins of the soul; man cannot live in health without them.
Blues are the songs of despair, but gospel songs are the songs of hope.
When you sing gospel you have a feeling there is a cure for what's wrong.
I've never missed a gig yet. Music makes people happy, and that's why I go on doing it - I like to see everybody smile.
I think ABBA have a pure joy to their music and that's what makes them extraordinary.
I don't really look at the charts at all. If anything, I try to out-do what I've done before. I try to make music that I like and I trust my own judgement with what will work with a wider audience. If you compare yourself to the charts, you lose perspective on what you're doing and why you're doing it.
Jazz is about being in the moment.
With pop music and pop musicians, you know everything about everyone all the time, particularly their physical appearance. With female musicians, that's made a big thing of, and I think people, certainly with me, have appreciated a bit of mystery.
All you needed was a couple of instruments and a few chords and you could be on an indie label.
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