Anti-Racist Music

Music is the most effective way through which people express their views, feelings, and
attitudes on different subjects. Today, famous artists employ different musical genres and their
subcultures, such as hip-hop, soul and R&B to address various problems such as gender
discrimination and racism in their societies. Scholars have taken keen interest in the role music
plays in fighting racism and bigotry, especially in multicultural nations such as the UK, and
U.S.A (Rastas and Seye 3). The presence of different ethnic communities and the rise in the
number of native citizens in these countries who identify with minorities has made it impossible
for societies to ignore racism. Famous artists have succeeded at mobilizing protest movements as
well as developing and sustaining communal, radical, and racialized identities through music
(Jones 63). A great example of a modern anti-racist song is, “A Change Is Gonna Come,” by
Sam Cooke. Racism is one of the most adverse issues facing societies, and anti-racist songs by
musicians such as Sam Cooke have strengthened the struggle against this social problem.
Analysis of “A Change Is Gonna Come”
“A change is gonna come” first appeared in an album titled Ain’t That Good by Sam
Cooke. The artist drew inspiration from several racist experiences in his life, particularly one
where he was denied access into a motel in Louisiana together with his entourage because it was
strictly reserved for whites. Cooke wrote the song to address the issues facing the non-whites

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citizens of America, especially those on the civil rights of African Americans. The song aired on
February 1964 and gained popularity several months after its release on 7 th March 1965, after a
racist incident transpired. On that day, the military forces confronted, gassed, and battered a
considerable number of individuals who rallied in a nonviolent march to advocate for equal
voting rights for the people of Selma, Alabama (Cantwell 1). Cooke’s lyrics were vivid
description of this blowy event even though it was written before the attack.
Racism and change are the central themes in Cooke’s song, and it is displayed in Cooke’s
first and only live performance of the song on stage. It starts with a regal aggregation of strings,
befitted, and borne upward using instruments such as the timpani and a French horn, resulting in
exquisite theatrical change which then clears out promptly for the artist’s performance. The
camera zooms to close-up as Cooke maneuvers downstage into limelight (Cantwell 1). The
setting is undeniably magniloquent, contrary to the tale because it is down-to-earth. Cooke
narrates the melancholic story of being born alongside a river that never ceases to roll just like
him. He relates the way he has been beaten to his knees by those he sought help from, during
several attempts to watch a movie in a public theatre. In his lyrics, Cooke claims that he has
experienced distress and uncertainty, after which he has gained faith and a conviction that the
situation will eventually change.
“A change is gonna come” is a progressive civil right song that advocates for change in
the American society (Trigg 992). Cooke’s song is characterized by complex metaphors such as
hills that must be climbed and rivers that people should cross, to address the themes of racism
and the hope for change in society. The song is symbolic of the long-lasting struggle for
African/American liberation. Unlike other musicians who pinpoint their destinations as
Jerusalem and Canaan, Cooke refers to change as the desired destination, a great example of an

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impersonal type of progress. Change is relatively mobile in the song because it is continuously
moving. Cooke displays himself as a passive actor in this process because his journeys are more
circular as opposed to linear (Trigg 993). The artist claims that he was born alongside a river that
has been running since its beginning, just like him. The statement is highly symbolic of the
reawakening of a revival camp. In the subsequent verse in the song, the singer says that he is
bedeviled by spiritual uncertainty and also adds that it is hard to live, voicing his fear of death
due to the ambiguity of what lies above the sky. An urban setting is introduced in the third verse,
where the persona visits the movie theatre and the down-town as he glares on the recent political
unrest and the violent protest rallies in different areas in America. Cooke relays the challenges
faced by minorities, especially people of color in host societies. He narrates the troubles and
disappointments faced by these minorities in their attempts to fit into communities filled with
people who perceive themselves as superior. Cooks appeals to African Americans when he is at a
bridge, referring to them as brothers and asking for their help, a refrain that creates hope for
change.
The song distances the persona from change. Even though this desired transformation is
imminent, its achievement is impossible within the confines of the song. Change is treated more
like an object that the persona holds at an arm’s length, as opposed to a process. In this case, it is
a translucent phenomenon that is devoid of any meaning (Trigg 994). However, one can
comprehend the significance of change by identifying its intended objectives such as unity,
justice, equal treatment, and employment opportunities. The song also depicts evolution as
opaque, because the speaker cannot see anything that lies on the other side, because his gaze is
fixed to a single side. The song addresses the issue of racism and discrimination that has denied
people of color normalcy and several privileges enjoyed by the whites. Despite the efforts put by

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the American society to eradicate this problem, minorities receive wages and salaries that are
lower than the industrial average, occupy a considerable percentage of the unemployed, have
reduced living standards, and are still treated with suspicion just because they have different skin
colors and are regarded inferior to others.
Cooke envisions a society where each individual, regardless of their color, values, and
belief systems, are treated fairly because they are just as human as the others. He does not
specify what his version of change entails but depicts a society characterized by peace, unity, and
the pursuit of collective goals. The song is itself a paradox because change is represented as an
object of horror and hope as well. It reminds the audience of their morality, an aspect that they
have to endure despite the situation. Razzante and Hanna (63) posit that Cooke’s song advocates
for unity, and positive social change, a dream that most Americans share. The artist perceives
change as a process that is subject to postponement, and whose expectancy guarantees human
separateness. “A change is gonna come” enlightens the audience on the prevalence of racism and
allows them to critique white superiority and power (Hess 68), with an orientation towards
societal transformation. The criticism is required to strengthen the fight against racism because it
still prevails American society, despite the efforts put into eradicating it.
Conclusion
Racism is one of the most adverse issues facing societies, and anti-racist songs by
musicians such as Sam Cooke have strengthened the struggle against this social problem.
Through “A Change is Gonna Come”, the artist sheds light on the pervasiveness of racial
discrimination and advocates for social change. The song has contributed significantly to the
struggle against racism, qualifying it as a powerful protest song. The person perceives change as
an imminent yet impossible feat to achieve. He also depicts it through complex paradoxes such

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as an object of both fear and hope. Cooke’s song symbolizes the situation in America today,
where African Americans and other minorities experience several discriminatory practices
simply because they differ from the whites in color.

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Works Cited

Cantwell, David. “The Unlikely Story of “A Change is Gonna Come.” The New Yorker, 2015.
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-unlikely-story-of-a-change-is-
gonna-come. Accessed on 11 th September. 2019.
Hess, Juliet. “Upping the “anti-”: The value of an anti-racist theoretical framework in music
education.” Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music Education, vol. 14, No. 1, 2015, pp.
66-92.
Jones, Michelee. “The Rhythm and Blues (R&B) Protest Songs of the Civil Rights Movement:
Outlining the Natural Alignment Between the Foundational R&B Recordings Artists and
the African-American Church During the Movement.” Liberty University, 2016, pp. 119.
Rastas, Anna, and Elina Seye. “Music and Anti-Racism: Musicians’ Involvement in Anti-Racist
Spaces.” Popular Music and Society, 2018, pp.1-19.
Razzante, Robert J., and Katrina N. Hanna. “Dr. King’s Struggle Then and Now: A Look into
Black Musical Artists’ Struggle for Economic and Social Justice.” Journal of
Contemporary Rhetoric, Vol. 9, No.1/2, 2019, pp. 55-70.
Trigg, Christopher. “A Change Ain’t Gonna Come: Sam Cooke and the Protest Song,
“University of Toronto Quarterly, Vol. 79, No. 3, 2010, pp. 991-1003