PHOTO ESSAY

Rebel Yells

A protest music mixtape

By Matthew McKinnon

August 12, 2005

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Henry St. Claire Fredericks, also known as Taj Mahal. Photo AP/Keystone/Sigi Tischler.

Follow the Drinking Gourd, Taj Mahal, Linda Tillery, Eric Bibb and the Cultural Heritage Choir

(Shakin’ a Tailfeather, 1997)

Respect the architects. Slavery spirituals form the cornerstone of American protest music. They continued the African custom of telling instructions through song. Follow the Drinking Gourd, one of the finest, used coded lyrics to draw a travel map for runaway slaves. Many knew how to use the Big Dipper — i.e., Drinking Gourd — to find the north star; Follow helped them find their way to freedom. “The riverbank makes a mighty true road / Dead trees mark the way / Left foot, peg foot traveling on / Follow the drinking gourd.” This version, tucked at the end of Shakin’ a Tailfeather, an otherwise uneven children’s album, is stunning. Mahal, Tillery and Bibb trade turns emoting verses — with a vibrant choir coming in for the choruses — against a slow-tempoed, confident blues guitar.