Reflecting on traditional masculinity and the limitations on men’s emotional expression, I happened to hear a blues song on the radio. While men’s suffering is often silenced, in Blues music, you can hear it loud and clear. I was reminded how music connects us to people, history and to our own emotional experiences... Now that I’m old enough to comprehend the lyrics, and I can see why my dad listens to the blues. He's a sensitive guy who seemed to get hit by life's meanest problems, poverty, disability, drugs, you name it. Blues music is about the perpetually unlucky, drifting and lost. To empathize with my father, I once devised an elaborate fantasy about becoming a famous blues singer. That was until I realized that except for a few wonderful, fabulous women... most blues stories are about men and men's troubles. Listening to the lyrics of some of the best and saddest blues songs, you'll discover tales of heartbreak, loneliness, and loss. You can find similar themes in Hip Hop and Country music, but Blues is the original music of misery, dating back to the 1800's, its roots are African American spiritual music, work and slavery songs.
Looking back at the history of this music, it’s easy to see how music makes it permissible and safe for men to express sorrow. In therapy sessions, younger male clients often reference their writing and favorite songs. I would encourage any counselor or client to pick up on these cues into deeper feelings and experiences to be explored in a meaningful way. Men may feel more comfortable initially sharing painful emotions through writing, song lyrics or journals. Therapists and clients can read together, write together and listen together to find shared understanding.
Traffic - Glad
- Released in: July 1970
- Recorded in: February - April 1970
- Genre: Progressive rock, jazz-rock
"After disbanding in 1969, Traffic reunited in 1970. The band's line up varied from this point until they disbanded again in 1975, although a partial reunion took place in 1994."
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