1950s

Muddy Waters – Mannish Boy (1955)

The title and content of this song refers to how Black men growing up in the South were referred to as ‘boy’ by white people regardless of their age. Waters answers the insult by emphasizing and empowering Black manhood. The official Muddy Waters website calls it his “Declaration of Black Independence,” because of his subsequent move to Chicago, where he could live as a free man.

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins - I Put A Spell On You (1956)

Screaming Jay Hawkins was one of the first “Shock” rock musicians, and one of the godfathers of Heavy Metal. His abrasive gritty vocals, mixed with his horror-inspired aesthetic, made viewers as well as the music industry uncomfortable. Hawkins prided himself on absurdity, which can be viewed as reductive of how Black people were presented in mainstream media. However, it has been suggested that Hawkins crafted his performative identity to convey an image of how white audiences saw Black people, especially by sporting a cape and wearing a bone through his nose.

Chuck Berry – Brown Eyed Handsome Man (1956)

Chuck Berry spent a lot of time in predominantly Hispanic and Black neighborhoods in California when he got the inspiration for “Brown Eyed Handsome Man.” He witnessed a Hispanic man being arrested for loitering until a woman convinced the officer to let him go. It’s a song that addresses race relations as well as the ever-present theme of harassment of minorities by the police.