Black, Brown And White

Album: Black, Brown & White (1938)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This early Broonzy composition is a comment on the Jim Crow laws of the Deep South. Born in Mississippi and raised in Arkansas, Broonzy was one of 17 children in a family of sharecroppers - he grew up working the fields while also learning guitar. As a young man, he traveled north to Chicago, and after paying his dues like the vast majority of time-serving musicians, he found both fame and fortune including in Europe, where he traveled extensively.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Zac Hanson

Zac HansonSongwriter Interviews

Zac tells the story of Hanson's massive hit "MMMbop," and talks about how brotherly bonds effect their music.

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17Songwriter Interviews

Martyn talks about producing Tina Turner, some Heaven 17 hits, and his work with the British Electric Foundation.

P.F. Sloan

P.F. SloanSongwriter Interviews

P.F. was a teenager writing hits and playing on tracks for Jan & Dean when he wrote a #1 hit that got him blackballed.

N.W.A vs. the World

N.W.A vs. the WorldSong Writing

How the American gangsta rappers made history by getting banned in the UK.

TV Theme Songs

TV Theme SongsFact or Fiction

Was a Beatles song a TV theme? And who came up with those Fresh Prince and Sopranos songs?

Tom Keifer of Cinderella

Tom Keifer of CinderellaSongwriter Interviews

Tom talks about the evolution of Cinderella's songs through their first three albums, and how he writes as a solo artist.