straight singing becoming the rage?

stud of the stable · 11-10-2000, 06:07 PM

Black Lodge and Black Stone broke new ground, and influenced today's popular contemporary sound (I know, Rod Hunter & Red Nation way back did too). I seem to notice more of today's groups swaying their attention to please an older demographic,and sing more conservatively as oppossed to the Indian "boy band" rage that ran its course over the past 7 or so years. Anyone agree, or am I looking a little too deep?

Smokin' Ace · 11-15-2000, 04:55 PM

I'm not sure of straight singing is the new "rage" but I know that one group -
Kau-ta-noh, Jr's

is choosing this style. These boyz enjoy singing straight songs, and many, many people have seemingly enjoyed listening!!

Look out for KTNJ's first tape/CD - out in 2001!!

Peace!!

11-16-2000, 08:12 AM

This is not a criticism, but a question. How do you guys who sing nothing but straight or vocable songs as we sometimes call them, sing honor songs? Do you sing them without words and if so, how is that honoring anyone? All of the penny songs and honor songs I know have a place to insert the person's Lakota name and those vocable songs wouldn't have that. Even the Badlands Singers who are famous for their "straight" songs would sing songs with words. Just curious...Scott

professional powwow bum · 11-16-2000, 11:58 AM

Many of the songs that were given to our drum over the years have been handed down from generation to generation. Honor songs are songs which were conceived within battle or when a specific event took place. Many of these songs did have words in them originally but as one nation would adopt the song, they would leave out the language as they were not familiar with the words of that language. Today, this is not the case as our world is not as large as it once was. Communication between nations is so easy now that translations are not a problem now. I have been taught to sing in the original style and we have been given honor songs which have no words in them but we are well aware of what each particular song is for.....knowing what song is appropriate, where it originated, who composed it and what it is used for as well as the permission to use it, is all proper drum ettiquite which was passed down to us from Ben Bearskin Sr. who has sang all of his life and is well knowledgeable in the Powwow society. If singers are taught in this manner then they would be able to distinguish what songs are appropriate honor songs. I hope this little of what I know helps. Miigwech

11-10-2000, 06:07 PM	#1 (permalink)
stud of the stable Pow Wow Visitor Join Date: Nov 2000 Posts: 1	straight singing becoming the rage? Black Lodge and Black Stone broke new ground, and influenced today's popular contemporary sound (I know, Rod Hunter & Red Nation way back did too). I seem to notice more of today's groups swaying their attention to please an older demographic,and sing more conservatively as oppossed to the Indian "boy band" rage that ran its course over the past 7 or so years. Anyone agree, or am I looking a little too deep?

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11-15-2000, 04:55 PM	#2 (permalink)
Smokin' Ace Arena Director Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: United States Posts: 4,097	I'm not sure of straight singing is the new "rage" but I know that one group - Kau-ta-noh, Jr's is choosing this style. These boyz enjoy singing straight songs, and many, many people have seemingly enjoyed listening!! Look out for KTNJ's first tape/CD - out in 2001!! Peace!!

11-16-2000, 08:12 AM	#3 (permalink)
BPlenty Guest Posts: n/a	This is not a criticism, but a question. How do you guys who sing nothing but straight or vocable songs as we sometimes call them, sing honor songs? Do you sing them without words and if so, how is that honoring anyone? All of the penny songs and honor songs I know have a place to insert the person's Lakota name and those vocable songs wouldn't have that. Even the Badlands Singers who are famous for their "straight" songs would sing songs with words. Just curious...Scott

11-16-2000, 11:58 AM	#4 (permalink)
professional powwow bum Pow Wow Visitor Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: canada Posts: 3	Many of the songs that were given to our drum over the years have been handed down from generation to generation. Honor songs are songs which were conceived within battle or when a specific event took place. Many of these songs did have words in them originally but as one nation would adopt the song, they would leave out the language as they were not familiar with the words of that language. Today, this is not the case as our world is not as large as it once was. Communication between nations is so easy now that translations are not a problem now. I have been taught to sing in the original style and we have been given honor songs which have no words in them but we are well aware of what each particular song is for.....knowing what song is appropriate, where it originated, who composed it and what it is used for as well as the permission to use it, is all proper drum ettiquite which was passed down to us from Ben Bearskin Sr. who has sang all of his life and is well knowledgeable in the Powwow society. If singers are taught in this manner then they would be able to distinguish what songs are appropriate honor songs. I hope this little of what I know helps. Miigwech

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