Drama and tragedy in contemporary folk music: Nanci Griffith's “it's a hard life wherever you go”

Abstract

Traditional folk artists opposing social injustice and discrimination advocate change through optimism and hope. Nanci Griffith's contemporary folk song, “It's a Hard Life Wherever You Go,” demonstrates a change in the generally accepted folk artist lyrical message by casting her lyrics in a tragic frame while sustaining the folk tradition in terms of musical score. Griffith enacts the role of helpless observer, who documents injustice by observing instances of political, racial, and societal conflict, while maintaining traditional folk music norms regarding musical style.

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