--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've been getting interested in…" description: "\"I've been getting interested in reimagining folk songs and writing songs that should have existed but didn't, particularly around the Civil War when bl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/rhiannon-giddens-6220_black_i-ve-been-getting-interested-in-reimagin_1289082.jpg" --- # I've been getting interested in reimagining folk songs and… ![“I've been getting interested in reimagining folk songs and writing songs that should have existed but didn't, particularly around the Civil War when black voices were muted and only allowed particular channels.” quote by Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/rhiannon-giddens-6220_black_i-ve-been-getting-interested-in-reimagin_1289082.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/rhiannon-giddens-6220_black_i-ve-been-getting-interested-in-reimagin_1289082.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/rhiannon-giddens-6220_black_i-ve-been-getting-interested-in-reimagin_1289082.jpg) > “I've been getting interested in reimagining folk songs and writing songs that should have existed but didn't, particularly around the Civil War when black voices were muted and only allowed particular channels.” [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights a desire to reclaim and create missing narratives, especially black perspectives in Civil War folk music. **In simple terms:** Creating absent songs gives voice to silenced histories. Key Takeaway Explore and compose unheard stories. Themes history music justice representation Mood reflective hopeful determined Type creative historical inspirational When to use this quote - songwriting workshops - historical research - educational curricula - community performances Key Concepts cultural memory reimagining authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure authenticity while reimagining? - What responsibilities do artists have to historical truth? A Different Perspective May risk romanticizing or oversimplifying complex histories. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/) [Folk songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folk-songs/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-songs/) ## Related quotes > [I always loved writing songs - writing for myself and demo-ing songs, really with no intention of ever letting anyone else hear them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-grohl/i-always-loved-writing-songs-writing-for-myself-and-demo-ing-songs/) [Dave Grohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-grohl/) > [After Silk Route disbanded I came on my own, and through the years, I have sung a few film songs while writing songs for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohit-chauhan/after-silk-route-disbanded-i-came-on-my-own-and-through-the-years-i/) [Mohit Chauhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohit-chauhan/) > [I just tried to come up with some honest songs. What I was writing about was real plain stuff that I wasn't sure was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-prine/i-just-tried-to-come-up-with-some-honest-songs-what-i-was-writing/) [John Prine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-prine/) > [I still only play by ear. I don't have any training. But the piano actually makes more sense to me than guitar, even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-rubarth/i-still-only-play-by-ear-i-don-t-have-any-training-but-the-piano/) [Amber Rubarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-rubarth/) > [I've found it really hard to finish writing songs when you're writing on not just your schedule but somebody else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carmack/i-ve-found-it-really-hard-to-finish-writing-songs-when-you-re-writing/) [Chris Carmack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carmack/) > [I was immersed in popular songs of the time, of the '30s and '40s. I was writing songs, making fun of the attitudes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/i-was-immersed-in-popular-songs-of-the-time-of-the-30s-and-40s-i-was/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [#BlackLivesMatter was born online but now lives in street actions, in conversations in our homes, and in the dignity swelling in our hearts. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrisse-cullors/blacklivesmatter-was-born-online-but-now-lives-in-street-actions-in/) [Patrisse Cullors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrisse-cullors/) > [I think the lesson is that when you give black voices a platform and the opportunity to tell our story, we will tell good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peele/i-think-the-lesson-is-that-when-you-give-black-voices-a-platform-and/) [Jordan Peele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peele/) > [My aunt is the director of the acapella group Black Voices. I was so struck by them as a child. They sang with such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-mvula/my-aunt-is-the-director-of-the-acapella-group-black-voices-i-was-so/) [Laura Mvula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-mvula/) > [It's important to hear the hard truths from Black voices, not filtered through the White Savior trope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-uggams/it-s-important-to-hear-the-hard-truths-from-black-voices-not-filtered/) [Leslie Uggams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-uggams/) > [There's always been really interesting, diverse black voices talking and arguing and counterpointing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-young/there-s-always-been-really-interesting-diverse-black-voices-talking/) [Kevin Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-young/) > [Look, we are building out a large coalition program from Latinos for Trump, Black Voices for Trump, the faith-based, all kinds of different coalitions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-parscale/look-we-are-building-out-a-large-coalition-program-from-latinos-for/) [Brad Parscale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-parscale/) > [As would-be songwriters, our interest was in black music and black music only. We wanted to write songs for black voices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-stoller/as-would-be-songwriters-our-interest-was-in-black-music-and-black/) [Mike Stoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-stoller/) > [For me personally, I'm always writing from what's happening in my emotional life. Even without thinking about it a lot of the time, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/for-me-personally-i-m-always-writing-from-what-s-happening-in-my/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [I need all of my songs while I'm writing them, because I need to get the stuff out of my body and out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-anderson/i-need-all-of-my-songs-while-i-m-writing-them-because-i-need-to-get/) [Jacob Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-anderson/) ## More by Rhiannon Giddens > [My work as a whole is about excavating and shining a light on pieces of history that not only need to be seen and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/my-work-as-a-whole-is-about-excavating-and-shining-a-light-on-pieces/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [I love the U.K. folk scene. In the States, nobody knows what to do with me. There's still a very narrow definition of Americana.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/i-love-the-u-k-folk-scene-in-the-states-nobody-knows-what-to-do-with/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [For me the bare feet are grounding. I'm connected to the Earth in a way that I cannot be any other way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/for-me-the-bare-feet-are-grounding-i-m-connected-to-the-earth-in-a/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [We have been fed so many false narratives, many of them racialized to deliberately feed a racist agenda. It's important to address and dig…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/we-have-been-fed-so-many-false-narratives-many-of-them-racialized-to/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [I had this dream like years ago. I had this dream - I wanted to be in an all-black string band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/i-had-this-dream-like-years-ago-i-had-this-dream-i-wanted-to-be-in-an/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [I'm not an urban black person. I'm a country black person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/i-m-not-an-urban-black-person-i-m-a-country-black-person/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [To sit in my concert and be uncomfortable is brave. Because you could always leave, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/to-sit-in-my-concert-and-be-uncomfortable-is-brave-because-you-could/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [I'm really interested in history and when I looked into the settlers who came to my home state, North Carolina, I found that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/i-m-really-interested-in-history-and-when-i-looked-into-the-settlers/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [That was the special thing about the Carolina Chocolate Drops. We didn't want to do music full-time. We weren't looking to get rich, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/that-was-the-special-thing-about-the-carolina-chocolate-drops-we-didn/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [There is a black folk music audience. They're just very small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/there-is-a-black-folk-music-audience-they-re-just-very-small/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [When I got into college, I got into operatic vocalists, like Leontyne Price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/when-i-got-into-college-i-got-into-operatic-vocalists-like-leontyne/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [People seem ready for a more in-depth idea of folk music, culture and history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/people-seem-ready-for-a-more-in-depth-idea-of-folk-music-culture-and/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [Know thy history. Let it horrify you; let it inspire you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/know-thy-history-let-it-horrify-you-let-it-inspire-you/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [Othering people is something that humans have done for ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/othering-people-is-something-that-humans-have-done-for-ever/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [When I first heard the minstrel banjo - I played a gourd first - I almost lost my mind. I was like, Oh, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/when-i-first-heard-the-minstrel-banjo-i-played-a-gourd-first-i-almost/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) [Explore all 99 Rhiannon Giddens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. Wilderson III > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) Browse all 11,655 Black quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've been getting interested in reimagining folk songs and writing songs that should have existed but didn't, particularly around the Civil War when black voices were muted and only allowed particular channels.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rhiannon Giddens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/i-ve-been-getting-interested-in-reimagining-folk-songs-and-writing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Black" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/i-ve-been-getting-interested-in-reimagining-folk-songs-and-writing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/rhiannon-giddens-6220_black_i-ve-been-getting-interested-in-reimagin_1289082.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/rhiannon-giddens-6220_black_i-ve-been-getting-interested-in-reimagin_1289082.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/rhiannon-giddens-6220_black_i-ve-been-getting-interested-in-reimagin_1289082.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've been getting interested in reimagining folk songs and writing songs that should have existed but…” — Rhiannon Giddens", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rhiannon Giddens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've been getting interested in reimagining...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/i-ve-been-getting-interested-in-reimagining-folk-songs-and-writing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/i-ve-been-getting-interested-in-reimagining-folk-songs-and-writing/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```