“Slaves sing most when they are most unhappy. The songs of the slave represent the sorrows of his heart; and he is relieved by them… At least, such is my experience.” 

This is an excerpt from Frederick Douglass’ autobiography, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass“, written by himself. I’ve also written about his story here.

Singing in this way, as a relief, is not limited to Frederick Douglass’ experience. If we listen, we may hear a world of accomplished singers and songwriters, and recognize our contribution to the harmony.

When my voice loses its identity to match the tone of my environment, I sing. When I adjust my words to fit in, I sing someone else’s song. When I reply “I am fine”, I sing the worlds most popular lyrics. And when I choose not to sing, it’s because I long to discover my own song.

Singing can be the most pleasant thing to do. It can also be the thing we do to appear most pleasant. Singing a song that provides us relief, is smart. Singing a song that is our own, sounds like freedom.