Meaning of field holler | Babel Free

Definitions

A slow, introspective African-American song type that has its origin in solo work songs, featuring a meandering melody, irregular rhythms, and various forms of wordless vocalization.

Examples

“They made up field hollers with long, sad, wailing blue notes in their voices that said how tired a man can be.”

“The emergence of classic blues indicated that many changes had taken place in the Negro. His sense of place, or status, within the superstructure of American society had changed radically since the days of the field holler.”

“I was terrified that once loose, once I lifted or lost my control, I would rise from my seat and dance like a puppet, up and down the aisles. I would open my mouth, and screams, shouts and field hollers would tear out my tongue in their rush to be free.”

“[…] she moans the remaining lines unhurriedly and with staggering self-possession, stretching out the vowels as if intoning a field holler.”

CEFR level