– Look closely at “John Henry.” What values are present in that ballad that may have influenced songs like “The Message-82” or “N.Y. State of Mind-92

At first glimpse, John Henry resembles songs like The Message and NY State of Mind purely in form. The Ballad of John Henry tell the story of a steel- drivin' man who was the best steel- drivin' man there was. The other two songs are songs telling stories about the singer's lives and the hardships they experiences. All three of these tell stories about their lives and the hardships they went through. They tell about the things that they have done. Each of them seems to be oppressed by someone. In John Henry, it was his fate, dying on the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad line, which oppressed him. No matter what he did, John's fate was sealed because he was going to work on that railroad line his whole life under the overseeing of the 'Captain.' He was another oppressor in John Henry's life. I'm not completely sure what his role in John's life he played but he kept appearing in the text, so he' got to be important.

The Ballad of John Henry influenced songs like The Message and NY State of Mind in a few ways. One, it told a story of hardships which is reflected in those songs. The ballad also contained a hint of sadness; even though, he wanted to be a steel drivin' man from birth. We were told form the beginning that he was going to die this way, and that's sad. In the other songs, the singers spoke of tough times they had to endure. I think the ballad influenced song writers like Nas to write about the hardships they have gone through so that people are aware of it.