Often times, music seems to be running on a loop whether it be in headphones, a store’s speakers, or an individual’s mind. It is a constant in our lives that can not be replaced by anything else. For many scientific reasons unbeknownst to me, music has a powerful effect on humans, more specifically on different parts of their brains. Therefore, scientists can tell a lot about someone’s brain by just seeing how music affects each section (CNN). Similarly, song is very prevalent in The Song of Solomon and can often give us more insight into the characters of the novel. Most of the time, it is also used to tell some sort of story and/or connection to the past while it is closely related to the motif of flight.
Throughout Milkman’s life, he has heard this reoccurring song about Sugarman or Sugargirl or Solomon. The subject of the song might vary depending on the circumstance and people, but its value and meaning remain the same. The crucial lines repeated throughout are: “O Sugarman done fly away/ Sugarman done gone/Sugarman cut across the sky/ Sugarman gone home” (6). As discussed later in this novel, this portion of the song connects back to an old folks’ myth which is that some African slaves could “fly” back to their homeland. The myth demonstrates how these “remaining” slaves wanted to believe in the happy ending which involves freedom rather than the harsh reality that most likely deals with death. Additionally, it demonstrates the fervent hope of both enslaved and “free” African Americans to escape, be free, and live happily. Only in their homeland of Africa, they believe this to be possible. In America, they would always be viewed as inferior used-to-be-slaves which are discriminated for their race. Not only does Pilate and Milkman and the children in Shalimar have this hope but also the entire African American community, which is shown through multiple instances and dialogue between the black characters.
In the novel, the only occasions in which the reader is exposed to the complete song are when the children are in a circle, playing the “game” which involves pointing and falling. One aspect of the game was that if the child in the middle ended up pointing at someone, everybody would fall down; otherwise, no one would fall down and the song would be repeated as usual. Additionally, the portion pertaining to flight is only sung when someone is pointed at. The child in the middle might represent a central figure, perhaps a strong influential black leader in the community or maybe even God, which gets to point at one individual which can “fly” back to the homeland. However, the reality is that no one achieves freedom, not even the individual in flight or the deciding figure, and every black person still suffers from a discriminatory society since everyone does fall down if this individual is chosen. On the other hand, hope still exists if no one is chosen because everyone still believes that happiness is still possible. Moreover, the song is used in this game and sung by children here to show how foolish, childish, and, most importantly, ignorant the idea of hope, happiness, freedom, and equality really is as well to demonstrate the continuity of the race struggles and restraints through the generations.
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