The song
begins in a very grandiose manner, carried by a melodic string section. The
mood quickly changes, however, when Cooke comes in with his first words,
beginning to tell of his own personal experiences, which reflect the struggles
Black Americans encountered during this time period. The instrumentation pulls
back and becomes very melancholy to mirror the solemn mood of Cooke’s words. With
every verse change, the instrument that carries the section changes as well.
The French horn leads the first verse, and as the second verse starts, the
strings take over. This subtle change in sound with every verse coincides with
Cooke’s vision of a gradual, but inevitable change in America’s treatment of Black
Americans. With the beginning of the third verse, the beat changes from relaxed
to more upbeat and stringent, conveying a sense of urgency. The bridge, which
acts as the climax of the song, builds up to the line, “But he winds up
knockin’ me back down on my knees.” This line is significant, because while he
says it’s his brother who knocks Cooke down in his time of need, he may have
just meant a fellow human, emphasizing the heinousness of humans treating one
another so unjustly. The song ends how it started: grand and upbeat, signifying
hope for a better future.
-Amrita
-Amrita