Musical Truth: A Musical History of Modern Black Britain in 28 Songs

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This exhilarating playlist tracks some of the key shifts in modern British history, and explores the emotional impact of 28 songs and the artists who performed them. The text could be used as an interesting and more extreme counterpoint to Telephone Conversation by Wole Soyinka – written a generation earlier; which might further inspire pupils to think about they would express their own experiences in the 2020s. A captivating history which ties together music, black history, family, growing up, politics and inequality with panache, humour, and at times brutal honesty. In this 28 chapter hardback, academic and teacher Jeffrey Boakye explores Black history in the UK since 1948 through a diverse collection of songs that help define and illuminate key moments in cultural and social history. Linton Kwesi Johnson stares wearily but with a sharpness and clarity from within a confined space that evokes the jail of his ‘letter’; Smiley Culture grins cheekily from a spray-haze, lending an ethereal tone to his tragic part in the story; Steven Lawrence’s body lacks an outline – only his face is clearly defined, a ‘halo’ of tears setting his features in relief.

Alternatively, we suggest that you visit your local library and request to borrow a copy from a friendly librarian. Your selection was perfect for our children and what really made the difference was your ability to engage with each child, discuss their interests and help them to choose a suitable book based on your extensive knowledge of the books you were selling. Hilariously funny, sometimes rather sad, but invariably interesting, this is a superbly diverting book. Very well put together with clear print which is easy to read (I struggle with very small print and large blocks of text but this is perfect. He remembers what it’s like to be young and captures so beautifully his eight-year-old boyish innocence of what makes a song ‘great’ – hey, everything is great when it sounds right and feels right, yes?

They might examine how some accents elicit particular reactions in some parts of the country and not others, and how accents can be unfairly perceived to be attached to a particular social class. Signed copies come with attached National Archives bookplate signed by the author and unique National Archives cover ribbon. At home, there’s the potential for intergenerational involvement – comparing the music that defined the teenage years of their parents, aunts and uncles, and grandparents. One of the best things about Olusoga’s book is its cool clarity – it takes its reader by the hand and in a magnificent feat of storytelling relays an authentic truth to those keen to listen.

There are also illustrations from Ngadi Smart that add a visual dimension to this original book for music and cultural inquisitive teens.

These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Jeffery’s words in this chapter really hit home about where we are today: “The biggest star in black music is white, and English, which says a lot about how far we have to go. I have even talked the head into a little revamp of the library so that we can display them properly!

I was at my last school for 4 years and we had ********* book fairs every term – and every term, I was disappointed by the narrow range of books. Pupils could create their own “musical truths” – projects that combine music to define their place and space in the world, and words to capture their voice in society. An outstanding combination of musical and Black British history which shows the strength and cultural significance of Black music and reveals the people behind the music, what they’re really saying and why. Or the overt use of occult imagery and rousing music during the London 2012 Olympics and Madonna's 2013 Super Bowl half time performance appearing in the regalia of the ancient Sumerian goddess Inanna-Ishtar, Madonna was quoted as saying afterwards in an interview to explain the ideas behind the performance as "The Super Bowl is kind of like the Holy of Holies in America. Reading David Olusoga’s Black and British last year cemented the personal recognition that my education and knowledge of this country’s history was severely lacking.The reference to the 'Holy of Holies' was the most sacred place in Solomon's temple, acces to which was only granted to the high priest.