The music that was played in the Appalachia region during labor struggles was an outlet to the workers. It was a way of relieving stress through song instead of violence. The men that worked in the mountains or the coalmines wrote songs about their work or accidents to expel their feelings instead of having to talk about them to other people. “There is even a folksong about this railroad that can be found in the collection…the song is full of unflattering references to the man who built it” (234). The men would write songs about their boss’s or there work days and how they were abused. The men would also write about how they weren’t paid enough and treated unfairly.

Music also played a key role later in the United States during the Civil Rights Movement. We have yet to come across this topic yet because during the movie we are watching about the coal mine wars, racism was pushed to the side due to the factor of Union fights. But music was a way of expressing one’s own self and a group. African Americans created songs to express how they felt about the movement; they created a way of coming together and expressing ideas and emotions.

I think music plays an important role in work because it is a way of communication. It is a way of brining individuals who do not know one other together under one roof or work place. People are free to speak their mind through hidden words or symbols; they can hide feelings and expressions through different figures of speech. The best part is that the owner’s or bosses do not know if the song is truly about them.