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Riding Songs (yik'aash)

from Navajo Songs From Canyon De Chelly by New World Records

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about

The Riding Songs, which number in the hundreds, not only accompany horseback riding but also serve as warm-up songs for the night dancing of the Enemy Way. These songs, often called Sway Songs because of the body movement of the singers, follow the beginning sacred Squaw Dance songs. Although only four songs are presented here, the warm-up period may last more than two hours, with the pitch of the songs gradually rising. Originally, on this and all songs on this album except the Corn-Grinding, Shoe Game, and Badger songs, the leader would accompany the chorus on a pottery water drum, but sometimes in social settings, as in this case, he might use a small, cylindrical double-headed rawhide drum. The form is standard for all four songs (except for song 3, which omits the B ending). It begins with a formulaic introduction common to most Riding Songs, hei yei yei yei yaagha, followed by ABCB sections with internal paired phrases sung entirely in vocables, not words. Songs 1 and 4 have similar motives. The vocal style is tense and nasal, with rhythmic pulsation. Other vocal features in Navajo music are initial and terminal glides, and descending slides between some pitches.

credits

from Navajo Songs From Canyon De Chelly, released January 1, 1990
Chorus: Frank Jishie Jr., Raymond K.Yazzie, Sam Yazzie Jr. (rattle), Sam Yazzie Sr. (leader and drummer).

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New World Records Brooklyn, New York

Anthology of Recorded Music, Inc., which records under the label New World Records, was founded in 1975.

We are dedicated to the documentation of American music that is largely ignored by the commercial recording companies.

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