The Piano Lesson Arts and Culture: Music Quotes

Music is an incredibly important theme throughout the play. It seems pretty darn fitting then that a musical instrument is at the center of it all. Not only does the piano touch on every theme in the play, but Berniece and Boy Willie's battle over it is the play's central conflict.

When Boy Willie tries to teach his niece, Maretha, how to play some boogie-woogie, he's in some ways sharing with her their African-American heritage. Boogie-woogie was a popular form of music created by African Americans in the deep South.

Boy Willie starts off this song that the inmates sing on Parchman Farm, the infamous prison farm. Lymon, Wining Boy, and Doaker all join in and sing along. They all ended up on Parchman Farm at one point so they know the song well. By including this song in the play, Wilson documents an important form of African-American music, the work song. This kind of song developed from the African tradition of call and response, in which one person sang a line and a chorus of others answered back. African-American slaves sang these songs to help endure the drudgery of slavery. The mostly black prisoners of Parchman Farm sang these types of songs for pretty much the same reason. These prison songs are often thought of as a particular type of work song.

First of all, Wining Boy is not really a recording star. He had like one record and had tried to live off that reputation ever since. To him, music and pianos have come to represent a life he seems to regret. However, throughout the play we see him continue to drink, gamble, and play the piano anyway – it seems like it's all he knows how to do.

In our section on the theme of "Memory and the Past," we talk about how both Wining Boy and Doaker act as griots, or storytellers from the African tradition. It was the griot's job to preserve a community's heritage through story and song. When Wining Boy sings this song he's passing on the history of the hard life and fast times that many African Americans faced in the South. When Wilson includes this blues song in the play, it's much more than a musical interlude, it's a document an important part of African-American history.

Doaker opens up the second act of the play singing this song. Here again Wilson includes another important American song form – the railroad song. Doaker has spent his life working on the railroads and these sorts of songs are chronicles of that experience.

Here is a reference to another important form of African-American music – gospel. This form also developed during slavery. It was a blend of African music and the European hymns that the slaves' white masters exposed them to.

Avery encourages Berniece to play the piano to help her get over all the painful memories she's carrying with her. This moment sets up the climax of the play in which Berniece does just that. She's not quite ready yet, but by the end Berniece will use music to wash away her pain.

Wining Boy sings this song in honor of his late wife, Cleotha. Since, this blues song was written for someone who has passed away, you could say that it is yet another call to the dead. In much the same way that Berniece communicates with the dead when she plays the piano, Wining Boy attempts to reach out to his beloved wife.

Here's our favorite quote again. You can probably guess the reason it fits into the theme of "Music." Berniece is only able to banish Sutter's ghost by doing what? Playing a musical instrument and singing a song. This amazing climax is a testament to the power of music.