What Is Call-And Response?

Merriam Webster defines call-and-response as a statement quickly followed by an answering statement. Also a musical phrase in which the first and often solo part, is answered by a second and usually ensemble part.

The first call-and-response experiences I was aware of were in church. Choirs, preachers, deacons, and anyone who prayed, or testified in church were met with responses from church members. It feels odd to not respond to the calls and pauses in religious gatherings. I can't imagine a "silent" service, but I know they exist. Here's an example of call and response featuring a preacher:

Here's an example of call-and-response featuring a choir singing a hymn:

As I read through Daniel and Smitherman's work, what struck me was how common call-and-response is in my every day life. I don't recall having an interaction with a Black person that didn't involve this specific convention. Just as they mentioned religion as endemic to African culture, call-and-response is so natural in my experience that I never thought to name it.

The exchange between Riley and Buster is essentially the way I spoke to my grandparents when they told stories. Everyone is part of the tale, but only one person is the actual "teller" of the events. Granddaddy: "We were in Nagasaki and private Barnes kept talking smack to this guy." Me: "What did he say?" Grand-mommy: "Tell us what he said." Granddaddy: "He said he'd short sheet his bed if he kept picking at him." Grand-mommy and me in unison: "Short sheet his bed!" *laughter ensues*

Could this be why it is so common for Black people to speak back to TV and movie screens? As I am compelled to analyze this communication technique, I find that it makes me feel that the person is actively listening and engaged in the story, or conversation. Interestingly, I don't get that same sentiment when I hear backups for rappers repeating the last lines/words of a verse on stage, or when they respond in the songs (even if I LOVE the song. Here's an example. (Links to an external site.)

The call-and-response enhances rap, but it doesn't draw me in, in the same way that it does in jazz, hymns, singing, and conversations. Call-and-response is different from, and a bit more complex than. audience participation.

Call-and-response equates to participants joining in to tell the story, testify, add to the energy, and carry and reflect the emotions back to the teller while adding character, and in some cases enhancement in the richness of the storytelling experience. Audience participation, while at times energetic, isn't quite the same. Audience participation is requested. Call-and-response is innate, organic.

As Daniel and Smitherman pointed out, this form of communication is highly cultural. As we move into reading about Afro-Latino populations, it will be interesting to see how pervasive many of the cultural norms (religion, call-and-response, hierarchy of life, etc.) of Africa are. If I were to guess why we were assigned this reading to us before we delve into the next area, it would be because I think we need to see that location does not equate to disparate cultural practices when it comes to people of the African Diaspora. A quick search for Brazilian call-and-response revealed this (Links to an external site.). Some may not know that the largest numbers of slaves in the Transatlantic Slave Trade were taken to Brazil. These large populations influenced the country with African culture which persists even now. The beat, heart, and soul of Africa moves through us everywhere we go.

Have you ever had a conversation with someone who isn't used to call and response? How did it go? "Did you hear what I said? Are you still there? Do you understand what I mean?" I've heard these sentences when someone wasn't participating with the "response" portion. I've even said these things myself, upon further reflection, never understanding the depth of this nuance. Have you heard or done the same?