Very moved by Mississippi John Hurt singing John Henry at the end (he recorded it as Spike Driver Blues). What a metaphor! Kind of tragic. The man says that the threat of modernism won't kill him, but it sort of does. But it doesn't if we still sing of John Henry and remember him and love him!
Also liked the segment about Blind Willie Johnson's music being shot into space. Somebody was using their noodle when they did that!
This episode was an hour and a half, a little bit more time to stretch out. It paid off! I had no idea that the Hawaiian segment connecting Maui with blues slide guitar, western swing, Nigerian juju music, and even Pink Floyd would be so interesting.
And then there was the story of the Hopi snake dancers. They would not be denied, and they did it through their music!
Finally, I had always thought of the great Lydia Mendoza as being an ancient, mythical figure, but then it turned out she was born the same year as my mother! Hmmm. Kind of makes me feel half-ancient!