Field hollers were work songs that were sung solo, although they might be echoed by other workers, or passed along from one person to another. Most often associated with cotton culture.

Some hollers were wordless, while others were made up of improvised lines embodying the singer's thoughts, while extensively employing elaborated syllables and melisma

Emphasizing the call-and-response pattern with the leader outlining the song's theme and the rest of the crew responding, work songs guaranteed a steady rhythm, resulting in the work proceeding at an even pace.

Also when axes and hoes were being used, the call-and-response of work songs lessened the possibility of accidents by coordinating movements.

The singing contributed slaves to overcome the monotony in the work out on the field, in a way it raised the work ethic

Slaves did not only use songs to keep up the rhythm of the work, but to also send messages to each other. They inserted different words and lines, which indicated some type of information that they wanted to pass on. 

Work songs appealed to white planters and visitors to the plantation. The songs assured planters that their slaves were busy, and visitors found the songs picturesque; some even found such singing as evidence that slaves were happy and content with their lot.