Blues, folk songs, and gospel music. Title from book. Principally previously released material; includes 15 previously unreleased tracks. Book comprises essays: Lead Belly : a man of contradiction and complexity, by Robert Santelli; and The life and legacy of Lead Belly, by Jeff Place; with bibliographical references and discographies. Leadbelly, vocals, guitar, accordion, and piano; in part with accompanying performers. Recorded 1934-1949.
Contents:
disc 1-3. Been so long (Bellevue Hospital blues) -- (Lead Belly, vocals, piano) -- The bourgeois blues -- Fannin Street (Mister Tom Hughes Town) -- The midnight special -- John Henry (Brownie McGhee, guitar; Sonny Terry, harmonica) -- Black girl (Where did sleep last night) -- Pick a bale of cotton (the Oleander Quartet) -- Take this hammer -- Cotton fields -- Old Riley -- Rock Island Line -- The gallis pole -- Ha-ha this a way -- Sukey jump (Lead Belly, vocals, accordion) -- Boll weevil -- Scottsboro boys -- Governor O.K. Allen -- Governor Pat Neff -- There's a man going around taking names -- On a Monday (Sonny Terry, harmonica) -- You can't lose me, Cholly -- Keep your hands off her -- We shall be free (Woody Guthrie, vocals; Sonny Terry, harmonica) -- Alabama bound (Woody Guthrie, vocals and mandolin; Cisco Houston, vocals and guitar) -- Almost day -- Fiddler's dram (Woody Guthrie, vocals and mandolin; Cisco Houston, vocals and guitar) -- Green corn -- Sally Walker -- Bring me a little water, Silvy (Anne Graham, vocals) -- Julie Ann Johnson -- Linin' track -- Whoa, back, buck -- Shorty George -- Ham and eggs -- Moanin' -- Out on the western plains -- Noted rider -- Meeting at the building -- Good, good, good (Talking preaching) ; We shall walk through the valley -- Ain't you glad (the blood done signed my name) -- I'm so glad, I done got over -- The Hindenburg disaster -- Ella Speed -- Haul away Joe -- Old man -- Sweet Jenny Lee -- Jean Harlow -- Laura (Lead Belly, vocals, accordion) -- Queen Mary -- Good morning blues (Sonny Terry, harmonica) -- Sail on, little girl -- Easy rider -- Poor Howard (Sonny Terry, harmonica; Brownie McGhee, guitar; Pops Foster, bass) -- Duncan and Brady -- How long, how long (Sonny Terry, harmonica) -- T.B. blues -- Jim Crow blues -- Pigmeat (Brownie McGhee, guitar; unknown bass player) -- John Hardy (Lead Belly, vocals, accordion) -- Outskirts of town (Sonny Terry, harmonica) -- 4, 5, and 9 (Sonny Terry, harmonica; Brownie McGhee, guitar; Pops Foster, bass; Willie "the Lion" Smith, piano) -- In the evening (when the sun goes down) -- Red Cross store blues -- Diggin' my potatoes (Sonny Terry, harmonica; Brownie McGhee, guitar; Pops Foster, bass; Willie "the Lion" Smith, piano) -- Blind Lemon -- When a man's a long way from home -- Alberta -- Excerpt from "The lonesome train" -- National defense blues (Sonny Terry, harmonica; Brownie McGhee, guitar; Willie "the Lion" Smith, piano; Pops Foster, bass) -- Hitler song (Mr. Hitler) -- Big fat woman (Lead Belly, vocals, piano) -- Been so long (Bellevue Hospital blues) -- (outro) -- Red River -- Boll weevil ; Yellow gal ; Ha-ha this a way ; Leaving blues ; Irene (outro) -- WNYC--Folk songs of America--Lead Belly and the Oleander Quartet. Almost day ; Blues in my kitchen ; Blues in my dining room ; I went up on the mountain ; Good morning blues ; Baby, don't you love me no more ; T.B. Blues ; Irene (outro) -- If it wasn't for Dicky -- What's you gonna do when the world's on fire (Anne Graham, vocals) -- Rock me (Hide me in thy bosom) (Anne Graham, vocals) -- Packin' trunk blues -- Leaving blues -- How come you do me like you do? -- One dime blues -- I'm going to buy you a brand new Ford -- Jail-house blues -- Shout on -- Come and sit down beside me -- Red River -- (version 2) -- In the world. Ain't going down to the well no more (version 2) -- Everytime I go out -- Go down, Old Hannah -- Black Betty -- Nobody knows you when you're down and out (Bessie Smith) -- Stewball -- Ain't it a shame to go fishin' on a Sunday -- Relax your mind -- Princess Elizabeth -- Silver City bound -- The Titanic -- House of the rising sun -- It's tight like that -- Diggin' my potatoes -- Springtime in the Rockies -- Backwater blues -- Didn't Old John Cross the water -- De Kalb blues -- They hung him on the cross (version 1) -- They hung him on the cross (version 2) -- In the world.
Summary:
From the swamplands of Louisiana, the prisons of Texas, and the streets of New York City, Lead Belly and his music became cornerstones of American folk music and touchstones of African American cultural legacy.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.