You Ain't Talkin' to Me: Charlie Poole and the Roots of Country Music

Legacy – C3K 92780

Format: 3 x CD, Compilation, Box Set
Country: US
Released: 2005
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Old Time
[Disc One}
01 Shootin' Creek (03:26)
02 Baltimore Fire (03:13)
03 Leaving Home (03:11)
04 There'll Come a Time (03:31)
05 White House Blues (03:31)
06 The Highwayman (03:20)
07 Hungry Hash House (03:25)
08 The Letter That Never Came (02:51)
09 Take a Drink on Me (03:17)
10 Husband and Wife Were Angry One Night (02:52)
11 Ramblin' Blues (03:07)
12 Took My Gal A-Walkin' (02:48)
13 Old and Only in the Way (03:29)
14 Don't Let Your Deal Go Down Blues (02:53)
15 Bill Mason (03:01)
16 A Kiss Waltz (03:10)
17 Flop Eared Mule (03:00)
18 A Trip to New York, Pt. 1 (03:06)
19 Sweet Sixteen (02:54)
20 Write a Letter to My Mother (03:03)
21 If the River Was Whiskey (03:10)
22 Mother's Last Farewell Kiss (03:05)
23 Milwaukee Blues (03:18)
24 Where the Whippoorwill Is Whispering Good-Night (03:09)
[Disc Two]
01 The Girl I Left in Sunny Tennessee (03:21)
02 Sunny Tennessee (03:18)
03 Bulldog Down in Sunny Tennessee (02:40)
04 Moving Day (03:14)
05 It's Movin' DayHarry Von Tilzer (03:28)
06 Home Sweet, Home (02:34)
07 I'm the Man That Rode the Mule 'Round the World (03:04)
08 Man That Rode the Mule Around the World (02:56)
09 Lynchburg Town (03:02)
10 Going Down to Lynchburg Town/Don't Let Your Deal Go Down (03:10)
11 Some One (03:05)
12 Monkey on a String (02:33)
13 Monkey on a String (03:09)
14 Can I Sleep in Your Barn Tonight Mister (03:13)
15 May I Sleep in Your Barn Tonight, Mister (02:54)
16 Married Life Blues (02:41)
17 The Infanta March (04:22)
18 Sunset March (02:41)
19 I'll Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms (02:59)
20 Goodbye Eliza Jane (01:39)
21 Good-Bye Sweet Liza Jane (03:06)
22 Good-Bye Booze (03:17)
23 Goodbye Booze (02:51)
24 You Ain't Talking to Me (02:56)
25 You Ain't Talkin' to Me (02:57)
[Disc Three]
01 If I Lose, I Don't Care (03:09)
02 The Battleship of Maine (03:18)
03 Budded Rose (03:04)
04 Standing by a Window (03:17)
05 Uncle Dave's Beloved Solo (03:06)
06 Come Take a Trip in My Airship (02:11)
07 I Once Loved a Sailor (03:08)
08 Dixie Medley (02:43)
09 My Wife, She Has Gone and Left Me (03:18)
10 My Wife Went Away and Left Me (02:56)
11 Baby Rose (04:14)
12 Just Keep Waiting Till the Good Time Comes (03:27)
13 Shuffle Feet, Shuffle (02:40)
14 Coon From Tennessee (03:13)
15 Coon From Tennessee (03:06)
16 On the Banks of the Kaney (03:08)
17 Dixie Medley (04:10)
18 Southern Medley (03:06)
19 The Man That Wrote Home Sweet Home Never Was a Married Man (03:14)
20 Sweet Sunny South (02:55)
21 Take Me Back to the Sweet Sunny South (02:46)
22 Oh! Didn't He Ramble (02:11)
23 He Rambled (03:00)
[Credits]
Charlie Poole (banjo/ocals) Posey Rorer (fiddle) Odell Smith (fiddle) Roy Harvey (guitar) Henry Whitter (guitar) Uncle Dave Macon (banjo/vocals) Gid Tanner (fiddle/vocals) Doc Walsh (banjo/vocals) Charlie Parker (banjo/vocals) Snuffy Jenkins (banjo) Francis Jenkins (banjo)
Producer: Henry Sapoznik, Liner Notes: Kinney Rorrer, Cover Art: Robert Crumb Designer: Michelle Holme
[Notes]
First, a word about what You Ain't Talkin' to Me is not: it is not a box set of Charlie Poole's complete recorded work. He recorded some 110 songs for the Columbia, Paramount, and Brunswick labels between 1925 and 1931, and 43 of those tracks are collected here, with the balance of this three-disc set given over to sides by Poole's stylistic predecessors and contemporaries. Creating a feel for Poole's life and milieu is the goal here, and presenting musical evidence to place him as the clear grandfather of both bluegrass and modern country is the not-so-hidden agenda. Poole was never an overwhelming banjo player, but his three-finger picking style certainly carries trace elements of what would become bluegrass some 20 years later (when a banjo whiz named Earl Scruggs joined Bill Monroe's band in 1946). Poole wasn't a particularly strong singer, either, but his rambling, gambling persona and flamboyant stage antics (and frequent multi-week alcoholic benders) provide convincing evidence that Poole was outlaw country five decades before the term was even born. Poole's real genius -- since he didn't write songs -- was his ability to take folk tunes, pop songs, fiddle reels, blues fragments, and church hymns and reconfigure them into autobiographical statements by dropping or importing a verse, adding a stray line here and there, changing the title, and eventually delivering fresh, stripped-down versions of familiar songs that now seemed entirely Poole's. What You Ain't Talkin' to Me does best is document how this process worked, and after a first disc of acknowledged Poole classics ("Don't Let Your Deal Go Down Blues," "White House Blues," "If the River Was Whiskey," "Ramblin' Blues"), the second and third discs present Poole songs alongside their antecedents in what is essentially a workshop in how pop folk is created in a mechanized age. On disc three, for example, you hear Arthur Collins' 1902 version of "Oh! Didn't He Ramble" as a heavily stylized and orchestrated bit of vaudeville. In Poole's hands, stripped down and shaped into a sinewy, sexy, and bluesy ensemble piece for banjo, guitar, and fiddle, it became the self-referential "He Rambled" in 1929. Similarly, Eddie Morton's civil and orchestrated "You Ain't Talking to Me" from 1909 becomes an ominous barroom boast in Poole's version, released as "You Ain't Talkin' to Me" in 1927. This ability to create new possibilities from old choices is what has driven American music from the very beginning, and Poole's talent for making it all seem like personal autobiography makes him very much a modernist, only a short leap away from an artist like Hank Williams. Doubters need only listen to Poole's "If I Lose, I Don't Care," which leads off the third disc, to clearly see the kind of DNA that went into modern country. As a glimpse of Poole's life and times, and a look behind the curtains at the adaptive nature of his creative process, this attractive set (it comes in a small cigar box with a R. Crumb illustration of Poole on the lid and includes a 60-page book insert) does a super job, but listeners should be aware that it is hardly comprehensive. Those interested in a more extensive sampling of Poole's work should check out JSP's four-disc box, Charlie Poole With the North Carolina Ramblers and the Highlanders, which features 96 of his 110 known recordings.-- AllMusic Review by Steve Leggett

Pete Seeger: American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 1

Smithsonian Folkways – SFW CD 40150

Format: CD, Compilation, Reissue
Country: US
Released: 2002
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Tracklist]
01 John Henry (4:31)
02 Shenandoah (1:50)
03 Blue Tailed Fly (Jimmie Crack Corn) (2:35)
04 Black Girl (2:33)
05 Skip to My Lou (3:11)
06 The Big Rock Candy Mountain (3:08)
07 Clementine (3:05)
08 Yankee Doodle (1:40)
09 Home on the Range (1:51)
10 John Brown's Body (2:59)
11 Goodnight, Irene (3:43)
12 Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (2:37)
13 Oh, Susanna (1:17)
14 Wayfaring Stranger (1:15)
15 Oh, Mary, Don't You Weep (2:31)
16 Down in the Valley (3:45)
17 The Wabash Cannonball (3:05)
18 On Top of Old Smoky (2:19)
19 Frankie and Johnny (4:27)
20 I Ride an Old Paint (3:24)
21 The Wreck of the Old 97 (1:53)
22 Wagoner's Lad (1:25)
23 Old Dan Tucker (2:14)
24 I've Been Working on the Railroad (1:27)
25 Cielito Lindo (2:34)
26 So Long, It's Been Good to Know You (Dusty Old Dust) (3:22)
27 America the Beautiful (1:38)
28 This Land is Your Land (2:51)
[Credits]
Pete Seeger (banjo/guitar/vocals)
Compiler and Liner Notes: Guy Logsdon and Jeff Place, Photographer: David Gahr, Engineer: Pete Reiniger
[Notes]
Recorded during the heart of the great "folk song revival" of the 1950s and 1960s, Pete Seeger's American Favorite Ballads was, and is, a classic series of albums. Ballads contains definitive bits of Americana that have been a part of our lives for more than a half century, including songs like "This Land is Your Land," "America the Beautiful," "John Henry," and "Shenandoah." This CD is the first in a series of Ballad reissues and is essential for any fan of American folk music to own. Compiled and annotated by Jeff Place and Guy Logsdon.

The Best of Broadside 1962-1988

Anthems of the American Underground from the Pages of Broadside Magazine

Smithsonian Folkways – SFW CD 40130

Format: 5 x CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 2000
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Struggle & Protest
[Disk One}
01 Links on the Chain: The Broadside Singers with Phil Ochs (4:15)
02 Blowin' in the Wind: The New World Singers (2:32)
03 Paths of Victory: The Broadside Singers (1:38)
04 The Ballad of Ira Hayes: Peter La Farge (3:35)
05 Ain't That News?: The Broadside Singers with Tom Paxton (1:40)
06 The Times I've Had: The Broadside Singers with Phil Ochs (2:53)
07 Go Limp: Matt McGinn (2:33)
08 Ding Dong Dollar: The Glasgow Song Guild (1:58)
09 Mack the Bomb: Pete Seeger (2:40)
10 The Civil Defense Sign: Mark Spoelstra (3:50)
11 Let Me Die in My Footsteps: Happy Traum and Bob Dylan (3:42)
12 Hiroshima, Nagasaki Russian Roulette: Jim Page (4:52)
13 What Have They Done to the Rain?: Malvina Reynolds (2:18)
14 Ballad of William Worthy: Phil Ochs (2:09)
15 Train for Auschwitz: Tom Paxton (3:50)
16 Do as the Doukhobors Do: Pete Seeger (2:12)
17 Christine: The Broadside Singers with Tom Paxton (2:21)
18 As Long as the Grass Shall Grow: Peter La Farge (5:06)
[Disk Two]
01 John Brown: Bob Dylan (4:19)
02 Take Me for a Walk (Morning Dew): Bonnie Dobson (4:19)
03 The Willing Conscript: Pete Seeger (2:16)
04 Kill for Peace: The Fugs (2:12)
05 Plains of Nebrasky-o: Eric Andersen and Phil Ochs (2:50)
06 Benny Kid Paret: Gil Turner (3:44)
07 What Did You Learn in School Today?: Tom Paxton (2:01)
08 Changin' Hands: The Broadside Singers with Phil Ochs (2:40)
09 Welcome, Welcome Emigranté: The Broadside Singers with Buffy Sainte-Marie (2:06)
10 Shady Acres: Janis Ian (3:24)
11 Lord, Hold Back the Waters: Will McLean (3:50)
12 Ballad of Donald White: Bob Dylan (4:31)
13 Song for Patty: Sammy Walker (5:54)
14 A Very Close Friend of Mine: Richard Black (2:35)
15 Long Time Troubled Road: Eric Andersen (3:22)
16 Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall: Pete Seeger (5:19)
[Disk Three]
01 Mississippi Goddam: Nina Simone (4:59)
02 We'll Never Turn Back: The Freedom Singers (3:34)
03 Freedom Riders: Phil Ochs (2:15)
04 Father's Grave (for Cordell Reagon): The Broadside Singers with Len Chandler (3:49)
05 Baby, I've Been Thinking (Society's Child): Janis Ian (2:44)
06 I'm Going To Get My Baby Out Of Jail: Len Chandler and Bernice Johnson Reagon (5:03)
07 The Ballad Of Martin Luther King: Mike Millius (2:57)
08 Carry It On: The Broadside Singers with Len Chandler (3:17)
09 Birmingham Sunday: Richard Fariña (4:01)
10 The Migrant's Song: Danny Valdez and Augustin Lira (5:08)
11 El Picket Sign: El Teatro Campesino (3:15)
12 La Lucha Continuará: Danny and Judy Rose-Redwood (5:26)
13 Contra La Por (Against Fear): Raimon (1:55)
14 Mrs. Clara Sullivan's Letter: Pete Seeger (2:23)
15 If It Wasn't For The Union: Matt McGinn (2:57)
16 More Good Men Going Down: The Broadside Singers with David Blue (3:00)
17 Sundown: Sis Cunningham (5:56)
18 My Oklahoma Home (It Blowed Away): Sis Cunningham (5:01)
19 Draglines: Deborah Silverstein & The New Harmony Sisterhood Band (3:22)
320 My Father's Mansion's Many Rooms: Pete Seeger (2:05)
[Disk Four]
01 Pinkville Helicopter: Thom Parrott (3:50)
02 Hell No, I Ain't Gonna Go: Matt Jones and Elaine Laron (3:28)
03 We Seek No Wider War: Phil Ochs (4:19)
04 Waist Deep In The Big Muddy: Pete Seeger (3:03)
05 Vietnam: Paul Kaplan (5:45)
06 Hole In The Ground: Thom Parrott (3:53)
07 To Be A Killer: Wes Houston (1:51)
08 New York J-D Blues: Pete Seeger (6:00)
09 Little Boxes: Malvina Reynolds (2:11)
10 Not Enough To Live On But A Little Too Much To Die: Mike Millius (2:21)
11 The Faucets Are Dripping: Malvina Reynolds (3:51)
12 Bizzness Ain't Dead: The New World Singers (2:31)
13 Business: Pete Seeger (2:07)
14 Legal-Illegal: Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger (4:10)
15 Brown Water And Blood: Jeff Ampolsk (3:50)
16 The Aberfan Coal Tip Tragedy: Thom Parrott (5:11)
17 Lafayette: Lucinda Williams (3:48)
18 The Ballad Of Earl Durand: Charlie Brown (7:23)
19 Plastic Jesus: Ernie Marrs, Bud Foote, Eleanor Walden, and Danny Smith (3:40)
[Disk Five]
01 Burn, Baby, Burn: Jimmy Collier and Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick (4:16)
02 The Cities Are Burning: Jimmy Collier and Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick (3:45)
03 Nothing But His Blood: Jimmy Collier and Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick (2:56)
04 You're Just A Laughing Fool: Jimmy Collier and Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick (3:26)
05 Time Is Running Out: Wendy Smith (2:56)
06 But If I Ask Them: Sis Cunningham (4:49)
07 Ragamuffin Minstrel Boy: Sammy Walker (2:47)
08 Changes: Phil Ochs (4:19)
09 Bound For Glory: Sammy Walker and Phil Ochs (4:06)
10 Victor Jara: Arlo Guthrie (4:20)
11 We Will Never Give Up: Kristin Lems (3:49)
12 Inez: Bev Grant and the Human Condition (3:00)
13 Gonna Be An Engineer: Peggy Seeger (4:32)
14 Don't Talk To Strangers: Chris Gaylord (7:34)
15 Catcher In The Rye: Sammy Walker (4:40)
16 The Time Will Come: Elaine White (4:51)
[Credits]
Producer and Liner Notes: Ronald D. Cohen and Jeff Place, Liner Notes: Anthony Seeger, Engineer: Pete Reiniger
[Notes]
The Best of Broadside, Anthems of the American Underground from the Pages of Broadside Magazine. Eighty-nine songs, including some never commercially released. Compiled and annotated by Jeff Place and Ronald D. Cohen. A five CD boxed set. Broadside was a small underground magazine smuggled out of a New York City housing project in a baby carriage, filled with new songs by artists who were too creative for the folkies and too radical for the establishment. A still-underground Bob Dylan, Janis Ian, Rev. Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick, Phil Ochs, Malvina Reynolds, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Pete Seeger, and dozens of others first published songs like "Blowin' in the Wind," "Little Boxes," and "Society's Child," in Broadside. The Best of Broadside features 89 songs from the Folkways collection, tapes from the Broadside magazine office, and some tracks released on other labels. The set contains a variety of performers, topics, and musical styles that tell tales spanning the 25 years of the Broadside era (1962-1988), but many of them address contemporary issues as well, since the new millennium has not see the end of warfare, nuclear threat, ethnic conflict, immigrants' suffering, women's unequal rights, ecological devastation, and social injustice. This is the underground music that fueled the innocent-sounding Folk Revival on the one hand and the explosions of angry rock and rap on the other. The Best of Broadside brings an era, its musicians, and its many stories to a new audience. The extensive notes feature the graphics of the original Broadside magazine and provide information on the careers of its many musicians with extensive discographies, the stories behind most of the songs as well as their full texts. They also describe the dramatic history of the magazine itself—a remarkable achievement of dedicated musicians and social activists.

Peddler's Pack: A Collection of Early Colonial Songs sung by Jim Douglas

Folkways Records – FTS 32319

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1976
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Anglo-American
[Tracklist]
A1 The Girl I Left Behind Me / The Vicar of Bray / The British Grenadiers / Yankee Doodle (1:40)
A2 Plymouth Colony (Yankee Doodle) (2:50)
A3 Cape Cod Shanty (South Australia) (2:24)
A4 The Deer Song (2:01)
A5 Cape Ann (Three Jolly Huntsmen) (2:27)
A6 Counting Rhyme / The Young Man Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn (1:39)
A7 Three Jolly Rogues of Lynn (2:01)
A8 The Connecticut Peddler (0:41)
A9 Jolly Old Roger (3:41)
B1 Work Rhymes (0:45)
B2 The Old Man Who Lived in the Woods (1:40)
B3 Jennie Jenkins (1:59)
B4 My Grandmother Lived in Yonder Green (1:41)
B5 Froggie Would A-Wooing Go (3:07)
B6 Maple Sweet (2:32)
B7 The Logger's Boast (2:23)
B8 Revolutionary Tea (3:02)
B9 Rolling Home (4:49)
[Credits]
Jim Douglas (guitar/vocals) Roger Sprung (banjo/vocals) Ann Mayo Muir (dulcimer/vocals) Betty Raynor (fiddle) Jan Domler (tin whistle)
Liner Notes: Jim Douglas and William L. Siegel, Designer: Mary Azarian, Engineer: Don Wade
[Notes]
Educator and minstrel Jim Douglas performs 18 songs that tell stories of America's early history. Many focus on New England—for example, "Plymouth Colony," "Cape Cod Shanty," "Maple Sweet," and "Revolutionary Tea." Other songs provide lively accounts of hunting, farming, crafts trades, and the Connecticut peddler trying to sell his wares. The best-known track is the popular children's folk song "Froggie Would A-Wooing Go," better known as "Froggy Went a Courtin'." Douglas is accompanied by fiddler Betty Raynor, tin whistlers Jan Domler and Tom Callinan, hammered dulcimer player Ann Mayo Muir, and singer Joan Sprung.

Ola Belle Reed: My Epitaph

Folkways Records – FA 2493

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1976
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Old Time
[Tracklist]
A1 High on a Mountain (5:30)
A2 I've Endured (5:50)
A3 Sing Me a Song (7:56)
B1 My Epitaph (8:10)
B2 Springtime of Life (6:08)
B3 Fortunes (6:13)
[Credits]
Ola Belle Reed (guitar/banjo/vocals) David Reed (banjo/guitar/vocals) Bud Reed (harmonica)
Producer: Kevin Roth, Liner Notes: Ola Belle Reed, Designer: Ronald Clyne, Recorder: King Street Recording Company
[Notes]
Banjo player and singer Ola Belle Reed created this album and its accompanying notes as an autobiography, a document that describes her childhood in the mountains, her experiences, and her opinions about modern life. Produced by Kevin Roth, one of Reed's protégés, this recording is based on a live interview conducted in 1976

Washboard Band Country Dance Music

Recorded under the supervision of Pete Seeger

Folkways Records – FA 2201

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, 10"
Country: US
Released: 1959
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Tracklist] A1 Cindy (6:00)
A2 Bottle Up And Go (5:10)
A3 Cripple Creek (5:00)
B1 John Henry (4:00)
B2 Old Joe Clark (3:15)
B3 Skip To My Lou (3:05)
B4 Green Corn (4:12)
[Credits]
Pete Seeger (banjo) William Edward Cook (washboard) Sonny Terry (harmonica) Brownie McGhee (guitar) Frank Robertson (bass)
Produce: Moses Asch, Introduction: Pete Seeger, Designer: Ronald Clyne, Photographer: David Gahr
[Notes]
Pete Seeger writes, "It is amazing how its 'clickety, tick, pling clunk, punk, clonk' can cut through all the noises of a crowded dance floor." This celebration of the washboard's raspy rhythm features rousing tunes played by Seeger, William Edward Cook, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, and Frank Robertson.

Salt Atlantic Chanties by Tom Sullivan

Folkways Records – FSS 37301

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1980
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Sea Shanties
[Tracklist]
A01 Brian Boru's March (1:32)
A02 Randy Dandy O (1:56)
A03 Gals Around Cape Horn (4:04)
A04 Child Grove (2:44)
A05 Handy Me Boys / Striking the Royals (1:14)
A06 Sailor Likes His Bottle-O / Emma Let Me Be (2:41)
A07 The Quarrelsome Piper (1:51)
A08 Blow Boys Blow (2:23)
A09 The Butterfly (2:07)
A10 Strike the Bell (3:06)
B01 Paddy Lay Back (3:09)
B02 Ten Thousand Miles (3:45)
B03 Haul Her Away / Billy Riley (2:18)
B04 Shepherd's Hey (3:03)
B05 Roll Boys Roll / Shallow Brown (2:52)
B06 Morgan Magan (4:05)
B07 Coal Black Rose (1:10)
B08 Leave Her Johnny (4:10)
[Credits]
Tom Sullivan (concertina/banjo/fiddle/vocals) C. Morgan (concertina) S. Mitchell (banjo/mandolin) J. Cunningham (bones/bodhran) 'Unicorn' crew and friends & Dreadnoughts (choruses)
Liner Notes: Stuart M. Frank, Cover Artwork: Donald Demers, Photographer: Joe Wrinn
[Notes]
These traditional sailor songs were recorded at sea aboard the historic square-rigger Unicorn. The rhythm and cadence of the work that was actually underway during the recording, and the sounds of the pawls, blocks, and seafoam that accompanied the songs are entirely authentic. The instrumental pieces are performed on traditional instruments―fiddle, banjo, Anglo and English concertina, and the five-string banjo-mandolin. Liner notes include an illustrated booklet containing the history and verses of each chanty, background on the musicians and the making of the recording, plus a glossary of nautical terms.

Caribbean Folk Music Compiled by Harold Courlander Volume One

Ethnic Folkways Library – FE 4533

Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Box Set
Country: US
Released: 1960
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Caribbean, World
[Tracklist] A1 Trulla de Navidad (Christmas Rush) (2:05)
A2 Baquine (3:18)
A3 Arada Dance (2:23)
A4 Kumina Dance (2:12)
A5 Heel and Toe Polka (1:27)
A6 So Them Bad Minded (Calypso) (2:10)
B1 Stickman (Calypso) (2:15)
B2 Old Calypso (2:55)
B3 Bele Dance Song (0:56)
B4 Seven Step (3:03)
B5 Bamboula Dance (1:16)
B6 Lapli Tombe (1:22)
B7 Down into the Village Sammy Rider (2:44)
C1 One Bright Summer Morning (2:25)
C2 Song to Chango (2:42)
C3 Balile (Give Him Room) (3:54)
C4 Fignole (5:43)
C5 Nous Allons Dodo (1:34)
C6 Soir, Un (2:10)
D1 Afeduani (2:39)
D2 Serenade (3:10)
D3 Ba Anansi (Brother Anansi) (3:17)
D4 Mazurka (2:51)
D5 Vals Guadaloupienne (1:06)
D6 Aura Waltz (3:10)
D7 Corrido de Pancho Villa (3:22)
[Credits]
Producer: Harold Courlander, Production Director: Moses Asch
[Notes]
Whether purely instrumental or with a chorus, each of these recordings manages to capture the spirit of the English, Spanish, and French speaking Caribbean. Many of the recordings are of dance music as music and dance are commonly linked in Caribbean cultures. Representing fifteen countries this collection speaks to the vibrant nature of the West Indies where even a song like "Nous Allons Dodo" or "We’re Going to Sleep" is anything short of a lullaby.

Historic Mexican-American Music, Vol. 13: 1931-1937

Pedro J. González & Los Madrugadores, Los Hermanos Sanchez y Linares, Chicho Y Chencho

Arhoolie Records – CD 7035

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2000
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Latin, World
[Tracklist]
01 Sueños de Oro (Dreams of Gold): Pedro J. González (3:12)
02 Sonora Querida (Beloved Sonora): Pedro J. González (3:28)
03 Mañanitas De (Refugio Solano ): Pedro J. González (3:14)
04 El Presidiario (The Convict): Pedro J. González (3:30)
05 Has Recuerdos (Remember When): Pedro J. González (3:34)
06 La Balbinita: Pedro J. González (3:19)
07 Que Tendré Yo? (What's The Matter With Me?): Pedro J. González (2:57)
08 Paloma Blanca: Pedro J. González (3:33)
09 Me He Soñado (I Have Dreamed): Pedro J. González (3:26)
10 Las Pajamas (The Pajamas) [Pt. 1]: Pedro J. González (3:06)
11 Las Pajamas (The Pajamas) [Pt. 2]: Pedro J. González (3:04)
12 Soné Que Fui Casado (I Dreamed I Was Married): Pedro J. González (3:03)
13 Corrido De Joaquin Murrieta (Pt. 1): Pedro J. González (2:59)
14 Corrido De Joaquin Murrieta (Pt. 2): Pedro J. González (2:59)
15 Como Me Has Pagado Mal (How You've Mistreated Me): Pedro J. González (3:04)
16 Vamos A Hacer Un Convenio (We're Gonna Make a Deal): Pedro J. González (3:13)
17 La Bella María (Beautiful María): Pedro J. González (3:23)
18 A Mi Primer Amor (To My First Love): Pedro J. González (2:57)
19 Corrido Villista (Ballad of the Villista Soldier): Pedro J. González (3:01)
20 Poemas De Mi Patria (Poems of My Country) [Pt. 1]: Pedro J. González (3:00)
21 Poemas De Mi Patria (Poems of My Country) [Pt. 2]: Pedro J. González (3:15)
22 La Parranda (Carousing): Los Hermanos Sánchez, Jesús Alvarez, Chicho y Chencho (3:06)
23 Corrido De Pedro J. Gonzalez (Pt. 1): Pedro J. González (3:25)
24 Corrido De Pedro J. Gonzalez (Pt. 2): Pedro J. González (3:29)
[Credits]
Producer and Liner Notes: Chris Strachwitz, Zac Salem: Editor and Liner Notes, Liner Notes: Philip Sonnichsen, Editor: Ignacio Orozco, Translator: Hilda Mendez, Designer: Morgan Dodge
[Notes]
Los Madrugadores (The Early Risers) gained immense popularity within the Mexican-American community during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Based in Los Angeles, Los Madrugadores was organized by Pedro J. González, a political activist born in Mexico. Throughout its existence Los Madrugadores was composed of different ensembles of male and female singers and musicians. The liner notes describe the group’s unusual history, including González's life as a member of Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa's army.

Tejano Roots: Raices Tejanas

Arhoolie Records – CD 341

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1991
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Latin, Tejano
[Tracklist]
01 Mi Unico Camino (My Only Path): Conjunto Bernal (3:14)
02 La Cuquita: Narciso Martínez (3:08)
03 Feliz Sin Ti (Happy Without You): Lydia Mendoza (2:38)
04 Cuatro O Cinco Farolazos (4 or 5 Shots of Liquor): Tony De La Rosa (2:31)
05 Ausencia: Narciso Martínez (3:44)
06 Por Tu Ausencia (Because Of Your Absence): Carmen y Laura (2:51)
07 Mi Pecosita: Beto Villa Y Su Orquesta (2:38)
08 Gregorio Cortez: Jesús Maya y Timoteo Cantú (3:00)
09 Un Recuerdo Quedo (One Memory Remained): Trío San Antonio (3:00)
10 Tres Consejos (Three Pieces Of Advice): Hermanas Mendoza (3:08)
11 La Primavera: Juan López (2:31)
12 La Tijerita: Juan López (2:34)
13 Mujer Hermosa (Pretty Woman): Valerio Longoria (3:07)
14 Pensamiento (Thoughts): Conjunto Bernal (2:54)
15 Quiereme Vidita (Love Me, Dear): Chelo Silva (2:37)
16 Pachuca Blues: Beto Villa Y Su Orquesta (2:48)
17 La Novia Antonia (Sweetheart, Antonia): Conjunto Bernal & Mando Marroquin (2:48)
18 Corina, Corina: Freddy Fender (2:18)
19 Que Mala (How Bad): Eddie con Los Shades (2:27)
20 Corazon Del Pueblo (Sweetheart Of The Town): Isidro López y Conjunto Ideal (2:35)
21 Tarde Pa' Arrepentirnos: Isidro López Y Su Orquesta (2:57)
22 Porque Me Abandonas (Why Are You Leaving Me?): Agapito Zúñiga (2:37)
23 Tu Destino (Your Destiny): Lydia Mendoza (2:59)
24 Las Nubes (The Clouds): Wally Almendarez (3:03)
[Credits]
Producer and Liner Notes: Chris Strachwitz, Editor: Davia Nelson and Dix Bruce, Cover Artwork: Jesse Almazan, Translator: Jim Nicolopulos and Zack Salem, Recorder: Armando Marroquin, Paco Betancourt and John Phillips
[Notes]
Texas-Mexican conjunto is "one of the most enduring musical traditions among Mexicans and Mexican Americans," writes ethnomusicologist Manuel Peña. Starting with the music of both urban and rural Mexico, Tejano and conjunto musicians also incorporated musical influences from their Anglo-American, African American, and European (especially German and Czech) neighbors. In 1990, Arhoolie Records founder Chris Strachwitz acquired Ideal Records, a company that had a long history of recording Tejano and conjunto performers. Drawing from Ideal’s deep musical library, he compiled this rich sampler. The liner notes include a history of Tejano music and background information about each of the 24 tracks.

Roots of Black Music in America

Folkways Records – FA 2694

Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released: 1972
Genre: Blues, Folk, World, & Country
Style: African American Music
[Tracklist]
A01 Simpah - Simpa: Hausa drum group (2:03)
A02 Jumping Dance: Bahamian drum group (1:34)
A03 Atsiagbekor: Ewe drum orchestra (1:33)
A04 New York String Band: New York street musicians (1:31)
A05 Kendal: Female Wolof singers (1:19)
A06 Everything the Monkey Do: Andros Island musicians (1:09)
A07 Gio - Song: Gio workers (1:44)
A08 New Orleans Street Drumming: n/a (1:36)
A09 New Orleans/Chicago Jazz Drumming: Baby Dodds (2:09)
A10 Anougble Festival: Baoule drum orchestra (1:29)
A11 New York Contemporary Jazz Drumming: n/a (2:01)
B01 Work Songs: Kpelle bush cutters (1:59)
B02 Work Song: Cameroonian coffee sifters (1:32)
B03 Work Song: Jamaican construction workers (1:28)
B04 Men's Wedding Song: Male Dogon singers (1:26)
B05 Go Down, Old Hannah: n/a (1:37)
B06 Wives' Song / Alabama Children's Song (medley): n/a (1:36)
B07 Akonodey: Akan Adowa musicians (1:23)
B08 Country Song: Kumina musicians (1:12)
B09 Mansa: Bafut musicians (1:58)
B10 Samba Gilajagi: Wolof gewel (1:38)
B11 Wasting My Time: J.D. Short (3:46)
C01 Tara: Wolof gewel (2:20)
C02 Minstrels: Tuareg musicians (2:01)
C03 Kentucky Banjo Instrumental: n/a (0:54)
C04 Virginia Banjo Instrumental: n/a (1:27)
C05 Kentucky Banjo with Voice: Roscoe Holcomb (1:27)
C06 Instrumental: Kpelle musician (1:39)
C07 Belly Harp: Bassa musicians (1:53)
C08 Djourou: Baoule musician (1:08)
C09 Vera Cruz-Style Harp: Yacqui musician (1:28)
C10 Balafon: Mandingo musicians (2:04)
C11 Baoule: Baoule musicians (1:44)
C12 Marimba: Mexican musicians (1:27)
C13 Musical Bow: Jon Wieh (0:59)
D01 I Have Two Wings: Utah Smith (3:28)
D02 Saddlehorse Blues: Daddy Hotcakes (3:12)
D03 When a Man Marries His Troubles Just Begin: Andros Island musicians (2:41)
D04 Just a Little While to Stay Here: Eureka Brass Band (4:01)
D05 He's a Friend of Mine: n/a (2:42)
D06 Jazz at the Philharmonic, Blues, Part 3: n/a (3:47)
[Credits]
Producer: Samuel Charters, Designer: Ronald Clyne
[Notes]
This two volume-collection, is a survey of instrumental and vocal music from African cultures as well as from African American musicians in the southern United States. Producer Samuel Charters created the album with the intent to provide musical examples from "two worlds" through traditional offerings of African tribal music, cultural roots that were forcefully suppressed during the period of slavery in America, and African American music evocative of the influence of its predecessors. 41 songs, 1.3 hours, with liner notes featuring an introduction by Samuel Charters, descriptions of songs, and examples of archival documents describing early African music and black music in the southern United States.

Nobuko Miyamoto: 120,000 Stories

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings - SFW40590

Series: Asian Pacific America Series
Format: 2 x CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2021
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Struggle & Protest
[Disk One: 2020]
01 We Are the Children (4:16)
02 Not Yo' Butterfly (4:19)
03 Gaman (6:27)
04 Tampopo (Dandelion) (6:08)
05 Somos Asiáticos (5:26)
06 Ichigo Ichie (4:37)
07 What Is the Color of Love? (7:26)
08 120,000 Stories (5:02)
09 Meditation on a Lotus (8:31)
10 Black Lives Matter (5:59)
11 What Time Is It on the Clock of the World? (3:49)
12 To All Relations / Tala‘a 'l-badru 'alaynā (3:03)
[Disk Two: 1973-2013]
01 Yellow Pearl (3:02)
02 Free the Land (3:36)
03 West to East (5:04)
04 Beckoning (3:31)
05 American Made (5:10)
06 English Lesson (6:20)
07 Pilipino Tango (7:23)
08 To All Relations (Mitakuye Oyasin) (6:24)
09 Fortunata (6:30)
10 Yuiyo Bon Odori (3:48)
11 Mottainai (3:37)
12 Cycles of Change) (4:27)
13 Bam Butsu, No Tsunagari (10,000 Things, All Connected) (6:26)
[Credits]
Nobuko Miyamoto (piano/vocals) Derek Nakamoto (piano/organ/synthesizer/vocals) Fender Rhodes (bass) Juan Pérez (bass) Tylana Enomoto (violin) Kenny Endo (taiko/percussion) Quetzal Flores (guitar) Juan Pérez (bass) Joey De Leon (congas/bongo/cow bell) Abe Lagrimas Jr.(drums) Gerald Albright (saxophone) Tetsuya Nakamura (harmonica) Asiyah Ayubbi (darbuka/vocals) Chris Iijima (guitar/vocals) William "Charlie" Chin (guitar) Attallah Ayyubi (conga) Benny Yee (piano) Russel Baba (saxophone) Gary Fitzgerald (bass) E.W. Wainright (drums) Derek Nakamoto (piano/keyboard/synthesizer) John Barnes (bass) Fender Rhodes (bass) Luis Conte (percussion) Dan Marfisi (percussion) Michael Paulo (saxophone) Young Ae Park (vocals) Danny Yamamoto (djembe/drums) Francis Awe (drums) Kell Elifson (guitar) June Kuramoto (koto) Jesse Acuna (berimbau) Sharon Koga (shamisen) George Abe (flute) Johnny Mori (taiko) César Castro (guitar/vocals) Sean Miura (shamisen) Danny Yamamoto (taiko) George Abe (yokobue) Juan Pérez (bass)
Liner Notes: Nobuko Miyamoto and Barbara Dane
[Notes]
Nobuko Miyamoto is an icon of Asian American music and activism. Since the early 1970s, she has been exploring ways to reclaim and respirit our minds, bodies, histories, and communities, using the arts to create social change and forge solidarity. 120,000 Stories collects powerful new songs, reinterpretations of old ones, and recordings from across her career, including from the seminal 1973 album A Grain of Sand and the band Warriors of the Rainbow. These songs speak to past and present struggles—for self-determination, Black Lives, the environment. They chronicle difficult histories, they celebrate resilient traditions, and most of all, they endeavor to connect communities.

A Grain of Sand: Music for the Struggle by Asians in America

Chris Kando Iijima, Joanne Nobuko Miyamoto, "Charlie" Chin

Paredon Records P-1020

Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released: 1973
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Struggle & Protest
[Tracklist]
A1 Yellow Pearl (3:04)
A2 Wandering Chinaman (3:42)
A3 Imperialism Is Another Word For Hunger (3:21)
A4 Something About Me Today (3:35)
A5 Jonathan Jackson (3:21)
A6 We Are The Children (2:48)
B1 Warriors Of The Rainbow (4:12)
B2 Foolish Old Man Who Removed The Mountains (3:52)
B3 Somos Asiaticos (We Are Asians) (3:36)
B4 War Of The Flea (3:20)
B5 Divide And Conquer (2:57)
B6 Free The Land (3:35)
[Credits]
"Charlie" Chin (guitar/flute/vocals) Chris Iijima (guitar/vocals) Nobuko Miyamoto (maracas/vocals) Attalah (conga)
Producer: Barbara Dane, Liner Notes: Nobuko Miyamoto and Chris Iijima, Photographer: Bob Hsiang, Designer: Arlon Huang and Karl Matsuda, Engineer: Jonathan Thayer
[Notes]
A 1973 Paredon Records release, is widely recognized as the first album of Asian American music. Chris Kando Iijima, Joanne Nobuko Miyamoto, and William "Charlie" Chin deliver their activist message through simply–recorded acoustic guitars and vocals, with the occasional accompaniment of bongos, bass, and di zi, a Chinese flute. Soul, jazz, and blues elements are interwoven in the American folk style of the songs. The artists were also influenced by their solidarity with African American and Latin American social movements; for example, their musical collaboration with Puerto Rican duo Flora y Pepe and exposure to Latino artists while living in New York. The liner notes include a political statement by the musicians, lyrics, and a list of Asian American publications from the era.

Border Crossings: New Directions in Tex-Mex Music

Ben Tavera King Y Los Jazztecs

Folkways Records – FTS 37458

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Latin, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Latin
[Tracklist]
A1 En La Manana (3:49)
A2 La Fiesta (2:56)
A3 El Viaje (3:30)
A4 El Mercado (2:52)
A5 Algo Romantico (2:25)
A6 Cruzando (3:18)
B1 El Sueno (3:25)
B2 En La Ciudad (2:56)
B3 Sombras (2:30)
B4 La Adventura (2:23)
B5 Media Noche (2:23)
B6 Reprise (0:25)
[Credits]
Ben Tavera King (guitar/flute/accordion/harp/mouth bow/vocals) Mike Allison (bass/percussion) Alex Medina (percussion)
Producer: Ben Tavera, Engineer and co-producer: Dubby Hankins, Liner Notes: Rafael Castillo, Cover Artwork: John Branch, Designer: Ronald Clyne
[Notes]
Recorded on January in 1984, at the DHS Studio, San Antonio, Texas, by Ben Tavera King Y Los Jazztecs, and was ahead of its time in mixing traditional music with contemporary concepts. "Border Crossings" is essentially a modern version of the centuries old Hispanic corrido, which is a series of verses that tell a topical story. While a variety of traditional and even primitive instruments are used on this LP, the music's topic is as current as today's headlines. The album's cuts trace an everyman leaving his home to cross a border into another land. Is he going from Mexico to the United States to better himself economically? Or is he going 'from one Central American country to another to escape war?

Whaler out of New Bedford and Other Songs of the Whaling Era

Folkways Records– FS 3850

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1962
Genre: Folk, World, & Country, Stage & Screen
Style: Folk, Soundtrack & Musicals
[Tracklist]
A1 Whaler Out of New Bedford (23:04)
B1 The Fitting Out (3:40)
B2 Boney (1:16)
B3 The Bark Gay Head (2:45)
B4 The Boston-Come-All-Ye (3:21)
B5 The Coast of Peru (3:27)
B6 Mary Ann (2:23)
B7 Desolation (2:56)
B8 A Hundred Years on the Eastern Shore (1:53)
B9 Homeward Bound (2:12)
[Credits]
Peggy Seeger (banjo/guitar/autoharp/vocals) Ewan MacColl (vocals) A.L. Lloyd (vocals) Dave Swarbrick (fiddle) Alf Edwards (concertina/oracina) Louis Killen, Charles Parker, Joe Higgins, John Reavey and Ian Logan (chorus)
[Notes]
Before photography, painted panoramas were often the only images the general public saw of distant lands. One such panorama from 1848, of "wondrous scenes of whaling and faraway islands," inspired a movie about the whaling industry; this album provides the musical score, in addition to familiar whaling songs set in New England, along the coast of South America, and on the Eastern Shore. Liner notes include images of the panorama, background information on whaling, and notes and lyrics for each song.

Norman & Nancy Blake: Just Gimme Somethin' I'm Used To

Shanachie Records – 6001

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1991
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Old Time
[Tracklist]
01 Waiting The Boatman (4:17)
02 Georgia Railraod (3:25)
03 Silence Or Tears (3:20)
04 The Poor Little Sailor Boy (6:17)
05 Green Leaf Of Fancy / The Fields Of November / Gonna Go Huntin' For The Buffalo (7:23)
06 When The Work's All Done This Fall (4:03)
07 Brickyard Joe (3:22)
08 Mr Garfield (7:22)
09 Old Grimes (2:27)
10 Wabash Cannonball (5:02)
11 I'd Rather Be An Old Time Christian (3:20)
12 Little Matty Groves (7:03)
13 Walking Tune (5:15)
[Credits]
Nancy Blake (guitar/cello/vocals) Norman Blake (guitar/fiddle/vocals)
Producer: Norman & Nancy Blake, Liner Notes: Holly Crenshaw
[Notes]
Just Gimme Somethin' I'm Used To is another charming album by Norman and Nancy Blake, featuring an excellent selection of old-timey country and traditional folk like "Wabash Cannonball" and "Georgia Railroad." There's not much that separates Just Gimme Somethin' I'm Used To from the rest of the duo's catalog, yet it remains a thoroughly enjoyable listen. -- AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Children's Game Songs of French Canada

Folkways Records - FC 7214

Format: Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: Canada
Released: 1956
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Children's
[Tracklist]
A01 A la Claire Fontaine! Ah! Tu Danses Bien, Madeleine! (0:49)
A02 Trois Canards (Three Ducks) (1:20)
A03 Salade, Salade! - Game Song (1:01)
A04 Lá-Haut, Sur la Montagne (Up on the Mountain) (1:19)
A05 Belle Pomme d'Or (Beautiful Golden Apple) (0:25)
A06 Trois Fois Passera (Bridge-Song) (1:24)
A07 A la Peche aux Moules (Fishing Mussels) (0:56)
A08 Les Gars de Lochmine (1:56)
A09 Promenons-Nous dans le Bois (The Wolf Song) - Singing Game (1:05)
A10 Allo, Monsieur (Recto-Tono Song) (0:53)
A11 Un P'tit Moulin sur la Rivière (A Little Wind Mill on the River) (2:08)
B01 Nous n'Irons Plus Au Bois: Vieille Ronde Francaise (1:50)
B02 J'ai un Beau Château (I Have a Nice Castle) (1:32)
B03 Le P'tit Avocat (The Little Lawyer) - Dramatized Song (2:42)
B04 J'ai Tant Sauté, J'ai Tant Dansé! (I've Danced so Much, I've Torn My Shoe) (1:37)
B05 Un Éléphant, Ça Trompe - March Song. School Version (1:10)
B06 Le Jeu de la Corde - Rope Game (1:05)
B07 Le Bal Chez Boulé (Hop at Uncle's Boule) - A Country Dance (1:30)
[Credits]
Recorder: Sam Gesser, Cover Artwork: Irwin Rosenhouse
[Notes]
Arranged by Madame Jean-Louise Audet, educator and director of L’Ecole de Phonétique et Diction in Montreal, and interpreted by a group of young French–Canadian students, this album is a rich collection of popular French–Canadian children's play songs which feature repetition, rhythm, dances, and other calls to action. Liner notes provide lyrics in French and English and dance instruction.

American Folk Ballads sung by Betty Garland

Folkways Records – FA 2307

Country: US
Released: 1964
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Tracklist]
A1 Lovin' Nancy (2:27)
A2 East Virginia (2:45)
A3 Ole Gum Boots and Leggins (2:07)
A4 I Saw the Pale Moon Shining on Mother's White Tombstone (3:53)
A5 Two Little Orphans (3:21)
A6 Broken Engagement (2:47)
A7 Little Rosewood Casket (3:16)
A8 One Morning in May (3:39)
B1 Love My Darlin' O (2:58)
B2 The Drunkard's Dream (5:17)
B3 Don't Sell Daddy Anymore Whiskey (2:05)
B4 Don't Ever Make True Lovers Part (4:00)
B5 Ten Thousand Miles (2:40)
B6 Katy Dory (3:42)
[Credits]
Betty Garland (guitar/vocals)
Designer: Robert Clyne
[Notes]
This collection of ballads from the Kentucky mountains comes from the repertoire of Betty Garland, who learned them from her family. She writes, "I did my best to sing these songs the way I have always heard them so that the original and beautiful tunes of the mountain people won't be lost."

Square Dance with Al Brundage

Cook Records COOK5006

Series: Road Recordings
Format: Vinyl, LP, Mono
Country: US
Released: 1954
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Miscellany
[Tracklist]
A1 Cannon Ball (4:34)
A2 Texas Stars (4:35)
A3 Flop Eared Mule (4:27)
A4 Chinese Breakdown (4:32)
A5 Give The Fiddler A Dram (4:29)
B1 Mountain Rag (2:56)
B2 Duck and Dive (4:05)
B3 Wagoner (4:14)
B4 Wagon Wheel Around (4:33)
B5 Old Joe Clark (4:31)
[Crerdits]
Al Brundage (dance calls)
Recorder and Liner Notes:Emory Cook
[Notes]
Here's your opportunity to swing your partner and promenade around the hall. These fiddle tunes are accompanied by dance calls from Al Brundage, who led one of the largest square dancing schools in the country during the mid twentieth century.

Negro Prison Camp Worksongs

Prisoners At The Ramsey And Retrieve State Farms, Texas

Folkways Records – FE 4475

Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released: 1956
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, African American
[Tracklist]
A1 Let Your Hammer Ring (5:50)
A2 Here Rattler Here (5:22)
A3 Chopping In The New Ground (1:40)
A4 Go Down, Old Hannah (5:26)
A5 Mighty Bright Light (2:56)
B1 Grizzly Bear (4:40)
B2 Lost John (5:00)
B3 You Got To Hurry (2:04)
B4 I Need More Power (3:36)
B5 We Need Another Witness (3:39)
[Credits]
Producer and Recorder: Pete Seeger and Toshi Seeger, Productioh Director: Moses Ascr, Designer: Ronald Clyne
[Notes]
Recorded by Pete & Toshi Seeger in the winter of 1951 at two Texas prison farms, this album represents some of the oldest and most traditional work songs found among African American prison communities in the southern United States. Traditionally a participatory art form, these songs were typically sung while groups of 10-30 prisoners performed tasks such as chopping and hoeing. With origins reaching back to their West African ancestry as well as during the era of African American slavery, work songs served the purpose of alleviating the mundane nature of repetitive tasks as well as providing a forum for the song leader to keep the group together through rhythms and lyrics. 10 songs, 40 minutes, with liner notes featuring an introduction by Pete Seeger and song lyrics.

What Now People? Vol. 1

Paredon Records P-2001

Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released: 1975
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Struggle & Protest
[Tracklist]
A1 Multinational Corporation of Man: Bill Horowitz (3:16)
A2 It Could Have Been Me: Holly Near (5:41)
A3 Red Dawn: The Covered Wagon Musicians (5:14)
A4 Play Your Guitars, American Friends: Alfonso Ray Riate (1:47)
A5 A Very Nice Country: Oscar Brand (4:07)
A6 Inez Garcia: Bev Grant and the Human Condition (3:02)
B1 We've Come a Long Way to Be Together: Bernice Johnson Reagon (3:52)
B2 How About You?: Pete Seeger (3:31)
B3 The Allen-Bradley Clock: Redwing (2:57)
B4 Here's a Gift from Rocky: Charlie King (5:38)
B5 Ballad of the Unknown Soldier: Barbara Dane (4:30)
B6 Song to a Child: Chris Iijima (2:51)
[Credits]
Producer and Liner Notes: Barbara Dane, Liner Notes: Irwin Silber
[Notes]
This album is the inaugural edition of "What Now, People?" Issued in 1975, this "song magazine on a record" used music to communicate social commentary and truths to its listeners. With songs by Pete Seeger, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Holly Near, and others, the album focuses on social justice, war, pain, love, and hope in a dangerous world. Liner notes include bios, lyrics, and background information on tracks, as well an introduction and statement of purpose: "a distaste for the brand of imperialism, racism and sexism that is identified by liberation forces everywhere as American."

Michael Murphey: Cosmic Cowboy Souvenir

A&M Records SP-4388

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1973
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Cowboy Music
[Tracklist]
A1 Cosmic Cowboy, Pt. 1 (3:54)
A2 Alleys of Austin (5:05)
A3 South Canadian River Song (7:14)
A4 Blessings in Disguise (3:43)
B1 Temperature Train (3:54)
B2 Drunken Lady of the Morning (4:22)
B3 Prometheus Busted (3:40)
B4 Honolulu (4:22)
B5 Rolling Hills (4:25)
[Credits]
Michael Martin Murphey (guitar/keyboards/vocals) Bob Livingston (bass/guitar/vocals) Craig Hillis (guitar) Herb Steiner (mandolin/pedal steel guitar) Michael McGreary (drums) Gary P. Nunn (synthesizer/bass/guitar/keyboards/vocals)
Producer: Bob Johnston, Cover Art: Bill Holloway, Designer: Louis Cook, Engineer: Michael Jackson, Allan McDougall, Bob Potter and Warren Barnett
[Notes]
Revealing Michael Martin Murphey's philosophical tendencies as well as his preference to drift into deep, thoughtful songs, Cosmic Cowboy Souvenir addresses the type of artist that Murphey truly is. The material on Cosmic Cowboy Souvenir is borderline romantic, but the album doesn't get too convoluted, too intricate, or too commercial sounding, and it manages to keep its simplicity and rustic charm intact. Tracks like "Cosmic Cowboy, Pt. 1," "Alleys of Austin," and the beautiful "South Canadian River Song" blend a certain amount of guilelessness with Murphey's own brand of urban poignancy, laying claim to Murphey's trademark as a "non-traditional" country music artist. The songs emerge as wholesome and wonderfully unceremonious, cashing in on Murphey's unconfined image and using it to give his material its wandering, nomadic quality in both the lyrics and the wide variety of string work. Even cuts like "Prometheus Busted" and "Drunken Lady of the Morning" keep the album's unbounded feel from sounding conventional or overindulgent without much effort. Although it spawned no hits, Cosmic Cowboy Souvenir is the album that quietly proclaimed Murphey as a progressive country artist, even though the material that was to follow would extend this style to even greater lengths. --AllMusic Review by Mike DeGagne

Barbara Dane: When We Make It Through

:Paredon Records P-1046

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1982
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Struggle & Protest
[Tracklist]
101 Working Class Woman (5:42)
102 Millworker (3:25)
103 Factory Girl (2:54)
104 Truck-Driving Woman (5:04)
105 In the Earth, In the Grasses (4:30)
201 Unemployment Compensation Blues (3:09)
202 Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? (2:58)
203 You Will Be Paid (3:09)
204 Song to a Child (4:03)
205 When We Make it Through (5:33)
[Credits]
Pablo Menendez (guitar/bass/harmonica/mandolin/percussion/synthesizer/vocals) Barbara Dane (guitar/vocals) Jorge Aragon (piano) Rafeel Sanchez (bass) Frank Padilla (drums) El Valdez (synthesizer) Lucia Huergo (piano/synthesizer/flute) Leopoldo Pons (percussion) Juan Carlos Valladares (piano) Silvia Acea (synthesizer) Jose Carlos Acosta (saxophone)
Producer and Liner Notes: Pablo Menendez, Liner Notes: Barbara Dane, Designer: Suellen Ehnebuske, Photographer: Earl Dotter
[Notes]
Folksinger and political activist Barbara Dane pays tribute to working class men and women in this collection of both original and cover recordings. Dane, once described by jazz critic Leonard Feather as "Bessie Smith in stereo," sings original songs like "Working Class Woman" and "In the Earth, in the Grasses" and covers the Depression-era classic "Brother Can You Spare a Dime?" and James Taylor's "Millworker." Her son Pablo Menendez is featured prominently throughout, playing a multitude of instruments including acoustic and electric guitar, electric bass, harmonica, mandolin, percussion, and synthesizer. Dane provides a written introduction followed by background information and complete musician credits for all tracks.

Sing for Freedom: The Story of the Civil Rights Movement Through Its Songs

Smithsonian Folkways CD SF 40032

Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 1990
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Foll, Protest
[Tracklist]
01 We are Soldiers in the Army: The Montgomery Improvement Association (2:31)
02 Keep Your Hand on the Plow: The Montgomery Improvement Association (2:11)
03 This Little Light of Mine: The Montgomery Improvement Association (2:12)
04 You Better Leave Segregation Alone: The Nashville Quartet (0:39)
05 Your Dog Loves My Dog: The Nashville Quartet (1:59)
06 Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Round: The Freedom Singers (2:30)
07 I Woke Up This Morning with My Mind on Freedom: Ben Gay (3:37)
08 Keep Your Eyes on the Prize: Charles Jones and Cordell Reagon (1:46)
09 Oh Pritchett, Oh Kelly: Bertha Gober, Rutha Harris, Charles Sherrod, and Jamie Culbreath (2:27)
10 Up Above My Head: Betty Mae Fikes (1:02)
11 This Little Light of Mine: The Freedom Singers (3:46)
12 Brown Baby: Cordell Hull Reagon (1:53)
13 Which Side are You On?: The Freedom Singers (3:46)
14 I'm Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table: Hollis Watkins (1:53)
15 Mass Meeting and Prayer: Hollis Watkins (3:53)
16 Guide My Feet: Dock Reese (2:06)
17 I'm on My Way: Mamie Brown and Carlton Reece (3:41)
18 Rev. Ralph Abernathy: Ralph Abernathy (1:31)
19 Yes We Want Our Freedom: Cleo Kennedy and Carlton Reece (2:23)
20 Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Martin Luther King, Jr. (3:41)
21 Ninety-Nine and a Half Won't Do: Carlton Reese (2:15)
22 Get on Board: Fannie Lou Hamer and Robert Parris Moses (4:53)
23 No Danger in the Water: Robert Parris Moses (1:23)
24 Medgar Evers Speaking: Medgar Wiley Evers (1:10)
25 Keep Your Eyes on the Prize: Robert Parris Moses (1:10)
26 We Shall Overcome: The Freedom Singers (2:42)
[Credits]
Liner Notes: Candie Carawan and Guy Carawan, Designer: Nancy Jean Anderson
[Notes]
Hymns, speeches, spirituals, gospel songs, and prayers...a moving civil rights collection drawn from 1960s field recordings in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The compilation captures the irrepressible spirit of that era and reveals a determined and triumphant African American culture. A collection of glorious songs and heartstopping selections by The SNCC Freedom Singers, Martin Luther King, Jr., Ralph Abernathy, and others. "...[T]here is wonderful singing here, great conviction, and the immediacy of living truth...powerful documentation of the most important social movement of our time." — Sing Out!

Song for Patty by Sammy Walker

Broadside Records – BR 5310

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 1975
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Struggle & Protest
[Tracklist]
101 Song for Patty (5:56)
102 Ragamuffin Minstrel Boy (2:45)
103 My Old Yearbook (6:38)
104 Little New Jersey Town (4:27)
105 I Ain't Got No Home in This World Anymore (2:16)
106 Closin' Time (3:46)
201 A Simple Hour Operation (5:23)
202 The Ballad of Johnny Strozier (5:17)
203 Funny Farm Blues (3:05)
204 Testimony of a Dying Lady (4:38)
205 Catcher in the Rye (4:40)
206 Bound for Glory (4:04)
[Credits]
Sammy Walker (guitar/vocals) Phil Ochs (guitar/vocals)
Producer: Phil Ochs, Photographer: Jolly Robinson
[Notes]
Sammy Walker recorded Songs from Woody's Pen in 1979, twelve years after Woody Guthrie died due to complications from Huntington's disease. Though the original recordings of these songs date back more than 30 years, Walker sings them in a traditional folk-revivalist manner reminiscent of Guthrie’s social conscience and sense of humor. Speaking of Guthrie, Sammy Walker said, "I can't think of hardly anyone who has had as much influence on my own singing and songwriting as Woody." This is Walker's enduring record of that influence.

Broadside Number Seven: All New Songs - All New People

Folkways Records - FD 5316

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 1973
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Struggle & Protest
[Tracklist]
A1 Let It Roar Like a Flood: Larry Estridge (6:22)
A2 Spirits of the Revolution: Larry Estridge (5:12)
A3 Aviary Song: Larry Estridge (2:53)
A4 It's Outrageous: Larry Estridge (3:13)
A5 Troubleshooter: Larry Estridge (4:09)
A6 The Ballad of Mrs. Martha Mitchell: Gary Paris (3:26)
B1 Vietnam: Paul Kaplan (5:46)
B2 White Blossom: Rose-Redwoods (3:10)
B3 La Lucha Continuara: Rose-Redwoods (5:24)
B4 The Ballad of Frank Clearwater: Ron Turner (7:05)
B5 The Ballad of Frank Wills: Ron Turner (3:40)
[Notes]
Featuring a collection of ripped-from-the-headlines compositions, Broadside Ballads, Vol. 7 offers a snapshot of America in the mid-1970s. In folk ballad tradition, several of the album's songs revolve around the lesser known figures of some of the decade's biggest stories: "Ballad of Frank Willis" is sung from the perspective of the security guard who discovered Nixon's burglars at the Watergate Complex, and "Ballad of Mrs.Martha Mitchell" tells the tale of the outspoken wife of Nixon's attorney general, John Mitchell. "Ballad of Frank Clearwater" relays the tragedy of the Wounded Knee protester who was killed by a U.S. federal marshal during the standoff of 1973. Other tracks address the war in Vietnam and the struggle for farmworkers rights. Liner notes contain lyrics and a collage of relevant press clippings. As a whole, Broadside Ballads, Vol. 7 not only allows us a glimpse into the zeitgeist of the seventies, but also offers proof that social struggle didn't end with the 1960s.

Broadside Ballads, Vol. 5: Time is Running Out

Broadside Records – BRS 312

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1970
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Struggle & Protest
[Tracklist]
A1 Time is Running Out: Wendy Smith (3:00)
A2 Good Mornin' Brother Hudson: Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick (2:30)
A3 Not Enough To Live On: Mike Millius (2:22)
A4 Hey, Mr. Rockefeller: Mike Millius (2:32)
A5 Farewell, Mr. Charlie: Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick (3:28)
A6 Ballad of Martin Luther King: Mike Millius (2:58)
A7 Backstreets of Downtown Augusta: Anne Romaine (4:23)
A8 Nothin' But His Blood: Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick (3:00)
B1 We Shall Be Free Together: Roland Mousaa (4:50)
B2 To Be a Killer: Wesley Houston (1:55)
B3 Elijah Good: Wesley Houston (5:27)
B4 Pinkville Helicopter: Tom Parrott (3:52)
B5 Hell No, I Aint Gonna Go!: Matthew Jones and Elaine Laron (3:29)
B6 A Pickaxe and a Stone: Jimmy Collier (6:07)
[Credits]
Designer: Agnes Friesen, Photographer:Jimmy Collier, Rev. Kirkpatrick and Diana Davies
[Notes]
Recorded during the height of anti-war protests in America, this 14-track collection focuses on the issues of civil rights and the Vietnam War. Contributing songs and performances are Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick ("Good Morning, Mr. Hudson," "Farewell, Mr. Charlie," and "Nothin' But His Blood"), Wesley Houston ("Elijah Good" and "To Be a Killer"), Mike Millius ("Not Enough to Live On," "Hey, Mr. Rockefeller," and "The Ballad of Martin Luther King"), Jimmy Collier ("The Pickaxe and a Stone"), Tom Parrott ("Pinkville Helicopter"), and a performance of "Hell No, I Ain't Gonna Go" by Matthew Jones complete with a horn section. This last performance was perhaps influenced by the musical Hair. Liner notes accompany the recording.

The Time Will Come and Other Songs from Broadside Magazine

Broadside Ballads, Vol. 4

Broadside Records – BR 303

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1967
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Struggle & Protest
[Tracklist]
A1 The Time Will Come: Elaine White (4:57)
A2 Hold Back the Waters: Will McLean, Paul Champion (3:51)
A3 The Migrant's Song: Danny Valdez and Augustin Lira (5:12)
A4 Don't Talk to Strangers: Chris Gaylord (7:40)
B1 Shady Acres: Blind Girl Grunt (Janis Ian) (3:27)
B2 El Picket Sign: El Teatro Campesino (3:15)
B3 Osceola: Will McLean, Paul Champion (2:15)
B4 I've Been Told: Paul Kaplan (3:32)
B5 Freedoms We've Been Fighting For: Tom Parrott, John Mackiewicz (3:59)
B6 Genocide: Zachary 2 and Group (5:28)
[Credits]
Cover Artwork: Agnes Friesen, Liner Notes: Gordon Friesen
[Notes]
This 10-track album by Broadside, a magazine devoted to publishing contemporary folk songs during the 1960s, features songs by unknown or emerging folk singer-songwriters. The best known of the performers is Janis Ian (billed as "Blind Girl Grunt") singing her composition "Shady Acres," about sending the elderly to the retirement home. The themes in this fourth Broadside release in general are becoming a little more hard edged, as America is beginning to wrestle with political and social issues ranging from civil rights to immigration and the war in Vietnam. Liner notes with song lyrics accompany the recording.

Plutonium sung by Mark Cohen

Folkways Records - FS 5354

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1979
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Struggle & Protest
[Tracklist]
A1 Plutonium (3:03)
A2 The Nature of Things (3:27)
A3 Livelong Day (2:26)
A4 Seasons Changing Colors (2:40)
A5 The Shift of the Sands (3:21)
B1 A Harvest Song (2:54)
B2 The Thing That Fell into Bill McCarthy's Pond (2:33)
B3 Tidewater Sounds (4:19)
B4 The Explosion of a Star (4:50)
B5 Everything Changed (2:26)
[Credits]
Mark Cohen (guitar/vocals)
Liner Notes: Mark Cohen, Designer: Ronald Clyne, Photographer: Sarah Cohen
[Notes]
Folksinger-songwriter Mark Cohen offers an intriguing follow-up to his 1977 Folkways album, Fare Well Traveller, with an environmentally themed work. His 10 original compositions range from the story of a 300-year-old sunken ship ("The Shift of the Sands") to the environmental concerns of nuclear power plants ("Plutonium"), a subject even more relevant today. In his letter to Folkways Record founder Moses (Moe) Asch, Cohen explains the inspirations for many of the songs on this album. "The Nature of Things," he writes in the liner notes, "is about how I'd take a sunset over a radioactive glow, of how the opposite of love is not hate but nothingness." The liner notes from this 1979 recording also include the song lyrics and songwriting and publishing credit information.

Sea Island Folk Festival

Moving Star Hall Singers and Alan Lomax

Folkways Records – FS 3841

Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released: 1964
Genre: Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Gospel
[Tracklist]
A1 Remember Me (2:19)
A2 Meet Me in Galilee (2:10)
A3 Ask the Watchman How Long - New Year's Eve Song (2:24)
A4 See God's Ark A-Moving (3:05)
A5 Talk about the Sea Island Folk Festival / Texas Folk Tale / Texas Hide / Seek Song (10:20)
B1 Ezekial in the Valley (2:17)
B2 Gullah Folk Tale: Barney McCabe (5:58)
B3 Somebody Stole My Henhouse Key (1:43)
B4 Blues (1:24)
B5 Ezekial in the Valley (2:05)
B6 Mary Rolled the Stone Away (1:51)
B7 Moonlight in Glory (2:32)
B8 You Got To Move (1:42)
[Credits]
Alan Lomax (talk) Moving Star Hall Singers (vocals)
Producer, Recorder and Liner Notes: Guy Carawan, Liner Notes: Alan Lomax, Photographer: David Gahr, Designer: Ronald Clyne
[Notes]
In 1964, after five winters living and working with the people of the Sea Islands of South Carolina (helping with adult literacy programs and recording singing traditions), musician and musicologist Guy Carawan organized a folk festival. He aspired to encourage a folk song revival and to provide support to performers such as the Moving Star Hall Singers, who kept the folkways of the Sea Islands alive in spite of poverty and a lack of interest from younger generations. In a rousing speech recorded at the festival, ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax (1915–2002) refers to the islands as "one of the heartlands of American music." Vigorous performances of spirituals, Gullah folk tales, and improvised blues attest to his assessment. Liner notes include notes on the songs, photographs, and articles about the living folk heritage of the Sea Islands by Carawan and Lomax.