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Classic Railroad Songs from Smithsonian Folkways
Participated by Various Artists
Studio : Smithsonian Folkways
by Smithsonian Folkways
Release Date : 2006-01-10
Publisher : Smithsonian Folkways
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
EAN : 0093074019221
UPC : 093074019221
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 5 reviews)
List Price : $11.98
Our Price : $8.05
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Album Description |
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This album features powerful performances by legends Lead Belly, Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Brownie McGhee, Mike Seeger, Pop Stoneman, Cisco Houston, and Rosalie Sorrels, among others. Elsewhere, National Heritage Fellowship Award winners Elizabeth Cotten and Doc Watson, who has won six Grammy Awards to date, are represented. Of the 29 tracks on the album, a full 21 appear on CD for the first time, all newly remastered by Grammy winner Pete Reiniger.Bookended by actual recordings of trains from the 1950s, the compilation evidences the continuing influence of these essential American ballads, work songs, blues and broadsides. "Midnight Special," represented here by Lead Belly, has been covered by Creedence Clearwater Revival, Paul McCartney, and Van Morrison. Alt-country band the Old 97s named itself after "The Wreck of the Old 97," which has been interpreted by Johnny Cash and John Mellencamp, among many others. The compilation also includes iconic American songs "Rock Island Line," "John Henry," "Wabash Cannonball," and "Railroad Bill," all presented here in riveting performances. Bluesman Furry Lewis, who sings about the legend of "Kassie Jones," actually lost a leg to a railroad accident in 1917.Grammy winner Jeff Place compiled and annotated Classic Railroad Songs from Smithsonian Folkways, which also contains rare photographs from the Library of Congress.Classic Railroad Songs from Smithsonian Folkways is the ninth entry in the label's Classic Series and serves as a doorway into Folkways' incredible catalog of recordings. The Classic Series, which has covered blues, bluegrass, folk, and mountain music, among other genres, also illustrates the role Moses Asch and his Folkways label played in preserving a vital piece of American history. December 6, 2005 marks the 100th anniversary of this American documentarian's birth. |
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Good topic, but the choices don't always work... |
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I think I would love a job in the recording industry in which I dig back through an archive and assemble 20-30 songs for a compact disc. I like, however, those which represent a single artist or group more than I like the thematic compilations featuring a wide variety of musicians with varying skills, recorded over 30 or 40 years, with all the differences even in recording technology displayed. Smithsonian did a great job with their "Cisco Houston: The Folkways Years" and with "Woody Guthrie Volume One". Their "Don't Mourn, Organize" tribute to Joe Hill was excellent, and their "Maritime Classics" is worth the money. This one falls beneath the quality of the above titles. For sure, as one reviewer posted below apparently does not realize, being limited to the tracks Moses Asch got from his friends in the NYC Folkways Studios from the '40's through the '60's is one reason the disc is inconsistent. Yet I am familiar enough with the Folkways catalogue to believe that a much more satisfying album could have been made with fewer artists doing better songs. Cisco Houston's output for Folkways had great versions of "Wreck of the Old '97" and "Railroad Bill." Pete Seeger laid down good renditions of better hobo songs than the deservedly obscure "Jay Gould's Daughter." Of the 27 full tunes on here, my favorites are the two by Doc Watson, and Cisco's solo, and the two showcasing Woody, with Cisco and Sonny Terry along for the ride. If this was titled "Classic Railroad Singers" its contents would be more justified. When you call something "Classic Railroad Songs" you should release the finest versions of each set of lyrics you can get your hands on, even if only four or five artists end up on the product. |
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My first Smithsonian recording, probably will not be my last |
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I've listened a couple of times now. Leadbelly's work is my favorite on the recording--naturally! Cisco Houston and Pete Seeger are also great. I personally am going to look for Rosalie Sorrel's songs covered by another artist--her versions are too fast and not quite as strong as the other artists. |
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I'd Even Go 4.5 |
These Folkways samplers clearly are trying to be, if not all things to all people, at least satisfactory to some pretty cranky constituencies. Some feel that songs such as these should be performed only by gritty voiced veterans of wandering the tracks. Others abhor the slick sounds of the studio. Still others demand to hear the appropriate number of minorities represented. And yet others want good music well performed. Tradition. Authenticity. Diversity. All goals important to some. Not to me. I place myself firmly in the last group: those for whom quality is the most important.
There is a lot of that on this CD. I am not one who believes good musicians or good singers can't sing traditional music. After all, we sure don't know that the gravel voiced smoker has seen the inside of a box car any more than we know that the sweet voiced tenor hasn't. This CD offers some very good singing, some great singing, and a heap of exquisite picking. Elizabeth Cotten's sumptuous guitar playing on "Freight Train," Walt Robertson's glorious finger work on "Railroad Bill," and the always excellent Doc Watson are highlights for me. Pete Seeger, not my favorite performer, performs wonderfully on "Jay Gould's Daughter."
A couple of the "authentic" voices are excellent as well. Haywire Mac and Furry Lewis, names I knew but unknown as performers, both delighted me. Leadbelly owns this genre, and three of his classics are perfect. With a few exceptions, Rosalie Sorrells being the worst, this is an excellent compilation, nicely framed by twenty seconds of steam engine on both ends.
And of course the incomparable Cisco Houston, even if the chosen song isn't his best railroad tune, is superlative. If he could have sung "Railroad Bill" over Robertson's guitar, that would have been a heavenly blend. As it is, we must be content with his stirring "Drill Ye Tarriers, Drill" and backup on a couple of other numbers.
The notes are a bit self-important, with the "Who actually wrote this" analysis that seems silly with performances by guys who may not have been able to read. Oh well. A very fine CD. Even if insufficiently "authentic." |
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Too much revivalist material |
There are a lot of good songs on here but I was disappointed that so much of the album is made up of Folk Revival era covers rather than "roots" versions. I cannot imagine that there weren't enough Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, and older songs about trains for them to fill this out without resorting to pop-type groups like the New Lost City Ramblers.
There are other CD's in this series, though, that are very good. |
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Pretty good but.. |
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Frankly, I was disappointed in the version of "The Wreck of the Old 97." It's an interesting cut, live with a call and response from the audience, but the recording doesn't pick up the crowd very well. Essentially, you get half the song. Other than that quibble, a pretty good CD. |
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