Lead Belly - Sings for Children - 1999

×

Lead Belly - Sings for Children - 1999

Close

Product Description: Leadbelly wasn't exactly the Raffi of the Roosevelt era. Convicted of attempted murder and murder, the man born Huddie Leadbelly on January 20, 1888, in Mooringsport, Louisiana, began forging a career as a performer in the 1930s after his discovery by John and Alan Lomax. By then he'd developed an enormous repertoire as well deft vocal and instrumental skills. Despite his sordid past, Leadbelly won over adults and children alike; this generous 28-song collection demonstrates the source of his pied-piper appeal. While the master of the 12-string guitar drew upon traditional kid fare ("Skip to My Lou," "Blue-Tailed Fly"), he recognized that plenty of goodies from his adult bag of songs appealed to tykes, too. Consequently, blues, work songs, and prison numbers turn up in this gratifying collection, which consists of a 1960-released children's LP in its entirety, plus selections from two other records and a previously unreleased radio track.

This new collection features delightful songs for young children as well as the work songs, blues, and spirituals Lead Belly used to teach children about the experiences and emotions of adult life. Originally reocrded in children's concerts and studios for asch and Folkways records in the 1940s, the 28 songs and spoken introductions reveal the humor, humanity, and musical genius of one of the great artists of the twentieth century. Essential listening for all ages. Produced by Moses Asch. Reissue compiled and annotated by Jeff Place.

Review: In many ways, this album is an oddity. First, it is a blues album. The blues are supposed to be about sadness and hard times, yet this a remarkably upbeat album, Second, it is a children's album, except that it may be better appreciated by adults. I have not played this album to children, so I can't say what today's children will make of this album.
There are some traditional children's songs here, including Skip to my Lou, Grey goose and Blue-tailed fly (Jimmy crack corn), but there are other songs which you are more likely to find on standard albums, including Swing low sweet chariot, Rock Island line, Cotton fields, John Henry and Midnight special.
The songs here are sequenced such that all the genuine children's songs are at the front. After all of those come the blues and spirituals. Then come the work songs. Finally, you get some of Leadbelly's best-known songs. This last category confuses things slightly. After all, Cotton fields (included in the work songs) and Pick a bale of cotton (included in the famous songs) fit both categories. If anything, Cotton fields is the more famous of the two. Still, the order in which the songs appear is really not that important, although it was wise to put the real children's songs up front.
I have several children's albums, all carefully selected. This one definitely appeals to adults and serves as a great introduction to Leadbelly's music. (Amazon.com Customer)

Notes: Lead Belly Sings for Children isn't a straight reissue of a single album. In fact, it's compiled from several different sources and recording dates. This CD contains selections from the 1960 Folkways album Negro Folk Songs for Young People, five of the six tracks from the 1941 Folkways album Play Parties in Song and Dance as Sung by Lead Belly, various tunes recorded by Moses Asch between 1941 and 1948, and an unreleased radio broadcast of "Take This Hammer."
What's remarkable about this collection is that Lead Belly sang to children as he would any other audience. He included work songs ("Pick a Bale of Cotton"), gospel tunes ("Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"), political songs ("We're in the Same Boat, Brother"}, and the blues ("When a Man's a Long Way from Home") in his repertoire for kids, along with familiar songs like "Skip to My Lou," "Sally Walker," and "Blue-Tailed Fly."
Ledbetter's powerful voice and ringing 12-string guitar are unmistakable and inimitable. Compare his versions of "Grey Goose" and "Blue-Tailed Fly" to Burl Ives' and Pete Seeger's, respectively. And after listening to songs like "More Yet," "Ha Ha This A-Way," and "By and By When the Morning Comes," it's clearly evident that Ledbetter had a natural rapport with kids.

×

Lead Belly - Sings for Children - 1999

Close