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episode date - February 6, 2007
This week, we continue our look at the “birth” of the blues with the second of our three-part series.
To simplify a very complex subject, it could be said that the blues resulted by the combination of five distinct ingredients. Last week, we discussed two of them. First, we took a look at the overwhelming evidence indicating Islamic roots for the most basic of blues forms, the ‘field holler’. We then covered religious “shouts”, and jubilee singing, and their eventual use for secular purposes. Today, we look at two more elements – work songs and folk music.
The influence of the work song is quite obvious, and we hope that the examples included herein will make that point quite plainly. European influence on the formation of the blues is not so readily acknowledged, but numerous pieces of evidence proves that it is almost equally difficult to deny. To make our point, we conclude today’s show by tracing the path of a European folk song originally entitled “The Maid Freed from the Gallows” as it crosses the Atlantic Ocean and is given a fierce, intensely revitalized performance by Leadbelly. Next week, we will cover the fifth element, dance music, and conclude with W.C. Handy and the first publication of blues-based material.
Here’s a list of material covered in today’s program;
1) Jump Down, Spin Around – Harry Belafonte
2) Pick a Bale of Cotton – Unknown Axe-Cutting Group
3) Poor Little Johnny – Harriet McClintock
4) One Morning at the Break of Day – S’crap Ir’n
5) I Got ‘Em (Street Cry) – Valentine Pringle (directed by Harry Belafonte)
6) Mississippi Sounding Calls – Joe Shores
7) Steamboat Days – John “Black Samson” Gibson
8) Steel-Laying Holler – Will Roseborough
9) The Dallas Railway – Augustus “Track Horse” Haggerty
10) Long John – Lightnin’ Washington & Group
11) Black Betty – James “Iron Head” Baker
12) Black Betty – Ram Jam
13) Little Girl, Little Girl – Ora Dell Graham
14) Pullin’ the Skiff – Oira Dell Graham
15) Go To Sleep – Harriet McClintock
16) The Fox Hnter’s Song – Will Starks
17) The Maid Freed from the Gallows – John Jacob Niles
18) Mama Did You Bring Me any Silver – Leadbelly
19) Gallows Pole – Led Zeppelin
CLICK HERE to listen to the full show!
 
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