'O Goodnight Leadbelly" (10.20.11) Week 9

"I say, the RockIsland Line is a mighty good road.

I say, the Rock Island Line is a road to ride,

O the Rock Island Line is a mighty good road,

If you want to ride it you got to ride it like you find it,

Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line."

Leady Belly has a complicated history. Trying to fit Leadbelly into a single, 4 hour class period makes my head spin. Since I already discussed in my last blog about the films we watched on Leadbelly, I learned a lot this week about the people recording musicians: What does it mean when records are recorded in prison? When Lomax went to several prisons, was he looking for talent from the controversial inmates (because it was stated earlier that he didn't know Leadbelly was there)? What does the world get out of this kind of commission? A legend in this case, but not at his time. Racial relations were always complicated in the 20th century, as a black man could not even run up the stairway in a hotel without being yelled at. Yet, exceptions were also made for people, despite their race, because they were musically talented. Lead Belly got out of the first prison he was held at because the governor appreciated the religious songs Leadbelly was singing. We also briefly touched on the talented blues player Skip James, who equalizes the extreme parts of life: hard conditions working on the railroads, work as a bootlegger, etc. Yet, his songs are about his experiences as a laborer, and drew inspiration from fellow Mississippi blues pianists and guitarists.

Last Week of Mississippi John Hurt: Leadbelly Next. (10.13.11) Week 8

Song of the week: Goodnight Irene with Martha Promise Ledbetter.

Leadbelly: I never knew he went to prison so many times. Yet, he was constantly released, one crime after another, because of his music? His good behavior? Who knows. Can crimes go unpunished because someone is musically gifted? I watched the short clip from Gordon Parks film (1976), of the depiction of Leadbelly as an inmate, who was discovered by John and Allan Lomax. In it, Leadbelly nonchalantly talks about killing a man and moves quickly on to talk about the songs he just knows. Why is this film impossible to find? The film is depicting an ex criminal that creates beautiful music because of his release. Yet, his past can cloud his music? Or is it part of him that people just accept because he is a musical genius?

In the film, Lomax came to the prison to “collect songs” and Leadbelly responded, “I know lots of songs, some I made up and some I changed from other folks’.” When he was asked what he was in for, Leadbelly said, “ Murder. I call it self defense. He stuck me with a knife but I stuck him better.” Leadbelly had never sung into a microphone before, but he sang songs he used to sing in Louisiana, where everyone knew everyone. Leadbelly also grew jealous of Martha (or Margaret?) dancing with Archie, who he later tried to shoot with a pistol. Is Leadbelly as violent as the film depicts? I think the film intended to dramatize Leadbelly's life for the sake of film and entertainment, yet what I primarily got out of it, was that Leadbelly lived a pretty rough life....no doubt about it.

In the Leadbelly newsreel clip, Leadbelly was singing in front of the inmates and later met Mr. Lomax after being released from the Lousianna Prison. The fact that Leadbelly was singing in his prison uniform again goes back to this rough life of his. Lomax said, “you cant work for me, you are a mean boy, you killed 2 men.” Again, Leadbelly is depicted as a criminal, yet Lomax still signs with him because he creates beautiful music.

The last clip that I watched showed Leadbelly singing with Martha. What a treat. When he sang to Martha, while playing on his antique, weathered guitar, Leadbelly appeared to be a very sincere person. He had the qualities of Mississippi John Hurt, where I could feel the genuine nature of his voice and his passion for singing. Possibly his passion for Martha? At that point, he did not seem like the hard edged person he earlier was portrayed as. While his face is naturally bold and stern, that seemed to fade. He became soft and genuine in my eyes, as he brushed Martha's chin with his hand while singing to her in his handsom suite.

Mississippi John Hurt (10.6.11) Week 7

“Is not’ trivial”….that my new favorite song for this week is “Red River Blues,” by Henry Thomas. The combination of the ol’ time singing, and the pan pipes completely captivated me. I love how these songs can just make me forget about everything and just listen; over and over again.

The theme for this week was a more upbeat set of songs about the things in life we experience, and glimpses back to the memories of the 19^th century. John Hurt’s lyrics and songs are not just about written words, but are drawn on from his life. John Hurt is one of a kind; people can imitate his songs and play each note perfectly, but they do not have his lively personality and character. This was apparent when we watched the Pete Seeger show “Rainbow Quest.” Pete Seeger appeared as an uptight and preppy host, despite John Hurt enthusiastically recalling his first recording in 1928. John Hurt lived and farmed in Avalon Mississippi for 30 years without a recording due to the Great Depression: there was no money for records to be made. As John Hurt was part of the Anthology of American Folk Music, someone from Australia came across the song “Avalon Blues,” and went in search of the humble musical genius. What an interesting story. We next touched on several themes in class. Who is the stranger? Stranger is what it means to leave a place is: possibly similar to how John Hurt left Avalon Mississippi in search of a larger audience in New York. He is a stranger to a place but not to his music. I learned about Dr. John, a piano player in the 80’s, and his song “Goodnight Irene” as a New Orleans revelation. What is the difference between a blues player and a songster? Henry Thomas was one of the beginning songsters, as his song “Red River Blues” had an amazing pipes sound to it. Next week we will find out more about the two. We sang several songs from the grey book as well, including “Beulah Land,” “Creole Belle,” and “Let the Mermaids Flirt with Me.” An extremely powerful statement was said today: “for water clarifies the spirit even more that a perfect friend.” It’s like a bag of tools that will guide you on your way.

Murder Ballads (9.29.11) Week 6

“Louis Collins took a trip out west,

And when he returned little Delia gone to rest

The angels laid her away.”-Josh Ritter

I love Josh Ritter.

Turn to page 1b? 1, 1a, 1b, 1c. Song supplements and more song supplements. A night of murder ballads is similar whip lash: more songs I am unfamiliar with. But not for long. Who knew that I would fall in love with “Folk Bloodbath” by Josh Ritter? I already downloaded the song from youtube. His voice gives me the chills and the verse “the angels laid her away” is extremely powerful. The “Folk Bloodbath” song is a combination of several classics, such as Stackalee, Duncan and Brady, and Barbara Allen. Just in this version alone, I learned about numerous topics: why do people dress in red in Duncan and Brady (for a funeral perhaps)? Can Stackalee kill a man over a stetson hat? Really? Taking pieces from other classic songs was like an allstar game. Also, once you know the context and the history behind these songs, it gives it a lot more meaning. By the way, who is Clarence Ashley? Who is Bill Monroe? Apparently he would practice catching 55 gallon drums, in order to learn how to play faster musical instruments. Possibly to “outdo” Doc Watson? While I could not tell the difference between a half of a step faster or not, obviously it means a lot to Bill Monroe. Buell Kazees song “Wagoners Lad” was interesting because it was sung by a man who plays a woman part (“I have been a poor girl, my fortune is sad.”). The “Dying Soldier” song was extremely sad, because it was talking about his preparation for death, saying goodbye to his wife, and meeting his wife and children in heaven. How can you say goodbye and sing about it? Lastly, Ralph Stanley’s song “O Death,” is moving: death responds at the end. Death will not spare him another year, but just wants his soul. How about that for a song! He is spilling his soul out in a song, yet it is all for nothing. He wont be spared.

Moving onto a sweeter topic: apples and honey. Plus Katy’s slide show of the cherry orchards and plank flooring in Ohio and Appalachian mountains.

We finished with a review of the artwork for the Banks of Ohio. I liked Chris’s sculpture of the tree roots and human head growing into each other. For feedback, I personally need to draw bigger…..possibly another medium? Color? Where is my next canvas….

Next week we are featuring Barbara Allen. But, for now….I have two words..who kind of stole the show….Josh Ritter.

Banks of Ohio (9.22.11) Week 5

An entire night of singing: just singing. It was an extremely emotional night: Tony, Katy, and Anthony returned. The band composed of several artists, featuring several guitarists and an accordion player. It was not a night to learn about new information, how could it be? But it was a good way to practice singing the lyrics and just getting into the mood of singing songs for what they are. The folk songs, especially “O Mary Don’t You Weep” and “Banks of Ohio,” really can be just make all the stress in life seem to dissolve and disappear. Four hours pass by quickly because we got lost in the songs. It is ironic how dark and sad the songs really are, yet how we sing them in class makes them playful and fun.

pg. 92-100, 187-204

“The rose and the briar: death. Love and liberty in the American ballad”: Isn’t the title catchy? Death was thoroughly portrayed in the lyrics, and made its way into the folk songs. I think the author made an interesting point: why would anyone write, “killed in an automobile accident,” when “death on the highway” is catchier? A song makes you want to listen.

Death was made into an event: now that is an interesting topic. According to Marcus, death as itself and part of a tradition raises people up and joins them as a community. The point was not to gratify death but to tell stories about it. Marcus writes, “its not to lift the dead into a heaven of in corporeality, but to make you feel the world turning, to realize that a someone once walked the earth, he or she then left it, and in a particular way.” Death is not just a cycle, but each person has their own life story and ending. The songs carry a kind of truth that can’t be found elsewhere. Such is the case for Barbara Allen, which is an old song, yet so powerful that they will be sung forever.

When the host of the Big Surprise, Jack Berry, asked the woman what are the words to “the Streets of Laredo,” her response was classic. She sang the answer, trusting that each word would lead her to the next one. Somehow the story was more important than the prize money. She made you forget that anything outside the song existed, which is extremely gratifying to see how music can have an affect on people and their memories. I am sure that moment marked a memory that was special in her lifetime.

Nick Tosches article, “Country: The twisted Roots of Rock n’ Roll,” was at some points difficult to follow. He made references to several country artists and songs that I did not know of. Yet he described his obsession with the song “Black Jack David,” which traces back to the origins in messianism and Christianity. This brings up the power of the origins: what we claim is original is actually false. Tosches goes on to discuss the Ubangi Stomp, which was the tough strain of churlish country music that came about in the 1950s. Yes this means Elvis! Other topics included, the ballad of Orfeo and the Faa gypsies.