In some cases, a song succeeds because of the subject matter and lyrics; in other cases, because of the music and performance. The following folk and country recordings succeed on both levels: whether conveying a timeless truth or an entirely original tale, they all entertain while telling a compelling story.
Dick Justice
“Cocaine” (Brunswick 395, 1929)
Although we tend to think of blues, country and folk as distinct traditions, they share a lot in common, and in the early part of the 20th Century it was not uncommon for rural white “country” music to incorporate elements from rural African American “blues,” and vice-versa. Until the folk revival of the 1960s, though, few white performers would come as close to an authentic African American style as West Virginia native Dick Justice. Although Justice also recorded traditional British folk ballads, it is his blues material that really stands out.
Justice’s style was greatly influenced by Luke Jordan, an African American folk-blues singer from western Virginia. In fact, Justice’s recording of “Cocaine” is an almost word-for-word retelling of Jordan’s “Cocaine Blues” (Victor 21076, 1927) and is sung – sincerely – from an Africa American point-of-view. Justice gives a winning performance. His voice and playing are simple but pleasant, and he narrates the song with subtle charisma. The relaxed pace of the record belies the wild nature of the lyrics, which tell a series of seemingly unrelated but equally scandalous vignettes: from a girlfriend who steals food for him to a furniture man who repossesses all of the narrator’s belongings. (“If there ever was a devil born without any horns / Musta been a furniture man.”) Of course, all of this craziness may be understandable in light of the occasional interjection, “I’m simply wild about my good cocaine!”
~ You may also like the flip side of this single: Dick Justice, “Old Black Dog” (Brunswick 395, 1929)
Mississippi John Hurt
“Stack O’ Lee” (Okeh 8654, 1929)
John Hurt straddled the line between folk and blues, creating a unique sound all his own. In “Stack O’ Lee” he tells what is considered to be the definitive version of the “Stagger Lee” (as it is more commonly spelled) tale, which was based on a true story. Hurt sings of Stagger Lee killing another man in an argument over a “five dollar Stetson hat,” and later being put to death for his crime. Hurt sings the sometimes violent lyrics in a beautiful, peaceful voice, and sounds comforting as he ends each verse with the refrain: “That bad man / Oh, cruel Stagger Lee.” His guitar technique is equally gentle, a deft, easy-going fingerpicking style that sounds nothing like his fellow Delta bluesmen. In fact, neither the record companies nor the public knew what to make of Hurt’s unusual, understated style, and his records sold poorly at the time. Compare this to the fiery Charley Patton or Tommy Johnson, and you can perhaps see why. But listen to his music on its own merits today, and Hurt’s talent and influence are undeniable.
~ You may also like: Mississippi John Hurt, “Frankie” (Okeh 8560, 1928)
The Carter Family
“John Hardy Was a Desperate Little Man” (Victor V-40190, 1929)
This Carter Family classic tells the story (based on true events) of a man who flees after committing murder, but is caught and ultimately hanged for the killing. Sara sings it in a little higher register than normal, and combined with Maybelle’s upbeat guitar, it gives the song a sense of lightness that belies the serious subject matter. Rather than being a song about murder and crime, it ends up being a song of redemption, as John Hardy ultimately finds peace in God before his execution, telling his wife: “I'll meet you in that sweet bye-and-bye.”
~ You may also like: The Carter Family, “No Depression in Heaven” (Decca 5242, 1936)
The Carter Family
“I’m Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes” (Victor V-40089, 1929)
This is a simple song of lost love sung by Sara in her trademark low, melancholy voice. The record begins with regretful narration: “It would been better for us both had we never / In this wide and wicked world had never met.” But the narrator cannot forget her lost love, admitting that she thinks of him often, “And I wonder if he ever thinks of me.” Sara’s plain-but-compelling voice is as strong as ever, and A.P. does a wonderful job singing the restrained harmony. His voice is buried behind his wife’s, and even behind Maybelle Carter’s steady guitar work, but he has just enough presence to subtly convey that a similar sense of heartache might exist as well on the other side of the failed relationship.
~ You may also like: The Carter Family, “My Dixie Darling” (Decca 5240, 1936)
Jimmie Rodgers
“Waiting For a Train” (Victor V-40014, 1929)
In 1929, “steel guitar” (so called because of the steel slide used to play it) was seen as a novelty instrument associated with Hawaiian music. As with so many other things, we have Jimmie Rodgers to thank for making it a mainstay of country music, beginning with this classic recording. In fact, Rodgers loved to experiment, and also added jazzy cornet and clarinet backing. It turned out to be a stroke of genius, as the unusual mix clicked with listeners and made the record a hit. The entertaining lyrics and Rodgers’ pleasant, expressive voice didn’t hurt either. Rodgers’ trademark yodel is only heard briefly here, but yodeling wasn’t his only feat of vocal gymnastics: the opening train whistle sound is all him.
~ You may also like: Jimmie Rodgers, “Train Whistle Blues” (Victor 22379, 1930)
The Bently Boys
“Down on Penny’s Farm” (Columbia 15565-D, 1929)
Almost nothing is known about the Bently Boys, but this song about the difficulties of life as a sharecropper is simply marvelous, and would prove influential. (Bob Dylan, for example, took inspiration from it when writing “Maggie’s Farm” in 1965.) The lyrics tell the story of someone who rents a portion of a farm, but can’t earn enough from working that farm to pay the rent he owes: “[George Penny has] got to have his money or somebody's check / You pay him for a bushel, and you don't get a peck.” The singer has a pleasant and compelling voice, and the sound quality is excellent for 1929. Between each of the verses, the banjo repeats a simple but entrancing passage. The repetition of this banjo part conveys the endless-cycle nature of the work, and yet it is so upbeat and catchy that despite the hardship conveyed by the lyrics, the record ends up being a joy to listen to.
~ You may also like: Clarence “Tom” Ashley, “The Coo Coo Bird” (Columbia 15489–D, 1929)
Milestone Recordings in American Music
3/21/09
Storytellers (1929)
Labels:
1920s records,
1929,
Carter Family,
folk,
Jimmie Rodgers,
Mississippi John Hurt
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Search This Blog
Archive
-
▼
2009
(65)
-
▼
March
(26)
- Shades of Sweet (1927)
- Virginia Country (1927-1928)
- Blue Yodeling (1928)
- Other Folk (1928)
- Texas Passion (1928)
- Delta Blues (1928)
- Memphis Blues (1928)
- Other Instruments (1928)
- New Old-Time (1928)
- Broadway Hits of 1928
- The Duke (1928)
- West End Blues (1928)
- Urban Blues (1928)
- Boogie Woogie (1928-1929)
- Piano Blues (1929)
- Mighty Tight (1929)
- King of the Delta (1929)
- Diddie Wa Diddie (1929)
- Storytellers (1929)
- String Band Assortment (1929)
- Handfuls (1929)
- Louis & Orchestra (1929)
- Lovable and Sweet (1929)
- Hard Times: 1930-1939
- Happy Days (1930)
- So Sweet (1930)
-
▼
March
(26)
oakley sunglasses outlet
ReplyDeleteabercrombie and fitch outlet online
fitflops sale clearance
hermes outlet online
mbt shoes clearance
coach factory
nike factory store
air jordan 12
ghd hair straighteners
chanel bags
puma clearance outlet
michael kors outlet
ferragamo shoes
new balance outlet
fitflops sale
cheap coach purses
nike shoes
celine bags
coach outlet online store
hermes belt
fitflops sale
canada goose jacket sale
gucci handbags
coach purses clearance
christian louboutin shoes
clearance nike
cheap north face
hermes belt
nike factory store
michael kors outlet online
lebron james sneakers
celine outlet
coach purses outlet
canada goose outlet sale
north face coats for women
20151030yxj-1
minnesota vikings jerseys
ReplyDeleteadidas nmd
michael kors handbags
abercrombie and fitch
michael kors outlet
pandora charms
reebok outlet
air max 90
los angeles clippers jerseys
miami dolphins jerseys
knicks jerseys
ReplyDeletelouis vuitton outlet stores
clippers jerseys
gucci outlet
kate spade outlet
louis vuitton handbags
christian louboutin chaussures
christian louboutin
instyler max
louis vuitton outlet
chenlina20170309
polo outlet
ReplyDeletepandora charms
louis vuitton factory outlet
cheap ray bans
true religion jeans
cheap jerseys
ralph lauren sale clearance
sac longchamp pliage
polo ralph lauren outlet
moncler jackets
20170321huazhen
coach outlet online
ReplyDeletemichael kors outlet store
adidas running shoes
tommy hilfiger windbreaker
pandora charms outlet
thunder jerseys
montblanc pens
cheap nike sneakers
mulberry
kd shoes
0406shizhong
christian louboutin shoes
ReplyDeleteoutlet golden goose
golden goose
moncler jackets
adidas tubular x
jimmy choo shoes
irving shoes
fila disruptor
supreme new york
supreme new york
Motorola P30 Play vs. Samsung Coach Outlet Online Store Galaxy S9 Asus ZenFone Lite L1 (ZA551KL) vs. Samsung Cheap Real Yeezys Galaxy S9 Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) vs. Her boss and fellow team members work at the company's corporate headquarters in Europe. "I have enormous Cheap Ray Ban Sunglasses phone bills and traveled a lot early on so that I could New Jordan Shoes 2020 get to know my manager, my customers, and the various vendors." Although Rebecca is outgoing enough to build relationships by phone, she Michael Kors Bags Outlet can also be satisfied without chatting at the proverbial water cooler. The most successful techflexers we identified are self starters with a high desire or Coach Outlet Clearance Sale tolerance for Nike Air Force 1 Cheap Outlet solitude..
ReplyDeleteRewind Cheap Jordans Online our Fake Yeezys lives by 20 years when there were no smartphones, tablets, laptops and e readers. These gadgets have certainly changed our lifestyle, haven't they? They are an essential part of our daily lives. Most people in India daily spend their time working on computers or smartphones for hours on end.