Smithsonian Folkways

Best of the best Lead Belly and Woody Guthrie compilation. Even if you don’t play folk, you might give this a quick listen anyway. Guthrie’s lyrics are overtly political, while Lead Belly mostly sticks to more personal and allusive material, with the exception of “Bourgeois Blues” (#15). I liked 2, 3, 15, 17, 23. 26.

1)LB: Raw and elemental
2)WG: “…as far as you may roam, you will never find a outlaw, driving a family from their home”
3)WG: California ain’t so hot without the do-re-mi.
4)WG: Ain’t got no home in this world anymore.
5)WG: The cops and soldiers nailed him in the air, and they laid Jesus Christ in his grave.
6)LB: Cotton picking.
7)LB: Rock Island Line.
8)WG: Grand Coulee Dam (pro-dam)
9)LB: Bucket blues. Nice groove, odd lyrics.
10)Weird interlude: Spoken word reading explaining WG’s philosophy.
11)WG: Hard-traveling. Great tune.
12)LB: About the red-light district where LB got his start.
13) WG: Cowboy vs. lawyer. Guess which one gets shot.
14)WG: Hobo’s lullaby.
15)LB: Bourgeois (!) Blues. Damn yuppies.
16)LB: Hypocritical preacher.
17)LB: LB’s classic.
18)WG: Vigilante = bad.
19)LB: Finger pickin’. Old English folk song.
20)WG: This land is your land.
21)WG: Talking song about work.
22)LB: Another classic: midnight special.
23)LB: Sad, classic tune.
24)WG: About migrant laborers.
25)WG: Fun children’s song.
26)WG/LB: Duet. Great lyrics. “You shall be free when the good Lord sets you free.”

Alex