Saturday 11 January 2020

Harry Smith ‎– "Anthology Of American Folk Music (Volume Two: Social Music)" ( Folkways Records ‎– FP 252) 1952


This is the creepiest of the three anthology volumes.
Its like stumbling over the rehearsals for Rosemarys Baby in a near-by copse,except that its for real, and no mere rehearsal.
Just imagine stumbling over a child sacrifice in a clearing on Walton's Mountain, and recording it.Thats basically what Harry Smith did.It got dat Voodoo.
Hillbillies frighten the living shite out of me,in the same way that Islamic fundamentalists do.They are part of the American Taliban,and in their simple ways exude the very essence of Stupid,but a loveable brand of Stupid.
Just imagine their toothless grins as they stomp merrily on their shack's front porch,pickled on Moonshine whiskey, burning crosses and berating Abe Lincoln.
Why they would want to slag down the memory of President Lincoln for, I dunno.They had so much in common after all?

Actual Abraham Lincoln Quote:

“I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black races – that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race. I say upon this occasion I do not perceive that because the white man is to have the superior position the negro should be denied everything.”

Tracklist:

Dances No. 1
A1 –Uncle Bunt Stephens - Sail Away Lady
A2 –J.W. Day - The Wild Wagoner
A3 –Prince Albert Hunt's Texas Ramblers - Wake Up Jacob
A4 –Delma Lachney And Blind Uncle Gaspard - La Danseuse
A5 –Andrew And Jim Baxter - Georgia Stomp
A6 –Eck Robertson And Family - Brilliancy Medley
A7 –Floyd Ming And His Pep-Steppers - Indian War Whoop
Dances No. 2
B1 –Henry Thomas - Old Country Stomp
B2 –Jim Jackson - Old Dog Blue
B3 –Columbus Fruge - Saut Crapaud
B4 –Joseph Falcon - Arcadian One Step
B5 –Breaux Freres - Home Sweet Home
B6 –The Cincinnati Jug Band - Newport Blues
B7 –Frank Cloutier And The Victoria Cafe Orchestra - Moonshiner's Dance (Part 1)
Religious No. 1
C1 –Rev. J. M. Gates - Must Be Born Again
C2 –Rev. J. M. Gates - Oh Death Where Is Thy Sting
C3 –Alabama Sacred Harp Singers - Rocky Road
C4 –Alabama Sacred Harp Singers - Present Joys
C5 –Middle Georgia Singing Convention No. 1 - This Song Of Love*
C6 –Rev. Sister Mary Nelson - Judgement
C7 –Memphis Sanctified Singers - He Got Better Things For You
C8 –Elders McIntorsh And Edwards' Sanctified Singers - Since I Laid My Burden Down
Religious No. 2
D1 –Rev. Moses Mason - John The Baptist
D2 –Bascom Lamar Lunsford - Dry Bones
D3 –Blind Willie Johnson - John The Revelator
D4 –The Carter Family - Little Moses
D5 –Ernest Phipps And His Holiness Singers - Shine On Me
D6 –Rev. F. W. McGee - Fifty Miles Of Elbow Room
D7 –Rev. D.C. Rice And His Sanctified Congregation - In The Battle Field For My Lord*


(*) missing track(s) from the file...click to download separatly,or just play the mp3 see if this is your bag or not?

13 comments:

FiveGunsWest said...

Some spine tinglers on here. Thanks a bunch Johnny Z

Nargile57 said...

Hmmm, amazon preventing download?

parmalee said...

I always wondered how Harry Smith, the Lomaxes, et al made it out alive. But yeah, besides religious fundamentalists, the American hillbillies are amongst the creepiest/scariest peoples in the world. My former band toured with a Finnish band some years ago, one of whom was weirdly obsessed by Southern rock--more redneck than hillbilly, but a lot of commonalities. He also seemed strangely oblivious or indifferent to some of the, erm, darker aspects. Anyways, I thought that a tour of some of these places might change his perspective a bit, but it seemed to have no effect. Still bugs me.

parmalee said...

Also, you seem kind of obsessed with The Waltons--what's the deal?

And here's the Fahey Zabriskie Point sessions I forgot to link:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/f2ezs4yeg90nzrw/john_fahey_--_zabriskie_point_session.zip/file

rev.b said...

“Honest Abe” Lincoln wasn't the 'woke' progressive people might think he was. In fact, he was in favor of exile blacks to South America. I guess "...I do not perceive that because the white man is to have the superior position, the negro should be denied everything.” is something of a step in a right direction, given the withering racism all around at the time. It's not much better today. Once I would have said at least it's no longer federally sanctioned policy, but given the last US election, white 'supremacy' it obviously alive and quite robust. Funny, I find that point of view the lowest, most primitive attribute of american society. Nice one honkies!

Jonny Zchivago said...

Whats the deal with the Waltons?
Aren't all americans like that?
Just like all us English gentlemen all live a life similar to Downton Abbey crossed with a splash of Peaky Blinders.
I just enjoy reading between the lines of the Waltons, the secret child abuse,the wife beating, the disabled results of inbreeding, and,of course, the racism.

Jonny Zchivago said...

Amazon not prevent download....try more than once, twice usually does it!

Jonny Zchivago said...

Finnish people have ocassional lapses in judgement.like allying with Nazi Germany,thinking that death metal is cool, and stuff. But we love 'em for it?

Jonny Zchivago said...

The Uk record on racism is even more insidious, the empire of 'good' intentions etc, and ,like france,has its own kind of hill billy, in the industrial deserts of northern england,and in the agricultural wastelands of the french south.....they seem to think that something has been stolen from them.....fuckers all!

Anonymous said...

Many thanks JZ

rev.b said...

Yes, there is truly more we have in common than seperates us. Lucky us...

Anonymous said...

Missing?
2-05 (C5)- Middle Georgia Singing Convention No. 1 - This Song Of Love
2-15 (D7)- Rev. D.C. Rice And His Sanctified Congregation - In The Battlefield For My Lord

Jonny Zchivago said...

Hi Anon,
yep they're missing.It can get quite confusing with all these volumes,and discs,some escape getting compressed.
I'll upload them and make a link using the track titles as they are on the tracklist on the post....just click on them and download 'em.They should take their rightful place alongside the other tracks in your file.
Enjoy.