Description
This article discusses the third single-CD volume of Leadbelly's Library of Congress recordings, which was originally released as a box set and is now out-of-print. The 16 tracks on the CD cover a range of genres, including blues, spirituals, and folk songs, and were recorded between 1934 and 1942. The collection also includes spoken discourses on various topics, such as cattle herding and dancing, as well as rare songs like "Mr. Hitler" and socially aware numbers like "The Roosevelt Song" and "The Scottsboro Boys." Leadbelly's influence on the blues scene is mentioned, but the article emphasizes his place in the storytelling tradition of the songster.
Originally a box set and long out-of-print, this third single- CD volume of Leadbelly's Library of Congress recordings is the most complete representation of the great Texas singer and 12-string guitarist. Its 16 tracks embrace blues, spirituals, and folk songs culled from 1934 to 1942. We're treated to spoken discourses on everything from cattle herding to dancing ("if you're not crossing your legs, you ain't dancin'") to footwear. And we hear such rarities as "Mr. Hitler," Leadbelly's anti-Nazi ballad; and socially aware numbers like "The Roosevelt Song" and "The Scottsboro Boys." Although Leadbelly's writing and sheer presence made him an influence on the blues scene, this collection sets him firmly in the storytelling tradition of the songster--a predecessor of later artists like Mance Lipscomb--where he belongs.
--Ted Drozdowski
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