Newest Songs
Hell Bound Train
A cautionary tale of damnation and redemption
You know about the train that was "bound for glory". Well, this train was going the other way on the opposite track.
Jolly Roving Tar
A sea song from Newfoundland
I found this jolly sea song from Newfoundland on one of the old 'American Folksay' albums produced on Stinson records by Moses Asch, performed by Frank Warner.
No Peas No Rice
A Bahamian jazz song
A Bahamian song recorded in the 1930s by big band leaders such as Mart Brit and Count Basie and in the Bahamas by Blind Blake Alfonso Higgs.
Thorneymore Woods
A song of the noble poacher, and mean gamekeepers
An English poaching ballad as performed by Louis Killen.
La Bruja
Vampire story from Vera Cruz, Mexico. Boo!
La Bruja is a song and traditional dance in the Huapango tradition from the state of Vera Cruz. The dance usually involves a number of women with lighted candles on their heads.
The Devil and Bailiff McGlynn
The devil takes his due
What a fine old Irish tale. But it derives from a history that is not so jolly - the mass evictions and house levelings that took place during the Irish famine of the mid-nineteenth century. No wonder the mother in the story cries "May the devil take that awful Bailiff!".
Spotted Cow
A naughty little English folk song
Here is a traditional English song, at least I think so, I heard it from Steel Eye Span, that parcel of rogues who brought fuzz-tone electric guitar to English folk music.
Italian Carol
A christmas song from Italy
An Italian carol adapted by Pete Seeger from an old tradition in Naples in which shepherds come down from the Calabrian mountains for a festive stay in that city during the Christmas celebration.
Wild Women Don't Have No Blues
A blues for strong women
This song was recorded by Ida Cox in 1924, Ida was one of great, if lesser known, female blues singers in the era of Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey and Sippie Wallace.
Mean Old Bedbug Blues
A blues from Bessie Smith
Each of these are classic blues performance in their own right and provide an interesting contrast between country blues and early jazz band styles. I always favored Bessie's rendition. I think her slower tempo with piano and guitar accompaniment captured the true creepiness of bedbugs.
Uncle Joe Gimme Mo
Calypso from Trinidad
This great Trinidadian Calypso song comes from an early recording by Wilmuth Houdini. I love the way these Calypsonians took "uncle joe and his old ban-jo", a common stereotype in minstrel shows, and transformed him into a rock star.
Monsieur Banjo
A creole song for kids
This children's song in Louisiana Creole. My version is an adaptation of Pete Seeger's English language version on 'American Favorite Ballads' and a French language version from the Magnolia Sisters on their delightful children's album 'Lapin Lapin'
Featured Songs
Hopalong Peter
An old time banjo song
This was recorded by J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers in the 1930's. I learned it from the NLCR.
Meet Me in Rose Time Rosie
A wild old time among the roses. From Hobart Smith
Hobart Smith of Saltville, Virginia stared playing in string bands around 1915 and was still going strong until his death in 1965. I learned 'Rosie' from a recording made in the 1960's, his rediscovery period. Hobart was a terrific banjo player and just as good on fiddle, guitar and several other instruments.
A Short Life of Trouble
A sad old time country song
The earliest recordings of this song were done in the mid 1920's by Burnett and Rutherford (1926), Buell Kazee (1928) and Grayson and Whitter (1928). I first heard it from Hobart Smith. My favorite recent recording is by the Carolina Chocolate Drops.
Sail Away Ladies
A traditional dance song from Uncle Dave Macon
This is, of course, a big favorite. The best known version comes from Uncle Dave Macon. I'm fond of Mike Seeger's rendition on autoharp and pan pipe. You can hear this on his wonderful 'True Vine' album.
Texian Boys
A warning to young ladies.When other good folk are all gone to bed, the devil is a workin' in the Texian's head.
This song was collected by John Lomax, recorded on his Folkways "John A. Lomax Jr. Sings American Folksongs." Texian Boys is not very complimentary about Texas, but pretty accurate actually.
The Millers Will
The wages of greed
A dying miller, a true believer in the free maket, decides which of his three sons will inherit his mill by judging which is greediest and will do the best job of cheating the customers.
I Know Where I'm Going
An old Scottish love song.
This Scottish love song is so old nobody seems to know its origins. It has been performed more effectively by lots of people and is best sung in a female voice, but I can't resist an old favorite.
John Henry
Story of the steel driving man
If there is one single best known and best loved American folksong it is surely John Henry.
Bluey Brink
An Austrian drinking song
The pioneering English folklorist and singer A.L., Bert, Lloyd learned this song from "Old Dad Adams" of Cowra, New South Wales and sang it on two albums he made of Australian songs.
Cindy
A well known play-party song
Cindy is one of our best known and loved America folksongs. There are versions from the southern African-American tradition, the Appalachians and other sources. It's been sung by everyone from Granpa Jones to Elvis Presley and heard on countless movies and TV shows. So it is a song that truly belongs to everyone.
Wabash Cannonball
Get on board!
The Wabash Cannonball is the subject of many speculations. Was there really a train by that name? Who is Daddy Claxton? What is a "combination?" Are there really jungles in Indianna? What do you mean, "no changes can be taken?"
Nottamun Town
A strange nonsense tune from Jean Ritchie
The passing of Jean Ritchie reminded me of this song. Jean said it was a nonsense song from the Mummer's Plays of medieval England. The moody melody lends the song a surreal quality. Bob Dylan liked it and used the tune for Masters of War.