Songs By Leadbelly cover

Songs By Leadbelly

Leadbelly

Album · 1943 · Asch Recordings A343

Songs by Lead Belly was issued by Asch Recordings of New York as an album of three 10-inch 78 rpm records, catalog number A-343, with notes prepared by Charles Edward Smith. It was Lead Belly’s third album for Moses Asch. The six songs were recorded in New York City in August 1943: “Good Morning Blues,” “How Long,” “Ain’t You Glad,” “Irene,” “On a Monday” and “John Henry.” The set was reported as newly issued in June 1944.

Huddie Ledbetter, born near Mooringsport, Louisiana, was known for his voice and his twelve-string guitar. By the time of these sessions he had parted from John Lomax and was recording mainly for Asch. “Irene” was already an old piece of his repertoire: John Lomax had recorded a version at Angola prison in 1933 for the Library of Congress, and the song was published in 1936 as “Goodnight, Irene,” credited jointly to Ledbetter and Lomax. It is related to “Irene, Goodnight,” a song published in 1886 by Gussie Lord Davis. The Asch recording of “Irene” runs 2:25.

Tracklist

  1. 1 In New Orleans (House of the Rising) 3:17
  2. 2 Goodnight Irene alt version 2:34
  3. 3 Looky Looky Yonder / Black Betty 3:10
  4. 4 The Bourgeois Blues 3:27
  5. 5 Bottle up and Go 1:15
  6. 6 De Kalb Blues 3:07
  7. 7 John Hardy alt version 3:29
  8. 8 How Long Have I Been Waiting alt version 2:31
  9. 9 Roberta 3:08
  10. 10 Pretty Flower in Your Backyard 2:28
  11. 11 I Will Be Glad When I Get Home 2:17
  12. 12 The Gallis Pole 3:12
  13. 13 Where Did You Sleep Last Night? 3:04
  14. 14 Midnight Special alt version 2:30
  15. 15 When I Was a Cowboy 2:58
  16. 16 Goodnight Irene - Concert Version 1 7:15
  17. 17 Ho-Day / Ain't Going Down to the Well No More 3:43
  18. 18 Rock Island Line 3:17
  19. 19 Go Down Old Hannah 2:10
  20. 20 Shine on Me 3:54
  21. 21 What Can I Do to Change Your Mind 3:03
  22. 22 Skip to My Lou 3:30
  23. 23 Mary and Martha 2:11
  24. 24 C'est Bon, Les Oeufs (Scrambled Egg Song) 4:01
  25. 25 Whoa Back Buck 3:05
  26. 26 John Henry alt version 3:12
  27. 27 Backwater Blues 2:52
  28. 28 Ella Louise 2:25
  29. 29 I Don't Want No More of Army Life 2:37
  30. 30 Relax Your Mind 1:51
  31. 31 Goodnight Irene - Concert Version 2 3:34
  32. 32 Old Ship of Zion alt version 2:11

Share Playlist