American Ballads and Folk Songs

John Avery Lomax, Alan Lomax

Dover, 1994 - History - 625 pages

"A book to cherish permanently." -- The New York Times.
With this ample collection of authentic ballads and songs, you can immerse yourself in the rich tradition and heritage of American folk music. Discover the diversity, spontaneity, free-flowing melody, and sheer invention of scores of songs sung by cowboys and convicts, lumberjacks, hobos, miners, plantation slaves, mountaineers, soldiers, and many others.
One of the remarkable features of this collection is its authenticity. Many of the songs were recorded "on location" by noted folklorist John A. Lomax and his even more famous son, Alan, as they traveled around the United States. The results are firsthand versions of music and lyrics for over 200 railroad songs, chain-gang songs, mountain songs, Creole songs, cocaine and whisky songs, "reels," minstrel songs, songs of childhood, and a host of others. Among them are such time-honored favorites as "John Henry," "Goin' Home," "Frankie and Albert," "Down in the Valley," "Little Brown Jug," "Alabama-Bound," "Shortenin' Bread," "Skip to My Lou," "Frog Went a-Courtin'," and a host of others. An excellent introduction, notes on each song, a bibliography, and an index round out this extensive and valuable collection.
Musician, musicologists, folklorists, singers -- anyone interested in American folk music -- will welcome this treasury of timeless song gathered in one handy, inexpensive volume.

Contents

• THE LEVEE CAMP: 43
• SONGS FROM SOUTHERN CHAIN GANGS: 55
• CHAPTER PAGE: 68
• NEGRO BAD: 87
• CHAPTER: 110
• WHITE DESPERADOES: 121
• SONGS FROM THE MOUNTAINS: 145
• THE BLUES: 191
• Michié Préval: 213
• Aurore Pradère: 220
• Foller de Drinkin Goud: 227
• Hard to Be a Nigger: 233
• CHAPTER PAGE: 240
• The Ballad of Davy Crockett: 251
• Old Dan Tucker: 258
• BREAKDOWNS AND PLAY PARTIES: 265
• SONGS OF CHILDHOOD: 301
• CHAPTER PAGE: 323
• MISCELLANY: 329
• VAQUEROS OF THE SOUTHWEST: 359
• COWBOY SONGS: 373
• SONGS OF THE OVERLANDERS: 413
• Joe Bowers: 421
• Crossing the Plains: 427
• Greer County: 434
• THE SHANTYBOY: 445
• THE ERIE CANAL: 455
• THE GREAT LAKES: 475
• Johnny Come Down to Hilo: 483
• CHAPTER PAGE: 486
• WARS AND SOLDIERS: 519
• WHITE SPIRITUALS: 561
• BIBLIOGRAPHY: 614
• INDEX: 623

Bibliographic information

• Title: American Ballads and Folk Songs; Dover Books on Music: Folk Songs Series; Dover books on music; [David Lewis Crosby collection]
• Authors: John Avery Lomax, Alan Lomax
• Editors: John Avery Lomax, Alan Lomax
• Translated by: George Lyman Kittredge
• Compiled by: John Avery Lomax, Alan Lomax
• Contributor: George Lyman Kittredge
• Edition: illustrated, reprint
• Publisher: Dover, 1994
• ISBN: 0486282767, 9780486282763
• Length: 625 pages
• Subjects: History / United States / General; Music / Ethnomusicology; Music / General; Music / Genres & Styles / Folk & Traditional; Music / Genres & Styles / Pop Vocal; Music / History & Criticism; Music / Instruction & Study / Voice; Music / Lyrics; Music / Printed Music / General; Social Science / Folklore & Mythology