American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 1

American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 1

American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 1

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
In 1957, at the dawn of the urban folk revival, Moses Asch's Folkways label issued the first of Pete Seeger's American Favorite Ballads series. Marketing these albums to schools and libraries, Folkways served to document a range of great American folk songs that had remained popular with children since the previous century. Now Smithsonian Folkways has reissued American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 1--five volumes were released between 1957 and 1962--in an expanded edition that adds extra tracks taken from some of Seeger's other LPs from the same era. Although this is not explicitly a children's album (the sordid murder depicted in "Frankie and Johnny" is hardly kid-friendly), Seeger's performances have a jaunty sing-along quality that still appeals to younger listeners. Seeger's intent was to introduce these classic songs to a new audience, but his use of banjo as a backing instrument proved almost as influential. His idiosyncratic picking unexpectedly launched a fad among up-and-coming folk groups like the Kingston Trio, and just about every band from the period added a Vega Pete Seeger model banjo to its lineup. Though many of the songs on American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 1 will be very familiar, Seeger's unabashed joy in singing them is infectious and will have even the most curmudgeonly listener itching to sing along with him. --Michael Simmons

Product Description
Recorded during the heart of the great "folk song revival" of the 1950s and 1960s, Pete Seeger's American Favorite Ballads was and is a classic series of albums. Ballads contains definitive bits of Americana that have been a part of our lives for more than a half century, including songs like "This Land is Your Land," "America the Beautiful," "John Henry," and "Shenandoah." This CD is the first in a series of Ballad reissues, and essential for any fan of American folk music to own. Compiled and annotated by Jeff Place and Guy Logsdon.

American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 1,Pete Seeger,Smithsonian Folkways,Folk,Folk & Traditional,Folksongs,Political Folk,Pop,Traditional Folk
American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 1
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Favorite Ballads part 1
  • Seegers at his best
  • PETE FINDS HIS ROOTS AND OURS
  • Essential American music
 American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 1
Pete Seeger
Manufacturer: Smithsonian Folkways
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Folk | Styles | Music
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Traditional FolkTraditional Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 2
  2. American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 3
  3. American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 4
  4. We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions
  5. Pete Seeger's Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000067URK
Release Date: 2002-06-25

Tracks:

  1. John Henry
  2. Shenandoah
  3. Blue Tailed Fly (Jimmie Crack Corn)
  4. Black Girl
  5. Skip To My Lou
  6. The Big Rock Candy Mountain
  7. Clementine
  8. Yankee Doodle
  9. Home On The Range
  10. John Brown's Body
  11. Goodnight, Irene
  12. Swing Low, Sweet chariot
  13. Oh, Susanna
  14. Wayfaring Stranger
  15. Oh, Mary, Don't You Weep
  16. Down In The Valley
  17. The Wabash Cannonball
  18. On Top Of Old Smoky
  19. Frankie And Johnny
  20. I Ride An Old Paint
  21. The Wreck Of The Old 97
  22. Wagoner's Lad
  23. Old Dan Tucker
  24. I've Been Working
  25. Cielito Lindo
  26. So Long, It's Been Good to Know You (Dusty Old Dust)
  27. America The Beautiful
  28. This Land Is Your Land

Amazon.com

In 1957, at the dawn of the urban folk revival, Moses Asch's Folkways label issued the first of Pete Seeger's American Favorite Ballads series. Marketing these albums to schools and libraries, Folkways served to document a range of great American folk songs that had remained popular with children since the previous century. Now Smithsonian Folkways has reissued American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 1--five volumes were released between 1957 and 1962--in an expanded edition that adds extra tracks taken from some of Seeger's other LPs from the same era. Although this is not explicitly a children's album (the sordid murder depicted in "Frankie and Johnny" is hardly kid-friendly), Seeger's performances have a jaunty sing-along quality that still appeals to younger listeners. Seeger's intent was to introduce these classic songs to a new audience, but his use of banjo as a backing instrument proved almost as influential. His idiosyncratic picking unexpectedly launched a fad among up-and-coming folk groups like the Kingston Trio, and just about every band from the period added a Vega Pete Seeger model banjo to its lineup. Though many of the songs on American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 1 will be very familiar, Seeger's unabashed joy in singing them is infectious and will have even the most curmudgeonly listener itching to sing along with him. --Michael Simmons

Album Description

Recorded during the heart of the great "folk song revival" of the 1950s and 1960s, Pete Seeger's American Favorite Ballads was and is a classic series of albums. Ballads contains definitive bits of Americana that have been a part of our lives for more than a half century, including songs like "This Land is Your Land," "America the Beautiful," "John Henry," and "Shenandoah." This CD is the first in a series of Ballad reissues, and essential for any fan of American folk music to own. Compiled and annotated by Jeff Place and Guy Logsdon.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Favorite Ballads part 1.......2007-05-18

I originally bought this cd in order to see if I wanted to buy the entire set. After listening to it, I do. Seeger brings these favorites to life bringing in some unfamiliar lyrics that I am sure were closer to the original spirit of the songs than the ones that we all learned in grade school. The simple accompaniment adds to the attraction of the songs.

5 out of 5 stars Seegers at his best.......2006-08-19

These are the melodies which represent an heritage of american way of life during the century of the war between states.

Many of the words of the ballads evidence genuine foklore.

The way Seegers sings is of a unique quality

5 out of 5 stars PETE FINDS HIS ROOTS AND OURS.......2006-06-26

Since my youth I have had an ear for roots music, whether I was conscious of that fact or not. The original of that interest first centered on the blues, then early rock and roll and later, with the folk revival of the early 1960's, folk music. I have often wondered about the source of this interest. I am, and have always been a city boy, and an Eastern city boy at that. Nevertheless, over time I have come to appreciate many more forms of roots music than in my youth. The subject of the following review is an example.

I have done reviews of Pete Seeger's more political albums and need not address those issues here. These volumes of American classics with Pete and banjo are the songs you learned mysteriously in your youth, apparently by osmosis. As each song goes along you find yourself singing along to at least part of the song. These songs go deep into the popular culture and the roots of what makes those of us who were born here conscious of the musical influences that formed our lives. You may not like every song but the total effect will grab you.

5 out of 5 stars Essential American music.......2002-09-29

Pete Seeger's five "American Favorite Ballads" LPs were the basic documents of American folk music for generations. No dusty museum pieces, though - they were lively, funny, inspirational, joyous. It is delightful to see them begin to appear now on CD, especially fleshed out, as this volume is, with appropriate additional tracks from his other out-of-print Folkways LPs (how about getting some of those out on CD?). Essential in every way.

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