Folksongs & Sacred Music from Nepal

1. Basant (Music for Spring)

2. Harvest Song

3. Ramkali

4. Love Song

5. Song of Complaint

6. Music After Harvest

7. Morning Praise for Bhairava (In Temple)

8. Morning Praise for Govinda (In Temple)

9. Street Singer in Praise of Krishna

10. Demon's Dance

11. Farmer's Dance

12. Sowing Song by Women

13. Love from a Bamboo Flute

14. Teasing for Love

15. Lori [Lullaby]

Folksongs & Sacred Music from Nepal,Various Artists,Arc Music,Asia,Int'l & World Music,Nepal,Pop,Tibetian,V/a Compilations,World Music

Average customer rating: Buy this dead or alive O Brother, Where Art Thou? MORE OF AN IMPULSE PURCHASE FOR ME A real cheer-me-up CD

O Brother, Where Art Thou? Various Artists - Soundtrack Manufacturer: Lost Highway ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Blues | Styles | Music Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Compilations | Folk | Styles | Music Country Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music 2000s | By Decade | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music Bluegrass | Compilations | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Traditional | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Similar Items: O Brother, Where Art Thou? Down from the Mountain: Live Concert Performances by the Artists & Musicians of O Brother, Where Art Thou? Appalachian Stomp: Bluegrass Classics Alison Krauss & Union Station - Live Lonely Runs Both Ways ASIN: B00004XQ83 Release Date: 2000-12-05

Tracks:

1. Po Lazarus - J. Carter & Prisoners
2. Big Rock Candy Mountain - Harry McLintock
3. You Are My Sunshine - Norman Blake
4. Down In The River To Pray - Alison Krauss
5. I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow - The Soggy Bottom Boys featuring Dan Tyminski
6. Hard Time Killing Floor Blues - Chris Thomas King
7. Man Of Constant Sorrow (Instrumental) - Norman Blake
8. Keep On The Sunny Side - The Whites
9. I'll Fly Away - Gillian Welch & Alison Krauss
10. Didn't Leave Nobody But The Baby - Gillian Welch, Alison Krauss & Emmylou Harris
11. In The Highways - The Peasall Sisters
12. I Am Weary - The Cox Family
13. I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow (Instrumental) - John Hartford
14. O Death - Ralph Stanley
15. In The Jailhouse Now - The Soggy Bottom Boys featuring Tim Blake Nelson
16. I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow (With band) - The Soggy Bottom Boys featuring Dan Tyminski
17. Indian War Whoop (Instrumental) - John Hartford
18. Lonesome Valley - The Fairfield Four
19. Angel Band - The Stanley Brothers

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

The best soundtracks are like movies for the ears, and O Brother, Where Art Thou? joins the likes of Saturday Night Fever and The Harder They Come as cinematic pinnacles of song. The music from the Coen brothers' Depression-era film taps into the source from which the purest strains of country, blues, bluegrass, folk, and gospel music flow. Producer T Bone Burnett enlists the voices of Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch, Emmylou Harris, Ralph Stanley, and kindred spirits for performances of traditional material, in arrangements that are either a cappella or feature bare-bones accompaniment. Highlights range from the aching purity of Krauss's "Down to the River to Pray" to the plainspoken faith of the Whites' "Keep on the Sunny Side" to Stanley's chillingly plaintive "O Death." The album's spiritual centerpiece finds Krauss, Welch, and Harris harmonizing on "Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby," a gospel lullaby that sounds like a chorus of Appalachian angels. --Don McLeese

Customer Reviews:

Buy this.......2007-07-23

This album is almost as good as the movie. A good purchase whether you like bluegrass or not.

dead or alive.......2007-07-21

This motion picture soundtrack brings grins all around because each of the tracks associates so instantly with a scene from the uproarious film it graced with fine folk music, in the process generating something of a musical renaissance for those drawn to the genre.

This is pure, early-twentieth-century, down-south Americana. It would be hard to find a more dignifying and elevating anthology of music to represent that slice of American history. This music is laced with humor and irony, putting the lie to the impression many people have that it's practitioners and their folk come from a benighted subculture between the coasts and in a chronological backwater.

Listen and love it.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?.......2007-05-28

My 1-year old grandson goes to sleep listening to some of the songs on the album, unless he is bouncing up and down to the faster numbers. I have therefore listened to the songs many, many times, and enjoy them every time. They are easy to listen to, to sing along with and to rock the baby with!

MORE OF AN IMPULSE PURCHASE FOR ME.......2007-05-26

I regretted buying this after listening to it once. I haven't listened to it since and that's about three months ago. Simply put, without the movie to provide a context, the music itself doesn't sell itself. There are four cuts of 'I'm a Man of Constant Sorrow", two by the same artists which goes a long way to proving my point. I haven't seen the movie in a few years and I'm sure there's a logical reason for the song being repeated in the soundtrack that many times, but I can't remember what it is. Sometimes I like roots music with clear acoustic instrumental sounds and soulful voices. But as for an introduction to this type of music for a general listener, this is not the CD to get. It's mostly for the already converted.

A real cheer-me-up CD.......2007-05-22

Couldn't feel bad while listening to this soundtrack - skipped over the serious stuff and just played "Happy"!!

Average customer rating: Fun--but not great aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhh! Disappointment would be an understatement Zzz... another set of hopes are smashed

Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys Various Artists Manufacturer: Anti ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Scottish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Compilations | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Classic Maritime Music from Smithsonian Folkways Recordings The Harry Smith Project: The Anthology Of American Folk Music Revisited (2 CD/2 DVD BOX SET) American Sea Shanties and Songs Orphans [Fold-out Digipak with 24-page booklet] Shanties & Songs of the Sea ASIN: B000GGSMD0 Release Date: 2006-08-22

Tracks:

1. Cape Cod Girls - Baby Gramps
2. Mingulay Boat Song - Richard Thompson
3. My Son John - John C. Reilly
4. Fire Down Below - Nick Cave
5. Turkish Revelry - Loudon Wainwright III
6. Bully In The Alley - The Old Prunes
7. The Cruel Ship's Captain - Bryan Ferry
8. Dead Horse - Robin Holcomb
9. Spansih Ladies - Bill Frisell
10. High Barbary - Joseph Arthur
11. Haul Away Joe - Mark Anthony Thompson
12. Dan Dan - David Thomas
13. Blood Red Roses - Sting
14. Sally Brown - Teddy Thompson
15. Lowlands Away - Rufus Wainwright & Kate McGarrigle
16. Baltimore Whores - Gavin Friday
17. Rolling Sea - Eliza McCarthy
18. Haul On The Bowline - Bob Neuwirth
19. Dying Sailor to His Shipmates - Bono
20. Bonnie Portmore - Lucinda Williams
21. The Mermaid - Martin Carthy & the UK Group
22. Shenandoah - Richard Greene & Jack Shit
23. The Cry Of Man - Mary Margaret O'Hara

Tracks:

1. Boney - Jack Shit
2. Good Ship Venus - Loudon Wainwright III
3. Long Time Ago -White Magic
4. Pinery Boy - Nick Cave
5. Lowlands Low - Bryan Ferry w/Antony
6. One Spring Morning - Akron/Family
7. Hog Eye Man - Martin Carthy & Family
8. The Fiddler/A Drop Of Nelson's Blood - Ricky Jay & Richard Greene
9. Caroline and Her Young Sailor Bold - Andrea Corr
10. Fathom The Bowl - John C. Reilly
11. Drunken Sailor - Dave Thomas
12. Farewell Nancy - Ed Harcourt
13. Hanging Johnny - Stan Ridgway
14. Old Man of The Sea - Baby Gramps
15. Greenland Whale Fisheries - Van Dyke Parks
16. Shallow Brown - Sting
17. The Grey Funnel Line - Jolie Holland
18. A Drop of Nelson's Blood - Jarvis Cocker
19. Leave Her Johnny - Lou Reed
20. Little Boy Billy - Ralph Steadman

Amazon.com

Johnny Depp and director Gore Verbinski hatched the idea for Rogue's Gallery while filming "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"--that idea being to cast genteel rock superstars like Bono, Lou Reed, Bryan Ferry, Andre Corr, and Sting to reinterpret gritty seafaring standards for an exhaustive 43-track double-disc set produced by Hal Wilner. Throw in a bunch of credible folk stars (Loudon Wainwright III, Richard Thompson), their offspring (Rufus, Teddy) and a string of other curious characters (Jarvis Cocker, Antony) and what results is one of the strangest compilations in recent memory, if not exactly the most historically authentic or, well, digestible. Nick Cave embraces the role just a little too hard on "Fire Down Below," while Ferry can't help but sound like he's singing for the cast of "The Love Boat," but cut through the chaff and there is some real bootie here: Bono's "Dying Sailor to His Shipmates," Jolie Holland's "The Grey Funnel Line" and "Boney" by a mysterious tramp called Jack Sh**, which must be some kind of anagram for Johnny Depp. --Aidin Vaziri

Album Description

While working on the two "Pirates Of The Carribean" films, Johnny Depp and director Gore Verbinski became fascinated with the lore and fable of the pirates and sailors who ran the high seas. Enter legendary producer Hal Wilner, who brings his knack for matching maverick musicians with extraordinary material. Artists on this double disc set include Bono, Sting, Nick Cave, Bryan Ferry, Lou Reed, Richard Thompson, Lucinda Williams, Jarvis Cocker of Pulp, and many more. "Rogue's Gallery" offers a look at the hardships, the horrors, the lusts and lurid depths, and the crystal beauty that led men to the sea in ships for hundreds of years.

Customer Reviews:

Fun--but not great.......2007-07-03

What a concept--a pirate song co-produced by Verbinski and Depp inspired by the "Pirates of the Carribean" series. It should be great and in places, it is. The big question I came away with is--who is Jack Sh**? That one definitely has me guessing.

I won't belabor the song content or the production value. I think the most notable reviews have got that down pat, although I'm not marking down as far as they have because I'm giving points for originality being a fan of Spike Jones and some other truly demented people.

One thing to note: this is not a CD you'd buy if you were looking for something to amuse your kids. Some of the content is very bawdy and Mom and Dad would have some serious 'splaining to do to the little pirates. There's both some language and some situations that are more twisted than a Hangman's knot.

aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhh!.......2007-06-09

Some of the songs are quite good(mellow)others a little odd. Its what I expected, but not what you would expect.

Disappointment would be an understatement.......2007-06-04

It is not unusual to find sea shanties performed by not the greatest musicians or singers in the world. It is not unusual to find shanties sung by people who have difficulty keeping perfect pitch, or tempo. But at least they understand what the music is about, and sing it with heart and enthusiasm and a love for the genre.

Hal Wilner should stick to whatever genre it is that made him know enough to be approached by labels, because he clearly has no understanding, and less enthusiasm for *this* genre.

If you love lively music from the maritime era, you can only be bitterly disappointed by this collection. Out of 43 tracks, I found 15 that were salvageable. Sort of.

I've already tossed this onto the pile to go to the resale shop. It wasn't worthy the cost of shipping.

Zzz..........2007-04-04

I have to admit that I have no idea what kinds of music the pirates sang aboard their ships. I know it probably wasn't "yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me," but I expected something different than this. I think my expectations have been colored by groups like The Pogues, Flogging Molly, The Tossers, and the Real McKenzies. I have an annual Pirate Party and I was hoping to find some good music here to get people in the mood for a treasure hunt or pirate liar's dice, but instead, the music on this CD is something I'd put on if the party went on too long and I wanted to encourage people to leave. Some of it is actually awful and the rest is too slow and plodding to inject much energy into any situation.

I appreciate what was attempted here (contemporary artists paying homage to sea chanteys in the spirit of our romanticized version of the pirate era) but it just doesn't really work. The effect is similar to what would be achieved if the London Philharmonic Orchestra attempted to play rap "music" with Luciano Pavarotti rhymin' while flashing gang signs.

another set of hopes are smashed.......2007-03-29

the selection of titles attracted me. The quality of the arrangements, the voices, and the music---are all quite bad.

It is VERY sad that these same titles, could not have been produced for quality. They sound like a nightmare.

Average customer rating: The Versatile Yo-Yo Ma Not for the average listener A thoroughly enjoyable trip through Central Asia and a few other places. Silk Road Journey A Detailed Review From A Non-expert Music Lover

Silk Road Journeys: When Strangers Meet Yo-Yo Ma , and Silk Road Ensemble Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Sony | Computers Brands | Computers Features | Electronics | Desktops | Monitors | Networking | Notebooks Similar Items: Silk Road Journeys: Beyond the Horizon The Silk Road: A Musical Caravan Obrigado Brazil Soul of the Tango: The Music of Astor Piazzolla Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone ASIN: B0000641CG Release Date: 2002-04-16

Tracks:

1. Mongolian Traditional longsong
2. Legend of Herlen (Byambasuren Sharav)
3. "Blue Little Flower" (Chinese Traditional)
4. "Mido Mountain" (Chinese Traditional)
5. Moon over Guan Mountain (Zhao Jiping)
6. "Miero vuotti uutta kuuta" from Five Finnish Folk Songs (Michio Mamiya)
7. "Joiku" from Five Finnish Folk Songs (Michio Mamiya)
8. Avaz-e Dashti (Persian Traditional)
9. Habil-Sayagy (In Habil's Style) for cello and prepared piano (Franghiz Ali-Zadeh)
10. Blue as the Turquoise Night of Neyshabur (Kayhan Kalhor)
11. Chi passa per'sta strada (Filippo Azzaiolo)
12. Desert Capriccio (Music from the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon/Tan Dun) (Bonus Track)

Amazon.com

This disc introduces Yo-Yo Ma's latest and most ambitious adventure, the Silk Road Project. It explores the cultures that flourished along the Silk Road, the ancient trade route that for centuries connected Europe and the East. Founded by Ma in 1998, the project aims to create connections, mutual trust, and cultural interchange between people from different parts of the world through their only shared language: music.

This recording includes music from Mongolia, China, Persia, Japan, Iran, Azerbaijan, and an improvisation on an Italian Renaissance street song, performed by musicians from all those countries, as well as America, on both Eastern and Western instruments. Ma, who participates in every piece either as soloist or part of the ensemble, plays cello and a Mongolian "horse-head fiddle." There is also a Mongolian soprano, who sings a traditional song native to her region. For the uninitiated Western listener, the music requires some getting used to. Much of it is based on rhythmic ostinatos. The melodies use Oriental scales; the intonation is untempered; the music seems all color, texture, and atmosphere, without what might be called themes; and repetition takes the place of development. Contrast is achieved through sudden change, buildup by adding instruments. However, the music is often beautiful, delicate, dreamy, or peaceful; every listener will find his or her own favorite pieces. The playing is splendid, with much inventive improvisation. Inevitably, Ma's tone and personality stand out, but he never dominates in fact or spirit. The booklet offers essays by Ma and the project's musicologist, Theodore Levin, photographs of the players, and drawings of the Eastern instruments. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

The Versatile Yo-Yo Ma .......2007-07-24

Since returning from a trip to China, I have become very interested in the music and the entire culture and history of the Far East. To an American, it seems like such an exotic and mysterious world. Given the formidable languages and the vastness of it all, I can only say that I can only hope to acquire a superficial understanding.

As always, the versatile Yo-Yo Ma is quite soulful and technically brilliant in his musical exploration of the "Silk Road". The music, to me, captures the feeling of Asia. The liner notes are very educational in providing a context to the project.

I find Asian music to be very different from our "Western" traditions, but given time and an even chance, I think that you will find this CD to be very nice and enjoyable.

Not for the average listener.......2007-03-20

I was going to give it 2 stars, but then again i only listened to it once.
I was looking forward to this, but the music is plodding in many parts,
like a dreary symphony. There are fine moments, but I was looking for something a bit more accesible, rhymic, and lyrical. This is a mixed bag that seems to miss more often than hit.

A thoroughly enjoyable trip through Central Asia and a few other places........2007-03-15

I have just added this to my musical library and am enjoying it. From the first beat of the first note of Khongozurl's long song you are transported to central Asia - the land of horses and gers. Of all the pieces I was most interested in listening to the second piece - Legend of Herlen. This to me, was the real silk road. The morin khuur has a very rich and unusual tone that made we want to listen to the it over and over again. Each piece is different and reminds one of the many parts that make up the whole of central asia's culture be it music or diesel trucks competing for road space with camels. The music captures the variety that makes up the region. The Finnish Folksong tracks are a nice touch. I have a friend who was at a trade conference and met a man from Mongolia. Neither could talk to one another until they discovered a common language - Finnish! My friend's family is Finnish and his new Mongolian friend had lived for several years in Finland where he learned enough of the language to communicate. Listening to the Finnish Folksongs reminds me of the Finnish-Mongolian connection that my friend had described. It is a nice touch and complements the other pieces very well. Please don't neglect to read the information insert as this gives a wealth of information on the music and it's origins as well as some of the difficulties experienced by western players playing traditional middle Asian musical instruments. Ma's difficulties with his instrument are particularly interesing to read. The concludig track - Desert Capriccio is a very nice ending to a very rich musical experince. The music from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is the perfect ending to this trip through central Asia. I highly recommend this CD to everyone.

Silk Road Journey.......2007-02-19

I saw a performance of the Silk Road Ensemble and was absolutely enthralled. So I bought the CD. But it was a big disappointment. It's not the type of music you can comfortably listen to in your living room - I'm sure it would be much more enjoyable in a concert hall. There was far too much that just sounded like "screeching" to me. However, some of the pieces that were much like what we heard at the performance were beautiful. So - a mixed review, but I disliked more than I liked.

A Detailed Review From A Non-expert Music Lover.......2007-01-12

In this review I will give my opinion on each of the 12 selections in this CD, and will also talk about some general themes related to the title "The Silk Road Project".

To anyone who has heard of the Silk Road in Ancient China, the title of this CD immediately brings up images of exotic peoples and their cultures in your mind. I think Yo-Yo Ma's efforts in creating such a culturally diversified recording are definitely welcomed in this era of globalization.

But after listening through this CD I felt that something was missing from the selections. One of the most important areas on the Silk Road is the Uyghur region in northwestern China. Their music is quite unique. Inclusion of their music in this CD would be really interesting. Also in this CD not all of the selections are chosen from those regions directly related to the Silk Road. So I guess the title is just a metaphor of "when strangers meet", but is not directly about the cultures along the Silk Road.

Now I will review each of the selections.

1. Mongolian Traditional Long Song

I am somewhat familiar with their culture and land. So to me this song is very beautiful and enchanting. One of the most important factors in conducting any cross-cultural communications is context! You really cannot take it out of context. The Mongolian Long Song might sound monotonous and drawling to a person who is more used to the Western tradition of chant, choral, or opera music. Yet if you know the traditional nomadic lifestyle of the Mongolian people on the vast rolling greens of the Mongolian grassland embellished with winding creeks and rivers, you would probably hear such long-singing voices reverberating between the green of the grass and the blue of the sky. The Mongolian people have some of the most beautiful songs that I know of.

2. Legend of Herlen

There are probably two broad categories of non-western ethnic musics. One is the authentic folksong tradition of the people, the other is westernized works composed by westernized local musicians. I guess Legend of Herlen might fall into the second category. It has some interesting tunes in it. But the overall listening experience is too dramatic. I guess the dynamics used in this piece might even go beyond the ppp and fff. In the Mongolian traditional music, dynamics are sometimes used quite dramatically, with sharp difference between two adjacent notes or phrases. So this piece here is probably not very surprising. Nonetheless I find it a little too dramatic, sometimes even disturbing. Again I am not familiar with the background of this piece, so that might explain the unusual drama.

3. Blue Little Flower

I am not sure what fusion should really sound like. But in this piece it does seem to me that a lot of musical traditions are intertwined in it: western music, Chinese folksong from Shaanxi, and probably Iranian or Indian drums. Somehow the only part of this song that I liked is the beginning line. It's very beautiful and delicate, reminding me of the theme music from the Couching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. But it is westernized, not authentic Chinese folksong. If this is still not a problem, then the drum used in this piece does cause a lot of funny effects. The drum sounds so distinctive and it represents some of the central or western Asia cultures. The images such drum beats conjure up are very incompatible with this northwestern Chinese folksong. So in this piece there are at least three threads: western, Chinese, and Iranian/Indian (I am not sure which one). But they do not converge. There is also the funny part of the singing included in this piece. It is out of place and unnecessary. The singing itself is just too frivolous to me.

4. Mido Mountain

I like this piece, especially the part played by the Sheng. Again there are some elements that sound a little bit too foreign to me, especially the percussion part. They use the same percussion/drum in this piece as in the previous one. But the overall effect of the arrangement does sound authentic and pleasant to me.

5. Moon Over Guan Mountains

If you know that Zhao Jiping is famous for his scores for films, you will probably understand this piece better. But of course understanding does not mean you will like it. This piece falls into the second category that I described above. For a lot of non-Western countries, the influence of western music is definitely immense. Many local composers are trained in both the western tradition and the local tradition. But there is probably a general feeling among composers in these countries that western music is richer in theory and methods. Many of these composers will use themes from folk songs to compose westernized music. I will give this piece a B+. It does include some themes from northwestern China, which sound really unique. As I said in this CD there is no selection from the Uyghur region in China, this piece might make up for that, since some of the themes seem to me to be from that region. But this piece is still too dramatic too, like a film score.

6. Five Finnish Folksongs No. 3

I love this one! The theme melody is so beautiful, and maybe a little bit nostalgic, and maybe a little bit romantic also? But this piece is straightly western music. There is nothing ethnic about it.

7. Five Finnish Folksongs No.5

This one is ok, but not very impressive. The overall structure of this piece sounds like very loose. There is not memorable melody either. But it does not have the maddening drama like in the two pieces I have just talked about. This is good.

8. Avaz-e Dashti
I am not familiar with Persian music. But there are indeed some very Persian melodies in this piece. The instruments used in this piece are all traditional Persian instruments. Maybe this is why it sounds so authentic to me. I like the haunting, floating tunes in this piece. They sound very ethereal to me.

9. Habil-Sayagy

Again this piece falls into the second category like the Legend of Herlen and Moon Over Guan Mountains. Such music is probably interesting to the performers, since they can let loose their inner floodgate of emotions and resort to pure artistic connections. But the problem for such music is that they are just too dramatic, and it's really hard to understand them without fairly good knowledge of the context and their unique cultural backgrounds. I am sure all these three pieces might sound profound, meaningful, and artistic once we know the cultural backgrounds better. But for the general listener, they are too abstract and too emotionally charged. Another problem for such western-traditional combination pure art form of music is that tradition might be distorted and represented in the wrong way.

10. Blue as the Turquoise Night of Neyshabur

I like this one better that the previous one, especially the middle part beginning at around 5 min 30 sec into the music. The melody is quite unique, and memorable. The bassline is very interesting too. It conjures up the image of merchants traveling on camel back through the desert. The pulse of the bass sounds like the steps of camels walking. One the instruments used, I am not sure which one, santur or kemancheh, is quite successful in bringing out the authenticity of the music style.

11. Chi passa per'sta strada

This one has the same problem as the Blue Little Flower: it does not sound like anything! It is not Italian, nor is it Iranian, nor Chinese, nor anything else. What is it? Who knows. The ethnicity of world music is tied to their unique musical instruments closely. I remember there was one year the Chinese traditional orchestra had a New Year's Concert at Vienna, and when they played the Radetzky March at the end of the concert, I was quite unimpressed.

12. Desert Capriccio

Tan Dun is similar to the composers I mentioned above like Zhao Jiping. Tan's music is unique and interesting to both western and Chinese audience, because of the same thing: they are both unfamiliar with Tan's music. To the Chinese audience, his music sounds western, but to the Western audience, his music sounds exotic. Nonetheless I still like some of this music, like the Couching Tiger and Hidden Dragon. Some of the melodies are really great. Again this piece makes up for the lack of Uyghur music in this album, since the "desert" in this piece is in the Uyghur region. But the music is not Uyghur at all.

There you have it. That's all for my detailed review of this CD. I would give it a B+ for its efforts and some of the really good tunes. As I am not an expert, I might be wrong in many of the points that I make in this review. So feel free to comment on my review.

Average customer rating: THE Chronicles totally essential listening The grandfather of the reissue records Necessary. Essential

Anthology of American Folk Music (Edited by Harry Smith) Various Artists Manufacturer: Smithsonian Folkways ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Delta Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Memphis Blues | Regional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Texas Blues | Regional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Acoustic Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Slide Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Cowboy | Country | Styles | Music Old-Time Country | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Traditional | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Compilations | Folk | Styles | Music Appalachian | North America | International | Styles | Music Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Smithsonian Folkways Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Harry Smith Project: The Anthology Of American Folk Music Revisited (2 CD/2 DVD BOX SET) Classic Mountain Songs from Smithsonian Folkways The Asch Recordings, Vol. 1-4 Good For What Ails You: Music of the Medicine Shows 1926-1937 Classic Bluegrass From Smithsonian Folkways ASIN: B000001DJU Release Date: 1997-08-19

Tracks:

1. Henry Lee - Dick Justice
2. Fatal Flower Garden - Nelston's Hawaiians
3. House Carpenter - Clarence Ashley
4. Drunkard's Special - Coley Jones
5. Old Lady And The Devil - Bill & Belle Reed
6. The Butcher's Boy - Buell Kazee
7. The Wagoner's Lad - Buell Kazee
8. King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki-Me-O - Chubby Parker
9. Old Shoes And Leggins - Uncle Eck Dunford
10. Willie Moore - Richard Burnett And Leonard Rutherford
11. A Lazy Farmer Boy - Buster Carter And Preston Young
12. Peg And Awl - Carolina Tar Heels
13. Ommie Wise - G.B. Grayson
14. My Name Is John Johanna - Kelly Harrell

Tracks:

1. Bandit Cole Younger - Edward L. Crain
2. Charles Giteau - Kelly Harrel
3. John Hardy Was A Desperate Little Man - Carter Family
4. Gonna Die With My Hammer In My Hand - Williamson Brothers And Curry
5. Stackalee - Frank Hutchison
6. White House Blues - Charlie Poole And The North Carolina Ramblers
7. Frankie - Mississippi John Hurt
8. When That Great Ship Went Down - William And Versey Smith
9. Engine 143 - Carter Family
10. Kassie Jones - Furry Lewis
11. Down On Penny's Farm - Bently Boys
12. Mississippi Boweavil Blues - Masked Marvel
13. Got The Farm Land Blues - Carolina Tar Heels

Tracks:

1. Sail Away Lady - Uncle Bunt Stephens
2. The Wild Wagoner - Jilson Setters
3. Wake Up Jacob - Prince Albert Hunt's Texas Ramblers
4. La Danseuse - Delma Lachney And Blind Uncle Gaspard
5. Georgia Stomp - Andrew And Jim Baxter
6. Brilliancy Medley - Eck Robertson
7. Indian War Whoop - Hoyt Ming & His Pep-Steppers
8. Old Country Stomp - Henry Thomas
9. Old Dog Blue - Jim Jackson
10. Saut Crapaud - Columbus Fruge
11. Acadian One-Step - Joseph Falcon
12. Home Sweet Home - Breaux Freres
13. Newport Blues - Cincinnati Jug Band
14. Moonshiner's Dance (Part One) - Frank Cloutier And The Victoria Cafe Orchestra

Tracks:

1. You Must Be Born Again - Rev. J.M. Gates
2. Oh Death Where Is Thy Sting - Rev. J.M. Gates
3. Rocky Road - Alabama Sacred Harp Singers
4. Present Joys - Alabama Sacred Harp Singers
5. This Song Of Love - Middle Georgia Singing Conv. No. 1
6. Judgement - Sister Mary Nelson
7. He Got Better Things For You - Memphis Sanctified Singers
8. Since I Laid My Burden Down - Elders McIntorsh & Edwards' Sanctified Singers
9. John The Baptist - Rev. Moses Mason
10. Dry Bones - Bascom Lamar Lunsford
11. John The Revelator - Blind Willie Johnson
12. Little Moses - Carter Family
13. Shine On Me - Ernest Phipps & Holiness Singers
14. Fifty Miles Of Elbow Room - Rev. F.W. McGee
15. In The Battlefield For My Lord - Rev. D.C. Rice And Congregation

Tracks:

1. The Coo Coo Bird - Clarence Ashley
2. East Virginia - Buell Kazee
3. Minglewood Blues - Cannon's Jug Stompers
4. I Woke Up One Morning In May - Didier Hebert
5. James Alley Blues - Richard 'Rabbit' Brown
6. Sugar Baby - Dock Boggs
7. I Wish I Was A Mole In The Ground - Bascom Lamar Lunsford
8. Mountaineer's Courtship - Ernest And Hattie Stoneman
9. The Spanish Merchant's Daughter - Stoneman Family
10. Bob Lee Junior Blues - Memphis Jug Band
11. Single Girl, Married Girl - Carter Family
12. Le Vieux Soulard Et Sa Femme - Cleoma Breaux & Joseph Falcon
13. Rabbit Foot Blues - Blind Lemon Jefferson
14. Expressman Blues - Sleepy John Estes & Yank Rachell

Tracks:

1. Poor Boy Blues - Ramblin' Thomas
2. Feather Bed - Cannon's Jug Stompers
3. Country Blues - Dock Boggs
4. 99 Year Blues - Julius Daniels
5. Prison Cell Blues - Blind Lemon Jefferson
6. See That My Grave Is Kept Clean - Blind Lemon Jefferson
7. C'est Si Triste Sans Lui - Cleoma And Ophy Breaux And Joseph Falcon
8. Way Down The Old Plank Road - Uncle Dave Macon
9. Buddy Won't You Roll Down The Line - Uncle Dave Macon
10. Spike Driver Blues - Mississippi John Hurt
11. K.C. Moan - Memphis Jug Band
12. Train On The Island - J.P. Nestor
13. The Lone Star Trail - Ken Maynard
14. Fishing Blues - Henry Thomas

Amazon.com

This impressive--and frankly, fun--musical document is still sending out shock waves almost 50 years after its original 1952 vinyl release. The Smithsonian's six-CD reissue is painstakingly researched, annotated, and packaged (even boasting an enhanced disc for the techno-capable). Unlike field recorders, eccentric filmmaker/collector/musicologist Harry Smith assembled the Anthology from commercially released (though obscure) 78 rpm discs issued between 1927 and 1935. Its broad scope--from country blues to Cajun social music to Appalachian murder ballads--was monumentally influential, setting musicians like Bob Dylan down the path to folk fandom. The White House started its own national music library with the Anthology; anyone with more than a passing interest in American roots music should do the same. --Michael Ruby

More from Smithsonian Folkways

The Harry Smith Connection: A Live Tribute To The Anthology Of American Folk Music	Classic Maritime Music from Smithsonian Folkways Recordings	Smithsonian Folkways American Roots Collection
Classic Mountain Songs from Smithsonian Folkways	Classic Blues From Smithsonian Folkways	Folkways: The Original Vision

Album Description

This deluxe 6-CD collector's boxed set contains a 96-page book featuring Harry Smith's original songbook framed by essays by Greil Marcus and other noted writers, musicians, and scholars. Play the enhanced sixth disc on your CD-ROM drive and access historic video footage, rare photos, artist interviews, and additional background information. Edited by Harry Smith. Reissue compiled by the staff of Smithsonian Folkways. Reissue liner notes by Greil Marcus, Neil Rosenberg, Jeff Place, Jon Pankake, Luis Kemnitzer and others. "...the missing link in rock's official history." -Newsweek ***** (five stars) -Rolling Stone

Customer Reviews:

THE Chronicles.......2007-07-12

Great stuff. Yet some of the singing is almost too real, too raw. Bob Dylan cites this album as a main inspiration, and you can hear his singing and songwriting style in a lot of the songs. Not for everybody, and may be even too much for casual folk music fans. Has to be listened to in the context of a historical document.

totally essential listening.......2007-02-15

This CD compilation set is more than just an album of music--it's a historical document. I first heard of the AAFM in a Bob Dylan biography--after buying this and listening to it, I can understand how Bob was inspired to ditch his Little Richard aspirations and travel the rugged road of folk. Through the three sections--Ballads, Social Music (mostly instrumentals), and Songs (kind of like ballads, but less story-oriented), this collection not only contains some great, timeless music and performances, it's also steeped in pure humanity--the real essence of true folk music. The people Harry Smith collected and anthologized were mostly just that: folk. People like you and me who love music, and play the songs they've been handed down. You don't have to be Bob Dylan to appreciate and be moved by songs that have been passed down through the generations and soulfully interpreted by many different artists.

Aside from some essential listening ("Coo Coo Bird," "Stackalee," "Mississippi Boweavil Blues," "I wish I Was a Mole in the Ground," etc. etc.), the package has some great supplementary material. It's very interesting to learn about the song information and performer information that Smith collected with his anthology, but it's also interesting to get a glimpse into his project, seeing how he relentlessly collected and chose which songs to represent. He was a true lover of music, and that love is reflected in his project.

Please don't come to this compilation expecting pristine sound quality--it was assembled in the 50's, which means that the recordings come from then as well as much earlier--it's about the music and performers anyway, and a little bit of scratch really doesn't detract that much from the organic, down home experience. It IS a bit of a shame that there are 6 CDs, but really only about 4 full CDs worth of music--it would have been OK with me if the Ballad/Social Music/Songs organization was not cleanly divided between discs to save space, since the division isn't very efficient, but I suppose the reissuers wanted to emulate the original vinyl collection. I don't really find the material to be homogeneous like the second spotlight reviewer does, although I do agree that Roots and Blues: A Retrospective is also a great compilation--I'd recommend getting both for a great complementary experience.

Hopefully this set never goes out of print, as it's a great piece of art that any music fan or musician can learn a lot from--and enjoy, too! It's a shame that Smith had to preserve this music as it was beginning to die out even as he was collecting it, but it's also heartwarming that such classic sounds can be preserved for us to hear so many years later and keep the tradition alive. Enjoy the living history!

The grandfather of the reissue records.......2005-02-21

This collection led to the "re-discovery" of many artists who had dissapeared after when the depression crippled the recording industry. Mississippi John Hurt is probably the most famous as of now, but others, like Clarence Ashley were major finds at the time - and when Folkways sent a field crew to do a new record by Ashley he requested some assist from a young friend named Doc Watson. Watson was unknown outside his home town at the time but went on to become a major star in a field which has very few stars.
Listening to many cuts on this album you can hear the source of much material for folk groups as diverse as the New Lost City Ramblers and The Holy Modal Rounders, rock groups like Canned Heat, and The Grateful Dead. Some of the melodies will be familiar to fans of Dylan, others to Jorma Kaukonan listeners. There are otehrs -- many many others.
This set is the source, the headwaters of reissues, and revivals. An essential part of any folk music collection.

Necessary........2003-05-28

I dont think there is a need to go into to much detail about this *6 CD* set. If you can fork over the cash, just buy it. If you have any interest in roots music, just buy it. If you thought ol' Bobby Dylan and the Band made some great weird music in the basement of big pink in '67 .. for the love of god, BUY THIS! strange, unadorned, raw music , just buy it.

Essential.......2002-11-30

Much ink & many electrons have been devoted to explaining both Harry Smith (and a lot of explanation is necessary -- very interesting man) and this wonderful collection of recordings from the 1920's and 30's, so I won't go into too much detail here. If you'd like a good treatise on the work itself as a cultural object, and how it relates to other thematically similar items, I would reccomend Griel Marcus' book Invisible Republic.
This is the greatest mix tape ever made, and an essential cultural artifact, not only of the vernacular music of the hills & highways of pre-electrification America, but also of the folk movement ofthe fifties and sixties (the primer fromwhic all else was derived) and by extension of the hippy movement following closely thereafter.
SOme of this music is really wild...

Average customer rating: 90% good with a few clunkers Great CD to introduce children to folk music! Amazing CD! Gentle lull to sleep Runs hot & cold

Smithsonian Folkways Children's Music Collection Various Artists Manufacturer: Smithsonian Folkways ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Revival | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Styles | Music Compilations | Children's Music | Styles | Music Folk Music | Children's Music | Styles | Music General | Compilations | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Indie Music | Stores | Music Smithsonian Folkways Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Birds, Beasts, Bugs & Fishes Little & Big: Animal Folk Songs Songs to Grow on for Mother and Child Leadbelly Sings For Children Nursery Days Peter, Paul And Mommy ASIN: B000001DOB Release Date: 1998-03-17

Tracks:

1. Riding In My Car (Car Song) - Woody Guthrie
2. Mary Mack - Ella Jenkins
3. All Around The Kitchen - Pete Seeger
4. Ha-Ha This-A-Way - Lead Belly
5. Merrily We Roll Along - Lord Invader With The Calypso Orchestra
6. Miwoe Nenyo - W.K. Amoaku
7. Pole Pole - Ella Jenkins
8. 'Dreams'/'Youth' - Langston Hughes
9. Why, Oh Why - Woody Guthrie
10. I Had A Rooster - Pete Seeger
11. 'Oksn' - Ruth Rubin
12. Sur Le Pont D' Avignon - Alan Mills
13. Benjamin Franklin (Jump Rope Rhyme) - Illinois School Children
14. Los Pollitos/The Chicks - Suni Paz
15. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star - Ella Jenkins
16. ABC's - Ella Jenkins
17. Animal Alphabet Song - Alan Mills
18. Whoopie Ti Yi Yo - Cisco Houston
19. A La Vibora De La Mar/Serpent Of The Sea - Mexican Children
20. Wolf Song/Turtle Song - Irene Poolaw
21. 'Bedbug' - Arna Bontemps
22. Skip To My Lou/Four Pence A Day - Pete Seeger
23. Hey, Coal Miner - Larry Long & Mrs. Side's 6th Grade Class
24. Among The Little White Daisies - Jeanne Ritchie
25. Old Bell Cow - New Lost City Ramblers
26. One Grain Of Sand (Excerpt) - Pete Seeger

Album Description

26 songs, play-party games, and poems selected from over 200 Smithsonian Folkways Recordings and Folkways Records present a panorama of music performed for and by young children. Includes notes, song texts, and a complete list of recordings for children. Well-loved songs and unexpected treasures from Lead Belly, Woody Guthrie, Langston Hughes, Ella Jenkins, Suni Paz, Pete Seeger, and others.

Customer Reviews:

90% good with a few clunkers.......2007-07-13

As a parent who is trying to get his kids into older American folk music, this is a good fit. There are lots of good, fun songs on here like Woody Guthrie's "Car Song" (or whatever it's called) and Leadbelly's song that my 1 year old likes. There are some really ho-hum songs as well which I personally can't stand, but it beats the Wigglez any day.

There are a few songs about working in a coal mine which some people might see as a "downer", but facts is facts and it's an interesting point for older listeners who might be interested in hearing that they used to make kids work in the mines.

Overall, I like this collection as it's a good representation of early American music that's easy on parents' ears.

Great CD to introduce children to folk music!.......2007-07-03

With all the mediocre or product-pandering commercial music for kids out there, this was such a relief. My 4-year-old loves it, thinks that sound Woody Guthrie makes in "Riding in the Car" is a scream, knows all the words to the songs, and it's introduced her (and me) to some great traditional folk songs. Highly recommended.

Amazing CD!.......2006-08-25

I love this CD. It has a folksy tone with some interesting lyrics. I enjoy the history, the variety and the quality of the recordings. My babies like it, and dance to some of the songs. I highly recommend this CD.

Gentle lull to sleep.......2006-03-25

This collection does run hot and cold, I agree. There are a lot of songs about toiling in coal mines, too. But these gentle old fashioned songs are great for settling my boy to sleep. The first few are fun to sing together ("Let's go riding in the car", "All around the kitchen" (cock a-doodle oodle oo!)) then they calm down and it works perfectly for nodding off. I also appreciate that my son is getting some exposure to these American classics. Recommended, at least as a change of pace from those migraine-inducing "kid's Bop" CDs.

Runs hot & cold.......2003-11-21

I was initially quite disappointed with this CD - I felt that it wasn't a particularly good representation of international music (yes, when I read the label closer, I realized it was intended more as an American music collection, but some of the reviews and summaries were misleading).

I was also disappointed that there were multiple songs by the same artists - 4 by Ella Jenkins alone - really not the variety I was looking for. There are far too many "slow" songs (including the unforgivably boring "One Grain of Sand"), several informative and historic but depressing songs about coal mining, and a poetry reading in the middle of the CD that my son invariably requests we skip.

To be fair, my 16-month-old does enjoy about half the songs on this CD - especially "Riding in the Car" and "I Had a Rooster." I personally think "Old Bell Cow" is a hoot. But if you have a toddler that loves to dance and boogie, this isn't the CD for you. I heartily recommend the World Playground CD produced by Putumayo Kids instead.

Average customer rating: good for all ages beautiful and fun Delightful

Putumayo Kids Presents: Folk Playground Various Artists Manufacturer: Putumayo World Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Styles | Music Folk Music | Children's Music | Styles | Music Sing-A-Longs | Children's Music | Styles | Music Children's Music | Putumayo World Music Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Putumayo Kids Presents: Sing Along With Putumayo Putumayo Kids Presents: Reggae Playground World Playground Meltdown! Putumayo Kids Presents: Caribbean Playground ASIN: B000EZ918S Release Date: 2006-05-23

Tracks:

1. This Old Man - Victor Johnson
2. Sheep - Zoe Lewis
3. Just Kidding - Jon Gailmor
4. Got No Strings - Michelle Shocked
5. It's All How You Look At It - Brady Rymer
6. Hop Up Ladies - Dan Zanes
7. Froggie Went A Courtin - Laurie Berkner
8. Fill It Up - Trout Fishing In America
9. Roller In The Coaster - Justin Roberts
10. Polly Wolly Doodle - Leon Redbone
11. Crawdad - Elizabeth Mitchell
12. Just Look Up - Eric Bibb

Product Description

This CD features fun songs from many of America's leading children's musicians and other well-known artists. Years ago people used to get together with family and friends to make music. Gathered around the fireplace or sitting on the front porch, people of all ages would pull out instruments ans sing traditional songs that had been passed down from previous generations. This is the very essence of folk music, and its legacy continues on with Folk Playground. Some of the songs included are Hop Up Ladies, Froggie Went a-Courtin', and It's All How You Look At It.

Amazon.com

Putumayo's consistently top-drawer producers probably encountered fewer obstacles combing the globe for exotic artists to include in their World Playground disc than in concocting excitement over Folk Playground. For one thing, Dan Zanes has been cranking out excellent folk-flavored records for kids alongside his battalion of big-name friends for years--even though he's included here ("Hop Up Ladies"), he's still tough competition. There's also the still-relevant (and superb) kids' folk discs Circle Game: Folk Music for Kids and A Child's Celebration of Folk Music to slow demand. Finally, you can't blame a parent for being reluctant to fork over more money for a folk disc when he'd just as soon share his old Dylan discs or Bruce Springsteen's recent We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions. That Folk Playground plays like a vital addition to any kids' collection, then, says a lot about this label's ability to distill even the most meandering of genres. Part of it, as with every disc in the Playground series, is the packaging: Not only is it pretty to look at and flip-friendly, each song arrives with a breezy, un-boring explanation. But the music speaks loudest. Standouts on a disc that doesn't shy away from regional folk strands include Eric Bibb's soul-steeped "Just Look Up," Elizabeth Mitchell's gorgeously honest-sounding "Crawdad," Leon Redbone's grown-up sounding "Polly Wolly Doodle," and the Zanes track. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

good for all ages.......2007-03-08

My 17 month old son and I both love this album! His favorites include Got No Strings (which he recognizes as the "cuckoo" song), his buddy Dan Zanes with Hop Up Ladies, and the Crawdad song. Mommy's favorite is the Sheep song, which she keeps finding herself humming (and, all right, dancing to) at work! After heavy rotation in the car, it still hasn't shown its wear, and has opened us up to many wonderful new artists. This is a winner!

beautiful and fun .......2007-01-13

my daughters loved all the songs on this, (especially the great sheep song), we went out and bought it for a nephew after her heard ours and he loved it too. We always sing along in the car!!! Michelle Shocked has always been an adult favorite, and her "got no strings" hooked my girls, made us look for the entire childrens album she made.

Delightful.......2006-06-30

High quality productions, accomplished artists, fun songs! My grandchildren and I are thoroughly enjoying this CD.

Average customer rating: Great fun, reminder of childhood in the 50's Even babies love this music For my children too For my children too A reminder of my early school days

Birds, Beasts, Bugs & Fishes Little & Big: Animal Folk Songs Pete Seeger Manufacturer: Smithsonian Folkways ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Appalachian | North America | International | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Styles | Music Folk Music | Children's Music | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Smithsonian Folkways Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Smithsonian Folkways Children's Music Collection Songs to Grow on for Mother and Child Peter, Paul And Mommy American Folk, Game and Activity Songs for Children Nursery Days ASIN: B000001DO5 Release Date: 1998-02-17

Tracks:

1. Fly Through My Window
2. I Had A Rooster
3. Come All You Bold Sailormen
4. Old Grey Mule
5. Alligator, Hedgehog
6. Frog Went A-Courting
7. Raccoon's Got A Bushy Tail
8. I Know An Old Lady (Who Swallowed A Fly)
9. Ground Hog
10. Mister Rabbit
11. Grey Goose
12. Teency Weency Spider
13. The Old Hen
14. Skip To My Lou
15. My Little Kitty
16. The Little Black Bull
17. Leatherwing Bat
18. The Keeper And The Doe
19. The Darby Ram
20. Mole In The Ground
21. The Fox
22. Turtle Dove
23. Old Paint
24. The Elephant
25. The Foolish Frog
26. Little Doggies
27. Bear Hunt
28. Old Blue

Amazon.com

Folk music represents the best of Americana, and nobody performs folk music better than Pete Seeger. This charming collection of animal songs, remastered from two Seeger LPs originally recorded in 1955, will delight children and parents alike. Comfortable, well-known titles like "I Had a Rooster," "Frog Went A-Courting," "Skip to My Lou," and "I Know an Old Lady (Who Swallowed a Fly)" allow for great family sing-alongs. This album is an excellent example of the simplicity of traditional folk music, with Seeger's warm, friendly vocals and a single yet finely picked banjo as accompaniment. Birds, Beasts, Bugs & Fishes would be an excellent choice for car trips as well as for feeling right at home in your living room. --Deborah Moore

Album Description

Pete Seeger released 28 songs and stories about animals on two short LP records in 1955 to an enthusiastic audience. Ever since, they have been sung by generations of parents, grandparents, and children. The two original releases have been combined on this single CD creating an irresistible collection of songs to sing along with, to draw pictures about, to play hand games to, and to be enjoyed by the entire family.

Customer Reviews:

Great fun, reminder of childhood in the 50's.......2006-08-25

This is a wonderful cd for children and adults. The songs are simple and fun--a reminder of a gentler time. My children loved these songs as much as I loved them when I was a child. Highly recommended.

Even babies love this music.......2005-06-22

I was just introduced to this music in a playgroup for 6-12 month olds. They were all babbling and playing away when we turned on "I had a rooster". Within seconds the babies were completely silent and looking towards the direction of the music completely entralled! Some of them even started bouncing to it! A huge hit! I immediately came home and ordered a copy.

For my children too.......2003-04-03

My parents borrowed this record from the library and recorded it to casette to listen to on our first long car trip.I was probably four years old. It quickly became a family favorite. Somewhere a long the way the tape was lost. Two decades had passed when just the other day I happend to catch a snippet of Froggie Went A Courtin on a public radio station. All of those memories came flooding back. Now I am buying it for my own children. I don't know what speaks more powerfully for this album than that.

For my children too.......2003-04-03

My parents borrowed this record from the library and recorded it to casette to listen to on our first long car trip.I was probably four years old. It quickly became a family favorite. Somewhere a long the way the tape was lost. Two decades had passed when just the other day I happend to catch a snippet of Froggie Went A Courtin on a public radio station. All of those memories came flooding back. Now I am buying it for my own children. I don't know what speaks more powerfully for this album than that.

A reminder of my early school days.......2003-03-02

For me, this is pure nostalgia - it brings back memories of the fifties. It seems from reading other reviews that today's young children get as much pleasure from this music as those of my generation did, although I can't imagine anybody recording music this way now.

I don't remember all the songs, but I recognise several of them. I know an old lady is immediately recognisable from the title, but I recognised others immediately upon hearing them again, including The keeper and the doe - it has the (for me) immortal chorus lines

hey down hoe down derry derry down
among the leaves so green-o.

Of course, in the age we now live, some of these songs are not politically correct and some may not appeal to vegetarians, but I don't ever remember hearing much about vegetarians until the eighties. Before then, there were very few of them around. I don't mind such people, but Pete could hardly have been expected to consider them when these songs were recorded.

I read another review where somebody complained about Pete's imitations of animal noises. I'm sure that a modern recording of such songs would use authentic animal noises, but again, this music must be seen as a product of its time.

So, this is a fun album, not to be taken too seriously, which can be enjoyed by young children, or by adults trying to remember when they were young children themselves.

Average customer rating: The world gone wrong, but Bob's still good... Pure Dylan Grows on you Dylan Being Dylan Pure and Good, but Can't Understand the Lyrics

World Gone Wrong Bob Dylan Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Good as I Been to You Under the Red Sky Shot of Love Time Out of Mind Knocked Out Loaded ASIN: B0000029E8 Release Date: 1993-10-26

Tracks:

1. World Gone Wrong
2. Love Henry
3. Ragged And Dirty
4. Blood In My Eyes
5. Broke Down Engine
6. Delia
7. Stack A Lee
8. Two Soldiers
9. Jack-A-Roe
10. Lone Pilgrim

Amazon.com

With his songwriting muse on pause, Bob Dylan spent the mid-'90s recording old folk and blues standards with just himself, a harmonica, and an acoustic guitar. Good As I Been to You was the first effort. For the follow-up, World Gone Wrong, he went even further into the dark night of the soul. His voice aged by road-weary experience and informed by lifelong insight delivers just the right pathos to these tales of lost love and existential blight. Tom Paley, one of the original New Lost City Ramblers, popularized "Love Henry," a symbolic tale of a businessman who loses his soul traveling through the halls of corruption. Dylan delivers it as a funeral march and surrounds it with songs of similar sentiment. A modern acoustic blues classic. --Rob O'Connor

Album Description

Out-of-print in the US. Import pressing of this Grammy Award winning album, released in 1995. Sony / BMG.

Customer Reviews:

The world gone wrong, but Bob's still good..........2007-06-05

Bob Dylan comes from an age of music where "what you play is what you get." Despite what some computer corrected music sounds like these days, human music often involves mistakes, flubs, cracking voices, and one-take cuts. Way back in the nascent days of folk, these elements were accepted warts and all. Voices and instruments blended acoustically in all their perfect imperfection. Much modern music propogates the illusion of "the perfect performance" by filtering out gargles, croaks, and gutterals. Some recordings don't sound human. Dylan stands in stark opposition to such fiddling. As such, he never fully embraced the world of electronic music, though working with Daniel Lanois brought him close. In the early 1990s, as 80s synth-drenched pop drowned in a mire of grunge, Dylan exhumed his former life as an unplugged troubador on two solo acoustic albums, "Good As I Been To You" and "World Gone Wrong." Neither included any originals. They feature a raw unedited Dylan squealing through folk and blues classics. Throughout, he flubs and frets notes, his voice bubbles, and his guitar sounds road weary. Despite these seeming flaws, Dylan delivers memorable and poingant performances. Though nowhere near as polished, these late folk efforts evoke the earlier "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" and "The Times They Are A-Changin'." "World Gone Wrong" follows the latter in theme: melancholic, brooding, and fed up. The one-take cuts grind this mood into the listener's brain.

"Strange things have happened, like never before," the first song, also the title track, opens. In the CD's arcane liner notes, which also evoke an earlier surreal era, Dylan credits this song to "the Mississippi Sheiks, a little known de facto group whom in their former glory mustve been something to behold. rebellion against routine," he continues, "seems to be their strong theme. all their songs are raw to the bone & are faultlessly made for these modern times (the New Dark Ages) nothing effete about the Mississippi Sheiks." Fourteen years after Dylan wrote that, one can look up "Mississippi Sheiks" on Wikipedia for more information. Is anything obscure anymore? The CD continues how it started: world-weary, out of control, and wasted. "Love Henry" tells the story of a cold-blooded murder from a parrot's point of view. When the murderess calls the bird down to her, it replies, "I won't fly down, I can't fly down / And light on your right knee / A girl who would murder her own true love / Would kill a little birdlike me." "Blood In My Eyes," also attributed to the Mississippi Sheiks, seeps with desperate sexual passion. Dylan's rendition almost hurts. "Ragged & Dirty" and "Broke Down Engine" pick up the pace but not the mood. Both tell stories of people at the end of their rope. "Delia" and "Stack A Lee" revisit the brutal murder theme. The stunning, and almost meditative, "Two Soliders" recalls death on the battlefield and a mother's pain. Dylan says he picked it up from the now late Jerry Garcia. "Jack-A-Roe" and "Lone Pilgrim" conclude the album appropriately.

Some saw Dylan's cover albums as a sign that his muse had taken flight. Others saw it as an easy way to fulfill his soon to expire contract. Some were extactic at the return of "the acoustic Dylan." Some cried, for the umpteenth time, "comeback!" Nonetheless, the 1980s and 1990s left some skeptics weary of Dylan's direction. They need not have worried. Following an "MTV Unplugged" album, Dylan would start a streak that still hasn't let up, beginning with 1997's amazing "Time Out of Mind." In retrospect, "World Gone Wrong" fits right in with Dylan's overall ouvre: unpredictable, untarnished by needless perfection, and unapologetic.

Pure Dylan.......2007-06-01

Dylan is a master. Trashed and criticized as the man who could not sing, he has endured. If you like pure country blues, I think this is Dylan at his best. He brings me to a time that I understand. Hey, hey babe...I got blood in my eyes for you...I love this work.

L. Mora

Grows on you.......2007-05-06

Really lovely. One of his very best albums. For a man with a strange voice, he has great facility with it and ability to evoke the most subtle emotions and overtones. Just great.

Dylan Being Dylan.......2007-01-09

Dylan is as enigmatic as ever in this offering . He never ceases to surprise. Dylan Fans will like this CD, those unfamiliar with the Master,s works will probably hate it. I personally enjoyed it very much, but I,m a dyed in the wool DYLAN FAN!!!!!

Pure and Good, but Can't Understand the Lyrics.......2006-11-15

Dylan is authentic and sounds so on this acoustic guitar and voice cd. The songs are great classics, but the recording is weak insofar as the lyrics are not clear. This album would be so much better if you could hear the great classic lyrics of these great songs. So, 4 stars instead of 5, as the weak recording detracts from what otherwise would be a classic.

Average customer rating: Terrific Reminiscence A surprising record that always remains fresh... Dylan sounding like a man refreshed DYLANS VOICE BOX EXERCISE For Dedicated Fan

Good as I Been to You Bob Dylan Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Folk Rock | Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Folk Rock | Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Similar Items: World Gone Wrong Under the Red Sky Knocked Out Loaded Shot of Love Down in the Groove ASIN: B0000028VO Release Date: 1992-11-03

Tracks:

1. Frankie & Albert
2. Jim Jones
3. Blackjack Davey
4. Canadee-I-O
5. Sittin' On Top Of The World
6. Little Maggie
7. Hard Times
8. Step It Up And Go
9. Tomorrow Night
10. Arthur McBride
11. You're Gonna Quit Me
12. Diamond Joe
13. Froggie Went A Courtin'

Customer Reviews:

Terrific Reminiscence.......2007-05-26

This goes back to before bobby d. was known outside the village. Mostly traditional folk songs.

Strangely, it's mastered louder than most; and when I first got it I had a problem with the mix -- until I realized that it's his "guitar album". Though the songs have lyrics, the focus is his guitar playing; and from that one realizes he's a much better guitar player than some have said.

It's also lots of fun. Try "Step it Up and Go"! I give this five stars because it earns it. And yet I prefer "World Gone Wrong".

A surprising record that always remains fresh..........2007-01-10

I remember the posters that hung in the record shops when this came out...it seemed Dylan had picked the ugliest possible shot of himself; it was only after playing it that I realized it was just his way of saying, "This is me and who I am...take it or leave it."
I play this record all the time (the only real stinker is his version of Howlin' Wolf's "Sittin' on Top of the World" - he should have known that there was nothing new anybody could ever bring to that song), and the highlights are "Arthur McBride", "Jim Jones" and "Canadee I-O" with Jim Jones being one of his best cuts ever. The variety in Dylan's singing and the genuine joy and unforced emotion he brings to these songs marked this album as the turning point into this last great stage of his career. It would seem that with this and the followup "World Gone Wrong" (which is much darker and more painful in its beauty) he reached down and re-discovered what it was we all loved about the guy in the first place.

Dylan sounding like a man refreshed.......2007-01-05

I like this album (and the follow on 'World gone Wrong') considerably because I am a lover of old country blues songs and have also been a fan of Dylan's music since my pre-teens. Chances are I wouldn't have thought much of this album back when it was released but now I feel I'm finally catching on to Dylan's consistent musical vision. I realise the guitar work is not altogether stellar, but it's alright and I still love to hear Son House in his 60's (after a stroke), all buzzing notes and slurring speech anyway. Who is there now who can play and sing that way? As I've grown older, I find myself loving the raw, early blues-infused folk of Dylan's youth and have learnt from the very interesting 'Chronicles' that Woody Guthrie was not the only seminal influence to this man's career. Discovering Robert Johnson was also a revelation for the young accolyte. I feel that I'm finally beginning to catch up. Remedial Listening to Son House, Skip James, Fred McDowell and John Hurt help to place some of Dylan's earlier acoustic blues in the same context - even in the same company as those early masters. Different yes, but I believe he has managed to tap the same source and produce an original, raw and primal blues unmatched by any other singer without African heritage that I ever heard. His version of R.Johnson's 'Kindhearted Woman Blues' on the 'Gaslight Sessions' is a good example. Like-wise 'Worried Blues' from the awesome 'Bootleg series Vol.1'. Check out 'Little Maggie' and 'Step it up & Go' on this album or 'Blood in my Eye' on 'World gone Wrong'. The thing about Dylan is that he is not restricted to one style of music, let alone one flavour of the blues but for me, this is the place where it all takes shape. Bob Dylan as performer and musician is a complex mix. How can you focus on the voice without the unique phrasing he managed to develop, or the lyrics as something separate from the music? Or to look at his songs without an appreciation of the hours spent immersing himself in early American history, just to get the raw material together. How could the critics (& many fans) have just dismissed him for all those years? Without appreciating what fine work he has produced and maybe just waiting before passing judgement in case they might have missed something? Enjoy this in it's entirety as a paean to the great country blues and folk singers of the past. It's food for the soul which I believe will find a growing and appreciative audience as the years go by.

DYLANS VOICE BOX EXERCISE.......2006-09-14

You gotta step it up and go, man! Thats what Dylan is shouting in the track that boasts the same name. In 1992 when Dylan recorded this acoustic disc of folk covers, his mainstream popularity had long faded. Dylan was no longer interested in doing what record execs were asking him to do, which was a good idea, because in the past ten years he had put out far too many flops and hardly any faves.
This album isn't perfect by any stretch, and was the first album, since his first, that was basically dominated by folk songs that he didn't write. Still, this is a crucial album in Dylan catalouge, especially for 1992, when Dylan needed to prove that he could still make an album with himself, his acoustic rig, and his mouth harp, and spare his listeners the mess of studio bunk that had been smeared all over his eighties records . And he does a pretty damned good job on it.
To me it's like he's working out his vocal chords for some of the stellar albums that would follow. His cover of FRANKIE&ALBERT sounds a little bit forced. Dylan just couldn't do that same raspy voice he did in the sixties anymore, he's searching for a new style here. Check out BLACKJACK DAVEY, he seems to have found a cool new chord in his throat to work out. There are some fun tunes on here, STEP IT UP AND GO, some sad tunes, TOMMOROW NIGHT, The title track.. and some somewhat silly tracks that I still like, like FROGGIE WENT COURTIN.
Dylan fanatics should def check it out. And listen to his guitar pickin abilities while your at it. He really can play that thing.

For Dedicated Fan.......2006-07-17

For those of you who love early acoustic dylan this cd's for you!
I favor most anything the man dishes out, but this cd was really surprising. The sound quality is amazing and his guitar seems to clean for reality. Although his voice has purhaps begun it's way down hill, I think the songs on this cd really make it worth buying. I rate it as my 3rd favorite out of all dylan's. It's just his guitar, harp, and voice: I absolutely recommend Good As I Been To You to any and all Dylan Fans. cheers

Average customer rating: An American legend, captured on scratchy tape. America in a boxed set Guthrie Box Set This land was made for you and me. Great Collection of Guthrie

The Asch Recordings, Vol. 1-4 Woody Guthrie Manufacturer: Smithsonian Folkways ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Cowboy | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Folk | Box Sets | Stores | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Smithsonian Folkways Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Dust Bowl Ballads Library of Congress Recordings, Vols. 1-3 Anthology of American Folk Music (Edited by Harry Smith) Bound for Glory (Plume) Woody Guthrie: A Life ASIN: B00000JWCQ Release Date: 1999-08-17

Tracks:

1. This Land Is Your Land
2. Car Song
3. Ramblin' Round
4. Talking Fishing Blues
5. Philadelphia Lawyer
6. Lindbergh
7. Hobo's Lullaby
8. Pastures Of Plenty
9. Grand Coulee Dam
10. End Of The Line
11. New York Town
12. Gypsy Davy
13. Jesus Christ
14. This Land Is Your Land
15. Do-Re-Mi
16. Jarama Valley
17. The Biggest Thing Man Has Ever Done
18. Picture From Life's Other Side
19. Jesse James
20. Talking Hard Work
21. When That Great Ship Went Down
22. Hard, Ain't It Hard
23. Going Down The Road Feeling Bad
24. I Ain't Got Nobody
25. Sinking Of The Reuben James
26. Why, Oh Why?
27. This Land Is Your Land (Reprise)

Tracks:

1. Muleskinner Blues
2. Wreck Of The Old 97
3. Sally Goodin'
4. Little Black Train
5. Who's Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet
6. Baltimore To Washington
7. Rubber Dolly
8. 21 Years
9. Sowing On The Mountain
10. Bed On The Floor
11. Take A Whiff On Me
12. Stepstone
13. Put My Little Shoes Away
14. Hen Cackle
15. Poor Boy
16. Stackolee
17. Johnny Hart
18. Worried Man Blues
19. Danville Girl
20. Gambling Man
21. Rye Straw
22. Crawdad Song
23. Ida Red
24. Keep My Skillet Good And Greasy
25. Train

Tracks:

1. Hard Travelin'
2. Farmer-Labor Train
3. Howdjadoo
4. Ship In The Sky
5. I Ain't Got No Home In This World Anymore
6. Mean Talking Blues
7. Better World A-Comin'
8. Miss Pavlichenko
9. So Long, It's Been Good To Know You (WWII Version)
10. New Found Land
11. Oregon Trail
12. Vigilante Man
13. 1913 Massacre
14. Talking Columbia
15. Two Good Men
16. Sally, Don't You Grieve
17. Talking Sailor
18. What Are We Waiting On?
19. Railroad Blues
20. Ludlow Massacre
21. Ladies Auxiliary
22. Miner's Song
23. When The Yanks Go Marching In
24. Union Maid (Excerpt)
25. Rubaiyat (Excerpt)
26. The Many And The Few
27. Hanukkah Dance

Tracks:

1. Ranger's Command
2. Buffalo Skinners
3. Billy The Kid
4. Cowboy Waltz
5. Pretty Boy Floyd
6. Along In The Sun And The Rain
7. Whoopie Ti Yi Yo, Get Along Little Dogies
8. Froggie Went A-Courtin'
9. Buffalo Gals
10. I Ride An Old Paint
11. Dead Or Alive
12. Slipknot
13. Cocaine Blues
14. Go Tell Aunt Rhody
15. Chisholm Trail
16. Stewball
17. Wild Cyclone
18. Train Blues
19. Red River Valley
20. Fastest Of Ponies
21. Stewball
22. Snow Deer
23. When The Curfew Blows
24. Little Darling
25. Blowing Down That Old Dusty Road
26. The Return Of Rocky Mountain Slim And Desert Rat Shorty

Amazon.com essential recording

Poland-born, Brooklyn-reared producer and folk enthusiast Moses Asch maintained a suitably slack but ultimately productive relationship with Woody Guthrie. The notoriously unbound folksinger was free to stop by the New York studio unannounced and Asch would record whatever was running through the folksinger's fertile mind at the time. From the vast body of work the twosome came up with comes this cornerstone four-disc collection. All four CDs included in The Asch Recordings have been released individually--This Land is Your Land (something of a best-of set), Muleskinner Blues (a collection of the singer's old favorites), Hard Travelin' (a topical compilation), and Buffalo Skinners (Western-themed songs). If you have one or more of the aforementioned titles, finish off the set one by one. If you're interested in American folk music and you don't have the Guthrie/Asch collection, do yourself a favor and get it out of the box. --Steven Stolder

Album Description

This is the finest Woody Guthrie Collection ever assembled. These 105 songs, including many of his best-known compositions and some of his most unususal, were all recorded in the 1940's by Moses Asch, the founder of Folkways Records. Carefully selected, exquisitely remastered, and painstakingly annotated in over 100 pages of text in four illustrated booklets. Contains four CDs originally issued as separate volumes. Compiled and annotated by Jeff Place and Guy Logsdon.(4 hours and 43 minutes)

Customer Reviews:

An American legend, captured on scratchy tape........2007-01-06

Like countless others, I started listening to Woody Guthrie's recordings as a fan of Bob Dylan. I'm happy to say that listening to Woody has enhanced my appreciation for him as a singer and songwriter, and also has made me appreciate Dylan more once I was aware with what elements of Guthrie's influence he incorporated into his art and which he expanded upon. I highly recommend purchasing this entire collection (rather than just one or two discs, since they're available individually) along with the essential Dust Bowl Ballads as a strong foundation for a Woody Guthrie collection (not to mention his amazing autobiography, Bound for Glory).

What can you say about a 4-disc retrospective of such a prolific, improvisational songwriter? In my reviews I generally talk about some specific songs, but there are so many here that I'll try not to get boring and long-winded with too many details. The discs are each loosely-based on a different theme and are named (1) "This Land is Your Land," (2) "Muleskinner Blues" (3) "Hard Travelin'" and (4) "Buffalo Skinners." Although the track sequencing isn't too strict, the songs on each generally do fall in the categories of patriotic, interpretive ballads (mostly classic folk covers), topical/working class ballads, and cowboy ballads. As you'll find out, though, these labels aren't too exclusive, and Woody writes and sings about pretty much anything you could imagine, and he sure was good at it.

As the legend goes, Woody wrote on anything he could get his hands on, and composed songs on the fly (freestyle rap anyone?), so this historical document is also quite amazing considering Asch told Guthrie he could drop by and be recorded whenever he wanted. These off-the-cuff recordings not only represent the broadness of Woody's musical vision, but also a pretty accurate representation of the spontaneous singing he did while wandering the country, living (and hearing about first-hand) the lives of the characters in his songs.

And what great songs they are. The tracks range from classics you may or may not have known Woody wrote and sang; "This Land is Your Land," "Grand Coulee Dam," "Pretty Boy Floyd," "So Long, It's Been Good To Know You," "Hard Travelin'," and "Car song," to name a few. What makes the wealth of music here extraordinary is hearing Woody come up with social anthems, dark ballads, heartbreaking stories, and hilarious blues time and time again. Although folk music is simple (fans of more complex chord changes and instrumentation may take a few listens to appreciate what it is about Woody's music that makes it so classic), the magic is in the storytelling and lyrics. Some of his talking blues like "Talking Hard Work" and "Mean Talking Blues," for example, are laugh-out-loud funny, especially on repeated listens.

Some people have griped about the sound quality, but I personally wouldn't have it any other way. The scratchy, old-timey production fits perfectly, and that analog sound probably accounts for much of Woody's timbre. I'll bet it wouldn't sound half as good if recorded in digital. Woody's signature flat-picked acoustic and occasional harmonica makes most of the accompaniment, although Cisco Houston and a few others make appearances singing and playing acoustic instruments, so there's not really any complex overdubbing that is in danger of being covered up by the quality. As for Woody's voice, it's like a warm blanket or the familiar sound of a grandfather telling a story. Even though it's simple, there's a warmth and magic, subtle wit there all the time that only Woody could pull off so genuinely.

The liner notes only add to the quality of this treasure, providing info for each song, as well as great, informative biographical info. Taken together, this really is an academic historical document both on paper and on CD, but it's also a real pleasure to listen to.

As you might have guessed, I highly recommend this collection, but if you don't have any Guthrie recordings yet, I'd probably recommend the shorter Dust Bowl Ballads first, since it's not as daunting in size or price. Once you're hooked, though, this is the next place to go. I hope you take the time to discover why Woody's such a legend, and treasure this set for years to come.

America in a boxed set.......2006-04-21

I chose this boxed set over the Library of Congress Collection because the latter did not list "This Land is Your Land." The re-mastered recordings are of good quality and the collection is comprehensive. Each of the four CDs contains a booklet of information about the songs and surrounding events.

The real motivation to own this set is, of course, Woody's songs. Using familiar melodies combined with wry narratives and heart-breaking stories, Woody paints a portrait of America from the turn of the century, through the depression and dust bowl years, to WWII and after. The songs are haunting while being deceptively complex and simple at the same time. In this collection, the gravity of his more serious work is artfully countered by his very funny narrative and nonsense songs (one of my favorites in the latter category is "Mean Talking Blues"). Folk music aficionados or not, this collection will contain that will touch everyone's heart.

A final note: Woody Guthrie is perhaps one of the most under-rated guitar players in the genre. The recordings don't do justice to the subtly of his picking style. The same can be said of his abilities with the harmonica.

Guthrie Box Set.......2006-03-16

This is a great collection. The recordings are great, and there is a lot of information provided in each cd booklet.

This land was made for you and me........2005-12-04

Woody wrote "This Land is Your Land" on 23 February 1940.It is his best known song and one of the most widely sung songs in the United States.Woody's stated reason for writing it is possibly open to criticism--he said he was tired of hearing Kate Smith,one of the nation's most popular singers during the 1930's,sing "God Bless America".So he voiced a different perspective on the United States,ending each verse with "God blessed America for me".Later he changed the last line to "This land was made for you and me".
Woody wrote six verses,of which two were about Great Depression
experiences and were not heard when the song was first issued in 1951.
They were:
Was a big high wall there that tried to stop me
A sign was painted said:Private Property
But on the back side it didn't say nothing-
God blessed America for me.

One bright sunny morning in the shadow of the steeple
By the Relief Office I saw my people-
As they stood hungry,I stood there wondering if
God blessed America for me.

A seventh verse was added in 1945;the verse is:

Nobody living can ever stop me
As I go walking my freedom highway
Nobody living can make me turn back
This land was made for you and me.
This set of four discs contains 105 of Woody's songs.Each disc is accompained by a 36 page booklet giving all sorts of information and background on the songs and the people Woody worked with.There are many super photos of Woody and others.As an example,one of Woody,Fred Hellerman,Jean Richie and Pete Seeger in the recording studio.Then,how about one of Woody,'s pen and ink drawings from April 23,1946;"Hang down my head and cry".
This fantastic recording was put together by Smithonian Folkways Recordings and no matter how much you try you won't find anything else that comes close to it.
What's your favorite Woody song?
Hobo's Lullaby
Hard,Ain't it Hard
Picture from life's other Side
Going Down the Road Feeling Bad
Worried Man Blues
I Ain't Got No Home in this World Anymore
Pretty Boy Floyd
Blowing Down that Old Dusty Road

Whatever it is,You'll find it here in this collection.
If you like Folk music,and Woody in particular,this is for you.If you have a friend who knows some of Woody's songs,this will make a gift that will be highly treasured.
By the way,if you get it ,never lend it;you'll never see it again!!!

Great Collection of Guthrie.......2004-01-09

No complaints other than the sound quality--which isn't very good. It's O.K. on some songs, but all in all, it's pretty poor. Everything else is great and at about fifty cents a song it's a really good deal. The liner notes are really great as well and there's a pamphlet for each CD. I've just recently started to listen to Woody Guthrie but have been a Dylan fan for a long time. It's really neat to see all of the similarities in some of Dylan's early work with Guthrie's. Dylan's CD "Good as I Been to You" actually has a few songs that are on this CD. That's a great album as well--1991 I believe. All in all a great deal and great music.

World Music:

1. Francophonix [Live] [Import]
2. Gal de Tantos Amores [Import]
3. Galactica
4. Graal [Import]
5. Hollywood [Import]
6. Homem Comum [Box set] [Import]
7. Irish Dew
8. Irish Pub Songs
9. Ist Das Alles [Import]
10. Karthago [Import]

World Music

world music

World Music

Rock Music rock-music-23

Concertos for Keyed Trumpet

Borodine/Tchaikovsky: String Quartets

Ragtime Bolling & Boogie

Dreamstates [Import]

Dungeon Dwellaz [Explicit Lyrics]

Cores Do Brasil: Samba [Import]

Cufilation

Early on [Import]

Deep Purple Family

Chasing the Ghost

Deep People

Do the Skate

1941, Vol. 8

Timeagain