LEADBELLY’S LAST SESSIONS (4 CDS) SMITHSONIAN FOLKWAYS

The press release calls this “The most famous and sought-after Blues & Folk recordings ever made”; these 96 tracks (two unissued) have inspired American artists as diverse as Neil Young and William Styron. Nearly all of Leadbelly’s most famous songs are here- Rock Island Line; Midnight Special; Goodnight, Irene; Easy Rider, etc.-plus gripping storytelling, all recorded on tape in 1948 for the only time in his career (hence better fidelity and uninterrupted recording). These four CDs come in a limited edition slipcase with extensive notes, rare photos, bio and discography.



– Disc 1 –
1 Yes, I Was Standing in the Bottom
2 Yes, I’m Going Down to Louisiana
3 I Ain’t Going Down to the Well No More
4 Dick Ligger’s Holler
5 Miss Liza Jane
6 Dog Latin Song
7 Leaving Blues
8 Go Down, Old Hannah
9 Blue Tail Fly
10 Nobody in This World Is Better Than Us
11 We’re in the Same Boat, Brother
12 Looky, Looky Yonder
13 Jolly O’ the Ransom
14 Old Ship of Zion
15 Bring Me a Little Water, Silver
16 Mistreatin’ Mamma
17 Black Betty
18 Ain’t Going Down to the Well No More
19 I’m Going Back Down in Louisiana
20 I Don’t Know You, What Have I Done
21 Rock Island Line
22 Old Man, Will Your Dog Catch a Rabbit?
23 Shorty George
24 Stewball
25 Bottle Up & Go
26 You Know I Got to Do It
27 Ain’t It a Shame to Go Fishing on a Sunday
28 I Ain’t Gonna Drink Anymore
29 Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues
30 My Lindy Lou
31 I’m Thinking of a Friend
32 He Never Said a Mumbling Word
33 I Don’t Want No More of Army Life
34 In the World
35 I Want to Go Home
– Disc 2 –
1 New Iberia
2 Dancing with Tears in My Eyes
3 John Henry
4 Salty Dog
5 National Defense Blues
6 Easy, Mr. Tom
7 Relax Your Mind
8 Bottle Up and Go
9 Polly Wolly Wee
10 Pig Latin Song (2nd Version)
11 Hawaiian Song
12 Drinkin’ Lum y a Alla
13 The Grey Goose
14 Silver City Bound
15 The Titanic
16 Death Letter Blues
17 Mary Don’t You Weep
18 He Never Said a Mumbling Word
– Disc 3 –
1 Midnight Special
2 Boll Weevil Song
3 Careless Love
4 Easy Rider
5 Cry for Me
6 Ain’t Going to Drink No More (De Kalb Blues)
7 Birmingham Jail
8 Old Riley
9 Julie Ann Johnson
10 It’s Tight Like That
11 4,5 & 9
12 Good Morning Babe, How Do You Do?
13 Jail House Blues
14 Well, You Know I Had to Do It
15 Irene
16 25 Cent Dude
17 How Come You Do Me Like You Do?
18 Hello Central
19 Hesitation Blues
20 I’ll Be Down on the Last Bread Wagon
– Disc 4 –
1 Somebody’s Diggin’ My Potatoes
2 Springtime in the Rockies
3 Chinatown
4 Rock Island Line
5 Backwater Blues
6 Sweet Mary
7 Irene
8 Easy, Mr. Tom
9 In the Evening, When the Sun Goes Down
10 I’m Alone Because I Love You
11 House of the Rising Sun
12 Mary Don’t You Weep
13 Talk About Fannin Street
14 Fannin Street
15 Sugared the Beer
16 Didn’t Old John Cross the Water
17 Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out
18 Bully of the Town
19 Sweet Jenny Lee
20 Yellow Gal
21 He Was the Man
22 We’re in the Same Boat, Brother
23 Leaving Blues