“Negro Folk Songs” by Lead Belly - album review

features in: (B-list) Album Chart of 1946 ● (B-list) Album Chart of the 1940s

Recorded circa October 1943 and thought to have been issued in 1944, although that has been impossible to prove via press, so far. The set was reissued (or issued for the first time) on Disc Records 660 in 1946. The Life And Legend Of Leadbelly (Charles K. Wolfe, Kip Lornell) notes that Asch 561 was scheduled but that it remains unclear as to whether it actually saw release, possibly due to the restrictions placed on Shellac, deemed to be a strategic material by government.

The Jukebox Rebel
19–Jun–2012

+ notes

• 3 x 78 set. This set was previously scheduled as Asch Records 561 (either in 1944 or 1945) but it's thought unlikely to have been released.
• B-list as 4 tracks have already appeared in his album discography - “Yellow Gal”, “Out On The Western Plains” and “John Hardy” (“Lead Belly Sings Ballads of Beautiful Women and Bad Men”, 1944) and “Green Corn” (“Negro Sinful Songs”, 1939).

Tracklist

A	[03:52] Lead Belly - Bring Me Lil Water Silvy / Julia Ann Johnson / Line ‘Em / Whoa Back Buck (Huddie Ledbetter) Folk
B	[03:19] Lead Belly - Meeting At The Building / Talking Preaching / We Shall Walk Through The Valley (Huddie Ledbetter) Folk
C	[03:08] Lead Belly - Fiddler’s Dream / Yallow Gal / Green Corn (Huddie Ledbetter) Folk
D	[03:07] Lead Belly - Cow Cow Yicky Yea / Out On The Western Plains (Traditional - Huddie Ledbetter) Folk
E	[04:15] Lead Belly - John Hardy [1943 version] (Huddie Ledbetter) Folk
F	[04:02] Lead Belly - Noted Rider / Big Fat Woman / Borrow Love And Go (Huddie Ledbetter) Blues / Rhythm n Blues

ratings by TJR