Songs of the Civil War [Folkways]

by Pete Seeger

Overview

Recorded as a tie-in with editor Irwin Silber's book of the same name (itself published to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the conflict), Songs of the Civil War presents 33 tracks on two discs performed by a variety of folksingers including Pete Seeger & the New Lost City Ramblers. Silber's book has words and music for more than another 90, but this subsection is a representative sampling of the kinds of songs that were inspired by the war, nearly all of them written during the era. (Irving Gordon's recently composed "Two Brothers" is the exception.) Some remain well-known, such as "John Brown's Body," "Battle Cry of Freedom," "When Johnny Comes Marching Home," and "Battle Hymn of the Republic," while others haven't been heard much in the ensuing century. Some were written by professional songwriters like George F. Root or Daniel Emmett, but many have unknown origins. The styles range from marching songs (note that all the best-remembered ones seem to be marches) to sentimental ballads, and the subject matter from general statements of patriotism to specific accounts of historical events. (Both "The Cumberland and the Merrimac" and "Cumberland Crew" recount the story of the sinking of a wooden Northern ship by the first Southern "ironclad.") More present the Yankee than the Confederate point of view, but the Rebels do get their say, from the stirring "Bonnie Blue Flag" to the slyly humorous "Richmond Is a Hard Road to Travel." The singers, accompanying themselves on folk instruments, sing in rough harmonies with untrained voices, providing a convincing approximation of what the songs may have sounded like when they were originally sung. Silber's notes place the songs in context, and the overall package makes for an unusually entertaining piece of aural history. ~ William Ruhlmann

Product Details

Release Date:	05/30/2012
Label:	Smithsonian Records
UPC:	0093070571723
Rank:	75410

Tracks

1. John Brown's Body  - Pete Seeger
2. Johnny Is My Darling  -  Father Reed  - Joyce Gluck  - Elizabeth Knight  - Ethel Raim
3. Billy Barlow  - Jerry Silverman
4. Somebody's Darling  - Marie Revenal De La Coste  -  Harvesters  - John Hill Hewitt  - Elizabeth Knight
5. Old Abe Lincoln  - Hermes Nye
6. The Vacant Chair  -  New Lost City Ramblers  - Henry J. Washburn
7. Lincoln and Liberty  - Jesse Jr. Hutchinson  - Pete Seeger
8. Roll, Alabama, Roll  -  Harvesters  - Jerry Silverman
9. Clear the Track  - Daniel Decatur Emmett  - Jesse Jr. Hutchinson  - Pete Seeger
10. Tramp, Tramp, Tramp  -  Harvesters  - George Frederick Root  - Jerry Silverman
11. Bonnie Blue Flag  -  Harvesters  - Elizabeth Knight  - Harry Macarthy  - Jerry Silverman
12. Tenting Tonight  - Walter Kittredge  - Pete Seeger
13. Richmond Is a Hard Road to Travel  - Daniel Emmett  -  New Lost City Ramblers  - Tom Paley  - John R. Thompson
14. Battle Cry of Freedom  -  Harvesters  - George Frederick Root  - Jerry Silverman
15. The Cumberland and the Merrimac  - Ellen Stekert
16. Just Before the Battle, Mother  -  Harvesters  - George Frederick Root  - Jerry Silverman
17. Farewell Mother  - Hermes Nye  - George Frederick Root
18. [Disc]
19. Weeping Sad and Lonely  -  Harvesters  - Elizabeth Knight  - Charles Carroll Sawyer  - Henry Tucker
20. Marching Song of the First Arkansas  - Bill McAdoo  - Lindley Miller  - Pete Seeger
21. Overtures from Richmond  - Francis Child  - Jerry Silverman
22. Pat Murphy of the Irish Brigade  - Ellen Stekert
23. Goober Peas  - John Cohen  -  New Lost City Ramblers
24. Cumberland Crew  - Sandy Ives
25. High Toned Southern Gentleman  - Jerry Silverman
26. When Johnny Comes Marching Home  - Patrick S. Gilmore  - Bill McAdoo  - Pete Seeger
27. Who Will Care for Mother Now?  -  Harvesters  - Charles Carroll Sawyer  - Jerry Silverman
28. Marching Through Georgia  - Bill McAdoo  - Pete Seeger  - Henry Clay Work
29. No More Auction Block  -  Harvesters
30. Kingdom Coming (Year of Jubilo)  - Pete Seeger  - Henry Clay Work
31. Booth Killed Lincoln  - Cisco Houston
32. Oh, I'm a Good Old Rebel  - Hermes Nye  - Innes C.S.A. Randolph
33. Two Brothers  - Ronnie Gluck  - Irving Gordon  - Ethel Raim
34. Battle Hymn of the Republic  -  Harvesters  - Julia Ward Howe  - Elizabeth Knight

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Pete Seeger   Primary Artist
John Cohen   Primary Artist
Joyce Gluck   Primary Artist
Sandy Ives   Primary Artist
Ellen Stekert   Primary Artist
Cisco Houston   Primary Artist
Ronnie Gluck   Primary Artist
Tom Paley   Primary Artist
Hermes Nye   Primary Artist
The New Lost City Ramblers   Primary Artist
Ethel Raim   Primary Artist
Jerry Silverman   Primary Artist
The Harvesters   Primary Artist
Elizabeth Knight   Primary Artist
Bill McAdoo   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Henry J. Washburn   Composer
John R. Thompson   Composer
Innes C.S.A. Randolph   Composer
Marie Revenal De La Coste   Composer
Father Reed   Composer
Lindley Miller   Composer
John Hill Hewitt   Composer
George Frederick Root   Composer
Charles Carroll Sawyer   Composer
Francis Child   Composer
Henry Tucker   Composer
Harry Macarthy   Composer
Daniel Emmett   Composer
Henry Clay Work   Composer
Daniel Decatur Emmett   Composer
Julia Ward Howe   Composer
Irving Gordon   Composer
Patrick S. Gilmore   Composer
Walter Kittredge   Composer
Jesse Hutchinson Jr.   Composer