CD Review
Folk Classics: Roots of American Folk Music, various artists, CBS Records, 1989
Okay, so I have gone through Harry Smith's "Anthology of American Folk Music" in this space. I have also spent no little time touting Pete Seeger's 1960s television folk series, "Rainbow Quest" here as well. I have written about the troubadours, male and female, young and old, who hung around New York City's Washington Square in the early 1960s trying to develop a play list that would get them through a night of 'open mikes' at some subterranean venue. The only thing I haven't done is to provide a resume of what your average hungry folk artist sought to 'discover' during the high side of the folk revival. Well, I make amends here.
This little CD contains more staple material from the mountains, from the old time Child ballads, from the Lomax cowboy song book than you can shake a stick at. If one looks at the list on this CD you will find all the material that you need to start you off on a folk singing career. Of course, it will help if you can sing and play like Johnny Cash and the Carter Family or sing and play like the Beer family or work it out like you were really cowboy like Ramblin' Jack Elliot. But that is the subject of another commentary.
Although everything here is classic not everything may be to your liking. Here are my "likings": “Jesse James”, Pete Seeger and friends (although Pete, remember Jesse was on the wrong side in the Civil War and had the funny habit of continuing that war after it was formally over by robbing Northern banks; “The Streets Of Laredo”, Harry Jackson; “Pretty Polly”, The Stanley Brothers (ouch on the lyrics here-who said love was all roses and sweetness); “The Banks Of The Ohio”, The Carter Family With Johnny Cash (same as Pretty Polly comment); “Black Is The Color”, Orriel Smith; “Matty Groves”, The Beers Family (Francis Child knew how to collect ballads with a cautionary tale to tell); and, “Worried Man Blues”, Scruggs and Flatt with Maybelle Carter.
The Streets of Laredo
arranged & adapted by Arlo Guthrie
As I walked out in the streets of Laredo
As I walked out in Laredo one day
I spied a poor cowboy wrapped up in white linen
All wrapped in white linen as cold as the clay
"I see by your outfit that you are a cowboy"
These words he did say as I proudly stepped by
"Come sit down beside me and hear my sad story
I'm shot in the breast and I know I must die
"'Twas once in the saddle I used to go ridin'
Once in the saddle I used to go gay
First lead to drinkin', and then to card-playing
I'm shot in the breast and I'm dying today
"Let six jolly cowboys come carry my coffin
Let six pretty gals come to carry my pall
Throw bunches of roses all over my coffin
Throw roses to deaden the clods as they fall
"Oh, beat the drum slowly, and play the fife lowly
And play the dead march as you carry me along
Take me to the green valley and lay the earth o'er me
For I'm a poor cowboy and I know I've done wrong"
We beat the drum slowly and played the fife lowly
And bitterly wept as we carried him along
For we all loved our comrade, so brave, young and handsome
We all loved our comrade although he done wrong
©1991 Arloco Music Inc
All Rights Reserved.
Pretty Polly Lyrics
Polly, pretty Polly, would you think me unkind
Polly, pretty Polly, would you think me unkind
if I sat down beside you and told you my mind
My mind is to marry and never to part
My mind is to marry and never to part,
The first time I saw you it wounded my heart
Polly, pretty Polly, come and go along with me
Polly, pretty Polly, come and go along with me
Before we get married some pleasure to seek
He led her over mountains and valleys so deep
He led her over mountains and valleys so deep
Polly misjudged him and she began to weep
Sayin' "Willie, Oh Willie, I'm afraid of your ways"
Willie, Oh Willie, I'm afraid of your ways"
The way you've been ramblin' you'd lead me astray
He said "Polly, pretty Polly, your guess is about right.
Polly, pretty Polly, your guess is about right,
I dug on your grave the best part of last night
She followed him a little farther and what did she find
She followed him a little farther and what did she find
A new dug grave and a spade lyin' by
She knelt down before him and begged for her life
She knelt down before him and begged for her life
Sayin' "Let me be a single girl if I can't be your wife"
"Polly, pretty polly that never could be.
Polly, pretty polly that never could be,
Your fast reputation's been trouble to me
He stabbed her through the heart and her heart's blood did flow
He stabbed her through the heart and her heart's blood did flow
And into the grave Pretty Polly did go.
He went to the jailhouse and what did he say
He went to the jailhouse and what did he say
I've killed pretty Polly and I'm tryin' to get away
Jesse James
Jesse James, living in St. Joseph, Missouri under his pseudonym "Thomas Howard" was shot by Robert Ford on April 4, 1882. Robert Ford was a member of Jesse's gang whom Jesse regarded as a friend. Ford shot Jesse in the back while Jesse was hanging a picture. According to Randolph the song became popular throughout the Midwest almost immediately after Jesse's death. Ford himself was shot in 1892 by another member of Jesse's gang.
Jesse James was a lad who killed many a man
He robbed the Glendale train;
He stole from the rich and he gave to the poor
He'd a hand and a heart and a brain.
Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life,
Three children, they were brave;
But that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard
Has laid poor Jesse in his grave.
It was Robert Ford, that dirty little coward;
I wonder how he does feel
For he ate of Jesse's bread and he slept in Jesse's bed
Then laid poor Jesse in his grave.
Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life,
Three children, they were brave;
But that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard
Has laid poor Jesse in his grave.
Jesse was a man, a friend to the poor
He never would see a man suffer pain,
And with his brother Frank he robbed the Chicago bank,
And stopped the Glendale train.
Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life,
Three children, they were brave;
But that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard
Has laid poor Jesse in his grave.
It was his brother Frank that robbed the Gallatin bank,
And carried the money from the town;
It was in this very place that they had a little race,
For they shot Captain Sheets to the ground.
Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life,
Three children, they were brave;
But that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard
Has laid poor Jesse in his grave.
They went to the crossing not very far from there,
And there they did the same;
With the agent on his knees, he delivered up the keys
To the outlaws, Frank and Jesse James.
Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life,
Three children, they were brave;
But that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard
Has laid poor Jesse in his grave.
It was on Saturday night, Jesse was at home
Talking with his family brave,
Robert Ford came along like a thief in the night
And laid poor Jesse in his grave.
Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life,
Three children, they were brave;
But that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard
Has laid poor Jesse in his grave.
The people held their breath
When they heard of Jesse's death
And wondered how he ever came to die.
It was one of the gang called little Robert Ford
He shot poor Jesse on the sly.
Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life,
Three children, they were brave;
But that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard
Has laid poor Jesse in his grave.
This song was made by Billy Gashade,
As soon as the news did arrive;
He said there was no man with the law in his hand
Who could take Jesse James when alive.
Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life,
Three children, they were brave;
But that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard
Has laid poor Jesse in his grave.
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