American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 4

by Pete Seeger

Overview

By the time it reached its third volume in 1959, Folkways Records' series of Pete Seeger albums called American Favorite Ballads seemed to be running out of gas, as Seeger re-recorded old Weavers hits like "Goodnight Irene" and "Wimoweh" (the latter, of course, not even American). But arriving after two years in 1961, American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 4 seems much closer to the series' original intent to present a variety of generally well-known, traditional American folk songs in Seeger's inimitable style. Variety is the key here, as Seeger ranges from a murder ballad ("Banks of the Ohio") to a patriotic anthem ("America the Beautiful"), with comic novelties ("Hole in the Bucket") contrasting with plaintive anti-war statements ("Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier"), a children's tune ("Froggie Went A-Courtin'"), and a spiritual ("Go Down Moses"), not to mention a raucous sea chantey ("What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor?") and a hyperbolic and hilarious tale of army life ("Gee, But I Want to Go Home"). The ringer in the bunch is "You Are My Sunshine," which might sound like an old song, but really dates only from 1940, when its co-author, Jimmie Davis, introduced it. (It went on to help him become governor of Louisiana.) No matter. Seeger continues to contemporize a wide range of American folk music with performances that are unfailingly engaging. [A reissue added 16 songs taken from other Seeger Folkways recordings, including nine from the 1962 album American Favorite Ballads, Vol. 5; a smattering of cuts from material he recorded for Folkways in the '50s; and even a previously unreleased performance (date not given) of "Old Maid's Song."] ~ William Ruhlmann

Product Details

Release Date:	05/23/2006
Label:	Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
UPC:	0093074015322
Rank:	163163

Tracks

1. Banks of the Ohio
2. You Are My Sunshine
3. Hallelujah, I'm a Bum
4. The Foggy Dew
5. Molly Malone
6. Old Maid's Song
7. Oh, How He Lied
8. Where the Old Allegheny and the Monongahela Flow
9. Leatherwing Bat
10. Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier
11. Farther Along
12. Go Down, Moses
13. All My Trials
14. Monsieur Banjo
15. No More Auction Block
16. Hole in the Bucket
17. What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor
18. Army Life
19. Blue Mountain Lake
20. Lady Margaret
21. John Hardy
22. Johnson
23. John Riley
24. Washer Lad
25. Talking Bloues
26. Lolly-Too-Dum
27. T.B. Blues
28. Summertime

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Pete Seeger   Primary Artist,Banjo,Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (12 String)

Technical Credits

D.A. Sonneborn   Production Supervisor
Richard James Burgess   Staff,Marketing
Margot Nassau   Staff,Licensing,Financial Director
John Smith   Staff,Marketing
Gitz Rice   Composer
Jacob Love   Editorial Assistant
Toby Dodds   Staff,Management
Mary Monseur   Production Coordination
Carla Borden   Staff,Editing
C.C. Mitchell   Composer
David Gahr   Photography
Norman van der Sluys   Staff
J.B. Rodgers   Composer
Amy Schriefer   Staff,Program Assistant
Helen Lindsay   Staff,Public Relations
Jeff Place   Annotation,Song Notes,Liner Notes,Introduction
Lee Michael Demsey   Staff
Daniel Sheehy   Production Supervisor
Betty Derbyshire   Staff,Financial Director
Mark Gustafson   Staff,Marketing,Promotions Director
Stephanie Smith   Staff,Archivist
Traditional   Composer
Elvis Presley   Composer
George Gershwin   Composer
Ira Gershwin   Composer
DuBose Heyward   Composer
Pete Reiniger   Mastering,Sound Supervision
Ronnie Simpkins   Staff,Audio Supervisor
Guy Logsdon   Annotation,Song Notes,Introduction