American Folksongs for Children

by Mike Seeger, Peggy Seeger, Mike & Peggy Seeger

Overview

An earlier review summarizes this project as being for ages three to seven, but perhaps this isn't the best target audience for such an extensive project. Above all this set should be of interest to many listeners conceptually, as it represents a labor of love that spans a generation. Brother and sister Mike and Peggy Seeger have recorded the collection of simple children's folk songs their mother, Ruth Crawford Seeger, assembled and published in the book of the same title as this set. Both collections includes dozens and dozens of songs, from the ultra-familiar "Skip to My Lou" to the futile "Scraping up Sand in the Bottom of the Sea." The big question is: Who is it that is going to sit and listen to this whole thing? It is seriously pretty doubtful that most tots in the age groups listed above would get extensive use out of the three-album box or multiple-CD set, although there are individual songs that will be found appealing, no doubt. The more specifically focused collections the Seegers created for the same label or Folkways will find a more appreciative audience among children, as it is easier to see little folk enjoying one disc of all animal songs than wading through this entire morass of material. Fans of Mike Seeger's instrumental virtuosity in the old-timey music arena will also find this material a bit laid-back, since hot-shot picking wasn't the point here. (Kids would like the set better if it was, however). Librarians, music teachers, and other archivists are going to be the folks who really appreciate this collection, especially in tandem with the book. For sake of argument, the best vocal is on "Goodbye, Old Paint." Somewhere along the line the disastrous graphic decision was made to remove the charming black-and-white photo from the cover and replace it with a cheesy, folksy painting of the same scene. ~ Eugene Chadbourne

Product Details

Release Date:	01/14/1997
Label:	Rounder Select / Rounder
UPC:	0011661800120
Rank:	215246

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Yonder She Comes
2. Down Came a Lady
3. Who's That Tapping at the Window?
4. Such a Getting Upstairs
5. Toodala
6. How Old Are You?
7. Jimmy Rose He Went to Town
8. What Shall We Do When We Go Out?
9. Goodbye, Julie
10. Goodbye Old Paint
11. Oh, Oh, the Sunshine
12. Sweet Water Rolling
13. The Wind Blow East
14. Rain, Come Wet Me
15. It Rained a Mist
16. Rain or Shine
17. One Cold and Frosty Morning
18. By'm Bye
19. Jim Along Josis
20. There Was a Man and He Was Mad
21. Riding in the Buggy, Miss Mary Jane
22. Billy Barlow
23. The Juniper Tree
24. Old Joe Clarke
25. Down by the Greenwood Sidey-O
26. Roll That Brown Jug Down to Town
27. As I Walked Out One Holiday
28. She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain
29. Juba
30. Run, Children, Run
31. All Around the Kitchen
32. I'm Going to Join the Army
33. Scraping up Sand in the Bottom of the Sea
34. Old Mister Rabbit
35. Old Molly Hare
36. Oh, John the Rabbit
37. The Little Pig
38. Bought Me a Cat
39. Hop, Old Squirrel
40. My Horses Ain't Hungry
41. Did You Go to the Barney?
42. Have a Little Dog
43. Froggie Went A-Courtin'
44. Little Bird, Little Bird

Disc 2

45. Who's Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Foot
46. Poor Old Crow
47. Ducks in the Millpond
48. Jim Crack Corn
49. Eency Weency Spider
50. Dog Tick
51. Whoe Built the Ark: Noah, Noah
52. Mary Wore Her Red Dress
53. Pretty Little Girl With the Red Dress On
54. This Lady She Wears a Dark Green Shawl
55. Walk Along, John
56. Do, Do Pity My Case
57. Hanging Out the Linen Clothes
58. Lula Gal
59. Old Aunt Kate
60. What Did You Have for Supper?
61. Baby Dear
62. Johnny, Get Your Hair Cut
63. I Got a Letter This Morning
64. Rose, Rose, and up She Rises
65. What'll We Do With the Baby?
66. Hush Little Baby
67. Pick a Bale of Cotton
68. This Old Hammer
69. The Train Is A-Coming
70. The Little Black Train
71. When the Train Comes Along
72. John Henry
73. Every Monday Morning
74. Going Down to Town
75. Sailing in the Boat
76. Blow Boys Blow
77. Fire Down Below
78. Sally Go Round the Sunshine
79. This Old Man
80. Skip-A to My Lou
81. When I Was a Young Maid
82. The Closet Key
83. Built My Lady a Fine Brick House
84. Where Oh Where Is Pretty Little Susie?
85. Jingle at the Windows
86. Adam Had Seven Sons
87. Here Sits a Monkey
88. Go to Sleepy
89. Monday Morning Go to School
90. Hush 'N' Bye
91. Turtle Dove
92. Mary Had a Baby
93. Jesus Borned in Bethlea
94. The Cherry Tree Carol

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Peggy Seeger   Primary Artist,Banjo,Guitar,Vocals,Autoharp,Dulcimer,Concertina,Percussion,Handclapping,Special Effects
Mike & Peggy Seeger   Primary Artist
Mike Seeger   Primary Artist,Mandolin,Harmonica,Jew's-Harp,Handclapping,Special Effects,Guitar (12 String),Banjo,Fiddle,Guitar,Dulcimer,Clapping,Quills,Vocals,Autoharp
Ewan MacColl   Primary Artist,Vocals
Mike MacCall   Vocals

Technical Credits

Mike Seeger   Liner Notes
Peggy Seeger   Liner Notes
Ruth Crawford Seeger   Composer
Susan Marsh   Illustrations,Cover Illustration
Charley Willis   Composer
Traditional   Composer
A.P. Carter   Composer