Folk Songs of the Hills
Encyclopedia
Folk Songs of the Hills is Merle Travis
's classic collection of traditional songs from his native Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, including original compositions evoking working life on the railroads and in the coal mines. Each song, accompanied by Travis on his own acoustic guitar, is introduced by a short narrative. First issued as a 78 rpm box set album in 1947, this collection has remained in print in LP and CD reissues up to the present, with additional tracks from the same period added in later editions (the original album had 8 songs, the most recent edition has 13). This album is widely regarded as one of Travis' finest achievements. A seminal work in his career, it brought him fame as an interpreter of traditional American folk music
, as a brilliant finger-style guitarist, and as a folk-inspired composer whose songs "Dark as a Dungeon
" and "Sixteen Tons
", included in all editions of this album, have become classics of folk, country and popular music.
, Burl Ives
, Josh White
, Woody Guthrie
, Leadbelly
, and The Golden Gate Quartet
. Travis was known for his broad repertoire of country standards and outstanding guitar playing. Gillette signed him to a recording contract in 1946 and asked him to record a series of folk and folk-inspired songs accompanying himself on an acoustic guitar (although he usually played a hollow-body electric). The recordings that resulted, taking place at two dates in August 1946, led to the eight titles that appeared in the original 78 rpm version of Folk Songs of the Hills, one of the earliest examples of a concept album
. Though a commercial flop at the time, the album was widely admired by musicians, and Travis was invited to preserve some of his performances in a series of Snader Transcriptions, an early form of music video, which can be viewed today on several internet sites and DVDs. In 1955, one song from the album, "Sixteen Tons
", was recorded by Tennessee Ernie Ford
and became a million-selling crosover hit. A number of other songs from the album, such as "Dark as a Dungeon
", "John Henry
" and "Nine-pound Hammer," entered Travis's regular repertoire and went on to become folk, country and bluegrass standards.
As the American folk music revival
gathered steam in the 1950s, the album was reissued on LP with a new cover under the title Back Home
(Capitol Records T-891, 1957), adding four more tracks from electrical transcriptions made earlier by Travis in the same style for radio broadcast. Its first appearance on CD was as a remastered reissue by Bear Family Records
1993, including all 12 songs in Back Home, where it was coupled with the thematically related 1963 Capitol LP Songs of the Coal Mines. The latest reissue to date is Capitol's own remastered CD of 1996 (Capitol Vintage 35810), reprising all songs of the previous reissues as well as a further track dating from the 1940s, "This World is Not My Home".
Only tracks 1-8 appeared on the original 1947 release Folk Songs of the Hills.
Tracks 10-13 were added to the 1957 LP reissue Back Home
and the subsequent Bear Family reissue Folk Songs of the Hills (Back Home/Songs of the Coalmines). Track 9 first appears on the 1996 Capitol reissue.
Merle Travis
Merle Robert Travis was an American country and western singer, songwriter, and musician born in Rosewood, Kentucky. His lyrics often discussed the life and exploitation of coal miners. Among his many well-known songs are "Sixteen Tons", "Re-Enlistment Blues" and "Dark as a Dungeon"...
's classic collection of traditional songs from his native Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, including original compositions evoking working life on the railroads and in the coal mines. Each song, accompanied by Travis on his own acoustic guitar, is introduced by a short narrative. First issued as a 78 rpm box set album in 1947, this collection has remained in print in LP and CD reissues up to the present, with additional tracks from the same period added in later editions (the original album had 8 songs, the most recent edition has 13). This album is widely regarded as one of Travis' finest achievements. A seminal work in his career, it brought him fame as an interpreter of traditional American folk music
American folk music
American folk music is a musical term that encompasses numerous genres, many of which are known as traditional music or roots music. Roots music is a broad category of music including bluegrass, country music, gospel, old time music, jug bands, Appalachian folk, blues, Cajun and Native American...
, as a brilliant finger-style guitarist, and as a folk-inspired composer whose songs "Dark as a Dungeon
Dark as a Dungeon
"Dark as a Dungeon" is a song written by singer-songwriter Merle Travis. It is a lament about the danger and drudgery of being a coal miner in an Appalachian shaft mine. It has become a rallying song among miners seeking improved working conditions....
" and "Sixteen Tons
Sixteen Tons
"Sixteen Tons" is a song about the life of a coal miner, first recorded in 1946 by American country singer Merle Travis and released on his box set album Folk Songs of the Hills the following year...
", included in all editions of this album, have become classics of folk, country and popular music.
History
In 1944, Merle Travis moved to Hollywood, California, where he made a living by performing minor roles in a Western films and playing with Ray Whitley's Western Swing Band. At the time, Capitol A & R man and producer Lee Gillette was looking for a way to enter the rising market for traditional American folk music created by singers and musicians such as John Jacob NilesJohn Jacob Niles
John Jacob Niles was an American composer, singer, and collector of traditional ballads. Called the "Dean of American Balladeers", Niles was an important influence on the American folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s, with Joan Baez, Burl Ives, and Peter, Paul and Mary, among others,...
, Burl Ives
Burl Ives
Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was an American actor, writer and folk music singer. As an actor, Ives's work included comedies, dramas, and voice work in theater, television, and motion pictures. Music critic John Rockwell said, "Ives's voice .....
, Josh White
Josh White
Joshua Daniel White , better known as Josh White, was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor, and civil rights activist. He also recorded under the names "Pinewood Tom" and "Tippy Barton" in the 1930s....
, Woody Guthrie
Woody Guthrie
Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie is best known as an American singer-songwriter and folk musician, whose musical legacy includes hundreds of political, traditional and children's songs, ballads and improvised works. He frequently performed with the slogan This Machine Kills Fascists displayed on his...
, Leadbelly
Leadbelly
Huddie William Ledbetter was an iconic American folk and blues musician, notable for his strong vocals, his virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the songbook of folk standards he introduced....
, and The Golden Gate Quartet
The Golden Gate Quartet
The Golden Gate Quartet is an American vocal group. It was formed in 1934 and, with changes in membership, remains active. It is the most successful of all of the African-American gospel music groups who sang in the jubilee quartet style...
. Travis was known for his broad repertoire of country standards and outstanding guitar playing. Gillette signed him to a recording contract in 1946 and asked him to record a series of folk and folk-inspired songs accompanying himself on an acoustic guitar (although he usually played a hollow-body electric). The recordings that resulted, taking place at two dates in August 1946, led to the eight titles that appeared in the original 78 rpm version of Folk Songs of the Hills, one of the earliest examples of a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
. Though a commercial flop at the time, the album was widely admired by musicians, and Travis was invited to preserve some of his performances in a series of Snader Transcriptions, an early form of music video, which can be viewed today on several internet sites and DVDs. In 1955, one song from the album, "Sixteen Tons
Sixteen Tons
"Sixteen Tons" is a song about the life of a coal miner, first recorded in 1946 by American country singer Merle Travis and released on his box set album Folk Songs of the Hills the following year...
", was recorded by Tennessee Ernie Ford
Tennessee Ernie Ford
Ernest Jennings Ford , better known as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was an American recording artist and television host who enjoyed success in the country and Western, pop, and gospel musical genres...
and became a million-selling crosover hit. A number of other songs from the album, such as "Dark as a Dungeon
Dark as a Dungeon
"Dark as a Dungeon" is a song written by singer-songwriter Merle Travis. It is a lament about the danger and drudgery of being a coal miner in an Appalachian shaft mine. It has become a rallying song among miners seeking improved working conditions....
", "John Henry
John Henry
The most notable use of the name John Henry is in a ballad, "John Henry", describing the folk figure John Henry as a "steel-driving man".John Henry may also refer to:-People:* John Flournoy Henry , U.S...
" and "Nine-pound Hammer," entered Travis's regular repertoire and went on to become folk, country and bluegrass standards.
As the American folk music revival
American folk music revival
The American folk music revival was a phenomenon in the United States that began during the 1940s and peaked in popularity in the mid-1960s. Its roots went earlier, and performers like Josh White, Burl Ives, Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Richard Dyer-Bennett, Oscar Brand, Jean Ritchie, John Jacob...
gathered steam in the 1950s, the album was reissued on LP with a new cover under the title Back Home
Back Home (Merle Travis album)
Back Home is the original LP reissue of Merle Travis's first album, Folk Songs of the Hills , with four previously unreleased tracks and a new cover...
(Capitol Records T-891, 1957), adding four more tracks from electrical transcriptions made earlier by Travis in the same style for radio broadcast. Its first appearance on CD was as a remastered reissue by Bear Family Records
Bear Family Records
Bear Family Records is a Germany-based independent record label that specializes in reissues of archival material ranging from country music to 1950s rock and roll to old German movie soundtracks.-History:...
1993, including all 12 songs in Back Home, where it was coupled with the thematically related 1963 Capitol LP Songs of the Coal Mines. The latest reissue to date is Capitol's own remastered CD of 1996 (Capitol Vintage 35810), reprising all songs of the previous reissues as well as a further track dating from the 1940s, "This World is Not My Home".
Track listing (1996 Capitol edition)
- "Nine Pound Hammer" (Traditional)
- "John Henry" (Traditional)
- "Sixteen Tons" (Travis)
- "Dark as a Dungeon" (Travis)
- "That's All" (Travis)
- "Over by Number Nine" (Travis)
- "I Am a Pilgrim" (Traditional)
- "Muskrat" (Traditional)
- "This World is Not My Home" (Traditional)
- "John Bolin" (Traditional)
- "Possum up a Simmon Tree" (Traditional)
- "Barbara Allen" (Traditional)
- "Lost John" (Traditional)
Only tracks 1-8 appeared on the original 1947 release Folk Songs of the Hills.
Tracks 10-13 were added to the 1957 LP reissue Back Home
Back Home (Merle Travis album)
Back Home is the original LP reissue of Merle Travis's first album, Folk Songs of the Hills , with four previously unreleased tracks and a new cover...
and the subsequent Bear Family reissue Folk Songs of the Hills (Back Home/Songs of the Coalmines). Track 9 first appears on the 1996 Capitol reissue.