Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues
Encyclopedia
Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues is the debut solo
album by American
folk singer
Odetta
, first released in 1956.
Like much of Odetta's early work, Ballads and Blues combines traditional
songs (e.g. spirituals
) with blues
covers. Some songs on this album were also recorded for Odetta & Larry
's 1954 album The Tin Angel
:
The initial vinyl
release has tracks 1-8 as side A, then tracks 9-16 as side B (the "Spiritual Trilogy" being counted as one track, a medley). The "enhanced" CD version of this album, released in 2005, contains four bonus tracks and has a slightly different cover with a different photo of the singer. Some tracks are included on the Collectables re-release The Best of Odetta
.
Bob Dylan singled this album out as one of his favorites by Odetta; indeed, it was albums like this that inspired him to play folk music
instead of rock 'n' roll.
release.
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
album by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
folk singer
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
Odetta
Odetta
Odetta Holmes, known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, songwriter, and a human rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire consisted largely of American folk music, blues, jazz, and spirituals...
, first released in 1956.
Like much of Odetta's early work, Ballads and Blues combines traditional
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
songs (e.g. spirituals
Spiritual (music)
Spirituals are religious songs which were created by enslaved African people in America.-Terminology and origin:...
) with blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
covers. Some songs on this album were also recorded for Odetta & Larry
Odetta & Larry
Odetta & Larry was a short-lived blues-folk duo in the mid-1950s. It consisted of Odetta and Lawrence B. Mohr, the former of whom became the more well-known in ensuing decades....
's 1954 album The Tin Angel
The Tin Angel
The Tin Angel is now the common name for Odetta & Larry's only album, a collection of all their recordings, originally released in 1954 as "Odetta And Larry".- Background :...
:
- "Santy Anno"
- "'Buked and Scorned"
- "Another Man Done Gone"
- "He's Got the Whole World in His HandsHe's Got the Whole World in His Hands"He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" is a traditional American spiritual. It was first published in the paperbound hymnal Spirituals Triumphant, Old and New, in 1927. In 1933, it was collected by Frank Warner from the singing of Sue Thomas in North Carolina...
" (although it only appears as a bonus track on this album)
The initial vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
release has tracks 1-8 as side A, then tracks 9-16 as side B (the "Spiritual Trilogy" being counted as one track, a medley). The "enhanced" CD version of this album, released in 2005, contains four bonus tracks and has a slightly different cover with a different photo of the singer. Some tracks are included on the Collectables re-release The Best of Odetta
The Best of Odetta
The Best of Odetta is a compilation by American folk singer Odetta, originally released in 1967.-Track listing:#"Muleskinner Blues" – 2:50 #"If I Had A Ribbon Bow" – 2:50 #"Shame And Scandal" – 2:25 #"'Buked And Scorned" – 2:40 #"Joshua" – 1:50...
.
Bob Dylan singled this album out as one of his favorites by Odetta; indeed, it was albums like this that inspired him to play folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
instead of rock 'n' roll.
Track listing
Tracks marked [*] are 2005 CD bonus tracks, not on the original vinylGramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
release.
- "Santy Anno" (Traditional) – 1:55
- "If I Had a Ribbon BowIf I Had a Ribbon Bow"If I Had a Ribbon Bow" is Fairport Convention's debut single.The song written by Huey Prince and Lou Singer had been recorded previously by Maxine Sullivan in 1936, Odetta , Carolyn Hester , Karen Dalton and Mildred Bailey.-Musicians:*Judy Dyble: Vocal, Harmonium*Ian MacDonald: Spoken...
" (Traditional) – 2:42 - "Muleskinner Blues" (Jimmie RodgersJimmie Rodgers (country singer)James Charles Rodgers , known as Jimmie Rodgers, was an American country singer in the early 20th century known most widely for his rhythmic yodeling...
) – 2:51 - "Another Man Done Gone" (Traditional) – 2:11
- "Shame and Scandal" (Traditional) – 2:23
- "Jack o' Diamonds" (Traditional) – 3:15
- "'Buked and Scorned" (Traditional) – 2:40
- "Easy RiderSee See RiderThe song is generally regarded as being traditional in origin. Ma Rainey's version became popular during 1925, as "See See Rider Blues." It became one of the most famous of all blues songs, with well over 100 versions. It was recorded by Big Bill Broonzy, Mississippi John Hurt, Lead Belly,...
" (Traditional) – 5:06 - "Joshua" (Traditional) – 1:53
- "Hound Dog" (Traditional) – 3:50
- "Glory, GloryGlory, Glory, Hallelujah (Lay My Burden Down)"Glory, Glory" is an American spiritual song, which has been recorded by many artists in a variety of genres, including folk, country, blues, rock, and gospel.-Lyrics:Lyrically, the song has many variations but the best known version of the song "Glory, Glory" (also known as "When I Lay My Burden...
" (Traditional) – 2:12 - "Alabama BoundI'm Alabama Bound"I'm Alabama Bound" is a ragtime melody composed by Robert Hoffman in 1909. Hoffman "respectfully" dedicated it to one M. T. Scarlata. The cover of its first edition advertises the music as "Also Known As The Alabama Blues" which has led some to suspect it of being one of the first blues songs...
" (Huddie LedbetterLeadbellyHuddie 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....
) – 1:42 - "Been in the Pen" (Traditional) – 2:32
- "Deep Blue Sea" (Traditional) – 3:00
- "God's Gonna Cut You DownGod's Gonna Cut You Down"God's Gonna Cut You Down", also known as "Run On" and "Run On for a Long Time", is a traditional folk song which has been recorded by numerous artists representing a variety of genres...
" (Traditional) – 1:51 - Spiritual Trilogy: "Oh, FreedomOh, FreedomOh, Freedom is a post Civil War African American freedom song, notably associated with Odetta, who recorded it as part of the Spiritual Trilogy, on her "Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues", and Joan Baez, who first performed the song at the 1963 March on Washington, and has since performed the song...
", "Come and Go With Me", "I'm on My Way" (Traditional) – 6:06 - "He's Got the Whole World in His HandsHe's Got the Whole World in His Hands"He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" is a traditional American spiritual. It was first published in the paperbound hymnal Spirituals Triumphant, Old and New, in 1927. In 1933, it was collected by Frank Warner from the singing of Sue Thomas in North Carolina...
" [*] (Traditional)' – 1:53 - "Take This HammerTake This Hammer"Take This Hammer" is a prison work song. It was collected by John and Alan Lomax. The song "Nine Pound Hammer" has a few phrases in common with this song, and the same Roud number. "Swannanoa Tunnel" is similar, and this group of songs are referred to as 'hammer songs' or 'roll songs'...
" [*] (Ledbetter) – 3:27 - "Deep RiverDeep River (song)"Deep River" is an anonymous spiritual of African American origin. It has been sung in several films, including the 1929 film version of Show Boat, although it was not used in the original show...
" [*] (Traditional) – 3:00 - "Chilly Winds" [*] '(Traditional) – 2:41
Personnel
- Odetta HolmesOdettaOdetta Holmes, known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, songwriter, and a human rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire consisted largely of American folk music, blues, jazz, and spirituals...
– vocals, acoustic guitar, hand claps