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Prison Songs (Historical Recordings From Parchman Farm 1947-48), Vol. 1: Murderous Home

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Artist: Various Artists
Label: Rounder Select
Category: Music

Buy New: $16.98

New (8) Used (4) from $13.54

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4 reviews
Sales Rank: 41403

Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5

MPN: 1714
UPC: 116611714288
EAN: 0116611714288
ASIN: B0000002UV

Release Date: September 28, 1997
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

Tracks:

•	The Murderer's Home
•	No More, My Lord
•	Old Alabama
•	Black Woman
•	Jumpin' Judy - Traditional
•	Whoa Buck
•	Prettiest Train
•	Old Dollar Mamie
•	It Makes a Long Time Man Feel Bad
•	Rosie
•	Levee Camp Holler
•	What Makes a Work Song Leader?
•	Early in the Mornin' - Traditional
•	How I Got in the Penitentiary
•	Tangle Eye Blues - Traditional
•	Stackerlee
•	Prison Blues

Similar Items:

•	Prison Songs (Historical Recordings From Parchman Farm 1947-48), Vol. 2: Don'tcha Hear Poor Mother Calling?
•	Afro-American Spirituals, Work Songs, And Ballads
•	Treasury of Library of Congress Field Recordings
•	Negro Work Songs & Calls
•	Southern Journey, Vol. 1: Voices From The American South - Blues, Ballads, Hymns, Reels, Shouts, Chanteys And Work Songs

Editorial Reviews:

Album Description
"These songs belong to the musical tradition which Africans brought to the New World, but they are also as American as the Mississippi River. They were born out of the very rock and earth of this country, as black hands broke the soil, moved, reformed it, and rivers of stinging sweat poured upon the land under the blazing heat of Southern skies, and are mounted upon the passion that this struggle with nature brought forth. They tell us the story of the slave gang, the sharecropper system, the lawless work camp, the chain gang, the pen." --Alan Lomax

This is a reissue of Alan Lomax's legendary album Negro Prison Songs in its entirety. A complete CD of previously unissued material from the same field recordings is also available: Prison Songs Vol. 2: Don'tcha Hear Poor Mother Calling?

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars

six tracks... August 14, 2007
As far as I can tell, the sound is nicer on this release than the old Legacy "Negro Prison Blues and Songs," but unfortunately there are six (really good) tracks at the end of that CD that aren't on vol. 1 or 2 in the Rounder set. I think it's worth it to get the older Legacy release, and then vol.2 from Rounder to have it all. These are astounding compilations.

5 out of 5 stars

DEEP November 5, 2001
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

I really had no idea what i was in store for. But for those who love black, southern and prison history, spirituals, and are thirsting for music in its purest form, buy this CD!!! It has wonderful chants, commentary from Lomax, narrative from the inmatesand even clanking from the axes. You can hear the suffering and longing in their voices. You can hear the humor in may of the lyrics. Be sure to read the booklet so that you can get a clearer understanding of it all. It is a wonderful piece of recorded history. you may also want to buy the book Worse than Slavery, by Oshinsky so that you can get greater sense of exactly waht they are thinking about. One more thing..You will totally feel the energy of 22.

4 out of 5 stars

Incredibly powerful music October 26, 2001
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

I was blown away when I listened to this CD for the first time. The recording is great. I didn't expect too much due to the time frame of the recording, but the quality is impressive. I bought this hoping to find more tracks like "Po' Lazarus" from the "O' Brother Where Art Thou" Soundtrack. What I got was much more.

5 out of 5 stars

One of the great documents of American music. June 27, 2000
15 out of 15 found this review helpful

Words fail to describe this incredibly powerful album. I've had a copy since the 60's, and still have an unopened LP copy in my "vault" (along with the first Roberty Johnson LP). Luckily, I don't have to describe the power of the music - you can click on the samples, and hear for yourself.

Reams of praise have been heaped on this album, and every word has been an understatement.

If you have any interest whatever in American folk music or in blues or jazz, you either have a copy of this or should get one. This is the absolute peak of Lomax's years of collecting.

Incredibly clean sound for the 40's, all well recorded, musically superb pieces, each a perfect gem of its kind, preserving some of the oldest and best of American music, done by some of the finest singers you've never heard of.

You will listen to this again and again.