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The Complete EMI Sessions 1928-1939

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Creators: Stephen Adams, Egbert Van Alstyne, Anonymous, Eric Ansell, Joe Bishop, Eubie Blake, William Blake, Edward Boatner, Carrie Jacobs Bond, Allen Boretz, J. Kiern Brennan, Lawrence Brown, Thomas Brown, Harry T. (henry) Burleigh, Charles Wakefield Cadman, J.w. Calcott, Hoagy Carmichael, Libbie Davidson Carpenter, Ruthland Clapham, George H. Clutsam
Label: EMI Classics
Category: Music

List Price: ~~$85.98~~
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Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars

2 reviews
Sales Rank: 18336

Format: Box Set, Original Recording Remastered
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 5.2 x 5 x 1.2

EAN: 5099921558627
ASIN: B001APFIRE

Release Date: August 19, 2008
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
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Tracks:

Disc 1

•	Showboat/Ol' Man River - Paul Robeson, Kern, Jerome [1885-
•	Seem Lak' to Me - Paul Robeson, Johnson, James Weld
•	Down de Lover's Lane - Paul Robeson, Cook, Will Marion [
•	Scandalize My Name - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Sinner Please Doan' Let Dis Harves' Pass - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Weepin' Mary - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	I Want to Be Ready - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	My Lord What a Mornin' - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	De Li'l Pickaninny's Gone to Sleep - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Git on Board Li'l Children - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Dere's No Hidin' Place - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Part 1. So Early in the Morning; Carry Me Back to Old Virginia; Old Folks at Home; Goodnight Ladies - Paul Robeson,
•	Part 2. Away Down South in Dixie; Poor Old Joe; Oh, Susanna; My Old Kentucky Home - Paul Robeson,
•	Oh Rock Me Julie - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Oh Didn't It Rain - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Mammy - Paul Robeson, Turnbridge, Joseph
•	Roll Away Clouds - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Sonny Boy - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Say It with Songs/Little Pal - Paul Robeson, DeSylva, Buddy
•	The Lonesome Road - Paul Robeson, Shilkret, Nathaniel
•	Just Keepin' On - Paul Robeson, Phillips, A.
•	Mighty Lak' a Rose - Paul Robeson, Nervin, Ethelbert [
•	Mammy Is Gone - Paul Robeson, DeSylva, Buddy

Disc 2

•	Hail de Crown - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Exhortation - Paul Robeson, Cook, Will Marion [
•	Stood on the Ribber Jordan/Peter Go Ring dem Bells - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Go Down, Moses - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	High Water - Paul Robeson, McHardy, Jiom
•	Old Folks at Home (Swanee River) - Paul Robeson, Foster, Stephen [18
•	Poor Old Joe - Paul Robeson, Foster, Stephen [18
•	My Old Kentucky Home - Paul Robeson, Foster, Stephen [18
•	Showboat/Ol' Man River - Paul Robeson, Kern, Jerome [1885-
•	River Stay 'Way from My Door - Paul Robeson, Woods, Harry [1896-
•	Rockin' Chair - Paul Robeson, Carmichael, Hoagy [
•	Medley of Spirituals - Paul Robeson,
•	My Heart Is Where the Mohawk Flows Tonight - Paul Robeson, Robinson, Carson [1
•	The Folks I Used to Know - Paul Robeson, Kester, Max [1901-1
•	Mary Had a Baby (Yes Lord) - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Lil' Gal - Paul Robeson, Johnson, Hal [1888-
•	Bear de Burden/All God's Chillun Got Wing - Paul Robeson, Unspecified
•	That's Why the Darkies Were Born - Paul Robeson, Brown, Lew
•	When It's Sleepy Time Down South - Paul Robeson, Muse, Clarence
•	Seekin' - Paul Robeson, Marshall

Disc 3

•	Nearer My God to Thee - Paul Robeson, Carey
•	There Is a Green Hill - Paul Robeson, Gounod, Charles [18
•	Ma Lindy Lou - Paul Robeson, Strickland, Lily [1
•	Ma Curly Headed Baby - Paul Robeson, Clutsam, George [18
•	Pilgrim's Song - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Roll de Ole Chariot Along - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Since You Went Away - Paul Robeson, Johnson, James Weld
•	Wid de Moon Moon Moon - Paul Robeson, Cook, Will Marion [
•	Got the South in My Soul - Paul Robeson, Washington, Ned
•	Hush-A-Bye Lullaby - Paul Robeson, Clapham, Ruthland
•	Round the Bend of the Road - Paul Robeson, Klenner, John [1899
•	Take Me Away from the River - Paul Robeson, Parker
•	Swing Low, Sweet Chariot - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	On Ma Journey - Paul Robeson, Boatner, Edward [18
•	Bye and Bye - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Were You There? - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Swing Along - Paul Robeson, Cook, Will Marion [
•	Piccaninny Shoes - Paul Robeson, Sissle, Noble
•	In a Narrow Street - Paul Robeson, Warren
•	Carry Me Back to Green Pastures - Paul Robeson, Pepper, Harry S.
•	Lazy Bones - Paul Robeson, Carmichael, Hoagy [
•	Blue Prelude - Paul Robeson, Bishop, Joe [1907-1
•	Paul Robeson Medley, Part 1: Roll de Ole Chariot; Mary Had a Baby; Swing Low; Heav'n, Heav'n - Paul Robeson,
•	Paul Robeson Medley, Part 2: Carry Me Back; Mighty Lak' a Rose; Round the Bend of the Road; River S - Paul Robeson,

Disc 4

•	Fat Li'l Fella Wid His Mammy's Eyes - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Shortnin' Bread - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Snowball - Paul Robeson, Carmichael, Hoagy [
•	Water Boy - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Doan' You Cry Ma Honey - Paul Robeson, Noll, Albert W.
•	Steal Away - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Scarecrow - Paul Robeson, McCarthy
•	Wagon Wheels - Paul Robeson, Hill, Billy
•	So Shy - Paul Robeson, Boretz, Allen
•	Piccaninny's Slumber Song - Paul Robeson, Murray
•	St. Louis Blues - Paul Robeson, Handy, William Chri
•	Mammy's Little Kinky-Headed Boy - Paul Robeson, White, Joseph M.
•	Little Man, You've Had a Busy Day - Paul Robeson, Wayne, Mabel
•	I Ain't Lazy I'm Just Dreaming - Paul Robeson, Dave
•	The Banjo Song - Paul Robeson, Homer, Sidney [1864
•	Paul Robeson Medley No. 2: Lazy Bones; Scarecrow; Fat Li'l Feller; Wagon Wheels; Deep River; Ma Cur - Paul Robeson,
•	Love Song - Paul Robeson,
•	Congo Lullaby - Paul Robeson,
•	Canoe Song - Paul Robeson,
•	Killing Song - Paul Robeson,
•	Shenandoah - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Jes' Mah Song - Paul Robeson, Strickland, Lily [1
•	De Ole Ark's A-Movering - Paul Robeson, Tradition
•	Ezekiel Saw de Wheel - Paul Robeson, Tradition
•	Joshua Fit de Battle ob Jericho - Paul Robeson, Tradition

Disc 5

•	Honey (Dat's All) - Paul Robeson, Alstyne, Egbert van
•	Gloomy Sunday - Paul Robeson, Seress, Rezsoe [1899
•	Showboat/Ol' Man River - Film Version - Paul Robeson, Kern, Jerome
•	Showboat/I Still Suits Me - Film Version - Paul Robeson, Kern, Jerome
•	Song of Freedom/Sleepy River - Paul Robeson, Ansell, Eric
•	Song of Freedom/Lonely Road - Paul Robeson, Ansell, Eric
•	Song of Freedom/Song of Freedom - Paul Robeson, Ansell, Eric
•	Song of Freedom/The Black Emperor - Paul Robeson, Ansell, Eric
•	Mam'selle Marie - Paul Robeson,
•	Dere's No Hidin' Place - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Oh! No John - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Passing By - Paul Robeson, Purcell, Edward
•	Hammer Song - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Lil' David - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Jericho/My Way - Paul Robeson, Carr, Michael
•	Jericho/Golden River - Paul Robeson, Carr, Michael
•	Ho! Ho! (Wagon Song) - Paul Robeson,
•	Climbing Up (The Mountain Song) - Paul Robeson,
•	Big Fella/Lazin' - Paul Robeson, Ansell, Eric
•	I Don't Know What's Wrong - Paul Robeson, Ansell, Eric
•	Big Fella/Roll Up Sailorman - Paul Robeson, Ansell, Eric
•	You Didn't Oughta Do Such Things - Paul Robeson, Ansell, Eric
•	Jericho/Deep Desert - Paul Robeson, Carr, Michael
•	Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Minstrel Man - Paul Robeson, Hughes, Langston
•	The Wanderer - Paul Robeson, Traditional

Disc 6

•	Dere's a Man Goin' Round' Takin' Names - Paul Robeson, Brown, Lawrence
•	No More - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Work All de Summer - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel? - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Still Night, Holy Night - Paul Robeson, Gruber, Franz [1787
•	All Through the Night - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Solitude - Paul Robeson, Ellington, Duke
•	Mood Indigo - Paul Robeson, Ellington, Duke
•	Summertime (Lullaby) - Paul Robeson,
•	It Take A Long Pull To Get There - Paul Robeson,
•	It Ain't Necessarily So - Paul Robeson,
•	A Woman Is A Sometime Thing - Paul Robeson,
•	Just A-Wearyin' for You - Paul Robeson, Jacobs-Bond, Carrie
•	At Dawning - Paul Robeson, Cadman, Chrles Wake
•	Song of the Volga Boatmen - Paul Robeson, Traditional, Russia
•	An Eriskay Love-Lilt - Paul Robeson, Traditional, Scotti
•	Encantadora Maria - Paul Robeson,
•	Goin' to Ride Up in de Chariot - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Every Time I Feel de Spirit - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Lay Down Late - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	After the Battle - Paul Robeson,
•	David of the White Rock - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Trees - Paul Robeson, Basbach, Oscar [188
•	Songs My Mother Taught Me, Op. 55, No. 4 - Paul Robeson, Dvorak, Antonin [18
•	Loch Lomond - Paul Robeson, Traditional, Scotti
•	Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes - Paul Robeson, Calcott, J. W.

Disc 7

•	Down de Lovers' Lane - Paul Robeson, Cook, Will Marion [
•	Lullaby - Paul Robeson,
•	Night (Russian Folk Song) - Paul Robeson, Traditional, Russia
•	The Little Black Boy - Paul Robeson,
•	Dear Old Southland - Paul Robeson, Layton, Turner [189
•	Jerusalem - Paul Robeson, Parry, Hubert [1848
•	The Blind Ploughman - Paul Robeson, Clarke, Robert Coni
•	Chu Chin Chow/The Cobblers Song - Paul Robeson, Norton, Frederic [1
•	Oh, Could I But Express in Song - Paul Robeson, Malashkin, Leonid [
•	Love at My Heart - Paul Robeson, Libbie
•	Nothin' - Paul Robeson, Layton, Turner [189
•	The Rosary - Paul Robeson, Nevin, Ethelbert
•	A Perfect Day - Paul Robeson, Jacobs-Bond, Carrie
•	Absent - Paul Robeson, Metcalf, John W. [1
•	Black Eyes - Paul Robeson, Traditional, Roma
•	Oh Promise Me - Paul Robeson,
•	Plaisir d'Amour - Paul Robeson, Martini, Jean Paul
•	Sylvia - Paul Robeson, Speaks, Oley [1874-
•	She Is Far from the Land - Paul Robeson, Traditional, Irish
•	Thora - Paul Robeson, Adams, Stephen [184
•	Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal - Paul Robeson, Quilter, Roger [187
•	Sea Fever - Paul Robeson, Ireland, John [1879
•	The Proud Valley/Ebenezer - Paul Robeson, Williams, Thomas Jo
•	Land of My Fathers - Paul Robeson, James, James [1833-
•	Deep River - Paul Robeson, Traditional
•	Lord God of Abraham; Baal Chorus - Paul Robeson,

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Editorial Reviews:

Album Description
170-track digitally remastered 7-CD album set containing all the HMV recordings, as well as the 1928 Columbia recording of 'Ol' Man River' from Show Boat with the Drury Lane chorus and orchestra that was not released until 1976 for contractual reasons. Also included are the two HMV recordings of 'Ol' Man River', the first made in 1930 as a solo with Ray Noble's Orchestra and the second in 1936 with chorus and orchestra conducted by Clifford Greenwood.).

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars

FIVE STARS (TIMES 7) FOR THIS SUPERLATIVE REISSUE October 3, 2008
I was introduced to the glorious voice of Paul Robeson by way of my grandfather's 78s, and he would have wept tears of joy at this superlative presentation from EMI Classics, which I've been playing in concentrated bursts ever since it arrived.

Three versions of "Ol' Man River" are included, the first being the Columbia recording from the Drury Lane production of "Show Boat", which was not released at the time because Robeson was under contract to Victor/HMV. That is the opening track of the first CD, which is fitting, because Robeson's role as Joe launched his career in England. The importance of the song to his career merited some care in its background description. The play had been adapted from Edna Ferber's novel, with Oscar Hammerstein II writing book and lyrics, and Jerome Kern providing the score. It comes as a shock, therefore, that in the discography the song is credited solely to Jerome Kern (as is the later "I Still Suits Me" in which he duets with Elisabeth Welch), and the opening of Patrick O'Connor's liner note refers to "Jerome Kern's musical play"!

That's not the only bit of carelessness; both "Roll, Away Clouds" (Jack Waller, Joe Tunbridge) and "Sonny Boy" (de Sylva, Brown & Henderson) are credited as "Trad. Arr. Paul Robeson" whilst Nat Shilkret's life has been curtailed by 50 years. Finally, it is disappointing that the 23 pages of discography carry no details about the original releases. On the other hand, the booklet is well-produced with some fascinating photographs.

Turning to the recordings themselves, many which reflect Robeson's religious background as the son of a preacher were accompanied by pianist Lawrence Brown, although Jack Hylton & his orchestra backed the 1931 medley of spirituals. But Robeson also recorded many traditional songs, and some of the popular songs of the day, which appealed to an extremely wide audience, and continue to do so. He sang similar fare on the concert platform, and the majority of these recordings have never been out of the catalogue.

The debate about some of these songs has been well rehearsed: suffice it to say here that the controversy generated centred on Paul, rather than the lyricists concerned. A clear case of shooting the messenger! NOTE: the second version of "Ol' Man River" kicks off with the N word, but Robeson amended it for the later recording and performances.

For me, this is a spellbinding collection, the hidden delights of which reside in those tracks (mainly the then current popular songs) which were accompanied by the HMV studio orchestra. Its directors, mainly Carroll Gibbons and Ray Noble, were able to call upon the cream of London's musicians. Thus we hear Max Goldberg's muted trumpet accompaniment on several songs, including "River, Stay `Way From My Door", and some splendid guitar work on "Lazy Bones".

As to the quality of the transfers, the volume generated in "Roll Away, Clouds" by the orchestra and chorus seem to have defeated the recording engineers, because the acoustic sounds boxy and the peaks of sound are uncomfortable to my ear. Certain tracks suffer also from surface noise, some more so than others, but overall the standard is extremely high

5 out of 5 stars

This is only for dedicated fans, but for us, it is a treasure/pleasure... September 19, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

I could not afford this seven-disc box, but my dear friends Jim and Cindy Clark of Kansas, realizing that I am the only Robeson fan they are ever likely to meet, gifted me with this. I am extremely grateful. I "discovered" Paul in 1959, when I was 14, via a Vanguard folk sampler I checked out of the Trenton, NJ Public Library. The song was "Get on Board, Little Children" and lasted all of 77 seconds, but it changed my life. (On the same set, I "discovered" Cisco Houston, and that track also changed my life. What a great trip to the library that turned out to be.)

I went on to eventually own 11 Robeson LP's, the videotape of James Earl Jones doing a one-man show as Paul, a hardcover full-length biography, and a dozen or more newspaper or magazine articles about him. Most of those items are gone now, and my collection was down to two CD's and a 78 RPM box set of his "Ballad for Americans" on RCA from 1940. Then EMI remastered these 1930's recordings from London, and the Clarks played Santa for me. (Pay attention to the "new or used" line in this listing, because you can find this at a much better price than the one shown.)

Here one gets 170 tracks, about eight hours' worth of Robeson. There are a lot of repetitions here, including three versions of "Old Man River" which became Paul's signature tune for his "classical" fans. One of those versions was for the London cast recording of "Showboat" in 1928, and it leads off the package in great style.

Paul actually began his recording career in the USA in 1927 with a package of spirituals. Those sessions were reissued back in the 1960's on an LP, and most of them were re-recorded in London over the subsequent few years and do appear on this set. The Robesons lived in London for most of the 1930's, because Paul found more concert and film work there than in America. Since these beautifully remastered performances end in 1939 with the outbreak of World War II and Paul's return to the USA, the ten-minute "Ballad for Americans" is NOT included here. Neither is "Joe Hill" which is Robeson's signature song for his "folk-oriented" followers.

If you buy this box, or whine until a friend gives it to you as a present, you will find much that is outdated, even junky by today's standards. Here there are some novelty songs which hold little interest to modern ears, and many plantation/darky songs which are more offensive now, even to black ears. However, the sparkling gems definitely outweigh the drab stones in these 170 slices of Paul's British life 70 years ago.

I'll conclude by listing some of my favorites on each disc:

CD One gives us the 1928-29 sessions (at what is now the famous Abbey Road Studio)and I like: Old Man River, Scandalize My Name, I Want to Be Ready, My Lord What a Morning, Git On Board, Li'l Children, Dere's No Hiding Place, and Oh, Didn't It Rain.

CD Two (1930-31) brings you Go Down Moses, (one of Paul's favorites), Old Folks at Home, Poor Old Joe, My Old Kentucky Home, River, Stay Away From My Door, and Bear The Burden.

On Disc Three, I especially enjoyed Nearer My God to Thee, Roll De Chariot Along, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, On My Journey, Bye and Bye, and the two four-minute song medleys which conclude the CD.

For Disc Four, 1933-36, the winners are Water Boy, Steal Away, the eight-minute medly that is track 16, Shenandoah, Ezekiel Saw The Wheel, and Joshua Fit de Battle of Jericho.

The fifth CD in the bos brings us Song of Freedom, Oh, No, John, Li'l David, and Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child, along with 22 other rarities and re-recordings. These sessions were held at Abbey Road in 1936-37.

On Disc Six, the 1937-38 bookings at the studio, you will enjoy Dere's A Man Going 'Round Takin' Names, and No More, Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel? and the surprisingly lovely Silent Night, Holy Night. (Paul did not record many "Christmas Songs" in his career.) I also loved All Through the Night and Every Time I Feel The Spirit and Loch Lomond.

Finally, CD Seven brings us his studio work during 1939, and the diamonds here are Jerusalem and Deep River. The other tracks include songs from the film "Proud Valley", a handful of plantation numbers, and several songs previously unknown to me, which are interesting to hear but perhaps not compelling enough to hear repeatedly.

If you possess this one box, you might say with a high degree of accuracy that you have everything worthwhile that Robeson recorded in the first half of his long career. Beyond 1939, he has a brief period of adulation in America, due to the "Ballad for Americans" and some other patriotic numbers. However, his love for Russia lasted beyond the period in which we were allies in World War II, and that led, in the early 1950's, to Robeson being labelled un-American, and blacklisted, along with the Weavers, Woody Guthrie, Cisco Houston, and many of their leftist fellow artists. Paul had one great comeback in him, however, and after he won back his passport rights in 1958, he not only recorded again in England and traveled to Russia and Germany, but he staged several farewell concerts in New York City which were preserved on vinyl for Columbia, and stand among his best-recorded works. Between 1940 and his retirement in 1963, he recorded in the USA about 80 percent of the contents of this box set. Paul died in 1976, having suffered a form of dementia during his last six or seven years of life. He was not an active presence in the civil rights turmoil of the Sixties, but he worked for civil rights for the four decades prior, and without his grace and courage, that movement might not have succeeded when it did.