Parades and Panoramas: 25 Songs Collected by Carl Sandburg

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Since its original publication in 1927, Carl Sandburg's The American Songbag has probably introduced more people to the glories of American folk music than any other book. On Parades and Panoramas, Dan Zanes performs 25 of his favorites from the 280 songs Sandburg published all those years ago. Zanes sings and plays guitar and mandolin in a style he aptly describes as "rough and instinctual," which is perfectly suited to these songs of sailors, hobos, cowboys, and railway workers. As on his previous recordings, Zanes is joined by a motley crew of musicians playing guitars, banjos, tubas, bouzoukis, drums, fiddles, and accordions. When this crowd launches into songs like "Titanic," which was composed not long after the ship went down in 1912, the downright silly "The Monkey's Wedding," or the naughty tale of "Willy the Weeper," they create a joyous racket that's hard to resist. Sandburg would be proud. --Michael John Simmons

Parades and Panoramas: 25 Songs Collected by Carl Sandburg, Music, Dan Zanes, Children's Folk, Folk, Pop, Rock, Roots Rock, Sing-Along

Average customer rating:

Great for the whole family

Excellent for the entire family and a fun history lesson as well

Not the 'Hello' song Dan Zanes I was expecting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

An American Classic

Every song an American history lesson . . .

Parades and Panoramas: 25 Songs Collected by Carl Sandburg
Dan Zanes
Manufacturer: Festival Five Rec.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music
General | Rock | Styles | Music
Roots Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
General | Children's Music | Styles | Music
Folk Music | Children's Music | Styles | Music
Sing-A-Longs | Children's Music | Styles | Music
Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Sea Music

Catch That Train!

Night Time

Rocket Ship Beach

Family Dance

ASIN: B0002VGSJ4
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Tracks:

Wanderin'
The Railroad Cars Are Coming
Titanic
Railroad Bill
Roll The Chariot
Waillie, Waillie
California
All Night Long
The Erie
The Shanty-Man's Life
I Was Born Almost Ten Thousand Years Ago
Lo Que Digo
Cuckoo Waltz
Across The Western Ocean
The Monkey's Wedding
The Midnight Train
Hallelujah, I'm A Bum!
Lonesome Road
The Son of a Gambolier
The Colorado Trail
Willy The Weeper
Lord Lovel
Lincoln And Liberty
When The Curtains Of Night Are Pinned Back
Ezekiel, You And Me

Amazon.com

Since its original publication in 1927, Carl Sandburg's The American Songbag has probably introduced more people to the glories of American folk music than any other book. On Parades and Panoramas, Dan Zanes performs 25 of his favorites from the 280 songs Sandburg published all those years ago. Zanes sings and plays guitar and mandolin in a style he aptly describes as "rough and instinctual," which is perfectly suited to these songs of sailors, hobos, cowboys, and railway workers. As on his previous recordings, Zanes is joined by a motley crew of musicians playing guitars, banjos, tubas, bouzoukis, drums, fiddles, and accordions. When this crowd launches into songs like "Titanic," which was composed not long after the ship went down in 1912, the downright silly "The Monkey's Wedding," or the naughty tale of "Willy the Weeper," they create a joyous racket that's hard to resist. Sandburg would be proud. --Michael John Simmons

Customer Reviews:

Great for the whole family.......2006-05-18

We have a five year old and the requisite library of kid's music, ranging from the bad (Disney) to the pretty good (Laurie Berkner, Ralph's World, some Raffi, etc). This is definitely my favorite of all of them (even compared to DZ's others). It is not insipid, dumbed-down, or guaranteed to produce parental insantiy. Zane's inspiration is to recall that folk music was originally meant to be sung (and listened to) by everyone, young and old. There was no such thing as "children's music" 100 years ago (perhaps nursery rhymes). And, as all parents know, kids have a wonderful ability to rise to the occasion. So, when presented with a CD that didn't sound much like Disney or Raffi (and suspiciously like some of Dad's music), my daughter did rise to the occasion. She listened intently to the lyrics about the Titanic, trains, hoboes, gamobliers and began to hum along. She then asked us about stuff - "What was the TItanic?" So we had fun and learned at the same time. Perhaps the ultimate tribute to DZ's vision came last weekend when we were all working in the garden and my daughter suddenly launched into "Son of a Gambolier", only she called it 'Son of a Chandelier". Brilliant!

As others have stated, this is also excellent adult music. I have it on my laptop now as well as on CD.

Excellent for the entire family and a fun history lesson as well.......2005-09-09

I can't agree with the previous post--what's not to love? Dan Zanes and friends have taken Carl Sandburg's collection of traditional North American songs from the 1927 Songbag and created an album which we all love. The arrangements are not all strictly traditional and have a rollicking, ragtag quality which makes it feel as if we can make the music ourselves, which is a concept Zanes promotes. This is in constant rotation in our player. My 3 year old son belts out "Son of a Gambolier" with zest, and we know all the words to every song. The liner notes have excerpts from the Sandburg Songbag which provide some interesting insights into American history, and easy guiter tab guides, which my husband (who just started playing guiter) uses to play to our children. We just love this CD, as well as the entire Dan Zanes collection. Save the Lauri Berkner for someone else--we'll take Dan anytime!

Not the 'Hello' song Dan Zanes I was expecting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2005-07-18

I will never chance a CD again. We hate this. It's so slow...boring...and it reminds me of country music. Someone mentioned Lyle Lovett. Yes, I can see that. Wish I had known. I am going to sell mine asap! And buy Lori Berkner's kid cd's soon instead!

An American Classic.......2005-03-16

Dan Zanes is a hero-- pure love and guts-- and it shows here on this record, which is an album of FAMILY MUSIC. This is not the kind of saccharin sweet sanitary crud so often pushed off on kids (Raffi, et. al.), which sane adults raised on rock and roll can't bear to listen to without upchucking. This is REAL music, about real lives and real people, performed by real musicians with real musical lives which EVERYONE in your house-- ages 1 to 100-- will dig deeply. The songs-- American roots classics, all of them-- are tuneful, the recording elegant and gorgeous, the playing and singing sublime, and the arrangements clever and engaging at all turns.

I'd agree it's not right to call it a kids album, but not because it includes songs with bawdy or edgy lyrical themes. The album is TOTALLY appropriate for kids, because kids eat the songs up (my 5 and 8 year olds go crazy to the thing and it plays endlessly in my home and car) and because the songs about the noted potentially dodgy topics are presented with such love, humor, honesty, naivete, and innocence. Indeed, the songs, along with Zanes's and excerpts from Sandburg's notes about them, provide a real education about American history and life over the past 150 years that is likley to be much more insightful, informative, interesting, and excting than what is presented to kids in school. But it's not a kids album because grups will wanna put it on whether their kids are around or not. I, too, spin the thing endlessly even when my kids are not around, and my rock and roll band has pulled several tunes off the record and presents them in settings that have NOTHING to do with kids.

The vision and courage the man shows in presenting such a collection, rough edges, grup themes, and all in the context of music for FAMILIES -- kids AND their parents-- is truly heroic. This is a record for the ages. Buy it for your kids, buy it for yourself, buy it for your parents and grandparents, buy it for the whole darn family, and for goodness sake, go see the Dan the Man and his Band perform if they get within a hundred miles of wherever you are.

This is a real American treat.

Every song an American history lesson . . . .......2004-11-25

. . . how could you NOT share this CD with your kids?? It is simply and elegantly recorded, the songs are very singable, and truly the music of the people. I must disagree with the reviewer who said this CD was not for kids--frankly, you could hear songs with much more questionable lyrics on your local country music station. My kids and I have had this in the car CD player since the day it was released, and they love to imagine they're "son(s) of a gambolier" (and I don't think they will grow up to be barflys because they sing this song). I also highly recommend Dan Zanes "Night Time" -- my 4-year-old won't go to sleep without a few renditions of "Side by Side." Thank you Dan Zanes and friends!

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