American Industrial Ballads

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Had Pete Seeger made more records like this, the quality of his art would stand up to the reputation of his legend. With a stunning, single-minded focus, Seeger delivers hard-driven song after song, 24 in all, and creates a kind of summa of both American radical music and labor history. There are familiar tunes like "Peg and Awl," "Buffalo Skinners," "The Farmer Is the Man," "Hard Times at the Mill," as well as lesser known numbers like "Let Them Wear Their Watches Fine" and "My Children Are Seven in Number." In its own way, this 1957 record is as important as Guthrie's Dust Bowl Ballads, and just as moving. --Roy Francis Kasten --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Album Description
Songs of struggle which emerged from the coal mines, textile mills and acres of farmland, and spoke of issues important to the American laborer. Twenty-four songs written about the unprecedented industrialization of the 19th century, including Peg and Awl, The Farmer is the Man, and Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues. Irwin Silber's notes provide a history of labor folk song and its role in American popular music. "Seeger's straightforward, sincere singing is accompanied by sparse, effective banjo and guitar...an important reissue." -- Sing Out --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Tracks:

Peg and Awl
The Blind Fiddler
The Buffalo Skinners
Eight-Hour Day
Hard Times in the Mill
Roll Down the Line
Hayseed Like Me
The Farmer is the Man
Come All You Hardy Miners
He Lies in the American Land
Casey Jones
Let Them Wear Their Watches
Cotton Mill Colic
Seven Cent Cotton and Forty Cent Meat
Mill Mother's Lament
Fare Ye Well, Old Ely Branch
Beans, Bacon, and Gravy
The Death of Harry Simms
Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues
Ballad of Barney Graham
My Children are Seven in Number
Raggedy
Pittsburgh Town
Sixty Per Cent

Amazon.com essential recording

Had Pete Seeger made more records like this, the quality of his art would stand up to the reputation of his legend. With a stunning, single-minded focus, Seeger delivers hard-driven song after song, 24 in all, and creates a kind of summa of both American radical music and labor history. There are familiar tunes like "Peg and Awl," "Buffalo Skinners," "The Farmer Is the Man," "Hard Times at the Mill," as well as lesser known numbers like "Let Them Wear Their Watches Fine" and "My Children Are Seven in Number." In its own way, this 1957 record is as important as Guthrie's Dust Bowl Ballads, and just as moving. --Roy Francis Kasten

Album Description

Songs of struggle which emerged from the coal mines, textile mills and acres of farmland, and spoke of issues important to the American laborer. Twenty-four songs written about the unprecedented industrialization of the 19th century, including Peg and Awl, The Farmer is the Man, and Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues. Irwin Silber's notes provide a history of labor folk song and its role in American popular music. "Seeger's straightforward, sincere singing is accompanied by sparse, effective banjo and guitar...an important reissue." -- Sing Out

Customer Reviews:

very good.......2007-03-24

I have enjoyed these ballads. It is a refreshing change from everyday music.

I'd give it 100 stars.......2003-09-27

This is one of the greatest folk albums ever made. It comes with very informative liner notes and the order of songs moves through historical time. The music is amazing with great banjo picking and vocals performed by Pete Seeger. The songs almost all focus on labor issues, which is very inspiring and gives you a sense of history. This is my favorite Pete Seeger album, and if you want the best Seeger music you'll find, buy this album.

Still a great album, always an important album.......2002-06-20

This is a classic album, listened to by generations of people interested in learning something of value about folk music (lower case folk music). I have no doubt that most of the listeners to it have been informed and entertained, as I was when I stumbled on to it some 40 years ago. Seeger is both musician and scholar, and it's hardly a surprise that the Smithsonian has chosen to reissue this record. It was of interest when it first came out because it was one of the few records of the time that accurately presented this music withour flash or fluff. Today, it's equally of interest as one of the records that inspired the "folk revival". It may not knock your socks off, but if you pay attention to the words and the music, you will understand why this album and this music remain so important.

The review by "A music fan from Brookings, SD" who gave it 2 stars and said that there were no ballads in it is curious. While it is true that a better title might have been "American Industrial Ballads and Songs", there are certainly many ballads on it, including "Buffalo Skinners", generally regarded as the greatest purely American ballad. I don't know what "Brookings, SD" has in mind by saying "I am a big fan of Folk Ballads", but you will find some of the best American lower case "folk ballads" right here, the genuine ariticle. Even more puzzling is "This album consists of up-beat songs that really don't have any heart behind them...", surely the first time such has been said of this album - anyone who thinks "Buffalo Skinners" is up-beat must crawl through the Mojave on hands and knees for jollies. This album is full of heart - and ballads - as anyone who has ever listened to Seeger would expect.

It has earned and kept its reputation, and will amply reward anyone willing to listen to music requiring some thought.

worth all four of its stars!.......2000-11-25

for starters, this album is musically brilliant, and pete seeger is no three-chord dingleberry. now, i'll grant you, i don't like all the songs on the album, but at least three out of four are excellent, and considering my tastes, where if one out of ten cuts it then i'll consider the album a success, then this is pretty good.

many of these songs are touching, powerful, musically adept...and besides all that, add music to a historical time that's all too easily forgotten.

and by the way, if you play guitar and have a halfway decent ear, you can play these songs too. just the other day i was playing "the farmer is the man" to myself.

and "buddy won't you roll on down the line"? that's just a beaut.

pete seeger is talented!

Not Ballads At All.......2000-06-18

I was quite excited about getting this album because I am a big fan of Folk Ballads. However, this album really has no ballads on it. This album consists of up-beat songs that really don't have any heart behind them like the title would lead you to believe. I suggest listening to samples before purchasing this album. Also, this album really does not have much musical depth it is basically just vocals and banjo (or guitar sometimes).

Average customer rating:

American Industrial Ballads
Peter Seeger
Manufacturer: Not Now
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000NRRWK6
Release Date: 2007-05-21

Music:

Music

Music