Collection Items

  • Audio Recording
    The Drunkard's child
    Oh mama dear, come here
    Inscribed on dust jacket by Sidney Robertson Cowell: "The occasional barks serve to immortalize a lady named Toots, a fine police dog who made the trip down the Yukon as a young dog--two thousand miles in an open boat. She is occasionally loaned to me as camp guardian on field trips. She became a familiar figure in Columbia, Groveland, and Big Oak Flat and...
    • Contributor: Ferrell, J. W. - Cowell, Sidney Robertson - McCready, John A.
    • Date: 1939-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    Haste to the wedding
    Off she goes
    Also issued on the American Folklife Center's published recording AFS L9, PLAY AND DANCE SONGS AND TUNES. Dust jacket notes: Recording includes three jigs, "Haste to the Wedding," "Off she goes," and a third jig whose title is forgotten. Thomas Mann, hammered dulcimer. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in Ortonville, Iowa in July, 1937. Forms part of a group of field materials documenting Thomas...
    • Contributor: Mann, Thomas B. - Cowell, Sidney Robertson
    • Date: 1937-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    The Little brown bulls Robert Walker, unaccompanied vocals. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in Crandon, Wisconsin in June, 1937. Forms part of a group of field materials documenting Robert Walker performing an Anglo-American song for the Special Skills Division of the Resettlement Administration in June, 1937, collected by Sidney Robertson Cowell in Crandon, Wisconsin.
    • Contributor: Cowell, Sidney Robertson - Walker, Robert W.
    • Date: 1937-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    Willie Riley Dust jacket notes: AFS 3817 A1 includes the first fifteen verses; AFS 3817 B1 the last sixteen verses. George Vinton Graham, vocals and guitar. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in San Jose California on December 7, 1938. Forms part of a group of field materials documenting George Vinton Graham performing Anglo-American songs on October 12, 1938, December 3 and 7, 1938, July 9, 1939,...
    • Contributor: Graham, George Vinton - Cowell, Sidney Robertson
    • Date: 1938-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    Madam, I have come a-courting Dust jacket notes: "A Quaker song." Dust jacket notes: "Poor recording -- to be re-recorded." George Vinton Graham, vocals and guitar. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in San Jose, California on December 7, 1938. Forms part of a group of field materials documenting George Vinton Graham performing Anglo-American songs on October 12, 1938, December 3 and 7, 1938, July 9, 1939, and August 16,...
    • Contributor: Graham, George Vinton - Cowell, Sidney Robertson
    • Date: 1938-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    Barbara Allen
    Barbara Allen | Barb'ry Allen
    Also issued on the American Folklife Center's published recording AFS L 54, VERSIONS AND VARIANTS OF "BARBARA ALLEN." Yellow song check-list notes: AFS 3809 A1 begins with a false start in which "Mr Grahams's gravity was disturbed by the antics of the photographer" ; AFS 3809 A2 is sung through a megaphone. George Vinton Graham, vocals and guitar. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in...
    • Contributor: Graham, George Vinton - Cowell, Sidney Robertson
    • Date: 1938-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    The Bridgewater Dust jacket notes: Song begins on AFS 3809 B1 and is continued on AFS 3809 A3. Yellow song check-list notes: "Mr. Graham says he cannot play and sing at the same time, but he likes to 'pick a little,' just for something to do with his hands." George Vinton Graham, vocals and guitar. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in San Jose, California on October...
    • Contributor: Graham, George Vinton - Cowell, Sidney Robertson
    • Date: 1938-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    The Lady Del Roy
    Lady Leroy
    Dust jacket notes: AFS 3810 A2 is a recording of the 1st verse, AFS 3810 A3 continues with the 2nd and last verses. Other verses not recorded here. Dust jacket notes: Fragmentary version. This song was "also known to settlers at Sutter's Fort [in the 1850s] (according to Rocky Mountain Jim)." George Vinton Graham, vocals and guitar. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in San...
    • Contributor: Graham, George Vinton - Cowell, Sidney Robertson
    • Date: 1938-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    Isaiah 40:1-2 : Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people Dust jacket notes: Hymn begun on AFS 3831 B1, completed on AFS 3832 B1. Inscribed on dust jacket by Sidney Robertson Cowell: "Pitch raised deliberately in successive verses." Russian Molokan Congregation, unaccompanied vocals. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in San Francisco, California on September 14, 1938. In Russian. Forms part of a group of field materials documenting unaccompanied singing and preaching in the Russian...
    • Contributor: Cowell, Sidney Robertson - Russian Molokan Congregation
    • Date: 1938-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    Preaching by William S. Loscutoff William S. Loscutoff, preaching. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in San Francisco, California on September 14, 1938. In Russian. Forms part of a group of field materials documenting unaccompanied singing and preaching in the Russian language performed during services of the Russian Molokan Church, Potrero Hill, San Francisco on September 14, 1939, collected by Sidney Robertson Cowell in San Francisco, California.
    • Contributor: Loscutoff, William S. - Cowell, Sidney Robertson - Russian Molokan Congregation
    • Date: 1938-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    Lord Bakeman
    Young Beichan | Lord Bateman | The Turkish lady
    Dust jacket notes: On AFS 3811 A1, Lord Bakeman begins with an announcement made by George Vinton Graham, followed by his singing of the song on AFS 3811 A1, A2, and B1. George Vinton Graham, vocals and guitar. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in San Jose, California on October 12, 1938. Dust jacket notes: "Learned from his mother as a child in Iowa." Forms...
    • Contributor: Graham, George Vinton - Cowell, Sidney Robertson
    • Date: 1938-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    The Devil out of hell
    Scolding wife
    Dust jacket notes: Most of the song recorded on AFS 3813 B1; a verse is added on AFS 3813 B2. WPA Field Report notes: "This is the old English ballad, 'The scolding wife,' -- she was carted off to Hell by the Devil at her husband's request, but even the devils in Hell couldn't stand her so her husband had to take her back...
    • Contributor: Graham, George Vinton - Cowell, Sidney Robertson
    • Date: 1938-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    The Lowlands low Dust jacket notes inscribed by Sidney Robertson Cowell: AFS 4194 A2 is a recording of a fragment (2 verses) of the "The Lowlands low;" AFS 4194 A3 repeats this, with a different refrain as sung by Warde Ford's Uncle Rob Walker. Warde Ford, unaccompanied vocals. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in Central Valley, California on December 25, 1938. Forms part of a group of...
    • Contributor: Ford, Ward H. - Cowell, Sidney Robertson
    • Date: 1938-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    McAllister Yellow song check-list notes: On AFS 4196 B2, the first and last verses are sung twice. The record was also scratched in playing it back. AFS 4196 B3 is better. Warde Ford, unaccompanied vocals. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in Central Valley, California on December 25, 1938. Forms part of a group of field materials documenting Warde Ford performing Anglo-American songs on December 25,...
    • Contributor: Ford, Ward H. - Cowell, Sidney Robertson
    • Date: 1938-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    Milwaukee fire Dust jacket notes: "From words supplied by his Uncle Robert Walker." Dust jacket notes: Song begins on AFS 4198 B1 and completed on AFS 4198 B2 Warde Ford, unaccompanied vocals. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in Central Valley, California on December 26, 1938. Forms part of a group of field materials documenting Warde Ford performing Anglo-American songs on December 25, 26, and 27, 1938...
    • Contributor: Ford, Ward H. - Cowell, Sidney Robertson
    • Date: 1938-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    A-nutting we will go
    Our goodman
    Warde Ford, unaccompanied vocals. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in Central Valley, California on December 26, 1938. Forms part of a group of field materials documenting Warde Ford performing Anglo-American songs on December 25, 26, and 27, 1938 and September 4, 1939, collected by Sidney Robertson Cowell in Boomtown [Central Valley], Shasta County, California.
    • Contributor: Ford, Ward H. - Cowell, Sidney Robertson
    • Date: 1938-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    James Bird
    James Bird
    Dust jacket notes: The second of two last verses on 4202 A1 is "defective." The "corrected" version is on AFS 4202 A2. Song depicts story of James Bird who distinguished himself for bravery on Lake Erie when Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry won a decisive battle against the British during the War of 1812. Bird was wounded, left the fleet for a time, and later...
    • Contributor: Ford, Ward H. - Cowell, Sidney Robertson - Ford, Warde H.
    • Date: 1938-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    Lady Leroy Warde Ford, unaccompanied vocals. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in Central Valley, California on December 27, 1938. Forms part of a group of field materials documenting Warde Ford performing Anglo-American songs on December 25, 26, and 27, 1938 and September 4, 1939, collected by Sidney Robertson Cowell in Boomtown [Central Valley], Shasta County, California.
    • Contributor: Ford, Ward H. - Cowell, Sidney Robertson
    • Date: 1938-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    Foreman Monroe
    Young Monroe
    Dust jacket notes: AFS 4207 A2 includes all of the song, except for the last verse, which is on AFS 4207 A3. Pat Ford, unaccompanied vocals. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in Central Valley, California on December 27, 1938. Forms part of a group of field materials documenting Pat Ford performing Anglo-American songs on December 25 and 27, 1938, collected by Sidney Robertson Cowell...
    • Contributor: Cowell, Sidney Robertson - Ford, Pat
    • Date: 1938-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    O blessud vertu sumarsol = O blessed summer sun Dust jacket notes inscribed by Sidney Robertson Cowell: "Tune composed by Ingi Larusson for the 'first day of summer' festival -- widely known in Iceland. First line defective." Sigridur Benonys, unaccompanied vocals. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in San Francisco, California on May 25, 1938. In Icelandic. Forms part of a group of field materials documenting Sigridur Benonys performing Icelandic songs on May 25,...
    • Contributor: Benonys, Sigridur - Cowell, Sidney Robertson
    • Date: 1938-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    Helgi saga = The Ballad of Helgi Dust jacket notes: "Fragmentary version -- omissions in text." Ballad begun on AFS 3827 B3 and continued on AFS 3827 A5. Oddrun Sigurasson, unaccompanied vocals. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in San Francisco, California on May 25, 1938. In Icelandic. Forms part of a group of field materials documenting Oddrun Sigurasson performing Icelandic songs on May 25, 1938, collected by Sidney Robertson Cowell in...
    • Contributor: Sigurasson, Oddrun - Cowell, Sidney Robertson
    • Date: 1938-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    Budar ei lofti = Up in the store Dust jacket notes: Lullaby. Song begins on AFS 3828 A1, with third verse on AFS 3828 A2. Oddrun Sigurasson, unaccompanied vocals. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in San Francisco, California on May 25, 1938. In Icelandic. Forms part of a group of field materials documenting Oddrun Sigurasson performing Icelandic songs on May 25, 1938, collected by Sidney Robertson Cowell in San Francisco, California.
    • Contributor: Sigurasson, Oddrun - Cowell, Sidney Robertson
    • Date: 1938-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    The House carpenter
    House carpenter | Ship carpenter | Well met, my old true love
    George Vinton Graham, vocals and guitar. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in San Jose, California on August 16, 1939 Forms part of a group of field materials documenting George Vinton Graham performing Anglo-American songs on October 12, 1938, December 3 and 7, 1938, July 9, 1939, and August 16, 1939, collected by Sidney Robertson Cowell in San Jose, California.
    • Contributor: Graham, George Vinton - Cowell, Sidney Robertson
    • Date: 1939-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    Barbara Allen
    Barbara Allen
    Dust jacket notes: AFS 4228 A1 begins with false start and is incomplete. Song continues on AFS 4228 B. Inscribed on dust jacket by Sidney Robertson Cowell: "He cannot recall when he learned this song. Tune is variant of 'Polly-wolly- doodle-all-the-day.'" Alex Barr, unaccompanied vocals. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in Belvedere, California on November 12, 1939. Forms part of a group of field...
    • Contributor: Barr, Alex - Cowell, Sidney Robertson
    • Date: 1939-01-01
  • Audio Recording
    She wore a yellow ribbon AFS 3822 A1 is incomplete; AFS 3833 A2 is a complete version of the song. Mrs. Byron Coffin, Sr., vocals and piano. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in Alameda, California on April 6, 1939. Forms part of a group of field materials documenting Byron Coffin, Sr., Mrs. Byron Coffin, Sr., and Byron Coffin, Jr. performing Barbary Coast tunes, American popular songs, and ragtime music...
    • Contributor: Cowell, Sidney Robertson - Coffin, Ada Pearl
    • Date: 1939-01-01