Folk-Songs of America: The Robert Winslow Gordon Collection, 1922-1932

Contents Foreword Introduction Sound Files (includes links to liner notes) Works Cited Gordon Manuscript Collections Additional Materials: Original Liner Notes in PDF (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) Part 1 (5MB) Part 2 (7MB) Updated test (3.46 MB) Gordon Collection Photographs The Gordon Collections Finding Aid for Archive of Folk Culture Materials

Works Cited in the Annotations and Text

Abbot: Francis H. Abbot and Alfred J. Swan, Eight Negro Songs [From Bedford Co. Virginia]. New York: Enoch & Sons, 1923.

Adventure: Robert W. Gordon, "Old Songs That Men Have Sung," Adventure, 1923-26, passim.

Annual Report: "Archive of American Folk Song from the report of R. W. Gordon, in charge," Annual Report of The Librarian of Congress for the Year Ending June 30th, 1932. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1932.

Ballanta- (Taylor): Nicholas George Julius Ballanta- (Taylor), Saint Helena Island Spirituals. New York: G. Schirmer, Inc., 1925.

Belden: H. M. Belden, Ballads and Songs: Collected by the Missouri Folk-Lore Society. Columbia: University of Missouri studies, 1940. Reprint ed., 1955.

Berlin: Edward A. Berlin, "Piano Ragtime: A Musical and Cultural Study," unpublished Ph. D dissertation, City University of New York, 1976.

Blesh: Rudi Blesh and Harriet Janis, They All Played Ragtime. 2nd ed. New York: Grove Press, 1959.

Bronson: Bertrand Harris Bronson, The Traditional Tunes of the Child Ballads. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1959-1972.

Brown III: Henry M. Belden and Arthur Palmer Hudson, eds., Folk Songs from North Carolina (Volume III, The Frank C. Brown Collection of North Carolina Folklore). Durham: Duke University Press, 1952.

Bush: Michael E. Bush, Folk Songs of Central West Virginia. Ripley, W. Va.: The Author, 1969.

Cambiaire: Celestin Pierre Cambiaire, East Tennessee and West Virginia Mountain Ballads. London: The Mitre Press, 1934.

Christeson: R. P. Christeson, The Old-Time Fiddler's Repertory. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 1973.

Coffin: Tristram Potter Coffin, The British Traditional Ballad in North America (Revised edition, with a supplement by Roger de V. Renwick). Austin: University of Texas Press, 1977. American Folklore Society Bibliographical and Special Series, 2 (revised).

Cohen A: Norm Cohen, " ‘Casey Jones': At The Crossroads of Two Ballad Traditions," Western Folklore, 32 (1973), 77-103.

Cohen B: Norm Cohen, "Robert W. Gordon and the Second Wreck of the Old 97," Journal of American Folklore, 87 (1974), 12-38.

Colcord: Joanna C. Colcord, Roll and Go: Songs of American Sailormen. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1924. Revised as Songs of American Sailormen. New York: W. W. Norton, 1938. Reprint ed., New York: Oak Publications, 1964.

Creighton: Helen Creighton, Songs and Ballads from Nova Scotia. Toronto: J. M. Dent & Sons, 1932. Reprinted, New York: Dover Publications, 1966.

Dett: Robert Nathaniel Dett, Religious Folk-Songs of the Negro as Sung at Hampton Institute. Revised ed., Hampton, Va.: Hampton Institute Press, 1927. Reprint ed., New York: AMS Press, 1972.

Doerflinger: William Main Doerflinger, Shanteymen and Shanteyboys: Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman. New York: Macmillan, 1951. Reprinted as Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman, 1972.

Durfee and Jabbour: Charles Durfee and Alan Jabbour, "Old Sledge, Mississippi Sawyer. . . And Related Matters," Devil's Box 24 (March 1, 1974), 6-8.

Ewen: David Ewen, All the Years of American Popular Music. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1977.

Fenner: Thomas P. Fenner, Religious Folk-Songs of the Negro. Revised ed., Hampton, Va.: The Institute Press, 1918.

Fenner and Rathbun: Thomas P. Fenner, Frederick G. Rathbun, and Bessie Cleaveland, comps., Cabin and Plantation Songs as Sung by the Hampton Students. 3d ed., New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1901. Reprint ed., New York: AMS Press, 1977.

Ford: Ira W. Ford, Traditional Music of America. N.Y.: E. P. Dutton, 1940. Reprint ed., Hatboro, Pa.: Folklore Associates, 1965.

Fowke: Edith Fowke, Sally Go Round The Sun. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1969.

Foxfire: "Hide Tanning," in Eliot Wiggington, ed., Foxfire 3. Garden City, N.Y.: Anchor Books, 1975, pp. 55-78.

Gellert: Lawrence Gellert, Negro Songs of Protest. New York: American Music League, 1936.

Gordon: Robert W. Gordon, Folk-Songs of America. New York: WPA Federal Theater Project, National Service Bureau, 1938. Reprinted from author's manuscript for articles in New York Times, January 2, 1927-January 22, 1928. Other articles by Gordon are listed under Adventure, Annual Report, and Smythe.

Green: Archie Green, "Commercial Music Graphics #41: Brunswick's Folksong Discs, 1928," JEMF Quarterly, 13 (1977), 73-78.

Grimm: Karen Grimm, "Prolegomenon to a Catalog of the Robert W. Gordon Collection of American Folksong," Northwest Folklore, 2:1 (1967), 8-10.

Handy: Handy, W. C., Blues: An Anthology. N.Y.: A. & C. Boni, 1926.

Hayden: Walter Darrell Hayden, "Vernon Dalhart: Commercial Country Music's First International Star," JEMF Quarterly, 11 (1975), 95-103.

Hugill: Stan Hugill, Shanties from the Seven Seas. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1961.

Jabbour: Alan Jabbour, [brochure notes to:] The Hammons Family: A Study of a West Virginia Family's Traditions, eds. Carl Fleischhauer and Alan Jabbour. Washington D. C.: Library of Congress (Album AFS L65-66), 1973.

Jameson: Gladys V. Jameson, Wake and Sing. New York: Broadcast Music, Inc, 1955.

Johnson: James Weldon and J. Rosamond Johnson, The Book of American Negro Spirituals. New York: Viking Press, 1925. Reprinted with The Second Book of Negro Spirituals as The Books of American Negro Spirituals, 1951.

Jones: Loyal Jones, "The Minstrel of the Appalachians: Bascom Lamar Lunsford at 91," JEMF Quarterly, 9 (1973), 2-7.

Jones and Hawes: Bessie Jones and Bess Lomax Hawes, Step It Down. New York: Harper and Row, 1972.

Knauff: G. P. Knauff, Virginia Reels No. 4. Baltimore: George Willig, Jr., 1839.

Kodish A: Debora G. Kodish, "Good Friends and Bad Enemies": Robert W. Gordon and American Folksong Scholarship. MA Thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Department of Folklore, 1977.

Kodish B: Debora G. Kodish, " ‘A National Project with Many Workers': Robert W. Gordon and the Archive of American Folk Song," The Quarterly Journal of the Library of Congress, 35:4 (1978), 218-33.

Krassen: Miles Krassen, Appalachian Fiddle. New York: Oak Publications, 1973.

Laws: G. Malcolm Laws, Native American Balladry. Philadelphia: American Folklore Society, 1964. American Folklore Society Bibliographical and Special Series, 1 (revised).

Lomaxes: John A. and Alan Lomax, American Ballads and Folk Songs. New York: Macmillan, 1934.

Lowinger: Gene Lowinger, Bluegrass Fiddle. New York: Oak Publications, 1974.

Lunsford and Stringfield: Bascom Lamar Lunsford and Lamar Stringfield, Thirty and One Folksongs from the Southern Mountains. New York: Carl Fischer, 1929.

Mackenzie: W. Roy Mackenzie, Ballads and Sea-Songs from Nova Scotia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1928. Reprint ed., Hatboro, Pa.: Folklore Associates, 1963.

Maloy: D. W. (Frank) Maloy, Jr., "Fiddle Tablature: Old Sally Goodin," Devil's Box, 20 (Mar. 1, 1973), p. 6.

Marsh: J. B. T. Marsh, The Story of the Jubilee Singers: Including Their Songs. Revised ed., London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1903.

Messer: Don Messer's Way Down East Fiddlin' Tunes. Toronto: Gordon V. Thompson, 1948.

Newell A: William Wells Newell, Games and Songs of American Children. New York: Harper & Bros., 1903. Reprint ed., New York, Dover Publications. 1963.

Newell B: W. W. Newell, "An Unprinted Game Song," Journal of American Folklore, 2 (1889), 238.

NLCR: John Cohen and Mike Seeger, eds., The New Lost City Ramblers Song Book. New York: Oak Publications, 1964. Reprinted as The Old-Time Stringband Songbook, New York: Oak Publications, 1976.

Parrish: Lydia Parrish, Slave Songs of the Georgia Sea Islands. New York: Farrar, Straus & Co., 1942. Reprint ed., Hatboro, Pa.: Folklore Associates, 1965.

Perrow: E. C. Perrow, "Songs and Rhymes from the South," Journal of American Folklore, 26 (1913), 123-73.

Pound: Louise Pound, American Ballads and Songs. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1922. Reprint ed., 1972.

Randolph III: Vance Randolph, Ozark Folksongs. Columbia: The State Historical Society of Missouri, 1949. Volume III.

Roberts: Leonard Roberts, Sang Branch Settlers. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1974. American Folklore Society Memoir, Series 61.

Sandburg: Carl Sandburg, The American Songbag. New York: Harcourt, Brace & Co., 1927.

Scarborough A: Dorothy Scarborough, A Song Catcher in Southern Mountains. New York: Columbia University Press, 1937. Reprint ed., New York: AMS Press, 1966.

Scarborough B: Dorothy Scarborough, On The Trail of Negro Folk-Songs. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1925. Reprint ed., Hatboro, Pa.: Folklore Associates, 1963.

Sharp A: Cecil Sharp, English Country Folk Songs. London, Novello, 1961. Reprint of Folk-Songs of England, published 1908-12.

Sharp B: Cecil Sharp, "Forfeit Songs; Cumulative Songs; Songs of Marvels and of Magical Animals," Journal of the Folk-Song Society, 5 (1916), 277-96.

Smythe: Augustine T. Smythe, et al., The Carolina Low-Country. New York: Macmillan, 1931. Robert W. Gordon, "The Negro Spiritual," pp. 191-222

Thede: Marion Thede, The Fiddle Book. New York: Oak Publications, 1967.

Wetmore and Bartholomew: Susannah Wetmore and Marshall Bartholomew, Mountain Songs of North Carolina. New York: G. Schirmer, n.d. [1926].

White: Newman I. White, American Negro Folk-Songs. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1928. Reprint ed., Hatboro, Pa.: Folklore Associates, 1965.

Wilgus: D. K. Wilgus, "A Catalog of American Folk Songs on Commercial Records." Unpublished master's thesis, Ohio State University, 1947.

Work: John W. Work and Frederic J. Work, Folk Songs of the American Negro. Nashville: Work Brothers, 1907.

Discography of Recordings Cited

Al Bernard: Al Bernard with the Goofus Five, "Hesitation Blues," Okeh 40962.

-------------, with Carl Fenton Orchestra, "Hesitation Blues," Brunswick 3553.

Fiddlin' John Carson: Fiddlin' John Carson, "Georgia's Three-Dollar Tag," Bluebird B5410 (2/27/34), reissued on Rounder 1003, The Old Hen Cackled and the Rooster's Gonna Crow.

-------------------------, "Tom Watson Special," Okeh 4000 (ca. 1924).

Bo Carter: Bo Carter, "All Around Man," Bluebird B6295 (2/20/36), reissued on Melodeon MLP 7324, The Party Blues.

Cousin Emmy: Cousin Emmy (Jo May Carver), "I Wish I Was a Single Girl Again," Decca 24215, issued as part of Decca album A-574, Kentucky Mountain Ballads, 1947.

Davis: John Davis and group, "Live Humble," on Prestige International Int 25001, Southern Journey 1: Georgia Sea Islands, Volume 1, ed. Alan Lomax (1959-60).

Art Gillham: Art Gillham, "Hesitation Blues," Columbia 343-D (1925).

Grayson and Whitter: G. B. Grayson and Henry Whitter, "Sally Gooden," Gennet 6733 (1928).

W. C. Handy: W. C. Handy, "Hesitating Blues," Lyratone 4212.

McMichen: Clayton McMichen, "Sally Gooden," Decca 2648 (1939), reissued on Davis Unlimited DU- 33032, McMichen, The Traditional Years.

Uncle Dave Macon: Uncle Dave Macon and Fruit Jar Drinkers, "Hold That Woodpile Down," Vocalion 5151 (5/7/27), reissued on RBF RF41, Uncle Dave Macon.

J. E. Mainer: J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers, "Big Ball's In Town," King 622, reissued on King LP 666, Good Ole' Mountain Music.

Messer: Don Messer and His Islanders, "Mississippi Sawyer," Apex 26302 (ca. 1950), reissued on Apex AL-610, The Best of Don Messer and His Islanders, Volume 3.

Monroe: Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys, "Sally Goodin," on Decca DL 75213, Kentucky Blue Grass (1967).

The Mountain Ramblers: The Mountain Ramblers, "Big Ball In Boston," Atlantic 1347, Southern Folk Heritage Series: Blue Ridge Mountain Music (1959).

Pegram and Parham: George Pegram and Walter Parham, "The Downfall of Paris," on Riverside RLP 12-650, Pickin' And Blowin' (1957).

Charlie Poole: Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers, "If The River Was Whiskey," Columbia 15545-D (1/23/30), reissued on County 509, Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers, Volume Two.

Powers: Fiddlin' John Powers and Family, "Old Molly Hair," Okeh 54268.

Puckett: Riley Puckett, "Sally Goodwin," Columbia 15102-D (1926).

Riley: Bartow Riley, "Sally Goodin," on County 703, Texas Hoedown, 1965.

Robertson: A. C. "Eck" Robertson, "Sallie Gooden," Victor 18956-A (1923), reissued on Old Timey X-101, The String Bands, Volume 2.

Scruggs: Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, "Sally Goodwin," on Columbia CL 1564, Foggy Mountain Banjo, (1960).

Smith: Glen Smith, "Mississippi Sawyer," on Folkways FS 3811, Traditional Music From Grayson and Carrol Counties (1962).

Smith: Glen Smith, "Sally Goodin," on Folkways FS 3832, Bluegrass from The Blue Ridge (1967).

Stoneman: Ernest Stoneman, "Sally Goodwin," Edison 52350 (1928).

Summers: John Summers, "Mississippi Sawyer," on Kanawha 307, Traditional Music for Banjo, Fiddle, and Bagpipe, [by] Franklin George of Bluefield, West Va., with John Summers of Marion, Ind. (ca. 1967).

Tanner: Gid Tanner and his Skillet Lickers, "Mississippi Sawyer," Bluebird B-5433 (1934).

Tuskegee Institute Singers: Tuskegee Institute Singers, "I've Been Buked and I've Been Scorned," Victor 18447 (1917 or 1918), reissued on RBF RF5, An Introduction to Gospel Song.