Label: Frémeaux & Associés
Release Date: May 17, 2005
Recording Time: 109 minutes
Recording Date: 1933 - 1946
Compilation Studio Recording
Styles: Acoustic Blues, Country Blues, Folk Revival, Folk-Blues, Songster
Spanning the most prolific part of Leadbelly's career, from when he was released from prison (after having his sentence commuted, for the second time) through his move to New York City in 1946, The Blues: Bourgeois Blues 1933-1946 released by French label Frйmeaux & Associйs is a pretty good selection of some of the folk/bluesman's repertoire, and includes versions of some of his most popular songs ("Rock Island Line," "Goodnight Irene," "John Hardy," "Leaving Blues," etc.). There are liner notes in both French and English included, which is a necessity for any Leadbelly release, but the two-CD set's (with 18 songs on each disc) lack of "C.C. Rider," "Good Morning Blues," and "Grey Goose" makes it only a decent compilation, and not a complete one.
by Marisa Brown
Personnel: William Langford, Henry Owens, Arlandus Wilson, Willis Johnson, Golden Gate Quartet (vocals); Brownie McGhee (guitar); Sonny Terry (harmonica); Pops Foster (baritone saxophone); Willie "The Lion" Smith (piano).
Credits: Leroy Carr - composer; A.P. Carter - composer; Claude Colombini - concept; Pops Foster - sax (baritone); Bernard Frémeaux - recording editor; Patrick Frémeaux - concept; Golden Gate Quartet - vocals; Christophe Henault - mastering, tape transfer; Gerard Herzhaft - discography, musical direction, text; Blind Lemon Jefferson - composer; Willis Johnson - vocals; William Langford - vocals; Lead Belly - primary artist; Huddie Ledbetter - composer; John A. Lomax - composer; Brownie McGhee - guitar; Henry Owens - vocals; Ma Rainey - composer; Walter Roland - composer; Willie "The Lion" Smith - piano; Victoria Spivey - composer; Sonny Terry - harmonica; Traditional - composer; Josh White - composer; Arlandus Wilson - vocals; Laure Wright - english translations.
Tracks, Disc 1: 1) The Old Chisholm Trail (Western Cowboy); 2) Packing Trunk; 3) Roberta; 4) New Black Snake Moan; 5) Death Letter Blues, Pts. 1-2; 6) Fort Worth and Dallas Blues; 7) Yellow Jacket Blues; 8) T.B. Woman Blues; 9) My Baby Quit Me; 10) Red River Blues; 11) Baby, Don't You Love Me No More; 12) Blind Lemon Jefferson's Blues; 13) Matchbox Blues; 14) Bull Cow Blues; 15) Bourgeois Blues; 16) De Kalb Blues; 17) Red Cross Store Blues; 18) Leaving Blues.
Tracks, Disc 2: 1) Pick a Bale of Cotton; 2) Rock Island Line; 3) Whoa Back Buck; 4) Midnight Special; 5) Take This Hammer; 6) Can't You Line 'Em; 7) New York City Blues; 8) Worried Blues; 9) Hitler Blues; 10) Goodnight Irene; 11) John Henry; 12) How Long; 13) Rider Blues; 14) John Hardy; 15) House of the Rising Sun; 16) National Defense Blues; 17) Pig Meat Blues; 18) Hollywood and Vine.
Tracks, Disc 1: 1) The Old Chisholm Trail (Western Cowboy); 2) Packing Trunk; 3) Roberta; 4) New Black Snake Moan; 5) Death Letter Blues, Pts. 1-2; 6) Fort Worth and Dallas Blues; 7) Yellow Jacket Blues; 8) T.B. Woman Blues; 9) My Baby Quit Me; 10) Red River Blues; 11) Baby, Don't You Love Me No More; 12) Blind Lemon Jefferson's Blues; 13) Matchbox Blues; 14) Bull Cow Blues; 15) Bourgeois Blues; 16) De Kalb Blues; 17) Red Cross Store Blues; 18) Leaving Blues.
Tracks, Disc 2: 1) Pick a Bale of Cotton; 2) Rock Island Line; 3) Whoa Back Buck; 4) Midnight Special; 5) Take This Hammer; 6) Can't You Line 'Em; 7) New York City Blues; 8) Worried Blues; 9) Hitler Blues; 10) Goodnight Irene; 11) John Henry; 12) How Long; 13) Rider Blues; 14) John Hardy; 15) House of the Rising Sun; 16) National Defense Blues; 17) Pig Meat Blues; 18) Hollywood and Vine.