Important Recordings 1934 - 1949

~ Release by Lead Belly (see all versions of this release, 1 available)

Annotation

1 - 4: Recorded at Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola, LA. probably July 1, 1934
5: Recorded at Wilton, CT. February 1935
6 - 9: Recorded at Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola, LA. probably July 1, 1934
10 - 13: Recorded at Wilton, CT. February 1935
14, 15: Recorded at Wilton, CT. March 1935
16 - 18: Recorded at Washington, DC. June 22, 1937
19, 20: Recorded at New York City, December 26, 1938

ARC studio sessions
1 - 10: New York City, January 23, 1935
11 - 18: New York City, January 24, 1935
19 - 23: New York City, February 5, 1935
24, 25: New York City, March 25, 1935

1 - 3: New York City, March 25, 1935
4 - 7: New York City, April 1, 1939
8 - 11: New York City, June 15, 1940
12 - 16: New York City, June 15, 1940
17 - 22: New York City, June 17, 1940
23 - 26: New York City, Jul/Aug, 1943

1: New York City, November 1943
2 - 4: New York City, February 17, 1944
5: New York City, April 25, 1944
6: New York City, c. April 1944
7: New York City, c. May 1944
8 - 10: New York City, c. May 1944
11 - 14: Hollywood, October 4, 1944
15 - 17: Hollywood, October 11, 1944
18 - 20: Hollywood, October 27, 1944
21 - 24: New York City, c. June 1946
25: New York City, 1947
26: Austin, Texas, June 15, 1949

On the sleeve Lead Belly is credited with guitar on all tracks, despite none being heard on 1, 10 and 18.

Tracklist

1CD: Leadbelly & the Library of Congress: 1934 - 1938
2CD: Leadbelly in the Studio: 1935
3CD: Leadbelly in the Studio: 1935 - 1943
4CD: Leadbelly, The Last Years: 1943 - 1949
#TitleLength
1John Hardy4:18
2Where Did You Sleep Last Night
acoustic guitar:
Lead Belly
recording of:
Where Did You Sleep Last Night (In the Pines)
lyricist, composer and arranger:
Lead Belly
writer:
[traditional]
publisher:
Folkways Music Publishers Inc.
version of:
In the Pines (Black Girl)
3:02
3Pretty Flowers in Your Backyard2:46
4In New Orleans3:15
5Outskirts of Town2:40
6Mother's Blues (Little Children Blues)2:33
7In the Evenin' (When the Sun Goes Down)2:34
8Jim Crow Blues2:25
9Mr Hitler3:07
10Corn Bread Rough2:08
11Ella Speed2:46
12Rock Island Line2:56
13Tell Me Baby2:58
14Take This Hammer2:55
15Irene (Goodnight Irene)2:54
16On a Christmas Day2:52
17Backwater Blues
acoustic guitar:
Lead Belly
guest zither:
Paul Mason Howard
recording of:
Backwater Blues (Leadbelly Arrangement)
guitar arranger:
Lead Belly
version of:
Backwater Blues
2:59
18Eagle Rock Rag2:51
19Sweet Mary Blues
recorded in:
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States (on 1944-10-27)
acoustic guitar:
Lead Belly
guest zither:
Paul Mason Howard
guitar:
Lead Belly (on 1944-10-27)
vocals:
Lead Belly (on 1944-10-27)
recording of:
Sweet Mary Blues (on 1944-10-27)
writer:
Huddie William Ledbetter
2:58
20Grasshoppers in My Pillow
recorded in:
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States (on 1944-10-27)
acoustic guitar:
Lead Belly
guest zither:
Paul Mason Howard
guitar:
Lead Belly (on 1944-10-27)
vocals:
Lead Belly (on 1944-10-27)
recording of:
Grasshoppers in My Pillow (on 1944-10-27)
writer:
[traditional]
2:48
21Diggin' My Potatoes2:36
22Defense Blues3:19
23Easy Rider2:50
24Pigmeat2:19
25Howard Hughes
recorded in:
New York, New York, United States (in 1947)
acoustic guitar:
Lead Belly
guitar:
Lead Belly (in 1947)
vocals:
Lead Belly (in 1947)
recording of:
Howard Hughes (in 1947)
writer:
Huddie William Ledbetter
3:02
26Shine on Me4:12