The Austrian Document Records label begins its series of CDs presenting Leadbelly's commercial recordings in chronological order from 1939, although annotator Ken Romanowski acknowledges that the singer "had recorded a combined total of well over two hundred titles" prior to that date, tracks made either for the Library of Congress or ARC Records under the auspices of John Lomax. Still, most of those tracks had not been issued, and, contrarily, most became readily available later on either Elektra or Columbia Records. Two exceptions are 1935 alternate takes of "Daddy I'm Coming Back to You" (take three) and "Shorty George" (take two), which lead this album off as bonus tracks. Otherwise, the remaining 23 tracks comprise two sets of sessions from 1939 and 1940, first a bunch of recordings Leadbelly made as a solo performer for Musicraft Records, which issued them as an album called Negro Sinful Tunes, and second the first group of tracks for RCA Victor, some featuring the Golden Gate Quartet, and issued either on the album The Midnight Special and Other Prison Songs or on singles on the discount-priced Bluebird Records subsidiary. Many of Leadbelly's better-known songs are included in these sessions, among them "The Bourgeois Blues," "The Boll Weevil," "The Gallis Pole," "Pick a Bale of Cotton," "Midnight Special," "Alabama Bound," "Rock Island Line," and "Good Morning Blues." The singer is in prime shape, and his guitar playing is typically forceful. The tracks have been transferred from old vinyl discs, with hiss and crackles audible throughout, but the sound quality is generally good. William Ruhlmann
Tracklist :
– BONUS TRACKS – Alternate Takes (1935)
1. Daddy I'm Coming Back To You (Take 3) 2:56
2. Shorty George (Take 2) 3:02
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3. Fannin Street 2:36
4. Frankie And Albert - First Half 2:49
5. Frankie And Albert - Completion 3:04
6. De Kalb Blues 2:49
7. Looky Looky Yonder / Black Betty / Yellow Women's Door Bells (On A Monday) 2:57
8. The Bourgeois Blues 3:12
9. Poor Howard / Green Corn 3:09
10. The Boll Weevil 3:04
11. The Gallis Pole 2:59
12. Ain't Goin' Down To The Well No Mo' / Go Down Old Hannah 3:13
13. Pick A Bale Of Cotton 3:00
14. Whoa Back, Buck 3:05
15. Midnight Special 3:03
16. Alabama Bound 3:03
17. Rock Island Line 2:35
18. Good Morning Blues 2:51
19. Leaving Blues 3:02
20. T. B. Blues 3:07
21. Red Cross Store Blues 3:05
22. Sail On, Little Girl, Sail On 3:14
23. Roberta 2:59
24. Alberta 3:08
25. I'm On My Last Go Round 3:09
Credits :
Compiled By, Producer – Johnny Parth
Guitar – Leadbelly (tracks: 1 to 6, 8 to 11, 13 to 16, 18 to 25)
Liner Notes – Ken Romanowski
Remastered By – Gerhard Wessely
Tap Dance – Leadbelly (tracks: 9)
Vocals – Henry Owens (tracks: 13 to 17), Leadbelly, Arlandus Wilson (tracks: 13 to 17), William Langford (tracks: 13 to 17), Willis Johnson (tracks: 13 to 17)
Vocals [Vocal Quartet] – The Golden Gate Quartet (tracks: 13 to 17)
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