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- Artist:
Various Artists - Release Date: October 27, 1998
- Type: Collection (various artists), Lyrics are included with the album
- Genre: Blues
Review
Afro-American Spirituals, Work Songs & Ballads is -- beginning to end -- the strongest collection of such field-recorded material focused on work songs available, as of its release in 1998. In addition to recordings of chain-gang work songs, other raw, moving material heard on this compilation includes moans, a congregational shout that borders on the ecstatic, and sprirtuals that swell with harmony and emotion. State Penitentiary and State Farm prisoners sing work songs that may sound familiar, since many were adopted by blues artists. This treasure of a recording captures unequaled passion, pain and strength; it is absolutely essential for fans of not only early blues, but early roots music of any kind. ~ Joslyn Layne, All Music GuideTracks
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Trouble So Hard | Henry Reed, Vera Hall, |
(2:21) | |
| Choose Your Seat and Set Down | Vera Hall, Henry Reed, |
(2:37) | |
| Handwriting on the Wall | Vera Hall, |
(2:24) | |
| The New Burying Ground | (3:40) | ||
| Lead Me to the Rock | (2:43) | ||
| The Blood-Stained Banders | Jimmie Strothers | (1:22) | |
| Run, Old Jeremiah | (4:31) | ||
| Ain't No More Cane on This Brazos | Traditional | (2:35) | |
| Long Hot Summer Days | (3:25) | ||
| Long John | (5:25) | ||
| Jumpin' Judy | (5:08) | ||
| Rosie | (2:20) | ||
| I'm Going to Leland | (1:54) | ||
| Jumping Judy | (2:53) | ||
| Look Down That Long, Lonesome Road | (1:21) | ||
| The Grey Goose | Traditional | (3:20) | |
| John Henry | Traditional | (2:54) |
