Songs for John Doe
Songs for John Doe | ||||
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Studio album by The Almanac Singers | ||||
Released | May 1941 | |||
Recorded | A Central Park West studio, New York City, Late March or early April 1941 | |||
Genre | Folk | |||
Label | Almanac Records | |||
Producer | Erin Barnay | |||
The Almanac Singers chronology | ||||
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Songs for John Doe is the 1941 debut album and first released product of the Almanac Singers, an influential early folk music group.
The album was released in May 1941, at a time when World War II was raging but the United States remained neutral. The Soviet Union and Nazi Germany were still at peace, as provided by the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. American Communists and "fellow travelers", including the Almanacs, followed the anti-interventionist stance dictated by the Soviet Union through the Comintern, which accounts for the appearance of anti-war songs on the album. However, on June 22, Germany invaded the Soviet Union. The Almanacs changed direction and began agitating for U.S. intervention in Europe. Songs for John Doe was quickly pulled from distribution, and those who had already purchased copies were asked to return them. After the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor, in February 1942 the Almanacs went into the studio to record a set of songs supporting the American war effort. The new political line was evident on the group's 1942 album, Dear Mr. President.
The opening song "Ballad of October 16" uses the melody of the folk song "Jesse James".
For the album, six masters were recorded in a two- or three-hour session. "'C' For Conscription" and "Washington Breakdown" were recorded as a single take.
Track listing
Track | Song Title | By |
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1. | Ballad of October 16 | Millard Lampell |
2. | Billy Boy | Millard Lampell |
3. | 'C' For Conscription | Millard Lampell and Pete Seeger |
4. | Liza Jane | Millard Lampell and Pete Seeger |
5. | Plow Under | Millard Lampell and Pete Seeger |
6. | The Strange Death of John Doe | Millard Lampell |
7. | Washington Breakdown | Pete Seeger and Lee Hays |
Personnel
- Pete Seeger, vocal, banjo
- Lee Hays, vocal
- Millard Lampell, vocal
- Josh White, vocal, guitar
- Sam Gary, vocal
External links
- Sam Gary discography (with picture of that album's cover)
- v
- t
- e
- We Shall Overcome
- Birds, Beasts, Bugs & Fishes (Little & Big)
- If I Had a Hammer: Songs of Hope & Struggle
- "The Bells of Rhymney"
- "Gotta Travel On"
- "If I Had a Hammer"
- "If You Miss Me at the Back of the Bus"
- "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream"
- "Little Boxes"
- "My Rainbow Race"
- "Pittsburgh Town"
- "Turn! Turn! Turn!"
- "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy
- "We Shall Overcome"
- "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"
- "God's Counting on Me, God's Counting on You"
- Songs for John Doe
- Talking Union
- Deep Sea Chanteys and Whaling Ballads
- Sod Buster Ballads
- Songs of the Lincoln Battalion
- Dear Mr. President
- The Weavers at Carnegie Hall
- The Weavers at Carnegie Hall Vol. 2
- The Weavers: Wasn't That a Time!
- Discography
- People's Songs
- Rainbow Quest
- Sing Out!
- Pete Seeger: The Power of Song
- Hudson River Sloop Clearwater
- The Great Hudson River Revival
- We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions
- Toshi Seeger (wife)
- Mika Seeger (daughter)
- Tao Rodríguez-Seeger (grandson)
- Charles Seeger (father)
- Ruth Crawford Seeger (stepmother)
- Mike Seeger (half-brother)
- Peggy Seeger (half-sister)
- Alan Seeger (uncle)
- Ewan MacColl (brother-in-law)
- John Cohen (brother-in-law)
- Kirsty MacColl (stepniece)