Rock Evolution – The History of Rock ’n’ Roll - Pop pre-1960 (pg 38)

[BimboBob]

Oh...the banana boat song by The Tarriers.

 

[BimboBob]

British folk...

The Copper Family - Spence The Rover

 

[threespires]

Can I pick The Kingston Trio - Tom Dooley.

About the only country/ folk song I remember hearing growing up. Must have been my Grandma because my dad detested country music!!

Was going to be my suggestion for tomorrow.

Must have heard it via my Dad who I don't recall as a big country fan but certainly had some Jim Reeves.

 

[threespires]

I've been having a root around to find some examples of British Folk Music from this period - to see how it was developed from the time when Cecil Sharp and others were collecting and the 1950's Folk Revival led by people like Ewan MacColl and AL Lloyd. I thought at first that any playlist would need go via classical music - Henry Woods' Fantasia on British sea Songs that you will hear every year at the Last Night of the Proms or anything by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

The other place to look is in Hymn Tunes, many of which took standard folk tunes and set them to found or newly written words - although what this period of collecting did was standardise tunes. For instances once "Whilst Shepherds Watched" had been printed alongside the tune "Winchester Old" in 1861 it became the only tune that many people sang it to - even though in many places it was sung to a different tune in every village. A tradition maintained in Sheffield and North Derbyshire.

But then I came across the Carpenter archive https://archives.vwml.org/records/JMC/1 - filled with notes and original disc/cylinder recordings from 1928-1972. I haven't got a clue how you fit it into a playlist - but anyone wanting to hear how folk music had developed by mid-20th century - this is amazing.

That archive is fascinating. At one point tonight I even found myself feeling guilty that I didn't join the local Green Man Morris Side to help keep the local traditions alive! In their absence the Side that leads our annual Bower procession is actually called Three Spires but joining that would require not only a willingness to learn morris but a gender change too so maybe not.

 

[RobMCFC]

I’ve seen it and love listening to them plus the best of S&G. Heavenly. I suppose I associate S&G more with folk music than country but that’s for later.

Meant to say that when I said to you that I've never listened to music purely for the vocals, the music of The Everly Brothers, S & G, The Beach Boys, ABBA and "California Dreaming" by the Mama and the Papas clearly makes this a lie. But I notice that in most of these cases it's the harmony vocals/vocal arrangements than a solo voice.

Tricky!

however Little Musgrave by Jean Ritchie appears to be recorded in 1960
and if there is even more leeway then Matty Groves by Joan Baez is 1962

No leeway I',m afraid - the thread is set up to first look at pre-1960s music and then take each year as it comes from 1960.

 

[threespires]

Long before rappers started back and forthing using songs, Kitty Wells was telling Hank Williams to do one with a song that's been sung by loads of female artists since.

It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels - Kitty Wells

Don't know if it's the first 'wronged woman' country song but certainly one of the most famous early ones.

 

[Resurrection Joe...]

Final mention of Gospel, then Im done...There could possibly be a place for The Blind Boys of Alabama on the list..they straddled Gospel/blues /Doo wop and Soul....im struggling to find a pre '60 recording...

 

[threespires]

Final mention of Gospel, then Im done...There could possibly be a place for The Blind Boys of Alabama on the list..they straddled Gospel/blues /Doo wop and Soul....im struggling to find a pre '60 recording...

I like The Blind Boys enough that I can even forgive them their cameo in Hop!!

 

[Resurrection Joe...]

I like The Blind Boys enough that I can even forgive them their cameo in Hop!!

to be fair...they might not have known...

 

[threespires]

Rob touched on it in the 'Country Goes Pop' section of his write up but has there ever been another genre, that's used technology to undermine the quality of its product in the way country often has? (though record sales no doubt will show I'm talking bollocks)

Many years ago I remember hearing Matraca Berg do the original stripped down version of a song she'd written that was a massive hit for Reba Mcentire. It was like night and day. Underneath the bloated sterile production of the best seller that was cheese personified was this simple but beautiful song.

To this day I hear country songs and think if someone had locked the producer and half the (no doubt talented) session musicians in the cupboard whilst this was recorded, it would be a decent bit of music.