Comments on: TunesDay: America singing 2: goodnight, Irene, goin’ down to the crossroads… http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2008/08/19/tunesday-america-singing-2-goodnight-irene-goin-down-to-the-crossroads/ Think - it ain't illegal yet... Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:32:11 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Russ Wellen http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2008/08/19/tunesday-america-singing-2-goodnight-irene-goin-down-to-the-crossroads/comment-page-1/#comment-51797 Russ Wellen Sat, 23 Aug 2008 04:43:17 +0000 http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/?p=3070#comment-51797 As a stone blues freak, I never really considered Leadbelly blues. That said, every time I hear him sing I'm astonished. There's never been anybody like him. Nothing about him is dated. Kids need to be exposed to him, his voice, and his 12-string. On the other hand, I've always felt we had Robert Johnson shoved down our throats as the paragon of blues. I've tried and tried but could never get myself to like him. He's way too speeded up and tense to represent the depth and unhurried expressiveness that's at the heart of the blues. As a stone blues freak, I never really considered Leadbelly blues. That said, every time I hear him sing I’m astonished. There’s never been anybody like him. Nothing about him is dated. Kids need to be exposed to him, his voice, and his 12-string.

On the other hand, I’ve always felt we had Robert Johnson shoved down our throats as the paragon of blues. I’ve tried and tried but could never get myself to like him. He’s way too speeded up and tense to represent the depth and unhurried expressiveness that’s at the heart of the blues.

]]> By: fikshun http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2008/08/19/tunesday-america-singing-2-goodnight-irene-goin-down-to-the-crossroads/comment-page-1/#comment-51672 fikshun Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:54:02 +0000 http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/?p=3070#comment-51672 great read. thanks! great read. thanks!

]]> By: Lex http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2008/08/19/tunesday-america-singing-2-goodnight-irene-goin-down-to-the-crossroads/comment-page-1/#comment-51643 Lex Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:15:51 +0000 http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/?p=3070#comment-51643 Don't forget the raw sexuality that runs like a river through the songs of both of those men. Many of the blues men were every bit as nasty as hip-hop artists, they just found different words. Though "Little Red Rooster" was not written by either RJ or Leadbelly, it is one of the best examples. It sounds like a barnyard tune until you learn that Little Red Rooster was the name of an over the counter impotence pill of the time...and that makes the song all about not being able to get it up. Don’t forget the raw sexuality that runs like a river through the songs of both of those men. Many of the blues men were every bit as nasty as hip-hop artists, they just found different words.

Though “Little Red Rooster” was not written by either RJ or Leadbelly, it is one of the best examples. It sounds like a barnyard tune until you learn that Little Red Rooster was the name of an over the counter impotence pill of the time…and that makes the song all about not being able to get it up.

]]> By: Elaine http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2008/08/19/tunesday-america-singing-2-goodnight-irene-goin-down-to-the-crossroads/comment-page-1/#comment-51638 Elaine Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:45:28 +0000 http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/?p=3070#comment-51638 That was great, thanks for the link. I hope your students appreciate your brain and pen. ;) ...trust you to get the Beatles in there! That was great, thanks for the link.

I hope your students appreciate your brain and pen. ;)

…trust you to get the Beatles in there!

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