A 40-minute film about the recording of the album with artist commentary. Includes filmed performances of:
John Henry Pay Me My Money Down Buffalo Gals Erie Canal O Mary DonÂ’t You Weep JacobÂ’s Ladder Froggie Went A CourtinÂ’ Shenandoah
Plus four bonus live tour videos:
How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live (Bruce Springsteen Version) Bring Â’Em Home American Land Pay Me My Money Down
Amazon.com: The premise was simple. Bruce Springsteen invites a dozen or so New York City musicians--packing banjos, fiddles, accordions and the like--to his New Jersey farmhouse for a three-day hootenanny, and tape is rolling. The results are sublime, his 21st album featuring their versions of songs harvested from Springsteen's dog-eared LPs by Pete Seeger. Not all written by Seeger, the songs are how the American folk icon interpreted them, and these organic recordings, with no rehearsals or overdubs, pay tribute with the simplicity and spontaneity he intended. It's not hard to link Springsteen's dissatisfaction with American politics to the protest song "We Shall Overcome" or even the Irish ballad "Mrs. McGrath," where he alters the lyrics to read, "I'd rather have my son as he used to be/Than the King of America and his whole navy." But the beauty of these Seeger Sessions are pieces that underscore the mood of the bandleader, which borders on down-home amusement: the bluegrass outlaw ballad "Jesse James," the Dylanesque "Pay Me My Money Down" and the euphoric "Jacob's Ladder," a gumbo-and-whiskey-fueled romp that could pass for the closing hymn at the Church of Asbury Park. --Scott Holter
Great Fun!! Bruce and the gang sound like they had a whale of a time making this album. It's great fun to listen to in the car.
My one criticism would be that Bruce tends to use a phony southern accent when he sings. Oh, and "Shenendoah," as others have pointed out, is the low point.
Otherwise--kick up your heels!
Back to the future This is indeed a wonderful rediscovery of American musical traditions which, I believe, are being relegated to the archives. The Smithsonian does a good job of protecting it from extinction.Bruce Springsteen has made the music and the free flowing atmosphere in which the music was originally sung, come alive in a contemporary setting. With all its rich complexity and diversity, American music has two dominant roots, those derived from European immigrants and those derived from African roots. As an avid listener, the dominant music of the past 20 years or so has been the African tradition. This evolved into Gospel, R&B, Blues, Hiphop, Rap and so on. Somewhere along the way, the other great tradition was being swamped, relegated to the archives and kept alive by small bands of people (such as those who have joined Springsteen in this recording at his farm). Contemporary 'country' music is also, I sadly believe, gotten distanced from the 'folk' tradition. It is in this context that I see this as a breakthrough album. Sprinsteen and his informal band of musicians play freely as this music was meant to be played and the joy comes out in the creation. This is not a simple rendition of Pete Seeger's songs, Springsteen and his group have made this their very own and by doing this they have made this wonderful tradition come alive again. You hear the sounds of the banjo and the mandoline, the accordian and the violine, the trumpet and saxophone as well as the B3 organ and piano and drums in purcussion that they would never have used a 100 years ago. It is street corner music, tavern music, gutter music and all the music that is rough and raw on the edges, that is sung and played unrehersed, with the same rawness, beauty and freedom. Do not expect well rehersed studio renditions. This is the very opposite of smooth pop and the American Idol. This album is an absolute treasure.
Caveat Emptor: listen before you buy
I love all of Spingsteen's familiar styles: the anthemic rock, the moving ballad and the acoustic folk of the somber Nebraska. This album, however, simply does not appeal to me on any level. Perhaps it is because I was expecting some profundity, some soul stirring interpretations of the more serious songs associated with Pete Seeger. Unfortunately both the sounds and the songs disappoint, and the blend most of all. Many of the tracks are folk standards of the blandest type, like the introductory Old Dan Tucker. The exuberant treatment feels wasted on such repetitive, nonsensical lyrics.
Some songs have a gospel undertone, like the classic We Shall Overcome with its soulful backing vocals, Jacob's Ladder with the rousing vocals of its gospel choir and the melancholy Shenandoah which is one of the few highlights. Still I prefer Bob Dylan's version on his album Down in the Groove. Others have a country feel like the authentic-sounding lament My Oklahoma Home with its powerful male backing vocals. Country also surfaces in the uptempo Pay Me My Money Down which is redeemed by an impressive arrangement and instrumental virtuosity. Others are really rock music, like O Mary Don't You Weep with its biblical imagery and the raucous John Henry, a fast-paced song with frisky fiddles and Bruce shouting too loudly.
The slower numbers include the brooding Eyes On The Prize, Mrs McGrath and Erie Canal, a song with lovely banjo that incorporates jazzy improvisations in the instrumental sections. The tracks that I would listen to again are Jesse James, a lilting, energetic story song about the Robin Hood character, and of the aforementioned: Jacob's Ladder for its inspiring gospel voices, the melancholy My Oklahoma Home, Shenandoah with its spiritual undertone and maybe We Shall Overcome. Emblematic of the work as a whole, Froggie Went a Courtin' is the type of folk song that ought to remain restricted to kiddie's records. The video material on the recording, conversations with the musicians and the song videos contribute nothing to ameliorate the disappointment.
Something went wrong somewhere. The wide array of instruments encompasses guitar, sax, banjo, organ, accordion, mandolin, viola, tuba, drums and trumpet, and the playing is mostly enthusiastic. The arrangements aren't always suitable to the song but not bad for the chosen style. Many song segments stand out for the appealing instrumentation. But the arrangements and instrumentation simply do not blend with Bruce's sometimes shouted & sometimes mumbled vocals. Judging by the reviews, this album is clearly enjoyed by multitudes, which I find incomprehensible. Yes, there's no accounting for taste and to each their own, but I am baffled as to why Springsteen fans would even find The Seeger Sessions listenable. Time will tell; history's verdict may be harsh.
Bruce is no John Bon Jovi. Where to start..?
Buy this album. It is one of the best folk albums I have ever heard. And they made it in New Jersey.
New Jersey.
Batten down the hatches, prepare for rapture. Things are not as we expected. I mean, this stuff is revelation.
Now, I have always loved Bruce. Really loved him. Especially Nebraska, which I believe to be one of the greatest albums ever recorded. But this tops even that. Utter authenticity. Like 'Where Brother,' but even cleaner. And performed with sheer virtuosity. This is what real music sounds like.
Let's just say that I doubt Courtney Cox is gonna get caught on film getting down to this..
the Ruth Crawford Seeger sessions I rarely have to buy a CD immediately upon its release. I can wait. This one, though, I bought right away in April 2006. I still listen to it frequently, sometimes every day. It is terrific and I am grateful that these songs are available again for new ears. I want to invite folks to find out how Pete Seeger himself learned these songs, through the collections made by his mother, Ruth Crawford Seeger. All of the songs on this album are in the books she wrote preserving American folk music. Let us remember these songs and this great foremother of American music!
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