The Asch Recordings Explained

The Asch Recordings
Type:compilation
Artist:Woody Guthrie
Cover:Woody Guthrie Asch Recordings Album Cover.jpg
Released:1997–1999
Recorded:1944–1949[1]
Label:Smithsonian Folkways
Producer:Moe Asch
Prev Title:The Columbia River Collection
Prev Year:1944
Next Title:Ballads of Sacco & Vanzetti
Next Year:1947

The Asch Recordings, recorded between 1944 and 1949, are a series of albums featuring some of the most famous recordings of US folk musician Woody Guthrie. These sessions were recorded by Moses "Moe" Asch in New York City.

Background

The songs recorded by Asch comprise the bulk of Guthrie's original material and several traditional songs. They were issued on a variety of labels over the years under the labels Asch, Asch-Stinson, Asch-Signature-Stinson, Disc, Folkways and Smithsonian Folkways. The tracks for Guthrie's Songs to Grow on for Mother and Child and Nursery Days were from these sessions.

Many recordings have unknown session dates.[2] These are included in a list available at the United States Library of Congress titled "Surviving Recordings in the Smithsonian Folklife Archive Made by Woody Guthrie for Moses Asch". Moe Asch says Woody's kids songs were recorded sometime in early 1947 and the Sacco and Vanzetti ballads were recorded January 1947.

Folkways volumes

The Smithsonian Folkways label repackaged and arranged these sessions in a series of 4 discs between 1997 and 1999. The first volume focuses on Guthrie's original compositions, the second on folk and country covers, the third on topical songs, and the fourth on cowboy and western music.

YearTitleRecord Label
1997This Land Is Your Land, The Asch Recordings, Vol.1[3] Smithsonian Folkways
1997Muleskinner Blues, The Asch Recordings, Vol.2[4] Smithsonian Folkways
1998Hard Travelin', The Asch Recordings, Vol.3[5] Smithsonian Folkways
1999Buffalo Skinners, The Asch Recordings, Vol.4[6] Smithsonian Folkways

List of songs

TitleCatalogue No.Recording DateNotes / Instrument
"Hard Ain't It Hard"LM-1April 16, 1944
"More Pretty Girls Than One"LM-2
"Golden Vanity"MA 1April 19, 1944Recordings on this date w/ Cisco Houston
"When the Yanks Go Marching In"MA 2
So Long, It's Been Good to Know YouMA3
Dollar Down Dollar a WeekMA4
Hen CackleMA5
I Ain't Got NobodyMA6
Ida RedMA7
Columbus StockadeMA8
Whistle BlowingMA9
John HenryMA10
Hammer Ring ("Union Hammer")MA11
Muleskinner Blues ("New Road Line")MA12
What are We Waiting On ("Bloody Fight")LM-2
More Pretty Girls Than OneMA13
Ship in the Sky ("My Daddy")MA14
The Biggest Thing Man Has Ever DoneMA15
StewballMA16
Grand Coulee DamMA17
Talking Sailor ("Talking Merchant Marine")MA18
Talking Sailor ("Talking Merchant Marine")MA19
Talking Sailor ("Talking Merchant Marine")MA20
New York Town ("My Town")MA21
Talking Sailor ("Talking Merchant Marine")MA22
Reckless TalkMA23
Reckless TalkMA24
Last Nickel BluesMA25
Guitar RagMA26
Who's Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet ("Don't Need No Man")MA27
(Those) Brown EyesMA28
Chisholm TrailMA29
Sowing on the MountainsMA30
Sowing on the MountainsMA31
Right NowMA32
Train-HarmonicaMA33
Sally Don't You GrieveMA34
Take a Wiff on MeMA35
Philadelphia LawyerMA36
Kissing On ("Gave Her Kisses")MA37
Little DarlingMA38
Baltimore to Washington ("Troubles Too")MA39
Poor BoyMA40
Poor BoyMA41
Ain't Nobody's BusinessMA42
Take Me Back BabeMA43
Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad ("Lonesome Road Blues")MA44
Bed on the FloorMA45
One Big Union ("Join It Yourself")MA46
Worried Man BluesMA47
What Did the Deep Say?MA48
Foggy Mountain TopMA49
21 YearsMA50
Roving Gambler ("Gambling Man")MA51
CindyMA52
Into SeasonMA53
Red River ValleyMA55
Dead or Alive ("Poor Lazarus")MA56
Pretty BoyMA57
John HardyMA58
Bad Lee Brown ("Cocaine Blues")MA59
Whistle BlowingMA66
Billy The KidMA67
Stagger LeeMA68
Down Yonder674April 20, 1944
Guitar Blues675
Harmonica Breakdown676
Fox Chase677
Train678
Lost John679
Pretty Baby680
Old Dog a Bone681
Turkey in the Straw687
Give Me That Old Time Religion688
Glory ("Walk and Talk with Jesus")689
Hard Time Blues690
Bus Blues691
Devilish Mary692
Cripple Creek693
Sandy Land694
Old Dan Tucker695April 24, 1944
Bile Them Cabbage Down696
Old Joe Clark697
Buffalo Girls698
Rain Crow Bill699
Skip to my Lou700
Lonesome Train701, 702
Blues, Harmonica Breakdown703, 704
Harmonica Rag705,706
Crawdad Hole707
Bury Me Beneath the Willow708
I Ride an Old Paint709
Blue Eyes710
Going Down the Road Feeling Bad ("Lonesome Road Blues")711
Old Dog a Bone712
Having Fun713
Blues714
Talking Fishing BluesMA75April 25, 1944
Talking Sailor ("Talking Merchant Marine")MA76
Union Burial GroundMA77
Jesse JamesMA78
Rangers CommandMA79
Sinking of the Ruben JamesMA80
Put My Little Shoes AwayMA81
Picture From Life's Other SideMA82
Will You Miss MeMA83
Bed on the FloorMA84
900 MilesMA85
Sourwood MountainMA86
Hoecake BakingMA87
Ezekiel Saw the WheelMA88
Little DarlingMA89
Lonesome DayMA90
Cumberland GapMA91
Fiddling PieceMA92
Carry Me Back to Old VirginnyMA93
Step StoneMA94
House of the Rising SunMA96
Browns Ferry BluesMA98
What Would You Give in Exchange For Your Soul?MA99
When That Ship Went DownMA99-1
Dust BowlMA100
Guitar RagMA101
I Ain't Got NobodyMA102
Going Down This Road Feeling Bad ("Lonesome Road Blues")MA103
Polly Wolly DoodleMA104
Guitar Rag1230
Blowin' Down This Old Dusty Road1231
Hey Lolly LollyMA105
Budded RosesMA106
House of the Rising SunMA107
I Don't Feel at Home in the BoweryMA108
Hobo's LullabyMA109
Froggy Went a Courtin'MA110
Bad ReputationMA111
Snow DeerMA112
Ladies AuxiliaryMA113
This Land is Your LandMA114
Hang Knot ("Slip Knot")MA115
BreakdownMA116
Go Tell Aunt RhodyMA117
Union Going to RollMA118
Who Broke the Lock on the Hen House DoorMA119
What Did the Deep Sea SayMA120
Strawberry RoanMA121-1
When the Yanks Go Marching inMA122-1
Bed on the FloorMA123-1
We Shall Be FreeMA124-1
Right NowMA125-1
Jackhammer JohnMA126-1
WoodyMA127-1,127-2
Keep Your Skillit Good and GreasyMA129-1
HomeMA130-1
Lost YouMA131
Slip Knot ("Hang Knot")MA134
Jesus ChristMA135
Hobo BillMA136
Little Black TrainMA137
Cannon BallMA138
Gypsy DavyMA139
Bile Them Cabbage DownMA140
WoodyMA1240May 8, 1944
Get Along Little Dogies860March 1, 1945
Waltz861,862
Union Breakdown863
Cackling Hen864
Chishom Trail865
Bed on Your Floor866
Rye Whiskey867
Old Joe Clark868March 23, 1945
Long Way to France869
Woody Blues870
Down Yonder871
Gal I Left Behind872
Mean Talking Blues900May 24, 1945
1913 Massacre901
Ludlow Massacre902
Buffalo Skinners903
Harriet Tubman904,905

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Voice of America: Singer/songwriter Woody Guthrie. Cahill, Greg. September 9, 1999. North Bay Bohemian. February 1, 2021.
  2. Book: Santeli, Davidson, Robert and Emily . Hard Travelin' the Life and Legacy of Woody Guthrie . 1999 . Wesleyan, Hannover and London . 0-8195-6391-9 . 247, 181–243.
  3. Web site: Folkways . This Land Is Your Land, The Asch Recordings, Vol.1. SFW40100 1997.
  4. Web site: Folkways . Muleskinner Blues, The Asch Recordings, Vol. 2. SFW40101 1997.
  5. Web site: Hard Travelin', The Asch Recordings, Vol 3. SFW40102 1998. Folkways .
  6. Web site: Buffalo Skinners, The Asch Recordings, Vol. 4. SFW40103 1999. Folkways .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "The Asch Recordings".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.