The Best of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live

The Best of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live is a 2-disc set that captures the excitement of the Harry Smith Folk Music Revival Concerts.

Introduction

Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music was released in 1952 by Folkways Records, compiling 84 songs acrosssix discs. The set is one of the most influential releases in the history of American folk music; it helped to secure a place for traditional music in the American musical landscape and inspired many future folk musicians, including Bob Dylan and Joan Baez.

The Anthology was reissued in 1997 as a 3-CD set by Smithsonian Folkways, and again in 2011 as a 6-CD set by Wisdom Recordings. In addition to the original recordings, both versions included new recordings of some of the songs by contemporary artists, such as Beck, Ani DiFranco, and Billy Bragg.

The Best of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live is a 2-CD live album that was recorded at a concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of the release of the Anthology. The album features performances by many of the artists who appear on the 1997 and 2011 reissues, including Beck, DiFranco, Bragg, and Pete Seeger.

The Best of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live

The Best of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live is a 3-CD set that captures the historic six-night run of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music concerts, originally performed at St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery, NYC in October 1999. These never-before-heard recordings feature performances by some of the greatest artists of our time, including Beck, Patti Smith, Billy Bragg, Ani Difranco, and many more.

The Best of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live – What is it?

The Best of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live is a 3-CD set chronicling a series of concerts held in New York in the fall of 2000 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the release of Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music. The set features performances by some of the most influential folk and country musicians of the past half-century, including Ralph Stanley, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, and Johnny Cash.

The Best of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live – Why it’s the best

The Best of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live is an essential live album for any folk music fan. Released in 2002, the album features performances by some of the biggest names in the genre, including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Pete Seeger.

The album was recorded over four nights in May of 1961 at Carnegie Hall, and features over two hours of music. It’s a must-have for any fan of folk music, and is a great introduction to the genre for newcomers.

The Best of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live – The Songs

Here are the songs that were performed live on the show. If you want to listen to the entire show, head over to the Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live page. We’ve also included YouTube videos of the live performances, so you can watch and listen to the songs.

The Best of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live – The Songs – “The House of the Rising Sun”

The House of the Rising Sun is a traditional folk song that tells the story of a young man who is sent to jail for unknown reasons. The song is also known as “The Rising Sun Blues” and has been covered by many artists over the years.

The Best of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live – The Songs – “In the Pines”

“In the Pines” is a traditional folk song which dates back to the early 20th century. The song has been recorded by many artists over the years, most notably by Lead Belly in 1944 and Nirvana in 1993. The song is about a young woman who is murdered by her lover and left in the pines to die.

The Best of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live – The Songs – “Pretty Polly”

“Pretty Polly” is a traditional English ballad that dates back to the late 18th century. It tells the story of a young man who takes his true love, Polly, out into the woods to kill her. He makes her dig her own grave and then buries her alive. The young man is usually known as “Willie” or “William”, although he is sometimes called “John” or “Jock”.

The ballad was first printed in 1788, but it may have been in circulation for some years before that. It was probably based on an earlier Scottish ballad, “The Daemon Lover”. “Pretty Polly” has been recorded by many artists over the years, including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Emmylou Harris.

The Best of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live – The Performances

The Best of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live was recorded over two nights in November 1961 at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The performances were part of a concert series honoring the release of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music. The Anthology was a six-LP set compiled by Smith that included eighty-four songs representing a cross-section of American folk music.

The Best of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live – The Performances – “The House of the Rising Sun”

“The House of the Rising Sun” is a traditional folk song, sometimes called “Rising Sun Blues”. It tells of a life gone wrong in New Orleans; many versions also add a verse about a woman named Marie. The song was first recorded by Appalachian singer Clarence Ashley in 1933, and has since been recorded by many artists including Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Pete Seeger, Odetta, Josh White, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, The Animals, and Neil Young.

“The House of the Rising Sun” is one of the most popular American folk songs. It was recorded by Harry Smith for his influential 1952 Anthology of American Folk Music and has been covered by many artists over the years. The song is particularly associated with The Animals’ 1964 hit version, which topped the charts in several countries.

The Best of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live – The Performances – “In the Pines”

“In the Pines” is a traditional folk song which dates back to the 18th century. It was first recorded by George Washington Philips in 1916, and later popularized by Lead Belly in the 1940s. The song is also known as “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” and “Black Girl”, and has been covered by numerous artists including Nirvana, Gillian Welch, and Earl Scruggs.

This live performance of “In the Pines” was recorded at the Anthology of Folk Music concert in 1961, and features Harry Smith on vocals and guitar.

The Best of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live – The Performances – “Pretty Polly”

“Pretty Polly” is a traditional English ballad (Roud 441) existing in many variations. It tells of a young man’s seduction of and abandonment of a girl, who then takes her own life.

The earliest known version of the ballad was published in 1765, under the title “The Cruel Ship Carpenter”, although it is likely that the ballad was already in existence in some form at that time. The song gained widespread popularity in North America after it was collected by folklorist Francis James Child during the late 19th century, and today it is considered a folk standard.

Many variations of “Pretty Polly” have been recorded over the years by a variety of artists, including Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, and June Carter Cash.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the best of Harry Smith’s Anthology of Folk Music: Live is an excellent collection of live performances from a variety of artists. The tracks are well-chosen and represent a cross-section of genres and styles within the folk music tradition. The album is highly recommended for both fans of Harry Smith’s work and for those looking for a good introduction to live folk music.