The record changer (Jan 1955-Dec 1957)

14 FOLK LORE / FOLK SONC a departmen Kenneth S &oldste.ii When I attended grade school I was almost always bored by history instruction. Learning about our country seemed pretty dull, though later appraisal led me to realize what a truly exciting history our country has. As a non-educator, I have never given the problem much thought. Recently, however, the number of newly released recordings dealing directly with our nation's history have given me reason to reflect on history instruction. The problem lay in the teaching of the subject. There is no good reason why history should be boring. Here is a wonderful way to help the teaching of our country's history come alive — through our nation's song. Certainly some history teachers have made use of whatever recordings pertaining to history came their way. But despite the tremendous wealth of America's music which directly concerned itself with, or was part of our history, the number of available recordings has until recently been small indeed. Now, however, the amount available has increased many times over. Today it is possible, in the course of conducting classes on the American Revolution for example, to play recordings of songs then current which indicate the temper of the times, recite history from a contemporary point of view, and illustrate modes of expression of the period. In this article I will review recently issued recordings intended to present our country's history through its songs. Though they arc primarily intended for use in conjunction with the teaching of American history in the schools (and as such they must be listenable,) they are entertaining and valuable to adults as well. BALLADS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION sung by Wallace House with guitar (2-10") Folkways (LPs FP 48-1 & FP 48-2; also available boxed together, FP 5001) These two records contain 20 ballads and songs from pre-Revolutionary days through to the end of the Revolution. Mr. House has selected material from broadside song sheets, political and literary journals of the period, songsters and songbooks, and newspapers; a fairly thorough survey of song material available from that period. Included are several well-known songs of the period such as Free Americay, Yankee Doodle (one of the finest and most complete versions so far recorded), and Yankee Man of War. Of considerably greater interest to this reviewer were the songs recorded here for the first time. These include a superb political satire, The World Turned Upside Down, rallying calls to freedom like The Liberty Song, songs about lesser known heroes like Sergeant Champe. Also represented are songs composed by the prominent early American composers Francis Hopkinson {The Toast) and William Billings (Chester). Mr. House is not a professional singer in any sense of the word, but he has done an excellent job in performing within the spirit and mood of the songs. His vocal talents are probably little better than most readers of this article, but it is apparent that he enjoys what he is singing. His accompaniments are as unobtrusive as his voice. There is no fear that his audience will listen more to the quality and manner of his voice than to the songs he is singing. Included with the album is an excellently conceived booklet of historical commentary to the songs, well written by Moe Asch. It also contains full texts of the songs, cart broadsides, photographs, engravings historical documentary reproductions. BALLADS OF THE WAR OF 1812 by Wallace House with lute accompani (2-10" Folkways LPs FP 48-3 & FP also available boxed together, FP 50C Containing 25 songs and ballads d from post-Revolutionary days to the ei the War of 1812 (when the American £ firmly established their freedom from B rule), these records are an excellent low-up to Ballads of the American Re tion. Here, too, we have some well-known j previously recorded, but included in ar torical context consistent with the re the material recorded. Jefferson and Lil Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier, The f stitution and the Guerriere, and Huntti Kentucky are a few of these better kij songs. Also included, logically, is The I Spangled Banner. Of the less familiar tA worthy of preservation are Hail, Colu^] Charge the Can Cheerily, The Patriotic I gers and The Soldiers' Song. Some of A| ica's earliest political campaign songs, /<! son and Liberty, The Bold and Tough Hickory (Andrew Jackson), and The I riwii Song are happy additions. My comments on the singer and thj formative booklet included with Ballad the American Revolution, apply equal! | the singing and the booklet in this albu FRONTIER BALLADS sung by Pete St; with 5 string banjo (2-10" Folkways FP 48-5 & FP 48-6; also available boxei, gether, FP 5003) This album covers the period betweer War of 1812 and the 'Civil War, emph