Impeccable scholarship and lavish illustration mark this landmark study of American railroad folksong. Norm Cohen provides a sweeping discussion of the human aspects of railroad history, railroad folklore, and the evolution of the American folksong. The heart of the book is a detailed analysis of eighty-five songs, from ''John Henry'' and ''The ......
Collected Journals, Essays, Introductions, and Librettos
Now in paper for the first time, Bitter Music is a generous volume of writings by one of the twentieth century's great musical iconoclasts. Rejecting the equal temperament and concert traditions that have dominated western music, Harry Partch adopted the pure intervals of just intonation and devised a 43-tone-to-the-octave scale, which in turn ......
Unlike their rock 'n' roll predecessors, many rock musicians of the mid-sixties came to consider themselves as artists, as self-conscious makers of a new sonic medium. Sixties Rock offers a provocative look at these artists and their innovations in two pivotal rock genres: garage rock and psychedelic music. Delving into everything from harmony to ......
From fiddle tunes to folk ballads, from banjos to blues, traditional music thrives in the remote mountains and hollers of West Virginia. For a quarter century, Goldenseal magazine has given its readers intimate access to the lives and music of folk artists from across this pivotal state. Now the best of Goldenseal is gathered for the first time in ......
If you've ever wanted to know the ''correct'' words to ''Roll Me Over,'' or wondered where the melody of ''Sweet Betsy from Pike'' came from, this book can answer your questions. Extensively revised and including forty more songs than its predecessor, this new edition of The Erotic Muse is a unique scholarly collection of bawdy or forbidden ......
Gustav Mole is lucky enough to be born into a musical family, and this charming tale traces the enriching role that music plays in his life. Gustav's musical education is rich and diverse, covering a wide variety of genres and styles. This is the perfect introduction to musical instruments, ensembles and occasions, and a humourous and sensitive ......
The authors in this work examine the importance of the geographical context of music across a wide set of vistas - from Victorian Brass bands to India's early gramophone industry and the cultural politics of the sound in the city.
This is the first comprehensive overview of rockabilly, beginning with its crystallization as a distinct style in 1954 with Elvis Presley's first release. Presenting the who, what, where, and when of the music, Craig Morrison's lively account will bring back memories of ''Blue Suede Shoes,'' ''Be-Bop-A-Lula,'' Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, and ......
Meet Aunt Molly Jackson (1880-1960), one of American folklore's most fascinating characters. A coal miner's daughter, she grew up in eastern Kentucky, married a miner, and became a midwife, labor activist, and songwriter. Fusing hard experience with rich Appalachian musical tradition, her songs became weapons of struggle. In 1931, at age fifty, ......
