Negro Convict Folk Song 78 RPM Record State Prison 1934

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153

Negro Convicts Folk Song 78 RPM Record State Prison 1934

FM 2A 1941 cut for “Friends of Music in the Library of Congress”

“It Makes A Long Time Man Feel Bad” / “Oh Lord, Don’ Low’ Me To Beat ‘Em)” Negro convicts at Cummings State Prison Gould Arkansas October 1934 / Willie Williams at State Penitentiary Richmond Virginia May 1936 XF Condition: looks new. Absolutely a beautiful disk with folk music archive recordings. Reminiscent of the chain gang song from motion picture “Oh Brother Where Art Thou?” Comes in original leatherette booklet (torn seam at top left) with spaces for two disks but only one is present. Also included is the complete bulletin with history, description of the songs, and complete wording. In the booklet these songs are described “Makes” as a “negro work song” and “Oh Lord” as a “negro hollering song”. “Oh Lord” was recorded in a bare prison room and tells of a mule driver (2 mules Rhoady & Dempsey) popping a whip to get the mules to work, how he’s in prison because of his woman, and references the chain gang captain and his pistol: O”Oh Lawd cap’n got a pistol an he wanna’ be bad. Must-a been the first one he ever had”. I love blues and this is the rawest blues disk I have heard in a long time. Possibly one of the few remaining recordings of these tunes. Wish it was on a Black Patti (Oh Snap! I’d take Arthur Godfrey on a Black Patti) Count on 3 pounds shipping because of binder.

I’ve got a zillion records and have gotten lots of requests to add a “mix” of disks so we will run some and see how they do: race, blues, comedy, and opera to follow. What sells will keep coming.

Two pounds media mail and packed right in our “made for shipping records” boxes because your 78 is worthless if it arrives broken and blaming it on the post office is not business – it’s bull.

NOTE: All disks make noise but generally the more scratches and wear the more noise. All grading is subjective and done by looks (I include a high resolution picture to let you examine and decide for yourself) and how it plays on my electric record player. Your equipment may be better or worse than mine and play may also be better or worse. How we grade: Add + or - to increase or decrease condition by approx ¼ each.

Poor: P Very heavily scratched, gouges, very gray, torn or marked up label, cracked, warped, or damaged, that effects play, looks really bad and possibly/probably unplayable. These are only collectible if a scarce label or artist. When looking for that rare disk this is what you don’t really want but most often find. Space filler in a collection.

Fair: F Lots of scratches, may have damage to disk like edge chips and needle gouge, label decent: may have tears or stickers attached that need mention. Plays, but weakly with lots of very prominent noise. Artist/tune hard to hear or recognize. That “rare” disk you sometimes excitedly find that has had the tar played out of it. Better than space filler but only just.

Good: G Good is a played to well played record that has some shine, scratched but not gouged with no serious disk damage that effects play (lam, etc), decent label with only minor damages. A decent, desirable, “middle of the road” copy that is clearly playable with expected hiss and pop noise level. What you generally find as an acceptable player. That batch of Perry Como you found that you wish was Ma Rainey.

Fine: E A very nice disk, shiny, scratches are very light and very few, if any. Nice clean label. Disk looks lightly used if at all. The condition you find often in that stack of opera or sacred someone brings you. They look good ‘cause they were rarely played. What you hope to find.

Very Fine/Superb: XE / S Appears brand new and possibly never played. Record is bright, shiny, and almost perfect. Not many of these around. That NOS Robert Johnson Vocalion “Love In Vain” we all dream of finding.