"Trouble So Hard" 40 Prison Songs From The Chain Gang

Songs, spirituals and hollers heard from behind bars. A selection of affecting, hard hitting blues and uplifting spirituals that would often accompany the slave labour of the chain gangs and beyond. From genuine prisoners to true legends and somewhere in between, enjoy a real slice of musical history. (Blues World)This is a collection of mostly spirituals and some work songs from both inmate groups and a number of well known performers.

This style of prison work songs and/or chain gang songs is a small yet important piece of the overall blues genre. This style of music gets little fanfare yet it's a real look back at a time when incarcerated men (and women) sang songs to make the time and work go by faster, to help them believe that there was a better life ahead, and that there was someone interested in recording these songs inside prison walls. And while a number of these songs aren't by prisoners, they all have some kind of spiritual redemption at their core.

Anyone who has a deep interest in early styles of blues needs to have a collection like this in their music library. This music (especially the prison songs) is an authentic look at a time now long since passed. Hearing some of the best of these songs will get you closer to that time and place which most of us will never know. Some of these performers are obviously smoother than others. And it's those songs by the singers who aren't artists that will still stay in your mind afterwards. Listen to Vera Hall's title track, "Old Alabama" by the Mississippi and Louisiana State Prisoners, "Let Your Hammer Ring" by Ramsey & Retrieve State Prisoners, "Rosie" by C.B. & Axe Gang, or the songs by '22' & Group and you'll hear what I mean. But saying that, several of these tunes by more well known artists pack some power too. There's some good sides by Rev. Gary Davis, the Golden Gate Quartet, The Charioteers, Mahalia Jackson, and others.

If you like what you hear there are a number of other collections worth investigating like--"Angola Prison Spirituals", "Angola Prisoner's Blues", and both volumes of "Prison Songs". And for some great spiritual music check out "Rev. Louis Overstreet--St. Luke's Powerhouse Church of God in Christ", and "Elder Charles Beck, c. 1946-1956". There's some good music here for those so inclined. (Stuart Jefferson, The Blues Messenger)

trax disc 1:

1. Troubled So Hard - Vera Hall 2. Old Alabama - Mississippi & Louisiana State Penitentiaries Prisoners 3. God's Gonna Cut Them Down - The Golden Gate Quartet 4. Lord Have Mercy If You Please - Blind Willie McTell (With Curley Weaver) 5. Let Your Hammer Ring - Prisoners At The Ramsey & Retrieve State Farms, Texas 6. Amazing Grace - Mahalia Jackson 7. Pick A Bale Of Cotton - Leadbelly 8. The Midnight Special - Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, & Coyal McMahan 9. He's My Rock - The Five Blind Boys 10. John The Revelator - Blind Willie Johnson 11. Take This Hammer - Horace Sprott 12. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning - Mississippi Fred McDowell 13. Wade In The Water - The Charioteers 14. Stand By Me - The Staple Singers 15. Old Dollar Mamie - "22" & Group 16. Down By The Riverside - Sister Rosetta Tharpe 17. Berta - Prison Group 18. C.C. Rider - Big Bill Broonzy 19. Told My Cap'n - Josh White & His Carolinians 20. Roll Jordan Roll - The Skylarks

trax disc 2:

1. Rosie - C.B. & Axe Gang 2. Whoa Back, Buck - Leadbelly 3. Another Man Done Gone - Vera Hall 4. O Death! - The Pace Jubilee Singers 5. In The Evening When The Sun Goes Down - Big Bill Broonzy 6. Go Down, Old Hannah - Prisoners At The Ramsey & Retrieve State Farms, Texas 7. Leave It There - The Pace Jubilee Singers 8. Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues - Skip James 9. Lost John - Prisoners At The Ramsey & Retrieve State Farms, Texas 10. It Makes A Long Time Man Feel Bad - "22" & Group 11. Dark Was The Night (Cold Was The Ground) - Blind Willie Johnson 12. Stackerlee - Bama 13. By And By - The Golden Gate Quartet 14. Grizzly Bear - Prisoners At The Ramsey & Retrieve State Farms, Texas 15. Chain Gang Boun' - Josh White & His Carolinians 16. Prettiest Train - "22" & Group 17. I Shall Not Be Moved - Rev. Edward W. Clayborn 18. Black Woman - B.B. & Group 19. Early In The Mornin' - 22, Little Red, Tangle Eye & Hard Hair 20. I'll Fly Away - Reverend Gary Davis

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