When the Sun Goes Down, Vol. 5: Take This Hammer (2003)

About this title: The fifth issue in Bluebird's Secret History of Rock & Roll project is the first by a single artist; the previous four have all been various-artists compilations. All feature excellent sound and decent if not exceptional packaging. This set, the complete RCA Victor recordings of Leadbelly, is up to that standard. All of the 26 tracks here were recorded in June of 1940 and released at various times as 78s by Bluebird. Some of the material includes virtually definitive versions of "Midnight Special," "Rock Island Line" (primarily because of the quality of the recording itself; the performance ... read more

Tracks:

1. Pick a Bale of Cotton [Leadbelly]
2. Alabama Bound [Ledbetter]
3. Yellow Gal [Ledbetter/Lomax/Lom]
4. Midnight Special [Leadbelly]
5. Rock Island Line [Leadbelly]
6. Whoa Back, Buck [Ledbetter/Lomax/Lom]
7. Good Morning Blues [Ledbetter/Lomax]
8. Leaving Blues [Ledbetter/Lomax]
9. TB Blues [Traditional]
10. Red Cross Store Blues [Ledbetter/Lomax/Lom]
11. Sail on Little Girl, Sail On [Traditional]
12. Roberta [Ledbetter/Lomax/Lom]
13. Alberta [Ledbetter]
14. I'm on My Last Go Round [Traditional]
15. Grey Goose [Traditional]
16. Didn't Ol' John Cross the Water [Traditional]
17. Stewball [Lead Belly]
18. Take This Hammer [Ledbetter]
19. Can't You Line 'Em [Traditional]
20. Julie Ann Johnson [Traditional]
21. Ham an' Eggs [Ledbetter]
22. Easy Rider [Ledbetter]
23. New York City [Traditional]
24. Worried Blues [Traditional]
25. Don't You Love Your Daddy No More [Traditional]
26. You Can't Lose-A-Me Cholly [Ledbetter/Lomax/Lom]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.