by Alan Lomax
First published 1999
This collection brings together nearly two hundred American popular and protest songs gathered over twenty-seven years from 1940 to 1967. Three musical giants created this anthology: Alan Lomax served as collector and preserver, Woody Guthrie contributed as performer and balladeer, and Pete Seeger worked as entertainer and educator. The songs capture Depression-era struggles, union hopes, and New Deal spirit. Pete Seeger, writing at age seventy-nine, provides a new afterword that recounts the long history behind collecting and publishing these melodies. He acknowledges what the collection lacks while emphasizing its enduring value. The anthology includes songs that gained worldwide recognition: "Union Made," "Which Side Are You On?," "Worried Man Blues," "Midnight Special," and "Tom Joad." Seeger reflects on the future of these songs at the turn of the millennium, arguing that music will help save us. He believes future songwriters can learn from the honesty, courage, simplicity, and frankness found in these hard-hitting songs. The lessons extend beyond musicians to all readers.
Genres: 20th-century, music, activism, americana
Vibes: emotional, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: protest, social-commentary
Period: 1940-1967
373 pages · Paperback · University of Nebraska Press