Crooked Still performs "The Golden Vanity" at WNRN in Charlottesville, Virginia on April 26, 2010. Song appears on their album "Some Strange Country". Please subscribe to our videos.
I used to sing an old version of this song as a kid at school. Then Lonnie Donnigan released his version around the beginning of the 60s. I am fascinated by Crooked Still's rendition. Superb fiddle and banjo work. Loads of emotion in the vocals. Good bass/cello support picked up by some professional recording.
After Dave Guard left the Kingston Trio, Bob Shane of the Trio used to say that the Beatles killed folk music. To paraphrase the song about Joe Hill, the great Wobbly songwriter, It never died, says me. The foam simply got blown off the top, leaving a brilliant, serious and tasty core that continues to this day. These young folks are fantastic.
The song's message is an extreme version of the proverb: "No good deed goes unpunished". LOL. Also, do not trust "vanity" with your life. By the way-- I love all your music, Crooked Still!
Boo Boo If you read about the history of the song, you’ll see that this version is closer to the original lyrics and melody of the 17th century child ballad than most other recordings.
