Lead Belly - "The Titanic" 

I found “Leadbelly’s last session” on vinyl in a thrift store in the early 90s and it was missing one album. It had this and other cuts on it that I absolutely burned up. I grew up on Leadbelly, he was one of my favorites since I was a very young child. He influence to be heavily, musically speaking. One of the all-time greatest. Ever. Period

I wore out my Lead Belly records. He was my guitar teacher.

I have been searching for this song since 1996, when a now departed friend played it for two days straight, no sleep when not one stage recording a live album for a songbird in West Texas. I worked the door at the venue, and local tour guide for the two sidemen, a photographer and whoever were riding around in a big ass van, or back at the hotel room where the All-nightAmped up on a live album being recorded in a small room, but sonically perfect. Yet, the late blue guitar pimp playing this song repeatedly offstage was one of the highlights of the whole thing, and has had me on a 25 year search for this song in particular…. Jack Johnson would have been on that death trip, had it not been for possibly being the most hated man in Western Civilization at the time. Hatred saved his life, and I find a tragic yet beautiful irony in this, my favorite Leadbelly song hands down. Just hits me to the core.

No comments? Lots of people standing on this man's shoulders.

I found this record at a thrift store in '98 missing one of 3 records. I grew up on his music, but his last session (which is what this was from) stopped me cold. One of my all time favorites.

God bless LeadBelly. And Jack Johnson.

I first became familiar with this song through Jamie Brockett. I had no idea it was a Lead Belly song. And now I'm wondering. Is every song a Lead Belly song? He gave us so much music.

Such a golden voice, sounds like such a genuine soul to me. I love his riffs and his little ways to singing, like "They had them lifeboats around savinthewomenchildrenlettin... the men go down..."

Relax Your Mind- An Album tribute to Leadbelly by Shoe Suede Blues, a Blues band founded by Peter Tork of The Monkees. 2018. Sold out twice, went to print three times. Peter Halston Thorkelson, (R.I.P.) and his siblings grew up listening and loving the music of Leadbelly.

Wow. I'm 67 and when I was a kid in Denver I heard the Jaime Brockett version on KFML when they were underground. I own that LP, and just found out that he got his version from this Lead Belly one. Never stop learning! Find the nearest rabbit hole! Wiki points the way......

I'm a big Leadbelly fan, but this is the first time I've heard him sing this. He sounds old here. Jaime Brockett does a humorous interpretation of this song that follows Leadbelly's lyrics, but adds a monologue behind Brockett's 12-string that tells a story about the First Mate and the Captain, and how the First Mate was responsible for the sinking. Not gonna spoil it. Just search RU-vid for Jaime Brockett. The version showing an LP record on a turntable has the best audio.

Thanks, O Really. I took for granted that Jaime Brockett's version was not to be taken for its historical value. Still I wondered if there was any truth to the Johnson-Titanic connection. Any more details you can provide from your investigation? Save us all a research. BTW, Leadbelly's song is great, as one would expect from such a legendary artist as he was.

Just discovered leadbelly today an absolute legend

COOL, Ahead of his time, given the way the song was played/put together. The recording itself was clear and easy to listen to. It should be needless to say, I liked it a lot.

I used to have a copy of Leadbelly at the U. of Texas live show from 1942. So many times I listened to him wow an all white audience of kids. He was quite a guy. His Gallows Pole is like 1% away from being rock and roll long before that name existed.

Absolute gold!!!

My boss pisses me off. I'll start talking to him just like Leadbelly, with attitude and guts.

Epic.....

great fidelity

I ain’t haulin no coals!

Check out Dave "Snaker" Ray's version also Jamie Brockett's version of this song. Huddie's is the best though.

Easy to see where R'n'R is coming from.

55th comment, 2023, Friday, June 23rd. The submersible with 5 aboard was reported lost with all hands yesterday. The news is full of it. Kind of a repeat lesson, isn't it ?

About as accurate as you can expect.

O Really?, that is. Excuse me, I like to get people's name right.

It's a great song but Jack Johnson had nothing to do with the Titanic. Supposedly this was to show how ridiculous Jim Crow laws were.

Someone make a video with this and sinking on the titanic movie lol

and a freaking trump cant take this from me