Harry Clams I’ve heard that story. You forgot about the part where Paul McCartney listened to recordings of Leadbelly and was so influenced he stole music from him. This happened right before he went to the beach and found more of Leadbelly’s work in a bottle so he could copy even more of Leadbelly’s work. Great job telling that story, it’s one for the ages! The LEGENDARY LEADBELLY is the best!!!
What made Ledbelly's songs so haunting is he used major chords on structures that sound like they call for a minor chord. In the 2nd song here, you hear it. In "In The Pines", Nirvana just flat-out changed the song into the minor chord implied. So Ledbelly always sounds like a guy trying to be happy over hidden pain. Which is a really bizarre and beautiful aesthetic.
cheeseburgers? Sports is good for you, not pro sports, but getting the exercise yourself is awesome. But why would you pick the worst thing about the US? Is this all you know about? We have the best universities, amazing museums, greatest music, amazing scenery and landscapes, but you think cheeseburgers is our best known contribution?
MsMelancholy, Right! Incredible honor to actually see Leadbelly. His siren like voice, easily hits the highest range, so powerful and beautiful! I have the anthology of his Lomax recordings, “House of the Rising Sun” is spectacular- But, please Beware in RU-vid: There’s NO authentic version on RU-vid of him singing House of the Rising Sun. There is a fake posted; it’s a woman singing it, and they’ve fraudulently labeled it Leadbelly. I wish they would remove it. But I advise that you to buy the LP with Leadbelly singing it! So wonderful. But, there is an authentic RU-vid Leadbelly “In the Pines,” on RU-vid, where he sings the non-PC lyrics.that I think you’ll all enjoy! ❤️
Amazing to think I wasn't born yet... Amazing to think my parents weren't born yet... And today, thanks to the Internet, I can hear, and see, this legend. Thank you for having uploaded this treasure.
Actually, 4 songs since he does a wordless version of "Black Girl"/"Where Did You Sleep Last Night" at the beginning! Also, what about the Lomaxes' film footage of him doing "Irene" at a small party celebrating his release form prison, that they made for the Library of Congress?
This is when musicians like lead belly ate two by fours for breakfast with a few nails and had a gentleness but toughness about them and they sang songs from the soul that taught history, poetry and good times all at the same time - no cable, games, or bull.
Leadbelly is a one of a kind musician. The only guy to compete with him on a 12 string guitar is Bilnd Willie McTell.. listen to his song, "You was born to die". Great folk/blues
That hummed version of In The Pines... My hair is standing on end. I don't particularly believe in ghosts but if they are real, Lead's is in that song.
I have seen other film of Leadbelly. But this *is* amazing. I want to play this and other Leadbelly songs for my grade-school students in Music Appreciation class, but I don't know that it will go over well. He was one of the great ones and the older I get the more I appreciate his music.
I say go for it! Not only is this man historically one of the integral influences behind several well know musicians, bands, and even genres, he was an historian through his music. Folk songs, work songs, and songs he wrote based on events he was involved in and events that were going on at the time around the country and the world were all part of his repertoire. Personally, I wish my elementary music teacher had introduced me to Lead Belly so I could have begun listening to his music earlier. He was part of some rough times (some of his own design), but he was a brilliant musician.
Good idea,the students will have different reactions,they will remember the day that they watched this,hopefully it will inspire them! You may unlock the creative side of someone!
I know this is years late but I really hope you put them on. I would have loved to have had a teacher show me such an important video/musician. Even if I wouldn't have appreciated it then, looking back I would be full of gratitude.
He was the best.....period . He really is and was a great man . One of the best guitar players ever . Timeless music. Only a hand full of him playing exist . Imagine his music recorded in better quality.
Deep pain and longing for a freedom and liberty. That still is not fully given. I have tears in my heart and eyes hearing this painful beautiful pure music and lyrics of this awesome man.
From my little town in England I was shown the blues from my parents that were into Cream and Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and the like - but i had to find the real roots of the blues myself! - this is one of the greatest things i have ever found! - Thank you for putting this up xx
His guitar work and vocals on Pick a Bale are absolutely astounding, as he swings from what sounds like a mellow folk tune into a frenzied, fast-paced, fine piece of film, fortunately recorded for posterity. His recording of Gallows Pole of course inspired Led Zeppelin, just as his recording of In the Pines (Where Did You Sleep Last Night) later inspired Nirvana.
I love him! My first song I ever learned (besides gospel in church) was my grandpa singing "In the Pines". This was around 1959. I hadn't started school yet. My Pa would hold me on his knee and sing "In the Pines".
Man, man, man. I can't tell you how many times I've rode by that very same church when I was a kid and never knew this man was buried there. The church is actually closer to Blanchard than Mooringsport, on the Blanchard-Latex Road heading out toward a little crossroads called Latex on the Texas state line. The sanctuary you see in the beginning of the film has long since been replaced by a brick structure.
This very brilliant poet and storyteller MrLeadbelly, you can feel it in his voice and the words he wrote that he suffered during his early life and he saw many other who had hard times
Jeez, this looks and feels like a MTV video from the Grunge era. My personal favorite delta blues is Leadbelly and Skip James. I'm extremely great full that upload this and just blown away by how good it is.
Yes, amazing. What a fine musician and writer, as well. One of the first influences I recall when I started playing the guitar many years ago. Always great to see this film. I've watched it many times.
It's not as much scary as it is eerie to me. The opening footage of a desolate graveyard and Leadbelly humming "Black Girl" in the background. The sort of technicolor hue. And knowing that we sometimes just 'consume' his music and forget how hard life was for Leadbelly and others is a real tragedy, imo.
Songs of the American Working Man and Woman. We all play a part in building our Great Country, Folk music is about those that get their hands dirty and their soul full of Goodness. Rest Peacefully in the Arms of our Lord Leadbelly. God Bless.
Leadbelly, paved the way, for all musicians. White, Black, Poor Rich. Women and Men. Regardless of genre of music. To be able to sing, and play their musics. Leadbelly was the greatest, entertainer. Of the 20th century. God bless his soul, and memory eternally. As well as his musicality always....!!!
+John Doe it was from Nirvana unplugged. Right before they sang "Where did you sleep last night" he said someone from the Leadbelly estate offered him one of his guitars for 500,000. he asked David Geffen personally for it and he said no
I think it was really good of Kurt Cobain to cover Leadbelly's music because that way he (Leadbelly) isn't forgotten. I'd never have heard of him otherwise.
He is terrific. Wish we had more videos. A rock star in every way. reminds me of David Berne's moves on some of his videos. I know Leadbelly is moving to the music as he feels it and not trying to be ironic as David Berne was.
WHO THE HELL IS david berne???? Leadbelly didn't have any "moves", you twit. He was born in the late 1880's and died 4 years after the date of this film. LONG before MTV was launched in 1981 with their rock "stars" and their "moves". DUMBA$$.
I love the opening instrumental where he hums "In the Pines" without ever actually singing a word...then, this historically significant video keeps getting better from there. How blue can you get? lol
So much with so litle...its mindboggling. You feel almost ashamed to do virtual nothing with all the modern equipment of today. For its nothing compared with Leadbelly. He has just his voice, body and guitar and creates a whole world with his words, gestures and music. Just look how unreal and just boring the MTV-stuff is compared with the more primitive but higher levell of the origins of popmusic. Again why are young people today creating so much dull music compared with the older artists. Its not about the generations it is just that the new generation from late '80-ies to now...are creating nothing, nothing that shocks. For instance I didn't like Punk in the past, hated it back then -not anymore- but despite of being different and not appealing to me it still made me shivver/irritate me or whatever. No music of someone of today does anything it is not surprising, shocking, its just booooring till the hilt. And that is bad......really bad for the first time in rock history nowadays music is not hated because of a socalled generational conflict. But because a lot of people, even younger people...are not even interested. And its not a snobbism of "classical music versus pop', 'old against young' (like in the 50-ies when older people listned to Sinatra/Jazz/Orchestra's versus RocknRoll and Elvis). A lot of people who are open to shocking modern rocknroll or pop are shocked by just one thing....how can young people amuse themselves with so much faking of music and songs that are boring like a blunt worn out tool...Wow how good the old stuff, even the grainy stuff is compared to nowaday's chartlists
Part of the reason is that fewer people are making music. Instead folks are listening to recorded music. In earlier generations, before recordings, everyone sang at least a little and most people played something. In the 20s and 30s every small bar/restaurant/night club had musicians or a small band. Now they all have piped in music and TVs and only a few places have live music. Also, because fewer people play, you don't hear people make mistakes any more. All you hear is 'perfect' produced recorded music, so if kids start to play and make mistakes they figure they aren't any good and they give up too soon. When I was a kid all of my friends took piano lessons or guitar lessons or something. Now? Only a very few kids play anything. Families used to play and sing together in the evenings (before radio & TV) and you learned songs at your mother's knee. Now it just doesn't happen and kids don't learn about music as they grow up or have that connection to the music of the past and their musical roots. So fewer people playing music, fewer people in touch with musical roots, fewer people creating original music, fewer people making mistakes - sometimes a mistake leads you to a whole new idea! It all adds up to less and less creativity.
This sums up what I tell everyone I know. The music nowadays I could go over a whole collection of pop and underground with no interest or surprise. The 80s were narrowed in style but at least it caught your attention and some very innovative. Being a guitarist I measure the decline by no soul in music because I feel it's all vocal orientated. I thank all the groups that covered Belly songs as I always had Muddy Waters type albums Belly flew under my radar even though rock did his songs.
Thank you for sharing this trio of awe inspiring songs. I felt chlls rin down my spine listening to the great Lead Belly singing. Truly historic and amazing music. I'd never heard them before and I'll never forget them.
I got here in the weirdest way possible...a YA novel within the Percy Jackson universe. But man am I glad I did. This is some phenomenal music. Thanks Leadbelly and thank you Rick Riorden! Humanity can truly be amazing sometimes. Let's keep aiming for that and maybe we'll get somewhere.❤🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤
This is awesome! I've been listening to a lot of early blues artists for the past few years and Leadbelly is one of my favorites! I just found this video! It's really cool that this exists! There's so much mystery around early Blues artists like Leadbelly and Robert Johnson. Researching artists like them are always so fun and intriguing! Thanks for posting this video!!
The "where did you sleep last night" humming version in the beginning of this footage is the most creepiest melody I've ever heard. What a dark mood, a nightmare soundtrack!
He was such a great influence on almost ever genre of music. He never got the recognition and praise he deserved. Except for the Lomax film, I thought there was no "video" record of him singing. And he died 2 months after I was born, so I never got to see him.
What a beautiful voice he had. "Take this hammer (Ha!) and carry it to the Captain(Ha!). Tell him I'm gone(Ha!). If he ask you (Ha!) was I running(Ha!), Telling him I was flying".
He is one of the greatest American music heroes, I can’t imagen the sound and arrangements He would made in 60’s, also the filmmaker of these is a genius, using shadows and 2 low lights to produce such a fantastic film. I think Leadbelly has been influential in a lot of musicians, even I wonder if Led Zeppelin name is related, some attribute to Keith Moon’s joke he made about the band but I don’t know, will never know the real story behind as Zep used a lot of black music as inspiration. This guy was a revolution per se, he never stops, and nothing stopped him only death. Thank you for giving us this video!
ACTUALLY BEING A COLOR VIDEO FROM 1945 LONG BEFORE ANY OLDTIME BLUESMEN WERE LUCKY TO HAVE ANY RECOGNITION LEADBETTER ACTUALLY HAD MORE SUCCESS IN HIS OWN LIFETIME THAN BLUESMEN 20 YEARS YOUNGER THAN HIM. HE WAS BORN 1888 OR'89. CHESTER BURNETT WAS BORN 1910.22 YEARS LATER. FOR THE TIMES HE HAD MORE RECOGNITION THAN ANY BLUESMAN. BUT HE WASNT REALLY A BLUESMAN WAS HE? I THINK OF A MINSTREL WHEN I THINK OF LEADBETTER. HE HAD MATERIAL OF ALL DIFFERENT KINDS THAT HE COULD PLAY AND SING SOLO VERY WELL. NO DOUBT THAT 12 STRING ADDED RYTHYM BUT HIS STYLE IS SO UNIQUE I DONT THINK ITS BEEN ATTEMPTED TO BE EMULATED. I JUST THOUGHT OF THAT AS I WAS TYPING. LEADBETTER WROTE SOME OF THE MOST WELL KNOWN SONGS FROM THE TIME PERIOD HE LIVED IN. SONGS MANY DONT REALIZE HE WROTE. HOUSE OF RISING SUN. GOODNIGHT IRENE. THATS ENOUGH FROM ME I HOPE I MADE SENSE
Does anyone else know that the Oriental theatre in Chicago was the site of the largest fire in US history? 602 people were burned to death. the lucky ones just suffocated, I guess. There isn't even a little plaque there. It doubled the loss of the Chicago fire.
Leadbelly was so good he inspired Kurt cobain to do his best cover in the pines I practiced a couple songs off his music in the pines and gallis pole so far he was a very fast technical guitar player on that 12 string acoustic and his vocals were the best of his time very melodic catchy and rhythmic
The video must have a better quality in some archive, somewhere......but even in this rough state its one of the best combinations of music, and image i've ever seen. I imediatly think of Van Gogh, the roughness of his brush all over these images. Leadbelly is not only great on his own, he's also the grandfather of the popsong, blues, folk and rocknroll. Remember direct or indirect (Lonnie Donnogan) the Beatles were influenced by this man, what a world of pictures this man creates with only a voice and an acoustic guitar.....Marvelous.......
There are many things I don't like in the US as a Greek, but music like this, the blues and then rock and roll, no country will ever produce... Maybe it's because they were a strong voice against the system, not just the American, I mean worldwide..
