Gwine Dig a Hole to Put the Devil In: The Library of Congress Recordings, Vol. 2
This second volume of Library of Congress recordings finds Lead Belly in animated form, covering varied material ranging from Texas blues to country dance to English folk. Like volume one, this set includes a plea for a gubernatorial pardon--this time revisiting "Governor Pat Neff," a 1924 composition that had secured his release from a Texas prison the following year. "Mama, Did You Bring Any Silver?  (Gallis Pole)" is a British ballad that may be familiar to Led Zeppelin fans. "Green Corn," "Old Rattler," and "Po' Howard" stem from traditional dance calls of the rural South, while "Alberta" and "C.C. Rider" are Texas-blues standards. "Bourgeois Blues," about racism in Washington, D.C., remains one of his most memorable tunes.--Marc Greilsamer