Hear my sad story
Subtitle: the true tales that inspired Stagolee, John Henry, and other traditional American folk songs
By: Richard Polenberg
Published: 2015
Language: eng
Number of pages: 293
ISBN-13: 9781501700026
Subjects: English Folk songs; Murder; Songs and music; History and criticism; Death in music; Popular music; Disasters
Description: "Polenberg returns us to the men and women who, in song, became legends. The lyrics serve as valuable historical sources, providing important information about what had happened, why, and what it all meant. More important, they reflect the character of American life and the pathos elicited by the musical memory of these common and troubled lives"--Book jacket flap.
Notes: "Sources for readers and listeners": pages 263-283.

Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Prologue. The streets of Laredo; title: St. Louis. St. Louis blues (1914) ; Duncan and Brady (1890) ; Stagolee (1895) ; Frankie and Johnny (1899); title: Lying cold on the ground. Omie Wise (1807) ; The ballad of Frankie Silver (1831) ; Tom Dooley (1866) ; Poor Ellen Smith (1892) ; Pearl Bryan (1896) ; Delia's gone (1900); title: Bold highwaymen and outlaws. Cole Younger (1876) ; Jesse James (1882) ; John Hardy (1894) ; Railroad Bill (1896) ; Betty and Dupree (1921); title: Railroads. John Henry (1870s) ; Engine 143 (1890) ; Casey Jones (1900) ; Wreck of the old 97 (1903); title: Workers. Cotton mill blues (1930s) ; Chain gang blues (1930s) ; Only a miner (1930s) ; House of the Rising Sun (1930s); title: Disasters. The Titanic (1912) ; The boll weevil (1920s); title: Martyrs. Joe Hill (1915) ; Sacco and Vanzetti (1927); title: Epilogue. Hear my sad story.