Angola Prison Spirituals

Angola Prison, officially known as the Louisiana State Penitentiary, is one of the largest maximum-security prisons in the country. In the 1950s, LSU English professor Dr. Harry Oster (1923-2001) recorded a series of music performances by African Americans incarcerated at the infamous facility. Among the performances were the singing of gospel and spirituals. The songs provide a sense of soul present in the music—pain, hope, and heart. Part of the royalties from this collection go to the Inmate Welfare Fund at the Louisiana State Penitentiary.

Track Listing

101	I'm on My Way	Andy Mosely and Robert Pete Williams	02:41
102	Church on Fire with the Word of God	Robert Pete Williams	03:03
103	What Shall I Do	Robert “Guitar" Welch	02:55
104	Brother Norah	Angola Quartet	02:51
105	Little School Song	Tom Dutson and Robert Pete Williams	01:28
106	Dyin' Soul	Robert Pete Williams	04:29
107	Let My People Go	Roosevelt Charles	03:48
108	So Much Is Happenin' in the News	Robert Pete Williams	04:17
109	Dig My Grave with a Silver Spade	Tom Dutson and Robert Pete Williams	03:42
110	Brother Mosely Crossed the Water	Andy Mosely and “Hogman" Maxey	01:29
111	I'm Stranded on the Banks of Ole Jordan	Angola Quartet #2	01:55
112	I'm Goin' Back with Him When He Comes	Robert Pete Williams	03:01
113	The Old Ship of Zion	Rev. Benjamin E. Osborne with congregation	07:22
114	When I Lay My Burden Down	Robert Pete Williams	05:04
115	See How They Done My Lord	Angola Quartet (six) from Camp A	02:57
116	Be with Me Jesus	Angola Quartet (six) from Camp A	02:30
117	Rise and Fly	Angola Vocal Group - unidentified lead singers	07:59
118	I Know I Got Religion	Andy Mosely and “Hogman" Maxey	02:29
119	Jesus	Andy Mosely and “Hogman" Maxey	01:55
120	I Take Jesus (Do Lord, Remember Me)	Angola Choir dir. by Murray Ted Macon	01:55
121	Each Day (Life's Evening Sun)	Angola Choir dir. by Murray Ted Macon	02:35
122	Steal Away to Jesus	Angola Choir dir. by Murray Ted Macon	04:18