×
1/
Skip to main content

Shop

Every Tone a Testimony

Various Artists
Every Tone a Testimony

This double CD draws upon the collection at the Smithsonian Folkways archive to create a history of African American life and culture in sound—an aural history. Encompassing both the African American oral and literary traditions, these 59 tracks feature an unparalleled assembly of voices in music, oratory, poetry, and prose by historically renowned African American musicians, writers, and activists. The sounds collected here are testimony to the power, creativity, and resilience of Black expressive forms that have received recognition throughout the world. 59 tracks run two hours and 27 minutes. 40-page booklet.

RELATED LESSON PLAN
"The Underground Railroad:A Musical Journey to Follow the Drinking Gourd"

Track Listing

icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
101
The Struggle Langston Hughes 0:22
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
102
Field Call Annie Grace Horn Dodson 1:19
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
103
Complaint Call Enoch Brown 0:44
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
104
Intro and Knee Bend Lawrence McKiver and Doretha Skipper 2:55
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
105
Brother Terrapin, Slow Train to Arkansas Rich Amerson 2:00
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
106
Jack and Mary and Three Dogs Janie Hunter 5:55
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
107
Buck Dance (excerpt) Joe Tucker and Scott Dunbar 1:22
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
108
I'm Goin' Up North Children of East York School 1:26
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
109
Pharaoh's Host Got Lost Lawrence McKiver 1:35
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
110
Bars Fight Arna Bontemps 1:26
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
111
Earl of Dartmouth (excerpt) Dorothy E. Washington 0:52
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
112
I Wonder Where My Brother Gone Annie Grace Horn Dodson 1:20
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
113
Narrative (excerpt) Dorothy F. Washington 1:03
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
114
Speech at Akron Convention Ruby Dee 2:09
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
115
Singing Slaves Ossie Davis 1:04
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
116
Steal Away to Jesus Kinsey West 1:54
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
117
What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? (excerpt) Ossie Davis 2:40
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
118
Why Slavery is Still Rampant (excerpt) Ruby Dee 1:49
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
119
Free At Last Dock Reed and Vera Hall Ward 1:38
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
120
When Malindy Sings Margaret Walker 3:49
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
121
There's A Great Camp Meeting Fisk Jubilee Singers 2:05
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
122
Atlanta Exposition Address Booker T. Washington 1:17
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
123
John Henry Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee 4:07
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
124
Banjo Player Arna Bontemps 0:45
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
125
Boatman Dance Elizabeth Cotten 1:46
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
126
Shine Percy Randolph 1:07
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
127
Chopping in the New Ground Inmates of Ramsey or Retrieve State Farms 1:41
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
128
Lynching, Our National Crime Ruby Dee 3:47
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
129
A Recorded Autobiography W.E.B. DuBois and Moses Asch 2:37
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
130
Listen Lord, A Prayer Margaret Walker 2:57
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
131
My Heart is Fixed Reverend Gary Davis 2:07
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
132
The Titanic Lead Belly 4:08
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
133
Heritage Countee Cullen 2:59
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
134
Jungle Drums James P. Johnson 2:32
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
201
No More Auction Block Paul Robeson 2:13
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
202
The Negro Speaks of Rivers Langston Hughes 0:47
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
203
If We Must Die Claude McKay 1:02
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
204
Ma Rainey Sterling Brown 2:06
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
205
Backwater Blues Big Bill Broonzy 2:51
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
206
Married Man Blues Billie and De De Pierce 5:15
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
207
For My People Margaret Walker 5:45
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
208
The Children of the Poor, Sonnet 2 Gwendolyn Brooks 0:51
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
209
Body and Soul George "Big Nick" Nicholas, John Miller, and Dave Jackson 3:51
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
210
How He Delivered Me Juanita Johnson and the Gospel Tones 2:43
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
211
Long Distance Calls Muddy Waters and Otis Spann 7:00
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
212
Cry To Me Solomon Burke, Marc Ribot, and the Realtones 2:16
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
213
Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around The Freedom Singers 2:34
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
214
Birmingham 1963 - Keep Moving Martin Luther King, Jr. 3:46
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
215
Black Panther Party Platform Bobby Seale 3:02
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
216
Interview (excerpt) Angela Davis 1:06
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
217
Together to the Tune of Coltrane's "Equinox" (excerpt) Sarah Webster Fabio, Wayne Wallace, and Ronald Fabio 1:42
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
218
Nikki-Rosa Nikki Giovanni 1:16
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
219
liberation/poem Sonia Sanchez 0:39
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
220
Dope Imamu Amiri Baraka 4:49
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
221
The Village of Brooklyn, Illinois 62059 (excerpt) Hamiet Bluiett 3:35
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
222
For the Poets Jayne Cortez 3:58
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
223
Shotgun Joe The Golden Eagles 5:23
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
224
St. Louis Woman Ishmael Reed 1:26
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
225
People Everyday Arrested Development 3:27
View Cart
Buy CD $22.98

Album Info

Catalog Number

SFW47003

Year Released

2001

Label/Collection

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

Genre(s)

African American Spoken; American History; Poetry; Prose

Country(s)

United States

Culture Group(s)

African American

Language(s)

English

Subject(s)

Autobiography; Blues; Buck dancing; Choral music; Circle games; Cries; Folk songs--United States; Folk tales and legends; Gospel music; Hip-hop music; Instrumental music; Interviews; Jazz; Mardi Gras Indians; Narratives; New Orleans jazz; Poetry; Prison songs; Rhythm and blues music; Shouts; Speeches, addresses, etc.; Spirituals (Songs); Spoken word; Stride piano; Topical songs

Credit(s)

Robert Catalotti - Producer
 Robert H. Cataliotti - Compiler, Liner Notes
 Jerry Butler - Cover Artwork
 Pete Reiniger - Mastering Engineer
 Joe Parisi - Designer
Download Liner Notes

*One or more tracks from this album are unavailable for digital download. You may download the available tracks individually below. Please purchase the CD version to receive all tracks.

TOP

.