Something Old, New, Borrowed and Blue

In the introductory notes to this album, ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax (1915–2002) explains that urban folk revival singers of the 1950s might have learned large song repertoires and fine instrumental technique, but they generally lacked a knowledge of the singing style and emotional content of the music as it exists in tradition. Such knowledge, essential to being a folk artist, is not easy to acquire, but Lomax believed that the young Guy Carawan was rising to the challenge. In addition to his natural musical talent, he has “a rare sympathy for the material.” On top of that, “Guy looks the part he sings, that is frontier America come alive again, direct, unpretentious, genuine and full of restrained feeling.”

With his own interpretations of a diverse selection of tracks, such as “Weevily Wheat” and “Russian Partisan Song,” Carawan demonstrates the southern country singing style which set him apart from many of what Lomax dubbed the “city-billies” or “folkniks” of the American folk song revival.

Track Listing

101	Sail Away Ladies	Guy Carawan	01:19
102	Weevily Wheat (Charlie)	Guy Carawan	01:51
103	Black Is the Color	Guy Carawan	02:36
104	Ground Hog	Guy Carawan	02:44
105	Pretty Saro	Guy Carawan	04:14
106	Cindy	Guy Carawan	02:25
107	Talking Atomic Blues	Guy Carawan	03:57
108	Chinese Flute	Guy Carawan	01:19
109	Russian Song	Guy Carawan	01:27
110	If We Could Consider Each Other	Guy Carawan	01:36
201	Blue Eyed Girl	Guy Carawan	01:37
202	Kicking Mule	Guy Carawan	01:44
203	Yugoslav Love Song	Guy Carawan	03:25
204	Mexican Lullaby	Guy Carawan	02:25
205	All Night Long	Guy Carawan	01:33
206	Freight Train	Guy Carawan	01:58
207	I'm a Stranger Here	Guy Carawan	02:46
208	Come and Go with Me to That Land	Guy Carawan	01:53
209	Rake and a Rambling Blade	Guy Carawan	03:16
210	Red Rosy Bush	Guy Carawan	01:22
211	Black Eyed Susie	Guy Carawan	02:16