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Negro Prison Camp Worksongs

Various Artists
Negro Prison Camp Worksongs

Recorded by Pete & Toshi Seeger in the winter of 1951 at two Texas prison farms, this album represents some of the oldest and most traditional work songs found among African American communities of incarcerated people in the southern United States. Traditionally a participatory art form, these songs were typically sung while groups of 10-30 people performed tasks such as chopping and hoeing. With origins reaching back to their West African ancestry as well as during the era of African American enslavement, work songs served the purpose of alleviating the mundane nature of repetitive tasks as well as providing a forum for the song leader to keep the group together through rhythms and lyrics. 10 songs, 40 minutes, with liner notes featuring an introduction by Pete Seeger and song lyrics.

*Content Advisory: The liner notes to this album include language that dehumanizes incarcerated musicians. Smithsonian Folkways has updated our descriptions of albums recorded in prisons to avoid frameworks that wholly attach artists’ identities to their experience in prison. This album is a historical document of not only the stories of its performers, but of the racism of the prison system and the music industry at that moment.
For our policy on controversial recordings, please see our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Track Listing

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101
Let Your Hammer Ring Prisoners at the Ramsey and Retrieve State Farms, Texas 05:50
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102
Here Rattler Here Prisoners at the Ramsey and Retrieve State Farms, Texas 05:22
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103
Chopping in the New Ground Prisoners at the Ramsey and Retrieve State Farms, Texas 01:40
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104
Go Down, Old Hannah Prisoners at the Ramsey and Retrieve State Farms, Texas 05:26
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105
Mighty Bright Light Prisoners at the Ramsey and Retrieve State Farms, Texas 02:56
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201
Grizzly Bear Prisoners at the Ramsey and Retrieve State Farms, Texas 04:40
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202
Lost John Prisoners at the Ramsey and Retrieve State Farms, Texas 05:00
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203
You Got to Hurry Prisoners at the Ramsey and Retrieve State Farms, Texas 02:04
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204
I Need More Power Prisoners at the Ramsey and Retrieve State Farms, Texas 03:36
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205
We Need Another Witness Prisoners at the Ramsey and Retrieve State Farms, Texas 03:39