Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music

From the Amazon.com web page: This impressive--and frankly, fun--musical document is still sending out shock waves almost 50 years after its original 1952 vinyl release. The Smithsonian's six-CD reissue is painstakingly researched, annotated, and packaged (even boasting an enhanced disc for the techno-capable). Unlike field recorders, eccentric filmmaker/collector/musicologist Harry Smith assembled the Anthology from commercially released (though obscure) 78 rpm discs issued between 1927 and 1935. Its broad scope--from country blues to Cajun social music to Appalachian murder ballads--was monumentally influential, setting musicians like Bob Dylan down the path to folk fandom. The White House started its own national music library with the Anthology; anyone with more than a passing interest in American roots music should do the same. --Michael Ruby

William and Mary Whistle Pig Round-Up: Couldn't get enough of those crazy song descriptions that Amy read in class from the Anthology? Read 'em yourself! Scroll down to see scans of the entire booklet that accompanies the Harry Smith Anthology of American Folk Music
Note: For best results, be sure your monitor settings will allow you to view a window at least 800 pixels wide.


The Booklet:
01 - Front Cover
02 - Foreward
03 - Tracks 1-6
04 - Tracks 7-11
05 - Tracks 12-17
06 - Tracks 18-21
07 - Tracks 22-26
08 - Tracks 27-31
09 - Tracks 32-39
10 - Tracks 40-47
11 - Tracks 48-53
12 - Tracks 54-58
13 - Tracks 59-64
14 - Tracks 65-68
15 - Tracks 69-72
16 - Tracks 73-76
17 - Tracks 77-79
18 - Tracks 80-84
19 - Index Part I (A-D)
20 - Index Part II (D-K)
21 - Index Part III (K-S)
22 - Index Part IV (S-Y)
23 - Bibliography Part I
24 - Bibliography Part II
25 - Bibliography Part III
26 - Bibliography Part IV
27 - General Notes by Moses Asch
28 - Back Cover
Painting by Harry Smith
Above: An untitled painting by Harry Smith, c. 1978

Below: The Harry Smith Anthology of American Folk Music
Harry Smith Anthology




This page ©2003 Bryan Wright