Weavers All Over This Land: Singles As & Bs & More 1949-53 CD

More than any other group of their era, it was The Weavers who made American folk song accessible to the record buying public in the 1940s and 1950s. Their influence on generations of folk groups - from the Tarriers and the Kingston Trio, to the Seekers and beyond - is as enormous as it is incalculable. Before becoming the victims of a Communist witch-hunt, The Weavers were without peer in their field of music, popularising and making hits of future staples of The Great American Songbook such as 'Goodnight Irene', 'On Top Of Old Smoky', 'Wimoweh' and 'If I Had A Hammer'. Their unwarranted fall from grace was happily suffixed by a return to popularity in the late 50s - but it's on the records they made between 1949 and 1953 that their reputation will forever rest. All those records are included in this new Jasmine 2CD collection, which brings together the A and B sides of every 78 and 45 their label Decca issued between 1950 and 1953, plus the contents of their two albums for the label and some earlier, independently-issued recordings - including their first version of 'If I Had A Hammer' (as 'The Hammer Song'). The sophisticated musical arrangements of many of these tracks, by the legendary Gordon Jenkins, serve to enhance rather than detract from Pete Seeger, Ronnie Gilbert, Lee Hays and Fred Hellerman's presentation of their musical messages. Superb music, mastered, as always, from the finest available sources and reopening a window on a time when American popular music was changing and evolving rapidly - and looking increasingly towards folk and blues to provide new stimulus for a growing record buying public.

1. Tzena Tzena Tzena - Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra and the Weavers 2. Goodnight Irene - Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra and the Weavers 3. So Long - Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra and the Weavers 4. Lonesome Traveller - Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra and the Weavers 5. The Roving Kind - the Weavers 6. The Wreck of the John B - the Weavers 7. Across the Wide Missouri - the Weavers and Terry Gilkyson 8. On Top of Old Smoky - the Weavers and Terry Gilkyson 9. When the Saints Go Marching in - the Weavers 10. Kisses Sweeter Than Wine - the Weavers 11. The Frozen Logger - the Weavers 12. Darling Corey - the Weavers 13. Old Paint (Ride Around Little Dogies) - the Weavers and Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra 14. Wimoweh (Based on Mbube) - the Weavers and Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra 15. Midnight Special - Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra and the Weavers 16. Hard Ain't It Hard? - the Weavers 17. Run Home to Ma-Ma - the Weavers 18. Around the Corner (Beneath the Berry Tree) - the Weavers and Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra 19. The Gandy Dancer's Ball - the Weavers and Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra 20. Clementine - the Weavers 21. True Love - the Weavers 22. Down in the Valley - the Weavers 23. The Bay of Mexico - the Weavers 24. Taking It Easy - the Weavers 25. Benoni - the Weavers 26. Rock Island Shuffle - the Weavers 27. Sylvie - the Weavers 28. Trouble in Mind - the Weavers 29. Wasn't That a Time - the Weavers 30. Dig My Grave - the Weavers 31. The Hammer Song (If I Had a Hammer) - the Weavers 32. Banks of Marble - the Weavers 33. Around the World - the Weavers 34. Tzena Tzena Tzena (Hebrew Version) - the Weavers 35. Jig Along Home - the Weavers 36. (Come on and) Join Into the Game - the Weavers 37. We Wish You a Merry Christmas - the Weavers 38. One for the Little Bitty Baby - the Weavers 39. Poor Little Jesus - the Weavers 40. Go Tell It on the Mountain - the Weavers 41. The Seven Blessings of Mary - the Weavers 42. The Twelve Days of Christmas - the Weavers 43. Burgundian Carol - the Weavers 44. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen - the Weavers 45. Lulloo Lullay - the Weathers 46. It's Almost Day - the Weavers 47. I Know Where I'm Going - the Weavers 48. Hush Little Baby - the Weavers 49. Suliram (Indonesian Lullaby) - the Weavers 50. Follow the Drinking Gourd - the Weavers 51. Easy Rider Blues - the Weavers 52. Quilting Bee - the Weavers 53. Along the Colorado Trail - the Weavers 54. Greensleeves - the Weavers