"... presents a side by side comparison of songs written for the popular stage of the 1890s as recorded by performers of both the cylinder era (1890s-1920s) and the pre- and post-World War II 78 shellac era (1920s-1950s). The songs are all standards in the country & western, folk, bluegrass, old-time, Cajun, blues, and jazz repertoires"--Insert, page 7.
Title from disc label.
Previously released material.
3 CDs in 3 jewel cases and booklet in box.
Compact discs.
Program notes by Henry H. Sapoznik, Dick Spottswood, and Dom Flemons (74 pages : color illustratoins) inserted in container.
disc 1. Casey Jones (Billy Murray) -- (Fiddlin' John Carson) -- Southern Casey Jones (Jesse James) -- Steamboat Bill (Arthur Collins) -- Casey and Bill (Earl McDonald's Original Louisville Jug Band) -- Steamboat Bill boogie (Delmore Bros.) -- Red wing (Frank C. Stanley & Henry Burr) -- (Doc Williams & the Border Riders) -- Just break the news to mother (George J. Gaskin) -- Take the news to mother (Louvin Bros.) -- In the shadow of the pines (Royal Fish & Vernon Archibald) -- In the shadow of the pine (Kelly Harrell) -- Are you from Dixie? (Billy Murray & Irving Kaufman) -- (Grandpa Jones) -- Home, sweet home (Eleanora de Cisneros) -- (Don Reno) -- The party that wrote home sweet home never was a married man (Ed Morton) -- The man who wrote home sweet home never was a married man (Mack Woolbridge & Charlie Parker) -- I'm Alabama bound (Prince's Orchestra) -- (Papa Charlie Jackson) -- Unter dem Doppleadler (Olbrig's Zither Trio) -- Under the double eagle (Bill Boyd's Cowboy Ramblers) -- Blue bell (Harry Macdonough) -- (Merle Travis) -- Virginia bluebell (Eddie Adcock) -- The foolish frog (May Irwin) -- (Frank Corso) --
disc 2. Haul the woodpile down (Charles A. Asbury) -- Hold that wood-pile down (Uncle Dave Macon) -- Darling Nellie Gray (the American Quartet) -- (Roland Cauly & Lake Howard) -- (Louis Armstrong & the Mills Brothers) -- I got mine (Arthur Collins & Joseph Natus) -- (Frank Stokes) -- Go easy, Mabel (Edward Meeker) -- (Delmore Bros) -- The smoke goes up the chimney just the same (Dan W. Quinn) -- (Fiddlin' John Carson) -- When the bees are in the hive (Peerless Quartet) -- (Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys) -- Don't you leave me here (Charles Johnson's Original Paradise Ten) -- I'm Alabamy bound (Louis Jordan & his Tympany Five) -- Don't go down in the mine, Dad (Stanley Kirkby) -- Dream of a miner's child (Keith Whitley) -- I loved you better than you knew (Byron G. Harlan & Frank C. Stanley) -- (the Carter Family) -- (Johnnie & Jack) -- By the watermelon vine (Edison Male Quartet) -- Lindy (Proximity String Quartet) -- Who broke the lock (Cousins & DeMoss) -- Who stole de lock (the Georgia Browns) -- Who stole the lock (Jack Bland & his Rhythmmakers [that is, Rhythmakers]) -- Lovesick blues (Emmett Miller) -- (Hank Williams) -- I'm the father of a little black coon
disc 3. May Irwin's bully song (May Irwin) -- Bully of the town (Gid Tanner & the Skillet Lickers) -- Fille de la fille (Vin Bruce) -- Turkey in the straw (Billy Golden) -- Turkey buzzard blues (Peg Leg Howell & Eddie Anthony) -- Old Dan Tucker (Harry C. Browne) -- (Gid Tanner & his Skillet Lickers) -- The Arkansas traveler (Len Spencer) -- The Arkansaw traveler (Jilson Setters (J.W. Day)) -- Arkansas traveler (Clayton McMichen & his Georgia Wildcats) -- The girl I loved in sunny Tennessee (S.H. Dudley & Harry Macdonough) -- Sunny Tennessee (Floyd County Ramblers) -- Nigger blues (George O'Connor) -- The blues ain't nothing but...??? (Georgia White) -- I'se gwine back to Dixie (Brilliant Quartet) -- (Uncle Dave Macon) -- Baby mine (Elizabeth Spencer) -- Going around the world (Leslie Keith) -- All night long (Anna Chandler) -- (Roy Acuff & his Crazy Tennesseeans) -- Laughing rag (Sam Moore & Horace Davis) -- Mexican rag (Darby & Tarlton) -- I don't care if I never wake up (Silas Leachman) -- My money never gives out (Arthur Collins) -- My money never runs out (Banjo Joe (Gus Cannon)) -- (Dom Flemons & Guy Davis)