Various performers; in part with spoken comments and interviews
All recordings previously unreleased.
Compact disc.
Program notes and song texts ([40] p. : ill.) inserted in container.
Original field recordings made between 1934 and 1939 by John A. Lomax, Ruby T. Lomax, and Alan Lomax.
Sung in English.
Run, Mary, run (Martha Wright, Lillie Cogswell Knox, Albertina Keith) (3:17) -- John write a letter this morning (Hannah Besselieu, Mittie Docter) (2:04) -- Keep workin' on a building (Martha Wright, Lillie Cogswell Knox) (1:11) -- Heaven is a beautiful place, I know (Hannah Besselieu, Mittie Docter) (1:32) -- Right down here (Michael Maybank, John White, Francis Gadsden, Esau Sands) (1:47) -- Ezekiel and the dry bones (John Simmons, Michael Maybank, John White, Francis Gadsden, Esau Sands) (4:12) -- Daniel in the lion's den (Lillie Knox, Thelma Knox) (2:07) -- Leprosy (Nicodemus) (Zack Knox) (1:06) -- A long grave and a short grave (Zack Knox) (2:46) -- Listen to the roll (Zack Knox) (1:26) -- When the roll is called again (Martha Wright, Lillie Knox, Congregation of Jerusalem Baptist Church) (1:30) -- Dead and gone (Elsie Jenkins, Pearson's Funeral Home Choir) (2:32) -- Gonna take a ride on the chariot wheel (D.W. White, Pearson's Funeral Home Choir) (1:48) -- Got the keys to the kingdom (Lillie Knox) (1:57) -- (Some of these days) I'm going down to the river of Jordan (Zack Knox) (2:17) -- Wants to be in heaven when the first trumpet sounds (Lillie Knox, Thelma Knox) (2:53) -- I have a mother gone to glory over yonder's ocean (Minnie Floyd, John A. Lomax) (2:01) -- I'm troubled about my soul (Lillie Knox) (2:19) -- Bye-o-baby (Tina "Mom" Russell) (1:29) -- Shoo robin (Cecil, Martha, Edmond, Robert Owens) (0:43) -- Ten pound hammer (Mike Maybank, John White, Francis Gadsden, Esau Sands) (1:27) -- Oh lordy me, oh lordy my (J.M. Williams) (1:42) -- I sure can't stand it long (Luther Mack, Tommy Miller, William Long, Julius Harmon) (2:54) -- Look down that long lonesome road (1:19) -- Tally rally devil (Willie James Skinner) (2:14) -- The downward road (Jim Williams) (2:11) -- Where is the gambling man? (Jim Williams) (2:51) -- Ain't but the one train run this track (all night long) (D.W. White, Pearson's Funeral Home Choir) (3:12) -- Honey in the rock (D.W White, Pearson's Funeral Home Choir) (2:12)