Traveling Man - Prince Albert Hunt's Texas Ramblers
G. Burns Is Gonna Rise Again - Johnson-Nelson-Porkchop
Baby All Night Long - Blue Ridge Mountain Entertainers
Born In Hard Luck - Chris Bouchillon
He's In The Jailhouse Now - Memphis Sheiks
Track Listings (24) - Disc #2
Gonna Tip Out Tonight - Pink Anderson & Simmie Dooley
Chevrolet Car - Sam McGee
It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo' - Gid Tanner & His Skillet-Lickers
Bring It With You When You Come - Cannon's Jug Stompers
Atlanta Strut - Blind Sammie
Go Along Mule - Uncle Dave Macon & His Fruit Jar Drinkers
Casey Bill - Earl McDonald's Original Louisville Jug Band
I Got Mine - Frank Stokes
Hannah - Chris Bouchillon
Adam & Eve In The Garden - Bogus Ben Covington
Mysterious Coon - Alec Johnson & His Band
Her Name Was Hula Lou - Carolina Tar Heels
Reno Blues - Three Tobacco Tags
Scoodle Um Skoo - Papa Charlie Jackson
Stackalee - Frank Hutchison
The Cat's Got The Measles, The Dog's Got The Whooping Cough - Walter Smith
Shout You Cats - Hezekiah Jenkins
Nobody's Business If I Do - Tommie Bradley
Sweet Sixteen - Charlie Poole & The North Carolina Ramblers
Ticklish Reuben - Charlie Parker & Mack Woolbright
I Heard The Voice Of A Porkchop - Jim Jackson
Shine - Dallas String Band with Coley Jones
The Gypsy - Emmett Miller & His Georgia Crackers
Kiss Me Cindy - J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers
Earning Their White Stripes. "But what I'm listening to most of the time at present is an album called Good For What Ails You, which is an album of songs that people used to listen to at medicine shows all over the States.... more » It's quite an interesting album and I think that people would be well advised to pick it up." Jack White - Sunday Mail (Australia) Dec 18, 2005 Five Stars. Groundbreaking. "Fans of Nick Tosches' Where Dead Voices Gather will lap up this extraordinary snapshot of an America that is still shrouded in shadow. Good For What Ails You supplants the Harry Smith collections by surveying the people's music of the day, some of which sounds like nothing you have heard before." Jon Savage - MOJO Dec 2005 Before motion pictures, before radio, before television, the traveling Medicine Shows brought entertainment to America! Flamboyant pitch doctors roamed the land, hawking their tonics, elixirs, and miracle cures, and with them came a host of singers, dancers, comedians, banjo pickers, blues shouters, jug blowers, string ticklers, and minstrel men. The shows died out by mid-20th century, but not before a handful of seasoned veterans left their musical legacy on phonograph records. Here are classic performances by such colorful names as Pink Anderson, Daddy Stovepipe, Gid Tanner, Blind Sammie, Bogus Ben Covington, Fiddlin' John Carson, Banjo Joe, Shorty Godwin, Beans Hambone, Emmett Miller & His Georgia Crackers, the Three Tobacco Tags, and many more! Two-CD Set / 48 Songs Digitally Remastered / Over 2 Hours of Music / Six-Panel Digipak with 72-page Full Color Booklet A Profusely Illustrated History of the Medicine Shows, many Rare Photographs and Firsthand Accounts never before published, plus full discography and song descriptions.« less
Earning Their White Stripes. "But what I'm listening to most of the time at present is an album called Good For What Ails You, which is an album of songs that people used to listen to at medicine shows all over the States. It's quite an interesting album and I think that people would be well advised to pick it up." Jack White - Sunday Mail (Australia) Dec 18, 2005 Five Stars. Groundbreaking. "Fans of Nick Tosches' Where Dead Voices Gather will lap up this extraordinary snapshot of an America that is still shrouded in shadow. Good For What Ails You supplants the Harry Smith collections by surveying the people's music of the day, some of which sounds like nothing you have heard before." Jon Savage - MOJO Dec 2005 Before motion pictures, before radio, before television, the traveling Medicine Shows brought entertainment to America! Flamboyant pitch doctors roamed the land, hawking their tonics, elixirs, and miracle cures, and with them came a host of singers, dancers, comedians, banjo pickers, blues shouters, jug blowers, string ticklers, and minstrel men. The shows died out by mid-20th century, but not before a handful of seasoned veterans left their musical legacy on phonograph records. Here are classic performances by such colorful names as Pink Anderson, Daddy Stovepipe, Gid Tanner, Blind Sammie, Bogus Ben Covington, Fiddlin' John Carson, Banjo Joe, Shorty Godwin, Beans Hambone, Emmett Miller & His Georgia Crackers, the Three Tobacco Tags, and many more! Two-CD Set / 48 Songs Digitally Remastered / Over 2 Hours of Music / Six-Panel Digipak with 72-page Full Color Booklet A Profusely Illustrated History of the Medicine Shows, many Rare Photographs and Firsthand Accounts never before published, plus full discography and song descriptions.
CD Reviews
The Best Reissue Project...ever
Proud Swine Farmer | Maryland | 10/06/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Of all the Old Hat projects that I have picked up, this is definately the best. I would even go as far as saying that this is a "high water mark" for reissues of pre-war music. This ranks as high as the Harry Smith Anthology and the Charlie Patton set but better in a few ways. First, the sound quality on this set is unbelievably great. Most of the recordings are warm and deep but also very sharp and clear. I don't know if there is any new technology that improves these old records but this set blows away most other collections in terms of sound. Second, the notes are extensive, articulate & put forth some very complex notions about pre-19th century (and early 20th century) medicine shows, their function in socieity, and how they preserved and changed popular music forms in America. Finally, the actual set itself is a beautiful presentation. The long booklet contains several dozen images & photos, most of which I've never seen before. It seems that this is a work of deep love & respect for the material. I could go on & on about the set but I should just say that if early blues, country and jug bands are your thing, you should have this set."
I've been waiting for this for years!
Megan Romer | Ithaca, NY | 12/05/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've been eagerly awaiting a good compilation album of Medicine Show acts for years, and finally, Old Hat has done it... and boy have they done it! In the tradition of Old Hat compilations, this is packed full of top-quality cuts, some readily available elsewhere, but mostly completely obscure.
The liner notes alone, as with other Old Hat collections, are worth the price of the album. Well-written, highly informative and easy to read... unlike some of the overly scholarly but poorly edited notes in many re-releases, full of great pictures, just wonderful. They make a point of showing the racial issues behind medicine shows, without villainizing or condoning the wonderful musicians but highly misguided racial attitudes of the times.
If you have any folk or jazz connoiseurs in the family, this album will make a wonderful gift, and pick one up for yourself while you're at it."
Instant Joy
Larry J. Coben | Fort Worth, Texas United States | 02/19/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I must own 40 collections of old timey music and this is the most consistantly delightful and the best annotated of the lot. 48 numbers and each one brings a smile. Each one teaches you just a bit about what Greil Marcus has called "The Old Weird America".
Sure, there's a time for appreciating the hardships of the early 20th century, but how much fun is it to hear the light side that must have helped keep people sane and hopeful. Hooray for Old Hat!"
Brings Back Memories to the Old (and Young)!
Melanie Felker | Huntsville, AL | 08/28/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"'Good For What Ails You' is a great set of cd's with old songs that were sung at old medicine shows. I remember some of those songs from records and radio programs from my childhood - songs that I had totally forgotten!
I lent the cd's to my father, and they brought back fond memories of his childhood in western OK when the medicine shows would come to town and set up on the square. Everyone would attend the "show" and listen to the music, sales pitches, and go home with something! He truly enjoyed the cd's, also.
Even if medicine shows are new to you, the music is worth the time to listen. Lot's of fun, interesting lyrics, and you might even hear something that has come back again!?"
The right medicine for the blahs! Outstanding fun!
Robert G. Martinez | Brooksville FL | 10/23/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Step right up..ladies and gentlemen...Are you feeling blah listening to those same old CD's you've had for the last several years? Does today's music leave you cold? Well, you've come to the right place. Restore your enthusiasm...bring back the fun, with 50 recordings from the golden age of medicine shows. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Many of these fine artists are obscure names to most people of this generation...but alas...like an old ancient Indian cure...this box set will bring you back to life. Yes friends and neighbors...it also comes with a beautiful full-color booklet with all the songs, dates and stories of old. Uh..excuse me son, don't crowd the stage. IT'S A PANACEA FOR ALL BORING AILMENTS! Yes and considering how old these gems are (1925-36) they are all in remarkable shape...and your sense of humor will be too. So pick one up today. It;s more fun than a brand new Victrola!"
Track Listings (24) - Disc #1