Going Down the Road (I Ain't Gonna Be Treated This Way)
Talking Sailor
Philadelphia Lawyer
Hard Travelin'
Jesus Christ
The Sinking of the Reuben James
Pretty Boy Floyd
Grand Coulee Dam
Nine Hundred Miles
Going Down the Road (I Ain't Gonna Be Treated This Way) 2
My Daddy (Flies a Ship in the Sky)
Bad Repetation
Track Listings (14) - Disc #2
Poor Boy
Worried Man Blues
A Picture From Life's Other Side
Buffalo Skinners
Hard Ain't It Hard
Stewball
Stackolee
Gypsy Davy
Little Darling Pal of Mine
What Did the Deep Sea Say?
Chisholm Trail
Put My Little Shoes Away
Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone?
John Henry
Track Listings (12) - Disc #3
I'm Gonna Join That One Big Union (You Gotta Go Down and Join the Union)
Hangnot, Slipnot
Gonna Roll the Union On
The Ludlow Massacre
Sally Don't You Grieve
Harriet Tubman's Ballad part 1
Harriet Tubman's Ballad part 2
Tear the Facists Down
When The Yanks Go Marching In
You Can Hear My Whistle Blow
Union Burying Ground
You Gotta Go Down and Join the Union
Track Listings (15) - Disc #4
Train Breakdown
Do You Ever Think Of Me (aka At My Window)
Guitar Rag
Square Dance Medley
Guitar Breakdown
Raincrow Bill
Ain't Nobody's Business
Stepstone
Ezekiel Saw the Wheel
Bile Them Cabbage Down
Danville Girl
Guitar Blues
Brown's Ferry Blues
More Pretty Girls Than One
Sonny's Flight
Released in coordination with the Woody Guthrie Archives, this 4 disc boxed set is the definitive edition of Woody Guthrie¹s mid-1940s recordings. The sound quality is superb, taken from newly discovered original meta... more »l masters. The set includes many of Woody's best-known songs, along with traditional material and collaborations with fellow guitarist Cisco Houston and harmonica player Sonny Terry. To complement and enhance enjoyment of the recordings, the discs are packaged in a replica of a vintage suitcase, complete with handle and latches. Inside the box are a full-color 68 page book that includes extensive notes and many rare or previously unpublished photos, as well as illustrations and illuminated lyric sheets by Guthrie himself. Also included are facsimiles of Woody's business card, a postcard sent from Florida to his wife, and a booking card from the 1940s.« less
Released in coordination with the Woody Guthrie Archives, this 4 disc boxed set is the definitive edition of Woody Guthrie¹s mid-1940s recordings. The sound quality is superb, taken from newly discovered original metal masters. The set includes many of Woody's best-known songs, along with traditional material and collaborations with fellow guitarist Cisco Houston and harmonica player Sonny Terry. To complement and enhance enjoyment of the recordings, the discs are packaged in a replica of a vintage suitcase, complete with handle and latches. Inside the box are a full-color 68 page book that includes extensive notes and many rare or previously unpublished photos, as well as illustrations and illuminated lyric sheets by Guthrie himself. Also included are facsimiles of Woody's business card, a postcard sent from Florida to his wife, and a booking card from the 1940s.
CD Reviews
I bought the download, but...
Robert R. Roberts | EL PASO, TX United States | 08/26/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I get a kick out of listening to Woody, and this collection of recently unearthed master recordings from 1944 is like a letter from home. The sound is clear and clean and crisp, a big step up from previous issues of this material. But there's the rub: the majority of these performances are already available in the box set of Asch recordings. There are a couple of "new" songs, and some previously unreleased every-man-for-himself instrumentals with Cisco Houston and Sonny Terry, but it's mostly well-covered territory. And, there's not that much of it: 54 songs on four CDs, none of which runs longer than 45 minutes, tucked into elaborate packaging, priced at almost $60.00. The download, however, is a bargain: all 54 songs for $19.98. At that price, you can afford to help support the Woody Guthrie Foundation, and enjoy sound so clear you'll think Woody's right there in the room with you. (Change chords, Woody!)
Addenda: Amazon's download price has gone up to $36 and change since I wrote this review, so the hard copy now looks less extravagant, but still formidable. You might try to buy it used, or get someone who loves you to give it to you as a Christmas present.
"Take it easy, but take it!" -- Woody"
Wonderful package, a true collector's item
Music Lover | Arlington, MA United States | 08/26/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There is no question, if you are a fan you need this one for your collection. It's a beautiful package, the recordings are great and the presentation is wonderful. Nice job Rounder for delivering something that showcases this national treasure with a quality product. Worth the purchase, worth being one of the early adopters in order to make sure you get the first generation of this package. The limited number manufactured also makes it that more special."
A Suitable Case for Sublime
J. J Spina | New York, NY USA | 09/16/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Is there such a thing as required listening in popular music? And is it possible that the music of a man who single handedly changed the course of pop culture with his songs can come alive again with a clarity and sound that feels like it was recorded TODAY? One cannot say enough about Woody Guthrie and his position in the world of great American music. I intend to invite my friend Bobby D over to review some of these songs for that there radio show he does. And then there's my seven year old son, a railroad song fanatic beyond reproach. He needs a track or two. Folkies? Welcome. Country? Thank you. Alt. ditto. A great man named Gram Parsons once set out on a quest to build on the tradition of Cosmic American Music. The songs and voice of Woody, especially as witnessed on this (slightly too preciously packaged but what the heck) boxed set is a key ingredient to that journey."
For Rich People Only
Donald S. Handy | Motor City, Michigan | 01/30/2010
(3 out of 5 stars)
"The much-vaunted sound quality is an improvement, but only about a grade higher - i.e., an A rather than a B - than what is otherwise available. The question one has to ask oneself is how big of a Woody Guthrie fan are you? Is it really worth the investment to hear marginally better-sounding versions of songs that, in all likelihood, you already have?
The disks are rather skimpy in length. This entire collection could have fit nicely onto two disks. The extravangance of the packaging is at best ironic, given Woody Guthrie's famous proletarianism. This is a person, after all, who walked-out of a job at the Rockefeller Center because it was too far away from his beloved working-class. I'm certain that he would have objected to this fancy, pricey offering, especially in today's economic conditions.
Since my mother taught me not to say anything if I couldn't say something good, the liner notes are excellent.
That said, I wonder how well they did with the song selection. There are a great many songs from these sessions that are on the Asch Recordings Series that are simply better than what's on here. I have a sneaky suspicion that they selected more non-controversial material for inclusion on here. Disk four, in particular, seems laden with too many instrumentals. Woody may be an underated guitarist, but that's not what he's famous for.
I would advise beginners to get individual albums such as "Dust Bowl Ballads" or "Woody Guthrie Sings Folk Songs," rather than this collection. I would advise everyone else to get The Asch Recordings first. And then, of course, only if you have a secure job."
Terriffic Collection
Billy The Kid | Portland, OR USA | 10/01/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"To a Guthrie fan, this collection is platinum on top of gold. The sound quality is pristine - it's like having Woody and his buddies in the room with you. Amazon's discounted price made this collection truly affordable. The little suitcase is cute but it's what's inside that is so great; the book detailing the painstaking restoration of old metal masters and the discussions of each song in the collection. Even if you've heard these songs before, this collection is a new listening experience."
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1