These American Ballads are all from a book I got from Gramma many years ago when she saw that I was interested in playing folk music. The book is "American Favorite Ballads" by Pete Seeger. It has chords and lyrics, but many songs I've changed a bit to my own versions.

Big Rock Candy Mountain - a story of a hobo's fantasy land, there is actually a place in Utah called Big Rock Candy Mountain, where I stopped on some travels years ago. I think it was named after the song.

John Henry - The legion of the steel driving railroad worker John Henry who could work better and faster than the new steam drills that were just coming around. The legend says he worked so hard that he died with a hammer in his hand. :(

Come all you Fair and Tender Ladies - A heartbreak song. don't know much about the history of this one

Jesse James - The story of a famous outlaw who robbed the Glendale train, and was shot by Robert Ford. He was know as a modern (for his time) day Robin Hood who took from the rich and gave to the poor

Buffalo Skinners - Woody Guthries much changed version of the song "Mexican Cowboy" has similar lyrics, but is about Buffalo skinners and cowboys. The bossman promises good pay for a season of work but won't pay when the time comes, so the cowboys "left his bones to bleach" I mostly learned the Ramblin' Jack Eliot version, who I saw once and he told a story that he tried to learn it from Woody, who said, "its on the record"... so he learned it from there and I learned it from his.

Midnight Special - Made popular by Lead Belly. This is an old southern prison song. The story goes that the Midnight Special was a train that ran on the track by the prison. If the light shined through the bars and into your cell, you would be the next person set free.

Irene, Goodnight - A sad heartbreak/ love song also popularized by Lead Belly, or Huddie Ledbetter. He heard it from his Uncle.

Home on the Range - A cowboy song of the open prairie. Id often heard this ones first verse and refrain, but had never heard the second verse, which is in the book, and on this Album :]

Shenandoah - This was a popular sea shanty, even though it has nothing to do with the actual sea. Shenandoah was a Native American leader who the writer supposedly loved Shenandoah's daughter. It also mentions the wide Missouri (river) so maybe that's why its popular as a Shanty, or its sing along refrain.

Clementine - Another song I've know forever but never realized the content, its about a miner who loses his daughter Clementine when she falls in the water and he can't swim :[

Cindy - A popular old time tune with many verses. The only song here with banjo because Pete's description in the book says its "every banjo players favorite" I first heard this one at the local old time jam

Stagolee - Stagolee or "Stack o Lee" shot and killed Billy de Lyons and was therefore put to death. I learned my version from Mississippi John Hurt, who also describes the scene as being way down in the mine.

Michael Row the Boat Ashore - an old Spiritual, possible a boat work song but more so the boat is a way for the soul to cross the Jordan River into the afterlife

The Fox - A story of a fox who goes and gets a couple of geese to feed his little fox babies. Although the farmer gives chase, the story ends with little foxes chewing on the bones, as the fox makes it home with their supper.

Crawdad - A classic busking song, Ive been playing this one on the streets and in jams for years, always hearing different verses. I decided to add the Gutbucket bass to this one, a homemade bass guitar made out of a broom handle,string and big metal washtub

This Land is Your Land - Woody Guthrie's most popular song is about how America is made for you, me, and everybody. 2 verses are often emitted in recordings but I decided to keep them here as they are important narratives on the American life,
1, the hunger crisis in a land of abundance,
and 2 private property

"In the square of a city, in the shadow of a steeple
At the food stamp office, I saw my people
as they stood hungry, I stood there asking
Was this land made for you and me?"

"There was a big high wall there, that tried to stop me
Sign was painted, said private property
but on the other side, it didn't say nothin'
That side was made for you and me"

I decided to throw in a fiddle tune I wrote at the end
Hope you enjoy :]