This album is the fifth in a series of volumes dedicated to " American negro music," showcasing spirituals performed by Dock Reed (1878-1958) and Vera Hall Ward (1902-1964). Reed was a deeply religious man whose repertoire was stayed within spiritual music rather than secular or " sinful" songs. Ward was Reed's cousin, and both worked in manual labor (Reed in agriculture, Ward in house work). This plays into the elements of typical aspects of the work songs within this genre, such as responsive singing and rhythmic punctuation used to mark labor tasks, such as striking a nail with a hammer. The clear, direct singing on this album serves as documentation of this music rather than focusing on the performance element of the music. Liner notes include an overview of the entire series of Negro Folk Music of Alabama , as well as notes and lyrics specific to this volume.

Tracklist:

I'm Going Home On The Morning Train
My God Ain't No Lying Man
Where The Sun Will Never Go Down
Troubled Lord I'm Troubled
Look How They Done My lord
Job Job
What Month Was Jesus Born In
Somebody's Talking About Jesus
Death Is Awful
I'm Climbing Up The Hills Of Mt. Zion
Low Down The Chariot And Let Me Ride
The Blood Done Signed My Name
Everybody Talkin' About Heaven Ain't Goin' There
Noah, Noah
Plumb The Line
Travelling Shoes

UPC: 093070447325
Label: Folkways Records
Release Date: 5.30.12
Format: CD

Dock Reed - Negro Folk Music of Alabama, Vol. 5: Spirituals (CD)