A Maid of Constant Sorrow
Encyclopedia
A Maid of Constant Sorrow is a 1961 album
, the debut of Judy Collins
, released by Elektra Records
and featuring traditional folk songs. Collins' voice and guitar are sparsely accompanied by Fred Hellerman
and Walter Raim on second guitar
, Erik Darling on banjo
, and Bill Lee
on bass
. The title song is a variant of "Man of Constant Sorrow
"; the original song appeared on Bob Dylan
's debut album
that came out the following year. The selections range from the Scottish anthem Wild Mountain Thyme to the Irish standards Bold Fenian Men and The Prickilie Bush. The album also includes more obscure numbers such as Tim Evans, Wars of Germany and John Riley.
These songs are in the style of social protest
, similar to early recordings by Bob Dylan
. They reveal a style from Collins different than her later, better known releases. In Tim Evans, written by Ewan MacColl
(Grammy award winning writer in 1972 of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
"), she sings of a wife-and-child killer: "Go down to hell, you murderer, go down," who is eventually exonerated after he is hung. The album shows an ability to select material which would serve her well on later albums where the focus shifts away from traditional folk music. Her alto vocals on lively songs like O Daddy Be Gay contrast with the social message material. In 2001 the album was re-released on CD with Collins' second album, The Golden Apples of the Sun (1962).
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, the debut of Judy Collins
Judy Collins
Judith Marjorie "Judy" Collins is an American singer and songwriter, known for her eclectic tastes in the material she records ; and for her social activism. She is an alumna of the University of Colorado.-Musical career:Collins was born and raised in Seattle, Washington...
, released by Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
and featuring traditional folk songs. Collins' voice and guitar are sparsely accompanied by Fred Hellerman
Fred Hellerman
Fred Hellerman, born in Brooklyn, New York and educated at Brooklyn College, is an American folk singer, guitarist, producer and song writer, primarily known as one of the members of The Weavers, together with Pete Seeger, Lee Hays, and Ronnie Gilbert...
and Walter Raim on second guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, Erik Darling on banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, and Bill Lee
Bill Lee (musician)
William James Edwards "Bill" Lee III is an American musician. He has played the bass for many artists including Cat Stevens, Harry Belafonte, Chad Mitchell Trio, Gordon Lightfoot, Aretha Franklin, Odetta, Simon and Garfunkel, and Bob Dylan...
on bass
Acoustic bass guitar
The acoustic bass guitar is a bass instrument with a hollow wooden body similar to, though usually somewhat larger than a steel-string acoustic guitar...
. The title song is a variant of "Man of Constant Sorrow
Man of Constant Sorrow
"Man of Constant Sorrow" is a traditional American folk song first recorded by Dick Burnett, a partially blind fiddler from Kentucky. The song was originally recorded by Burnett as "Farewell Song" printed in a Richard Burnett songbook, c. 1913. An early version was recorded by Emry Arthur in 1928...
"; the original song appeared on Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's debut album
Bob Dylan (album)
Bob Dylan is the debut album by the American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released in March 1962 on Columbia Records. It features two original compositions, the rest being old folk standards, and was produced by Columbia's legendary talent scout John H...
that came out the following year. The selections range from the Scottish anthem Wild Mountain Thyme to the Irish standards Bold Fenian Men and The Prickilie Bush. The album also includes more obscure numbers such as Tim Evans, Wars of Germany and John Riley.
These songs are in the style of social protest
Protest
A protest is an expression of objection, by words or by actions, to particular events, policies or situations. Protests can take many different forms, from individual statements to mass demonstrations...
, similar to early recordings by Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
. They reveal a style from Collins different than her later, better known releases. In Tim Evans, written by Ewan MacColl
Ewan MacColl
Ewan MacColl was an English folk singer, songwriter, socialist, actor, poet, playwright, and record producer. He was married to theatre director Joan Littlewood, and later to American folksinger Peggy Seeger. He collaborated with Littlewood in the theatre and with Seeger in folk music...
(Grammy award winning writer in 1972 of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" is a 1957 folk song written by British political singer/songwriter Ewan MacColl for Peggy Seeger, who was later to become his wife. At the time the couple were lovers, although MacColl was married to someone else. MacColl and Seeger included the song in their...
"), she sings of a wife-and-child killer: "Go down to hell, you murderer, go down," who is eventually exonerated after he is hung. The album shows an ability to select material which would serve her well on later albums where the focus shifts away from traditional folk music. Her alto vocals on lively songs like O Daddy Be Gay contrast with the social message material. In 2001 the album was re-released on CD with Collins' second album, The Golden Apples of the Sun (1962).
Side 1
- "Maid of Constant SorrowMan of Constant Sorrow"Man of Constant Sorrow" is a traditional American folk song first recorded by Dick Burnett, a partially blind fiddler from Kentucky. The song was originally recorded by Burnett as "Farewell Song" printed in a Richard Burnett songbook, c. 1913. An early version was recorded by Emry Arthur in 1928...
" 2:35 - "The Prickilie Bush" 3:25
- "Wild Mountain ThymeWild Mountain Thyme"Wild Mountain Thyme", also known as "Purple Heather" and "Will You Go Lassie, Go", is a folk song, rewritten by Francis McPeake, a native of Belfast, Northern Ireland...
" 2:30 - "Tim Evans" 2:51 (Ewan MacCollEwan MacCollEwan MacColl was an English folk singer, songwriter, socialist, actor, poet, playwright, and record producer. He was married to theatre director Joan Littlewood, and later to American folksinger Peggy Seeger. He collaborated with Littlewood in the theatre and with Seeger in folk music...
) - "Sailor's LifeA Sailor's Life"A Sailor’s Life" is an English language folk song which describes the attempt of a young woman to find her lover, a sailor. Eventually she hears that he has drowned and mourns him.-History:...
" 2:41 - "Bold Fenian Men" 2:44
Side 2
- "Wars of Germany" 3:10
- "O Daddy Be Gay" 2:34
- "I Know Where I'm Going" 1:50
- "John Riley" 3:30
- "Pretty SaroPretty SaroPretty Saro is an English folk ballad originating in the early 1700s. The song died out in England by the mid eighteenth century but was rediscovered in North America in the early twentieth century where it had been preserved in the Appalachian Mountains through oral traditions...
" 3:03 - "The Rising of the Moon" 4:07
Personnel
- Judy Collins – guitar, vocals
- Fred HellermanFred HellermanFred Hellerman, born in Brooklyn, New York and educated at Brooklyn College, is an American folk singer, guitarist, producer and song writer, primarily known as one of the members of The Weavers, together with Pete Seeger, Lee Hays, and Ronnie Gilbert...
– guitar - Erik Darling – banjo