Notes and Editorial Reviews
Unlike many Paul Robeson collections of recordings that have been licensed or otherwise obtained and reissued by small labels, this one comes from EMI and purports to be "a collection of his greatest hits." That isn't strictly true, if only because Robeson had few "hits" in the accepted sense, but the 20-track, hour-long album is a good sampler of Robeson's studio recordings made between 1928 and 1939, starting with his signature song, "Ol' Man River." After an earlier association with Victor Records in the U.S., Robeson lived in England and recorded for EMI during this period, and the label gave him supportive symphonic arrangements of traditional material and songs crafted to resemble the spirituals the
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singer favored. This album is sparsely annotated, and the sound is full of hiss and crackles that later sound technology could remove. But as an accessible, well-chosen compilation of Robeson's best, it earns high marks.
-- William Ruhlmann Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Show Boat: Ol' Man River by Jerome Kern
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1927; USA
Date of Recording: 05/15/1928
2.
Lonesome road by Nathaniel Shilkret
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1928; USA
Date of Recording: 08/30/1929
3.
Got the South in My Soul by Wiley,
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Written: USA
Date of Recording: 12/15/1932
4.
Hush-a-bye Lullaby by Ruthland Clapham
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Written: USA
Date of Recording: 12/15/32
5.
Round the bend of the road by John Klenner
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Period: 20th Century
Written: USA
Date of Recording: 02/03/1933
6.
Carry me back to green pastures by Pepper,
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Date of Recording: 09/08/1933
7.
Blue Prelude by Gordon Hill Jenkins
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1933; USA
Date of Recording: 09/08/1933
8.
Wagon Wheels by Peter De Rose
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1934; USA
Date of Recording: 02/16/1934
9.
So shy by Samuels,
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Date of Recording: 02/16/1934
10.
Little Man, You've Had a Busy Day by Mabel Wayne
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1934; USA
Date of Recording: 06/21/1934
11.
I Ain't Lazy, I'm Just Dreamin' by Dave Franklin
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1934; USA
Date of Recording: 06/21/1934
12.
Shenandoah by Traditional
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Written: USA
Date of Recording: 05/24/1936
Notes: Arranged: Terry
13.
All through the night by Traditional
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Written: Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 10/18/1937
Notes: Arranged: Somervell
14.
Solitude by Edward "Duke" Ellington
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1934; USA
Date of Recording: 10/18/1937
15.
Song of the Volga boatmen by Traditional
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Written: Russia
Notes: Arranged: Schindler
16.
Dear Old Southland by Turner Layton
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1921; USA
Date of Recording: 09/26/1939
17.
Nothin' by Carpenter,
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Written: USA
Date of Recording: 09/27/1939
18.
St. Louis Blues by W.C. Handy
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1914; USA
Date of Recording: 02/20/1934
19.
Roll away, clouds by Fats Waller
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Period: 20th Century
Written: USA
Date of Recording: 11/05/1928
20.
A Perfect Day by Carrie Jacobs-Bond
Performer:
Paul Robeson (Bass Baritone)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1910; USA
Date of Recording: 09/27/1939
Sound Samples
Ol' Man River (from Show Boat) (1985 Digital Remaster)
Roll Away Clouds (1985 Digital Remaster)
The Lonesome Road (1985 Digital Remaster)
Got The South In My Soul (1985 Digital Remaster)
Hush A Bye, Lullaby (1985 Digital Remaster)
Round the Bend of the Road (1985 Digital Remaster)
Carry Me Back To Green Pastures (1985 Digital Remaster)
Blue Prelude (1985 Digital Remaster)
Wagon Wheels (1985 Digital Remaster)
So Shy (1985 Digital Remaster)
St. Louis Blues (1985 Digital Remaster)
Little Man You've Had A Busy Day (1985 Digital Remaster)
I Ain't Lazy, I'm Just Dreaming (1985 Digital Remaster)
Shenandoah (1985 Digital Remaster)
All Through The Night (1985 Digital Remaster)
Solitude (1985 Digital Remaster)
Song of the Volga Boatmen (1985 Digital Remaster)
Dear Old Southland (1985 Digital Remaster)
Nothin' (1985 Digital Remaster)
A Perfect Day (1985 Digital Remaster)
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