Folk Singer (album)
Folk Singer | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | January 30, 1964[1] | |||
Recorded | September 1963 | |||
Studio | Tel Mar Recording, Chicago, Illinois | |||
Genre | Blues | |||
Length | 40:05 | |||
Label | Chess | |||
Producer | Ralph Bass, Willie Dixon | |||
Muddy Waters chronology | ||||
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Folk Singer is the second studio album and fourth album overall by
Despite not charting in any country, Folk Singer received critical acclaim; most reviewers praised its high-quality sound, especially on remastered versions, as well as the instrumentation. In 2003, the album was ranked number 280 on
Background
After his successful performance at
Recording
Folk Singer is an "unplugged" recording and differs from his earlier albums, which featured an electric blues sound. The title of the album was chosen by Chess Records because it was recorded during the time when folk music was popular. In order to appeal to fans of folk music, Chess recorded a more acoustic album with two acoustic guitarists. Buddy Guy was hired as the second guitarist. Other guitarists played on bonus tracks.[5] Guy played on all original songs, except the last song, "Feel Like Going Home", together with Waters.[6]
The recording took place at the Ter Mar Recording Studios, in Chicago, in September 1963, and was produced by Willie Dixon.[7] The original vinyl release includes nine songs, most of which are performed at a slower tempo, with the exception of the uptempo "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl". During recording, Waters emphasized his singing with hums and sighs.[8]
Releases and tour
The original album was released as an LP January 30, 1964 by Chess Records.[1] Since then, numerous record labels have released different versions on CD, with different bonus tracks from Waters's 1964 sessions. One of the first CD versions was released in 1993 by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, containing two bonus tracks, "You Can't Lose What You Never Had" and "The Same Thing."[9] The 1999 remastered version contains five bonus tracks, "The Same Thing", "You Can't Lose What You Never Had", "My John the Conqueror Root", "Short Dress Woman" and "Put Me In Your Lay Away".[10]
The supporting tour through Europe, the second American Folk Blues Festival, began one month after the recording of Folk Singer. The first gig out of seventeen took place in London; other performances were in Belgium, Germany, France and Denmark. In London, Waters began with the unreleased "My Captain", followed by "Rollin' Stone". In keeping with the folk theme, quiet versions of "Five Long Years", "Blow Wind Blow", "Trouble No More", "My Home Is in the Delta" and "Got My Mojo Working" were performed.[11]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [citation needed] |
MusicHound Blues | 3.5/5[citation needed] |
Q | [13] |
Record Mirror | [14] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [citation needed] |
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings | [15] |
Reviewing the original LP in 1964,
In 2003, Rolling Stone ranked Folk Singer number 280 on its list of the "
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "My Home Is in the Delta" | Waters | 3:58 | |
2. | "Long Distance" | Waters | 3:30 | |
3. | "My Captain" | Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" | Sonny Boy Williamson | 3:12 |
5. | "You Gonna Need My Help" | Waters | 3:09 | |
Total length: | 18:59 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Cold Weather Blues" | Waters | 4:40 |
2. | "Big Leg Woman" | John Temple | 3:25 |
3. | "Country Boy" | Waters | 3:26 |
4. | "Feel Like Going Home" | Waters | 3:52 |
Total length: | 15:23 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
10. | "You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had" | Waters | 2:57 |
11. | "The Same Thing" | Dixon | 2:46 |
Total length: | 40:05 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
10. | "The Same Thing" | Dixon | 2:46 |
11. | "You Can't Lose What You Never Had" | Waters | 2:57 |
12. | "My John the Conqueror Root" | Dixon | 2:22 |
13. | "Short Dress Woman" | John T. Brown | 2:49 |
14. | "Put Me in Your Lay Away" | L.J. Welch | 2:56 |
Total length: | 48:12 |
Personnel
Credits are adapted from AllMusic.[20]
Musicians
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Production
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References
- ^ a b Chess 1989, p. 26.
- ^ Gordon 2003, pp. 202–203.
- ^ Gordon 2003, pp. 203.
- ^ Gordon 2003, pp. 211.
- ^ Matthew Rowe. "Music Review". Musictap. Archived from the original on April 17, 2016. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
- ^ a b c Cub Koda. "Allmusic -> Folk Singer". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
- ^ Santelli 1997, p. 128.
- ^ Gordon 2003, pp. 212.
- ^ "Allmusic -> Folk Singer [Mobile Fidelity]". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
- ^ "Folk Singer [Extra tracks, Original recording remastered]". Amazon. 1999. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
- ^ Gordon 2003, pp. 212–213.
- ^ Down Beat. 31. Chicago: 32. 1964.)
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link - ^ Prince, Bill (March 1996). "Muddy Waters: Folk Singer". Q: 121.
- ^ "Muddy Waters: Folk Singer" (PDF). Record Mirror. No. 167. May 23, 1964. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 1, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-140-51384-4.
- ^ Rolling Stone, 3/10/94, p. 67.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (April 5, 1994). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "500 Greatest Albums of All Time: 280 Folk Singer – Muddy Waters". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. 2003. Archived from the original on November 3, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
- ^ "500 Greatest Albums of All Time Rolling Stone's definitive list of the 500 greatest albums of all time". Rolling Stone. 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
- ^ Credits. AllMusic. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
Bibliography
- Chess (1989). Muddy Waters: Chess Box (Box set booklet). OCLC 154264537. CHD3-80002.
- Gordon, Robert (2003). Can't Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters. Back Bay Books. ISBN 978-0-316-16494-8.
- Santelli, Robert (1997). The Best of the Blues: The 101 Essential Albums. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-14-023755-9.