Today, we picked up Bruce Springsteen's We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions: Music: Bruce Springsteen and have spent a few hours listening and watching the dvd portion.
At times, with the "Erie Canal," or the old spiritual, "O Mary Don't you Weep" it is as good as it gets. When he plays "Shenandoah" it is hard not to weep openly.
On a personal note, I had a family connection listening to Bruce's version of "My Oklahoma Home." The Streak's came through Arkansas and Oklahoma over a hundred years ago. They settled in the strip area and spread out to cause problems throughout Oklahoma. Returning here has a familiar sense. Listening to the music of Oklahoma's past also has a familiar sense.
These are my people. This is my history. This is my past. Good and bad.
Anyway. Music has that ability to connect us all to the past, present and the spiritual.
O Mary, Don't You Weep
O Mary, don't you weep, don't you mourn
O Mary, don't you weep, don't you mourn
Pharaoh's army get drownded
O Mary, don't you weep
Well Mary wore 3 links of chain
on every link was a Jesus' name
Pharaoh's army got drownded
O Mary don't you weep
Well Moses stood on the Red Sea shore
And smote' the water with a two by four
Pharaoh's army got drownded
O Mary don't you weep
We shall overcome. Indeed.
3 comments:
This is so very on my list of must buys. Your review just solidifies that for me.
I am presently reading Timothy Egan's The Worst Hard Time about the American dust bowl and you're right, connecting myself to those relatives of mine who came to this area makes me understand this place and the person I am.
Streak
I didn't know of the Arkansas-Oklahoma connection. The Bootleggers likewise arrived in Ok via Arkansas in covered wagons, not less. Prior to that things get hazy due to some stolen horses..... Anyway, for some reason, no matter where in the world one lives, the Dust Bowl roots seem to go the deepest. I am not prone to watching CMT, but last night while looking at the schedule I saw that they were doing a "making of" with Springsteen. Turns out it was for this CD, The Seeger Sessions. How Bruce's voice has survived this long with the way he uses/abuses it is beyond me, but man it was great to watch. Thanks for the post. We'll have to discuss our Okie roots further some time.
Later
BB
Some of the u.b.u.b.'s also arrived in Oklahoma with 'military escort,' thanks to Ol' Hickory.
Post a Comment