American Primitive Vol. 1
Raw Pre-War Gospel

Released: 1997
Contents: 1xCD or 1xLP
Revenant No. 206

77-minutes of gut-bucket, early gospel from the collections of Gayle Dean Wardlow and John Fahey, complete with a 24-page booklet of liner notes and photos. Includes Charley Patton, Rev. I.B. Ware with Wife & Son, Bukka White, William & Versey Smith, Blind Willie Davis, Frank Palmes, Bo Weavil Jackson, Elder Otis Jones, Blind Roosevelt Graves, Blind Joe Taggart, Blind Mamie Forehand, Jaybird Coleman, and more.

“26 tracks of uncut religious fervor, clearly selected for maximum intensity” - Downbeat Magazine

“Best Records of 1997: #1 Gospel Release” – Tower Pulse

“Diabolically great.” – Playboy

Track Listing
Disc 1
  1. I Believe I’ll Go Back Home, Paramount 1926, (Blind Willie Davis)
  2. Down on Me, Columbia 1930, (Eddie Head And His Family)
  3. Honey in the Rock, Victor 1927, (Blind Mamie Forehand) (listen)
  4. I’m Gonna Cross the River of Jordan Some O’ These Days, Silvertone 1927, (Jaybird Coleman)
  5. Oh Death, Vocalion 1934, (Patton and Lee (Charley Patton and Bertha Lee))
  6. You Better Quit Drinking Shine, Vocalion 1928, (Rev. I.B. Ware with Wife and Son)
  7. Been Listening All the Day, Paramount 1928, (Blind Joe Taggart)
  8. Sinner You’ll Need King Jesus, Paramount 1927, (William and Versey Smith)
  9. This Time Another Year You May Be Gone, Vocalion 1928, (Rev. Edward Clayborn (The Guitar Evangelist))
  10. Lord I’m the True Vine, Bluebird 1936, (Eddie Head And His Family (The Guitar Evangelist)) (listen)
  11. Woke Up this Morning (With My Mind on Jesus), Melotone 1936, (Blind Roosevelt Graves and Brother)
  12. Holy Mountain (3:06), Bluebird 1936, (Elder Otis Jones)
  13. I Wouldn’t Mind Dying (But I Gotta Go By Myself), Vocalion 1928, (Rev. I.B. Ware with Wife and Son)
  14. Everybody Help the Boys Come Home, Paramount 1927, (William and Versey Smith)
  15. Everybody Ought to Pray Sometime, ARC 1926, (Dennis Crumpton and Robert Summers)
  16. Tryin’ To Get Home, Columbia 1930, (Eddie Head And His Family)
  17. I’ll be Rested (When the Roll is Called), Melotone 1936, (Blind Roosevelt Graves and Brother)
  18. I’m On My Way to the Kingdom Land, Paramount 1926, (Bo Weavil Jackson (Sam Butler))
  19. Troubled ‘Bout My Soul, Paramount 1929, (Frank Palmes)
  20. When That Great Ship Went Down, Paramount 1927, (William and Versey Smith)
  21. I am in the Heavenly Way, Victor 1930, (Washington White (Booker White))
  22. Good Lord (Run Old Jeremiah), Library of Congress Archive of American Folk 1934, (Austin Coleman (with Joe Washington Brown and Group))
  23. Jesus is Getting us Ready for that Great Day, Columbia 1927, (Luther Magby)
  24. I Believe I’ll Go Back Home, Paramount 1929, (William and Versey Smith)
  25. Prayer of Death: Part I, Paramount 1929, (Elder J.J. Hadley (Charley Patton))
  26. Prayer of Death: Part II, Paramount 1929, (Elder J.J. Hadley (Charley Patton))