American Primitive Vol. II
Pre-War Revenants
(1897-1939)

Released: 2005
Contents: 2xCD
Revenant No. 214

Revenants. Phantoms. Biographical ciphers who emerged from their anonymous dark, made 78 rpm recordings, and were promptly swallowed up by darkness again. Yet their recordings have made an indelible place for themselves in our world by dint of their capacity to inspire wonder.

At once a collection of secret blueprints for a raw musics revolution and a testament to the enduring power of great art to shock, confound, inspire and sustain. John Fahey’s final curated work for Revenant.

Revenant’s long-awaited follow-up to 1997’s much-saluted American Primitive Vol. I.

“Stunning. Buy this now.” – Esquire

“Exquisite.” – Pitchfork

“Remarkable.” – NPR’s All Things Considered

“Anyone interested in American culture should find a way to hear this record. It’s possibly the most important archival release since Harry Smith’s seminal Anthology of American Folk Music in 1952.” – Harper’s

Track Listing
Disc 1
  1. I Want Jesus to Talk with Me (1926), (Homer Quincy Smith)
  2. Deal Rag, (1930), (Walter Taylor) (listen)
  3. Motherless Child Blues, (1930), (Elvie Thomas)
  4. Big Bed Bug (Bed Bug Blues), (1930), (Tommy Settlers and his Blues Moaner) (listen)
  5. I Got Your Ice Cold NuGrape, (1926), (NuGrape Twins) (listen)
  6. Molly Man, (1928), ((Red Hot) Old Mose / Moses Mason)
  7. Black Dog Blues, (1930), (Bayless Rose)
  8. Workhouse Blues, (1939), (Mattie May Thomas)
  9. Bo-Lita, (1927), (Kid Brown and his Blue Band)
  10. My Mama Always Talked To Me, (1927), (John Hammond)
  11. Ballin’ the Jack, (1930), (The Salty Dog Four)
  12. Friday Moan Blues, (1930), (Alfred Lewis)
  13. Pick Poor Robin Clean, (1931), (Geeshie Wliey)
  14. It’s Cold In China Blues, (1935), (The Mississippi Moaner)
  15. Black Sheep Blues, (1935), (Pigmeat Terry)
  16. Old Hen Cackle, (1931), (Two Poor Boys)
  17. Frisco Blues, (1930), (Bayless Rose)
  18. Hot Time Blues, (1928), (William Harris)
  19. Take a Look At That Baby, (1931), (Two Poor Boys)
  20. Skinny Leg Blues, (1930), (Geeshie Wiley)
  21. Little Birdie, (1927), (John Hammond)
  22. Little Girl in Rome, (1935), (Otto Virgial)
  23. Dangerous Blues, (1939), (Mattie May Thomas)
  24. Mean Low Blues, (1929), (Blues Birdhead)
  25. Be My Kid Blues, (1928), (Elizabeth Johnson)
Disc 2
  1. Last Kind Words Blues, (1930), (Geeshie Wliey)
  2. Poor Mourner, (1897), (Cousins & Demoss)
  3. Jamestown Exhibition, (1930), (Bayless Rose)
  4. There’s a City Built of Mansions, (1926), (NuGrape Twins)
  5. Cairo Blues, (1929), (Henry Spaulding)
  6. Two White Horses in a Line, (1931), (Two Poor Boys)
  7. Shrimp Man, (1928), ((Red Hot) Old Mose / Moses Mason)
  8. Don’t Mistreat Your Good Boyfriend, (1929), (The Bubbling Over Five)
  9. Bull Frog Blues, (1928), (William Harris)
  10. Purty Polly, (1927), (John Hammond)
  11. Go Down Moses, (1926), (Homer Quincy Smith)
  12. Over to my House, (1930), (Wiley and Thomas)
  13. Shaking Weed Blues, (1930), (Tommy Settlers and his Blues Moaner)
  14. Big Mac from Macamere, (1939), (Mattie May Thomas)
  15. Moaning the Blues, (1935), (Pigmeat Terry)
  16. Original Blues, (1930), (Bayless Rose)
  17. John Henry Blues (take 3), (1931), (Two Poor Boys)
  18. Sobbin’ Woman Blues, (1928), (Elizabeth Johnson)
  19. Bad Notion Blues, (1935), (Otto Virgial)
  20. Eagles on a Half, (1931), (Geeshie Wliey)
  21. Mississippi Swamp Moan, (1930), (Alfred Lewis)
  22. Red Cross the Disciple of Christ Today, (1928), ((Red Hot) Old Mose / Moses Mason)
  23. Kansas City Blues, (1928), (William Harris)
  24. As Free as a Little Bird Can Be, (1927), (John Hammond)
  25. No Mo’ Freedom, (1939), (Mattie May Thomas)