That's Why We're Marching: World War II and the American Folksong Movement
Various Artists
SFW40021
Artists include Woody Guthrie, Almanac Singers, Lead Belly, Tom Glazer, Cisco Houston, Pete Seeger, Josh White, Burl Ives, and others. Few people have heard these songs composed and sung from 1940 to 1945 by artists primarily known for their influence on American folk music after 1945. Both the protest songs and the pro-war songs are assembled for the first time in this historic compilation; they present the conflicts, the hopes, and the way songs were used to raise morale during World War II. 25 tracks, including Mr. Hitler, Talking Sailor, Ballad of October 16, and Sinking of the Reuben James. Notes include artist biographies and bibliography. Compiled and annotated by Jeff Place and Guy Logsdon. "A great slice of history...also a great musical performance." — Daily News
Country(s) United States
Culture Group(s) African American; Anglo-American
Keyword(s) Blues; Documentary; Folksong revival; Labor unions; Protest songs; Spoken word; Talking Blues; Topical songs
Instrument(s) Banjo; Guitar; Harmonica
Language(s) English
Year of Recording
1996
Record Label
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
Source Archive
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
Credits
Produced by Jeff Place ; Produced by Guy William Logsdon ; Recorded by Moses Asch ; Compiled by Jeff Place ; Compiled by Guy Logsdon ; Liner Notes by Guy Logsdon ; Liner Notes by Jeff Place ; Mastered by David Glasser ; Design by Visual Dialogue
