Clarence Ashley: “The Cuckoo” & “Little Sadie”

Folksinger Clarence “Tom” Ashley left a lasting legacy with his versions of songs like “The Cuckoo” and “Little Sadie,” influencing artists such as Bob Dylan.

Clarence Ashley was among the folk and blues singers “rediscovered” during the 1950s and 1960s. Ashley, known as “Tom,” began performing in the early 1900’s, singing and playing banjo or guitar. He played with artists such as Doc Watson and lived to see his influence on a range of singers, even sharing a stage with Bob Dylan at the 1963 Newport Folk Festival. He is known for his performances of songs such as “The Cuckoo” and “Little Sadie.”

Ashley was born in Tennessee on September 29, 1895, and he died in North Carolina on June 2, 1967. You may have first heard his voice on Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music records, where one of the songs he performs is “The Coo Coo Bird.”

The song, also with other titles such as “The Cuckoo” and “The Cuckoo is a Pretty Bird,” is an English folk song. The song begins with the bird, which is often associated with spring and with infidelity, and then goes on in various versions to lament about luck in love or gambling. Ashley’s version focuses on the latter.

I’ve played cards in England;
I’ve played cards in Spain;
I’ll bet you ten dollars,
I’ll beat you next game
.

In the video below from the DVD “Legends of Old Time Music,” Ashley performs his version of “The Cuckoo.” Also, at the beginning of the clip he is interviewed about his music career. Check it out.

Another song that Ashley recorded, but with a darker tone, is “Little Sadie.” Ashley recorded the folk ballad in 1928. The singer, named Lee Brown, tells about killing a woman (in some versions his wife), fleeing, getting caught, and ultimately being sentenced by a judge: “Forty-one days and forty-one nights / Forty-one years to wear the ball and the stripes.”

Music critic Greil Marcus, writing in the liner notes for Bob Dylan’s Bootleg Series Vol. 10: Another Self Portrait (1969-1971), noted, “There’s something horribly laconic about Ashley’s 1929 recording of “Little Sadie.” Crinklingly ominous banjo notes trace a circle in which every story goes back to its beginning and starts up again, a circle in which every act is inevitable, worthless, and meaningless, a folk nihilism long before existentialism caught on in Paris.” Below is Ashley’s version of “Little Sadie.” Check it out.

Bob Dylan recorded a version of “Little Sadie” that appeared on his Self-Portrait (1970) album. And two more versions appear on Dylan’s Bootleg Series Vol. 10: Another Self Portrait (1969-1971), which was released in 2013. On the latter album, Marcus found Dylan’s “In Search of Little Sadie” to be “a revelation.”

Marcus traces this Dylan version as the voice of a blustering killer, not caring (as in the character in Ashley’s version). But then the murderer finds fear in what may happen to himself.

In The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia, author Michael Gray notes that it is most likely that Dylan’s versions of “Little Sadie” were because of his knowledge of Ashley’s recording. He also notes that Dylan would have known Ashley’s recording of “The Coo-Coo Bird” from the Anthology of American Folk Music.

Dylan’s versions of “Little Sadie” are not on Youtube, but perhaps the most famous descendant of Ashley’s song is Johnny Cash’s version of “Cocaine Blues.” Singer-songwriter T.J. “Red” Arnall wrote “Cocaine Blues” as a reworked “Little Sadie” and recorded the song in 1947. Here, Cash performs “Cocaine Blues” in 1968 at Folsom Prison.

I do not believe anyone has yet connected the subject of the folk song “Little Sadie” to a real person. Some have found evidence that the song originated in an African-American community in the South. Wherever the song came from, singers like Clarence Ashley have kept the tale alive in their own ways.

Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    3 a.m. Albums: Elvis Presley’s “The Jungle Room Sessions”

    Our series “3 a.m. Albums” examines albums that are perfect for those nights when you cannot sleep due to sadness, loneliness, or despair. Today we consider Elvis Presley’s “The Jungle Room Sessions” (and “Way Down in the Jungle Room”) a collection of songs from Presley’s final recording sessions.

    Elvis Last Recording Just for the circumstances surrounding Elvis Presley’s recording of The Jungle Room Sessions (2000), the album constitutes the perfect “3 a.m. album.” The songs on The Jungle Room Sessions come from Presley’s final two studio recording sessions on February 2-7 and on October 29-30, 1976 in the late night and early morning hours. Presley was emotionally and physically drained, no longer wanting to go outside his home at Graceland even as he worked hard to fulfill his obligations for concerts booked by Colonel Tom Parker.

    Because of Presley’s reluctance to leave Graceland, RCA brought a studio to him, setting up recording equipment in Presley’s famed “Jungle Room,” the den at the back of Graceland behind the kitchen. Although the room was not built for recording, Nashville engineer Brian Christian helped figure out how to adapt the room in ways such as draping the walls with heavy blankets to dampen the acoustics. Considering the obstacles, the music that came out of these sessions sounds fantastic.

    The music from these sessions may be found on two similar releases from Sony’s Follow That Dream (FTD) specialty Elvis label.  The Jungle Room Sessions from 2000 features outtakes from the sessions.  FTD later released Way Down in the Jungle Room in 2013 as a two-CD set that includes both the masters and various outtakes. I own and love both of these releases, which are somewhat duplicative, with some differences.  Either one makes for great three a.m. listening.

    The masters from these Jungle Room sessions produced the final two official albums of Elvis’s career: From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee (1976) and Moody Blue (1977). The Jungle Room Sessions and Way Down in the Jungle Room compile unreleased songs from these recording sessions that according to Ernst Jorgensen’s Elvis Presley: A Life in Music, generally started after 9:00 p.m. and went all through the night.  A more recent

    And it is these gems and alternate takes — sometimes stripped down, sometimes featuring false starts and comments by Presley — where Presley through his beautiful voice sacrifices his own anguish to help heal yours. As his weakened body gives his lifeblood to each song, you find a close companion in the night. Allmusic describes the Jungle Room Sessions album as “one of the most revealing and emotionally draining releases ever issued by Elvis. Hear it and weep.”

    The Jungle Room Sessions generally follows the order in which the songs were recorded, beginning with “Bitter They Are, Harder They Fall.” This recording includes some opening conversation by Elvis and two short takes before getting to the complete fifth take of the song. The missteps and chatter draw you into the sessions, so you feel you are sitting with Elvis and the band in the middle of the night in Graceland, or maybe they are with you wherever you are.

    Other songs include a nice take on “The Last Farewell,” “Moody Blue,” “Danny Boy,” and “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.” Another highlight is “She Thinks I Still Care,” a George Jones classic that was written by written by Dickey Lee and Steve Duffy.

    The collection of songs also includes alternate takes on “Hurt,” a song where in Presley’s cries of anguish Greil Marcus found an “apocalyptic attack.” Similarly, Dave Marsh wrote, “If [Presley] felt the way he sounded, the wonder isn’t that he only had a year left to live but that he managed to survive that long.” This alternate take matches that description.

    Finally, the Jungle Room Sessions album ends with the rocking “Fire Down Below.” But you no longer hear Presley on this track, except for a brief clip of Presley singing “America” after the track ends. The instrumental recording for “Fire Down Below” was made for Presley to later add his vocals. But he died before he got the chance to do that.

    “Fire Down Below” is a fitting way to end the album, with the listener missing Presley, wondering what he might have done with the music, a track that sounds more like a sunrise than a 3 a.m. song.

    Check out other albums in our series “3 a.m. Albums.”  The Jungle Room Sessions and Way Down in the Jungle Room appeara on Graceland’s special collector label Follow That Dream and are available through Graceland’s official store.  What is your favorite 3 a.m. album? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    New Old Dylan: “Pretty Saro”

    Bob Dylan Pretty Saro Bob Dylan is releasing a new box set in his Bootleg series, Another Self-Portrait, on August 27. The new set includes unreleased recordings made for Nashville Skyline (1969), New Morning (1970), and the much-maligned Self-Portrait (1970). Critic Greil Marcus famously reviewed the latter album, asking “What is this Shit?” But he is much more kind in his review of the new box set, which looks like it might have some gems.

    Rolling Stone premiered one of the songs on the new set, “Pretty Saro.” The song is an old English folk tune dating from he early 1700s. Although through the centuries the song had basically disappeared in England, it was preserved in the U.S. by singers in the Appalachian Mountains. More recently, Iris DeMent recorded the song the 2000 film Songcatcher.

    In “Pretty Saro” the singer finds himself alone away from home. He understands that his love, Pretty Saro, will not have him because he had no land. At the end, he wishes he were a poet who could write her a letter. As he sits by the river, he reveals he dreams of his lost love wherever he goes. In the version used by Iris DeMent, the song ends with the singer wishing he was a turtle dove who could fly back to Saro and lay in her arms.

    Check out the video for Bob Dylan’s version of “Pretty Saro” created by Jennifer Lebeau, who used photos and videos from the Farm Security Administration to accompany the song. Lebeau had also worked on Dylan’s 1994 MTV Unplugged video.

    What do you think of Dylan’s version of “Pretty Saro”? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    This Week in Pop Culture Roundup (11 Dec. 2011)

    chewbacca toy In case you have been too busy this week angrily Tweeting about American Airlines because a flight attendant interrupted a game you were playing on your phone, here are some of the pop culture stories you might have missed this week. FYI, see below for a funny video relating to the American Airlines incident. Three of the big stories that were already covered this week in Chimesfreedom were the passings of actor Harry Morgan, singer Dobie Gray, and blues man Hubert Sumlin, so check out those stories too. But here are some of the lesser known reviews and stories from the fields of movies, music, and popular culture.


    —— Movies —–

    Filmmakers are clashing with each other over access to West Memphis 3 witnesses.

    The Hangover III may be set in Los Angeles and may try a new formula.

    The Los Angeles Times contemplated predictions for the Golden Globe race for drama films.

    The Sundance Film Festival announced its short film roster.

    Salon featured a slide show of 20 classic spy movies.

    The trailer for the new Three Stooges movie is out.

    Jeremy Piven revealed that an Entourage movie is in the works.

    A sci-fi fan is suing James Cameron, claiming the director stole Avatar story idea.

    Below is a video tribute to the year of 2011 in film and music, “The 2011 Portfolio”:

    —– Music —–

    Amnesty International released a 4-CD set: Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan: Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty Intnl.

    In the New York Times, Camille Paglia reviewed Greil Marcus’s new book on the Doors.

    Was Gram Parsons an underrated songwriter?

    2012 R&R Hall Inductees: Beastie Boys, Donovan, Guns N’ Roses, Laura Nyro, Red Hot Chili Peppers & Small Faces/Faces.

    Barbara Orbison, the widow of Roy Orbison, passed away Tuesday.

    Lady Gaga’s latest video, for “Marry the Night,” is 14 min long and reflects one of her darker days.

    Popdose has a funny discussion of the AM Gold songs from 1967.

    New music collaborations include My Morning Jacket & Kelly Clarkson, as well as Black Keys and Arctic Monkeys on tour.

    Cover Lay Down has covers of songs in the new Christmas canon.

    Twangville has a review of a recent performance by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings.

    Blogness has Bruce Springsteen’s performance with Gaslight Anthem from this week in Asbury Park.

    Billboard named Adele the top artist of 2011 as she makes history.

    —– Television —–

    In Wookie news, Chewbacca is going to guest star on Glee.

    The Mythbusters guys apologized after they accidentally fired a cannonball into a residential area earlier this week.

    “Very funny.” — Tonight Show bandleader Kevin Eubanks on the Roots’ controversial entrance song for Michele Bachmann.

    Laugh-In star Alan Sues, who also was in the Twilight Zone Episode “The Masks,” passed away this week.

    Was it too soon for Saturday Night Live to spoof the Penn State scandal? Colin Quinn thinks so. In other SNL news, Alec Baldwin appeared on the show last night to apologize about the American Airlines incident to . . . Alec Baldwin, “an American treasure.”

    —– Other Pop Culture News —–

    Manny Ramirez un-retired from baseball. That’s Manny being . . . Brett.

    Salon listed its favorite non-fiction books of 2011.

    Jerry Robinson, the comic book artist who created Batmans’s The Joker, passed away yesterday. RIP.

    In the way that all sci-fi alien horror movies begin. . . NASA just discovered an earth-like planet. Assuming the aliens do not attack us, we will see you with more pop culture stories soon. . .

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    Sly Stone is Homeless

    Sly Stone The New York Post reported this week that music legend Sly Stone has fallen on hard times and is homeless and living out of a van. Stone blames his money problems on his former manager and has sued him. The article implies that Stone may be suffering from some mental illness, perhaps related to his history of drug abuse, noting he is disheveled and paranoid, believing the FBI is after him.

    It is sad to hear that someone so talented who was on top of the world is living this unfortunate life. Stone says he has new songs, and he did release an album of his songs re-recorded by other artists earlier this year. But even at a Grammy performance in 2007, one could see he was not in top form. At that tribute performance with other artists playing his songs, he came out onstage, played briefly, and then walked off before the song was over. (He appears at around the 6:30 mark in the video at the link.) Similarly, check out this April 2010 performance of “Dance to the Music.”

    In the 1960s and into the 1970s, Sly and the Family Stone made some great music. In the book Mystery Train (1975), Greil Marcus focuses one of his essays on Sly Stone, connecting his career to the ancient folk song “Stagger Lee,” to race, and to the changing culture and music of the early 1970s. Noting the impact of Stone’s There’s a Riot Goin on (1971), Marcus calls it “a quiet, bitter, open act of rebellion.”

    In the essay, Marcus writes about the war and the lack of trust in political leaders in the days leading up to Watergate, and how such a time may lead to either a culture of cynicism or one that is fake and safe. But Stone “was clearing away the cultural and political debris that seemed piled up in mounds on the streets, in the papers, in the record stores; for all the darkness of what he had to say and how he said it, his music had the kind of strength and the naked honesty that could make you want to start over.”

    I wonder how much Stone’s sense of the insanity of those times led to his own personal madness. His current condition is unfortunate for us as well as for him. During these times featuring worldwide fears when we are still too often faced with a choice between cynicism and make-believe, we need artists with strength and naked honesty.

    What do you think led to Stone’s current situation? What is your favorite Sly and the Family Stone song? Leave a comment.

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