From Angola Prison to Appalachia - it's the same sound - an old, possibly over done, Prison Spiritual re-write

Songs
1

This generic BandLab link, goes direct to the track:

Another 1st take 1 pass re-write while cell phone recording. See the Lyrics/Notes section (BandLab Link) for much more about this, links, etc., public domain re-write, “Prison Spiritual”.

Source, public domain, archive reference: http://bluegrassmessengers.com/dig-my-grave-with-a-silver-spade-.aspx

I was watching the “Andy Griffith Show” lol!!! : ) and first saw it there the other day - his chorus section of some version, likely a re-write too - north carolinians don’t speak that way 'bout “willer trees” : )
www.youtube .com/watch?v=C0h1bQM48iw&t=73s [ fix the ^.com to work ]

So, anyway -
Capo on #3

So now, my take on it. I parsed out what looked to me to be the most of what it may have been, and chopped out all line repeats, making two verses, one, and just sort of jamming together a “break” (can’t really be called a chorus imo -break, chorus, a bridge even if at the end approach that differently). I didn’t spend much time on this - to do what? : ) lol!

Since it has SUCH a convoluted history (if check out that archive link), with pages and pages of truncated and merged lyrics, and is otherwise SO fragmented with “recorded by…” (*Lomax even!), I call it “From Angola Prison to Appalachia - it’s the same sound”
(Another: “Dig My Grave with a Silver Spade”)

This must have been a popular song for a long time for some reason. The A. Griffith show - I can’t listen to that style/modulations, of stuff like this - cliche, imo. And so, mine, in that moment is a tad more upbeat and I know I could jam with a number of different voicings of “open” chords, etc. - could be a fun song in the right group of folks, band mates.

2

I’m enjoying your ‘re-imaginings’ of songs, even when the original means nothing to me. This is a great place to experiment- I need to take a leaf from your book as I know I tend to go for ‘safe’ song choices. Nothing wrong with that, but am I truly challenging myself?

3

Well, I am glad to read that.

I thought to myself the other day, if I had a “teacher” that, aside from the rest, said - find a song you don’t know and “simplify it” - it gives you (or me) allot to do, but, with allot of stuff with which to do “it” with.

  • Yes a “goal” would be for it to not sound like nails on a chalk board - but like with “we are princes of the universe”… - BandLab for some reason put that in their “Trending” play list (only second time that happened in all the time I been there).

So, I guess, like I see docu-videos about folks that write songs while in the toilet, 5 mins becomes the album title track and they don’t even like it much : ) hahhh… well, I go on a bit here. My point is what you say, if understand what you said - it’s about the exercise, more than the result, but if the result works, even better.

Anyway, I really appreciate you commenting that.

My “out of the box” take on stuff is not often - “got”, so to speak.

The other day I was around some kids that had way to much equipment, and expensive and just liked holding and owning it it seemed, if get me on that, so I grabbed his amazingly nice Bass and gave him a 2 min lesson on Triads and that there’s only one chord, but it moves around : ) (my piano analogy for guitar).

Anyway - let it, your agenda take hold and just preface the track (liner note it so I, others can - comment on “that”). I think, too, it gives folks stuff to discuss about the track too - more so than “like it”… they can like with mine, with you now - well, discuss it - can’t deny that ABC song from J5 is way simplified and I pick up stuff and music history and etc., and this “oldie” lyric here, omg… oldie.

Anyway… thank you!

4

That was really cool to listen to! I didn’t know what to expect after reading all that history and other lyrics. Very nice sound and lyric editing!