James Iron Head Baker - Black Betty (1933)

[simzap1]

This is the best version I've heard.

[jessmrow]

I don't know if the building actually dated to antebellum plantation times but, it was that style and was large and had collunms as you described. I think it might have faced hwy 6. I remember a sign for jester unit nearby. If I find anything out I will let you know. Thanks for your reply.

[LoneTinaja]

@jessmrow I seem to recall a large 2 story

building that had columns on the front that

faced either US59 or TX6. If so, it may have

been the HQ of Imperial Sugar Company. I

don't recall an Antebellum plantation home

on Central Unit. I suggest contacting the

Fort Bend County historical museum,

Sugarland public library, & Texas Prison

Musuem. I would like to know what you

find.

[LoneTinaja]

The State of Texas has sold the Central Prison

property to real estate developers, & they're tearing

down the building where Baker & the others were

housed when they weren't working in the crop fields.

I remember the prison from the '70s when I worked

at another prison farm in the region

[jessmrow]

@LoneTinaja did the central Prison property have a white antebellum plantation building with columns on it an the property? When I was a kid living in surgarland I had seen this building on a prison farm. Now I have been reading about Baker, Lead Belly and American Folk music I was wondering if that is the same property I had seen.

[AntonioFDZ]

I forgot to add "in my opinion" !

[juan13579run]

ram jam version is better... 

[AntonioFDZ]

@juan13579run well.. it's not a bad version .. but i don't think Ram Jam knows what it feels like to be enslaved and-or imprisoned.. true emotions is what makes Iron head's version better(my English is not that good .. hope you know what i mean by "emotions")

[BillyBughead]

About the guy posting about this recording not being up to the high standards of pop-radio (omg, I can't say that sentence out loud without breaking down and snickering): Don't feed the trolls.

lol and there are also noobs who hear the Spiderbait version and say it's racist for calling Betty "black" *rolls eyes* Yeah, I guess IronHead and LeadBelly are really klansmen in disguise...

[badass30gmailcom]

@Tahlia350 there's more wars today. which musician speaking out at atrocity are you going to blame for it this time? Way to keep hate alive jackass.

[sofiabailote]

@Tahlia350 ever heard of "a capella"? how dumb can you be...

[mickindanny]

Too much, Erik! A real gem.

[HOBOPUNK02128]

GREAT SONG;IT'S TOO BAD...SO MANY PEOPLE ARE SO IGNORANT.

THANKS, IVE NEVER HEARD THIS VERSION BEFORE

FROM THE STREETS OF BOSTON, SHITTY SHAWN NKA HOBOPUNK 02128

[luskletterwine]

@Tahlia350 You are looking at this piece all wrong... it is culture and history...there is a reason no one plays this on the radio. Everyone knows that most don't care about this the "black Betty" piece, but don't ruin it for the few of us that do...please and thank you

[luskletterwine]

The history of this song is amazing i can't get over this.

[Thesarajensen17]

@Tahlia350 You fucking idiot , this is a field recording , by an inmate , NOT and actual song . bloddy bastard .

[butterfukker]

Black Betty is a 20th century African-American work song often credited to Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter as the author, though the earliest recordings are not by him

[pizza123abc]

@butterfukker taken straight from wikipedia

[Thesarajensen17]

@butterfukker

[TheDSil]

Iron Head and Lead Belly: The greatest Metal band that never was.

[quiksilvermanblue]

Here I have been thinking that ram jam did it first. Well I am now informed

[sgreen4]

I wonder what happened to Iron Head

[Vestergade58]

@sgreen4 At John Lomax' request Governor James V. Allred granted Baker a furlough to tour as a minstrel, visit penitentiaries in Mississippi, Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, sing his songs so that other convicts will understand what Lomax wants for his folk-song files in the Library of Congress.

[Vestergade58]

@sgreen4 To Governor Allred Convict Baker explained his nickname: "Wal, Guv'nor, when I first landed in de pen, I was chopping wood one day when we cut down an oak tree and a big limb hit me in de head. Dat limb broke, but I went right on workin'. So de boys call me Ironhead."

[pravljicezaotroke]

@sgreen4 We can't be really sure. Documents say he made several dozen songs in different prisons. His life outside is not well documented... From the artistic point of view he surely achieved more when he was in jail.

[GoneBazaar]

cool

[waspeer]

Man, where can I buy this?

[PositivFritid]

I can send you the MP3!!! Send a msg!!

[Hraster]

@waspeer I think bakers righst for this song are already gone... well, its a song that has been recorded almost 80 years ago, and who knows when it was performed for the first time... so I doubt there will be anyboby selling this song... rather just download it from somewhere (just google it)

[Thesarajensen17]

@Hraster 

[jokitosh]

@waspeer

A bit late I know........I have it on a CD "Alan Lomax Popular Songbook" (Rounder CD 82161-1863-2). The Lomaxes (both Alan, senior and junior) collected field recordings of traditional music and raided the Library of Congress etc. A real treasure trove! There is also an "Alan Lomax Blues Songbook" (Rounder CD82161-1866-2). Good Luck.

[groundedsax]

this is awesome

[mickindanny]

I was just thinking about this recording today, while searching for some old versions of Stagger Lee. Great!

[2009framat]

Intresting info about Doc Reese - had him on record without any info