Paul Robeson - Mah Lindy Lou (1933)

Paul LeRoy Bustill Robeson (April 9,1898 - Jan,23,1976) was a multi-lingual American actor, athlete, Basso cantante concert singer, writer, civil rights activist, fellow traveler, Spingarn Medal winner, and Stalin Peace Prize laureate.

Robeson found fame as an actor and singing star with his fine bass voice. He was one of the few true basses in American music, with his beautiful and powerful voice descending as low as C below the bass clef. In addition to his stage performances, his renditions of old spirituals were acclaimed; Robeson was the first to bring them to the concert stage.
Paul Robeson with Uta Hagen in the Theatre Guild production of Othello.

His first roles were in 1922 playing Simon in Simon the Cyrenian at the Harlem YMCA and Jim in Taboo at the Sam Harris Theater in Harlem. Taboo was later re-named Vodoo. He was acclaimed for his 1924 performance in the title role of Eugene O'Neill's The Emperor Jones - originally performed, also with great success, by Charles Gilpin in 1920. He was also noted in his early career for his performance in All God's Chillun Got Wings in which he portrayed the black husband of an abusive white woman who, resenting her husband's skin color, destroys his promising career as a lawyer. His earliest surviving film is 1924's Body and Soul.

Next he played Crown in the stage version of DuBose Heyward's novel Porgy, which provided the basis for George and Ira Gershwin's opera Porgy and Bess. Then, in 1930, he starred in the title role in Shakespeare's Othello in England, when no US company would employ him for the part. He reprised the role in New York in 1943, and toured the U.S. with it until 1945. His Broadway run of Othello is still, as of 2006, the longest of any Shakespeare play.

Robeson's repertoire of African-American folk songs helped bring these to much wider attention both inside the US and abroad - in particular his rendition of "Go Down Moses." Robeson also became interested in the folk music of the world; he came to be conversant with 20 languages, fluent or near fluent in 12. His standard repertoire after the 1920s included songs in many languages (e.g., Chinese, Russian, Yiddish, German, etc.).

Between 1925 and 1942 Robeson appeared in eleven films - all but four of them British productions - after he and his wife moved to England in the late 1920s. He remained there, with long periods away on singing tours, until the outbreak of World War II. At the height of his popularity in the 1930s, Robeson became a major box office attraction in British films such as Song of Freedom and The Proud Valley. Briefly returning to the US he reprised his title role in Dudley Murphy's film version of Eugene O'Neill's The Emperor Jones in 1933. The 1936 Universal film Show Boat was a box office hit for Robeson, and the most frequently shown and highly acclaimed of all his films. His performance of "Ol' Man River" for this film was particularly notable. He was Umbopa in the 1937 version of King Solomon's Mines. In films such as Jericho and Proud Valley, he portrayed strong black American male leading roles. Robeson left Britain during the Second World War.


Paul Robeson - Mah Lindy Lou (1933)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Paul
• Robeson
• 1933
• 30's
• 40's

[pax41]

I hope they let this one stay. One of the other channels is no longer and he had most of Paul's songs posted.

[rafhenlow]

The control this man had of his voice is awesome, strength & then gentleness. Always have loved this song & singer. Thanks.

[NolramNrets]

@zorl89peekay WOW, my Dad told me if I had been a girl he was going to name me LindyLou. I am curious as to whether my Dad has similarities to either of your parents.

First time I am hearing it, too, btw.

[SupaiShontaae651]

hEy_ÂñÿoNË_wànÑà_chàt_wíth_me_­ì_feÉl_sò_lÓnÈlý_t0DÃÿ!

[Rae5567]

this man could sing anything pure genius

[GutterDoll138]

I like when Lily does it :)

[HM0880]

@meltzerboy

Compared to G-C, Kline, and the 1948 Robeson version, this is the most swinging rendition of "Lindy Lou." It has a youthful energy that contrasts nicely with the charmingly sentimental lyrics. Thanks, meltzerboy, for sharing, and many thanks to edmundusrex for posting!

[OrganGrinderLola]

Paul Robeson is a hero.

However, he was not the first to bring Negro spirituals to the concert stage, as you write in your text on top. That honor goes to the courageous Fisk University Jubilee Singers, who took their songs on a fundraising tour in 1871, barely staving off the school's financial ruin.

[MrRedFredSaid]

Lovely.

[lindeene]

I too was named after this song.  It is so beautiful!

[lindeene]

@zorl89peekay Hello--I was also named after this song in 1949. My mother wanted to name me Lindy Lou, but my Aunt Jean talked her into changing my name to Linda Jean at the eleventh hour. My family and friends call me Lindy and Lindy Lou to this day.