Southern Prison Blues - "Rosie" Chain Gang Blues

Chain Gang Chants From Mississippi State Penitentiary

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Chain
• Gang
• Blues
• Prison
• Music
• Chants
• Vinyl
• Recordings

[bluzzz2u]

Hi Bluesrecluse-I am glad that you have your heart in the right place and have taken the time to post "Rosie". But if I am not mistaken this was NOT recorded at the Mississippi State Penitentiary, PARCHMAN up in Sunflower Country, Mississippi. This seems to be from a session of recordings made at ANGOLA, the LOUISIANA State Penitentiary, where John Lomax ran across Lead Belly. Thanks again. 

[bluesrecluse]

@bluzzz2u Thanks for the correction. I had posted recordings from both mississippi and louisiana penitentiaries. Looks like I just mis-labled this one. Thanks again.

[Wolfsbane240]

holy crap. that's all i can say

this gives me shivers

[zaroffhound]

i jus played this loud at a tree an the damn thing fell over

[alakhazom]

I'm from eastern Europe. I'm just as racist as Bob Marley was. I don't give a scratch about the retarded ideea that are races of people.(it's all about culture,not inherited problems).You can find beauty everywhere;and you will find it. just payed a little more attention to this kind of music(been a blues fan from way back). Beautiful folklore. like Takore said: MUSIC will rise above everything!

[xTheWarlordx]

im so bumpin dis in my car radio

[magnolia2slim]

Listening to this put me on the chain gang with them....you can feel them blood sweat and tears!

[arkee71]

this is so hauntingly awesome that it feels wrong to comment on it...so ill just shut up now.

[arkee71]

@SWAGGswagg9 here they are...close anyway... be my woman gal ill be your man be my woman gal ill be your man be my woman gal ill be your man everydays sunday dollar in your hand everydays sunday dollar in your hand stick to the promise gal you made me(3x) wasnt gonna marry me till i go free i go free lordy i go free wasnt gonna marry me till i go free woah rosie woah rosie when she walks she reels and rocks behind(2x) aint that enough to worry convicts mind(2x) repeat 1st verse and chorus

[arkee71]

@Doctorhamfat thanx for the kind words...good luck ...and i hope as an educator you will show the future generations...the beauty and importance of this form of expression...while still remaining respectful to the music they love nowadays...after all it came from the blues ;)

[Doctorhamfat]

"Bring me little water when I gets thirsty, bring me little whiskey, if I gets dry - My little brother, down in Angola, still doin' nineteen to ninety-five..."

[Doctorhamfat]

Earlier I stated that the chain gangs were gone; I said this based on the end of state prison gangs in response to US Supreme Court findings that basic civil rights were abrogated by the system. However, apparently under the conservative deregulation of federal prisons during the Reagan administration, the laws reverted to local jurisdiction. Chain gangs are again alive and well.

[Doctorhamfat]

@arkee71 Chain gang music is gone because chain gangs are gone. Of course, as a rock n' roll musician I know; Muddy told me (when I played with him in the 70's,) "The Blues had a baby, and they named it Rock n' Roll." I'm glad you see the connection between the Blues form and the Rock one, though hollers and gang-work songs had more to do with forming Blues than Jazz, Swing, or Rock. As a professional stage and teaching musician (Blues In Schools), I'm glad you're learning the roots.