The press release calls this "The most famous and sought-after Blues & Folk recordings ever made"; these 96 tracks (two unissued) have inspired American artists as diverse as Neil Young and William Styron. Nearly all of Leadbelly's most famous songs are here- Rock Island Line; Midnight Special; Goodnight, Irene; Easy Rider, etc.-plus gripping storytelling, all recorded on tape in 1948 for the only time in his career (hence better fidelity and uninterrupted recording). These four CDs come in a limited edition slipcase with extensive notes, rare photos, bio and discography.
- Disc 1 - 1 Yes, I Was Standing in the Bottom 2 Yes, I'm Going Down to Louisiana 3 I Ain't Going Down to the Well No More 4 Dick Ligger's Holler 5 Miss Liza Jane 6 Dog Latin Song 7 Leaving Blues 8 Go Down, Old Hannah 9 Blue Tail Fly 10 Nobody in This World Is Better Than Us 11 We're in the Same Boat, Brother 12 Looky, Looky Yonder 13 Jolly O' the Ransom 14 Old Ship of Zion 15 Bring Me a Little Water, Silver 16 Mistreatin' Mamma 17 Black Betty 18 Ain't Going Down to the Well No More 19 I'm Going Back Down in Louisiana 20 I Don't Know You, What Have I Done 21 Rock Island Line 22 Old Man, Will Your Dog Catch a Rabbit? 23 Shorty George 24 Stewball 25 Bottle Up & Go 26 You Know I Got to Do It 27 Ain't It a Shame to Go Fishing on a Sunday 28 I Ain't Gonna Drink Anymore 29 Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues 30 My Lindy Lou 31 I'm Thinking of a Friend 32 He Never Said a Mumbling Word 33 I Don't Want No More of Army Life 34 In the World 35 I Want to Go Home - Disc 2 - 1 New Iberia 2 Dancing with Tears in My Eyes 3 John Henry 4 Salty Dog 5 National Defense Blues 6 Easy, Mr. Tom 7 Relax Your Mind 8 Bottle Up and Go 9 Polly Wolly Wee 10 Pig Latin Song (2nd Version) 11 Hawaiian Song 12 Drinkin' Lum y a Alla 13 The Grey Goose 14 Silver City Bound 15 The Titanic 16 Death Letter Blues 17 Mary Don't You Weep 18 He Never Said a Mumbling Word - Disc 3 - 1 Midnight Special 2 Boll Weevil Song 3 Careless Love 4 Easy Rider 5 Cry for Me 6 Ain't Going to Drink No More (De Kalb Blues) 7 Birmingham Jail 8 Old Riley 9 Julie Ann Johnson 10 It's Tight Like That 11 4,5 & 9 12 Good Morning Babe, How Do You Do? 13 Jail House Blues 14 Well, You Know I Had to Do It 15 Irene 16 25 Cent Dude 17 How Come You Do Me Like You Do? 18 Hello Central 19 Hesitation Blues 20 I'll Be Down on the Last Bread Wagon - Disc 4 - 1 Somebody's Diggin' My Potatoes 2 Springtime in the Rockies 3 Chinatown 4 Rock Island Line 5 Backwater Blues 6 Sweet Mary 7 Irene 8 Easy, Mr. Tom 9 In the Evening, When the Sun Goes Down 10 I'm Alone Because I Love You 11 House of the Rising Sun 12 Mary Don't You Weep 13 Talk About Fannin Street 14 Fannin Street 15 Sugared the Beer 16 Didn't Old John Cross the Water 17 Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out 18 Bully of the Town 19 Sweet Jenny Lee 20 Yellow Gal 21 He Was the Man 22 We're in the Same Boat, Brother 23 Leaving Blues
