And the quality of the film is excellent! AND the cameraman did a great job of filming John's right and left hand so you can see what he's doing. Pete Seeger did an amazing thing with this show.
John Hurt's sound = a big sincere hug...Lonesome Valley is something I can almost sing good and remember the lyrics to...I don't like Seeger 'suggesting' what he plays...let him play what he wants
"why did he have a red hammer?" she says right after Spike Driver Blues. Im guessing John Henry painted it red to simulate his blood being on it, for the purpose of faking his own death. Also, does anyone know what John Hurt might be saying in the line: "I've walked all the way from east ????" @40:33
He had a red hammer for one because he drove himself to death competing against the machine. Also red as well as the Hammer have traditionally been symbols of the labor movement. The subtext of the song is a warning that the machines are coming to replace people, to take their jobs. Sound familiar?
17:43 - I was momentarily taken aback when Hedy said "negro tradition." I was curious as to when the word fell out of favor, and it turns out the same year this was recorded was the year the term "negro" actually began to be culturally debated.
In 1960, Negro was the most respectful term to use. Colored was okay but more common. The N word was of course terrible. But at that time to call a person black would be considered by the black person to be disrespectful. Now you must use black or African American and negro is strange and maybe insulting.
Maybe I'm crazy but the whole time they are sitting there and talking no one ever looks or talks to Mississippi John Hurt, its almost as though he isn't even in the room. Wonder why that might be...
Wonder why indeed... peep the part of the discussion when they talk about the cake walk?? Literally, everyone talking about it *except* the only black person in the room. smh. A different time...
@@porkbroth You might be right that he's not talkative, but remember this for context: this is during Jim Crow. Imagine being in his shoes during this time. This whole show, awesome as it is, celebrates a genre mostly hijacked from a silenced, terrorized community. At no moment are they even deferential to MJH, even during the cakewalk convo, and you can sense the estrangement between the white artists and him, even if they are polite, there's a wall. Just google cake walk and maybe you might understand why MJH is so quiet and maybe even get why @K P made the original comment
Hmm. Why a poser? He didn’t say he grew up in a log cabin. Old time music wouldn’t be with us today if not for middle class kids who wanted to learn it. Seeger defended what he believed in all his life.
![George Carlin - National Press Club [complete]](/img/n.gif)
Magnifique!!!!!
so grateful we have this footage of John Hurt
@Dwayne Colson I definilty dont care, thanks for a completely worthless comment
And the quality of the film is excellent! AND the cameraman did a great job of filming John's right and left hand so you can see what he's doing. Pete Seeger did an amazing thing with this show.
What a beautiful soul was John Hurt.
'Why did he have a red hammer?' oh sweet, innocent, uber-talented lady
John Hurt the messenger, the human, just the truth about life and death....beyond the words, beyond the groove
I'll be giving you a few thousand views on my own. John Hurt is a daily inspiration but to have these other titans of true music? Happy days.
Mississippi John hurt! Amazing
Wow never thought I would see these 4 together. 🙏
Dear sweet John! When Pete died I was watching them religiously for awhile... I was mesmerized by all the talent!
I like the video so relaxing even im 20 years old ....it gives me nostalgia folk vibes
this is gold!!
John Hurt's sound = a big sincere hug...Lonesome Valley is something I can almost sing good and remember the lyrics to...I don't like Seeger 'suggesting' what he plays...let him play what he wants
Seeger seems to just know there wasn’t a lot of time and wanted as many songs as possible makes sense
This is amazing thank you for uploading
OK! Pete Seeger was my banjo teacher and he and Toshi was my friend. www.tothkalman.eoldal.hu Best Kalman
@@westernpanorama You are truly blessed.
Music at its very best
Really cool stuff
My god, her deciding against that other song changed my life.
sorry theres no more footage of John Hurt...like all true artist, never rich till their dead but their soul is eternity and we will enjoy forever
then greatest hour I've spent on this stupid website in a while
Would have loved to hear the rest of MJH's story of about recording his first record. Does he have a book?
24:33 sounds like classical music, like something mozart would write. The American musical tradition is so beautiful, so many masters in one video 🙏
Cocaine blues by Johnny Cash borrows a lot from her song. This is great stuff
Why isn't the music synchronized with the singing. Please fix.
"why did he have a red hammer?" she says right after Spike Driver Blues.
Im guessing John Henry painted it red to simulate his blood being on it,
for the purpose of faking his own death.
Also, does anyone know what John Hurt might be saying in the line:
"I've walked all the way from east ????" @40:33
Colorado
He had a red hammer for one because he drove himself to death competing against the machine. Also red as well as the Hammer have traditionally been symbols of the labor movement. The subtext of the song is a warning that the machines are coming to replace people, to take their jobs. Sound familiar?
red in art always equals spilled or spent blood or sex. I'm guessing 'red hammer' means he spent his life's blood swinging that hammer
communist imagery.
@@unwavery nope. His hammer was painted red with blood.
17:43 - I was momentarily taken aback when Hedy said "negro tradition." I was curious as to when the word fell out of favor, and it turns out the same year this was recorded was the year the term "negro" actually began to be culturally debated.
Colored is another word that my black father who was born in the 1930's used until his death.
In 1960, Negro was the most respectful term to use. Colored was okay but more common. The N word was of course terrible. But at that time to call a person black would be considered by the black person to be disrespectful. Now you must use black or African American and negro is strange and maybe insulting.
Maybe I'm crazy but the whole time they are sitting there and talking no one ever looks or talks to Mississippi John Hurt, its almost as though he isn't even in the room. Wonder why that might be...
They go around in turn and look at whoever is speaking at the time. What do you expect them to do if he's not particularly talkative?
Wonder why indeed... peep the part of the discussion when they talk about the cake walk?? Literally, everyone talking about it *except* the only black person in the room. smh. A different time...
@@porkbroth You might be right that he's not talkative, but remember this for context: this is during Jim Crow. Imagine being in his shoes during this time. This whole show, awesome as it is, celebrates a genre mostly hijacked from a silenced, terrorized community. At no moment are they even deferential to MJH, even during the cakewalk convo, and you can sense the estrangement between the white artists and him, even if they are polite, there's a wall. Just google cake walk and maybe you might understand why MJH is so quiet and maybe even get why @K P made the original comment
in recording guys like Roscoe, rev. Davis and John Hurt, Seeger half made up for being a mind-numbing poser.
Hmm. Why a poser? He didn’t say he grew up in a log cabin. Old time music wouldn’t be with us today if not for middle class kids who wanted to learn it. Seeger defended what he believed in all his life.