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Pick a Bale of Cotton

"Pick a Bale of Cotton" (sometimes "Pick a Bale o' Cotton") is a traditional American folk song and work song first recorded by Texas inmates James "Iron Head" Baker (1933)[1] and Mose "Clear Rock" Platt (1939)[2] and later popularized by Lead Belly (Huddie William Ledbetter). Johnny Cash, as well as others, have released adaptations of the song.

Original lyrics edit

One of the verses, according to John Lomax's American Ballads and Folk Songs, includes:[3]

Dat nigger from Shiloh
Kin pick a bale o' cotton
Dat nigger from Shiloh
Kin pick a bale a day

Later versions of the folk song had amended the lyrics to:

Gonna jump down, turn around
Pick a bale of cotton
Gonna jump down, turn around
Pick a bale a day
Oh lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Oh lordy, pick a bale a day

The song is sung with increasing speed as it progresses, with ensuing verses having references to "me and my wife" replaced with the likes of "me and my gal", "me and my papa", "me and my friend".[3]

Covers edit

The song has been covered by many artists including Harry Belafonte (under the name "Jump Down, Spin Around" on Belafonte, 1955), The Vipers Skiffle Group, The Quarrymen and Lonnie Donegan.[4]

Johnny Cash edit

"Pick a Bale o' Cotton"
Single by Johnny Cash
A-side"Bonanza!"
B-side"Pick a Bale o' Cotton"
ReleasedJuly 1962 (1962-07)/August 1962 (1962-08)
LabelColumbia 4-42512
Producer(s)Don Law and Frank Jones[5]
Audio
"Pick a Bale o' Cotton" on YouTube

Johnny Cash released an adaptation[6][7] on a single for Columbia Records (Columbia 4-42512, with "Bonanza!" on the flip side.[8] That version of the song appears in the Cash compilation album The Legend.[7] It was released in July[9] or August 1962.[10]

Personnel edit

Other adaptations edit

Allan Sherman performed a parody in the early 1960s which included the lyric, "Jump down, spin around, pick a dress of cotton / Jump down, spin around, pick a dress o' wool."

Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee recorded it as a duo. Sonny Terry also recorded it with Woody Guthrie.

ABBA recorded it as a medley, the other tunes in the medley being "On Top of Old Smoky" and "Midnight Special". The track just titled "Medley" was recorded in 1975 and was the B-side to the 1978 vinyl single "Summer Night City". The medley also appeared as a track on the German charity album Im Zeichen eines guten Sterns on Polydor. The medley reappeared in the 1994 4-CD boxed set compilation Thank You for the Music and on the 2012 remastered ABBA as a bonus track.

Children's music artist Raffi recorded the song on his 1979 album, The Corner Grocery Store.

The song is sung by members of Navin Johnson (Steve Martin's) family under the opening and end credits of Martin's 1979 comedy The Jerk.

Dead Kennedys drummer D.H. Peligro recorded a version of this song under the name "Black Bean Chili Thing" on the 1995 self-titled album of his band Peligro.

Ludacris implemented the verse in his 2005 single "The Potion" as a breakdown before the third verse. He also references the verse in his feature on Missy Elliott's 2002 song "Gossip Folks" on the last line of his verse.

In 2014, Country and Irish singer Derek Ryan covered it in his 2014 album The Simple Things also releasing a music video.[11]

At some point the tune was adapted to the Hebrew words of “Mishenichnas Adar” — “[A Person] Who Enters Adar” — which is based on a line from the Talmud (Ta’anit 29a) that means “When a person enters Adar, their joy should be increased.” Adar is a Hebrew month — and home to the happy holiday of Purim. [1]

Changed perspective edit

The song, particularly its original lyrics, has been criticized as racist and reminiscent of—and glorifying—the slavery period in American history. The original lyrics contained the racial slur nigger multiple times.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ Baker, James. (1933) 1997. "Pick a bale o' cotton." On Field Recordings Vol. 13 1933-1943. Dumfries & Galloway, UK: Document Records.
  2. ^ Platt, Mose. 1939. "Pick a Bale 'o Cotton." Washington, DC: Library of Congress. Digital id: hdl.loc.gov/loc.afc/afcss39.2643a2
  3. ^ a b c Lomax, J. (1934). American ballads and folk songs. New York. The MacMillan Company.
  4. ^ "Pick a Bale of Cotton". HistoryWired. Smithsonian Institution. 16 March 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2013. Includes lyrics of song
  5. ^ "Johnny Cash - Bonanza! / Pick A Bale O' Cotton". Discogs. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
  6. ^ John L. Smith (1 January 1999). Another Song to Sing: The Recorded Repertoire of Johnny Cash. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-3629-7.
  7. ^ a b C. Eric Banister (1 August 2014). Johnny Cash FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Man in Black. Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-1-61713-608-5.
  8. ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 11 August 1962. pp. 51–. ISSN 0006-2510.
  9. ^ The Johnny Cash Record Catalog. Greenwood Publishing Group. 1994. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-313-29506-5.
  10. ^ Steve Turner (2005-10-30). The Man Called CASH: The Life, Love and Faith of an American Legend. Thomas Nelson. pp. 246–. ISBN 978-1-4185-7809-1.
  11. ^ Music video - Derek Ryan - "Pick a bale of Cotton" (Nov 29, 2014)

pick, bale, cotton, sometimes, pick, bale, cotton, traditional, american, folk, song, work, song, first, recorded, texas, inmates, james, iron, head, baker, 1933, mose, clear, rock, platt, 1939, later, popularized, lead, belly, huddie, william, ledbetter, john. Pick a Bale of Cotton sometimes Pick a Bale o Cotton is a traditional American folk song and work song first recorded by Texas inmates James Iron Head Baker 1933 1 and Mose Clear Rock Platt 1939 2 and later popularized by Lead Belly Huddie William Ledbetter Johnny Cash as well as others have released adaptations of the song Contents 1 Original lyrics 2 Covers 2 1 Johnny Cash 2 2 Personnel 2 3 Other adaptations 3 Changed perspective 4 ReferencesOriginal lyrics editOne of the verses according to John Lomax s American Ballads and Folk Songs includes 3 Dat nigger from Shiloh Kin pick a bale o cotton Dat nigger from Shiloh Kin pick a bale a day Later versions of the folk song had amended the lyrics to Gonna jump down turn around Pick a bale of cotton Gonna jump down turn around Pick a bale a day Oh lordy pick a bale of cotton Oh lordy pick a bale a day The song is sung with increasing speed as it progresses with ensuing verses having references to me and my wife replaced with the likes of me and my gal me and my papa me and my friend 3 Covers editThe song has been covered by many artists including Harry Belafonte under the name Jump Down Spin Around on Belafonte 1955 The Vipers Skiffle Group The Quarrymen and Lonnie Donegan 4 Johnny Cash edit Pick a Bale o Cotton Single by Johnny CashA side Bonanza B side Pick a Bale o Cotton ReleasedJuly 1962 1962 07 August 1962 1962 08 LabelColumbia 4 42512Producer s Don Law and Frank Jones 5 Audio Pick a Bale o Cotton on YouTube Johnny Cash released an adaptation 6 7 on a single for Columbia Records Columbia 4 42512 with Bonanza on the flip side 8 That version of the song appears in the Cash compilation album The Legend 7 It was released in July 9 or August 1962 10 Personnel edit Johnny Cash vocal guitar Joe Hancock banjo Marshall Grant bass W S Holland drums Luther Perkins electric guitar Bill Pursell piano Other adaptations edit Allan Sherman performed a parody in the early 1960s which included the lyric Jump down spin around pick a dress of cotton Jump down spin around pick a dress o wool Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee recorded it as a duo Sonny Terry also recorded it with Woody Guthrie ABBA recorded it as a medley the other tunes in the medley being On Top of Old Smoky and Midnight Special The track just titled Medley was recorded in 1975 and was the B side to the 1978 vinyl single Summer Night City The medley also appeared as a track on the German charity album Im Zeichen eines guten Sterns on Polydor The medley reappeared in the 1994 4 CD boxed set compilation Thank You for the Music and on the 2012 remastered ABBA as a bonus track Children s music artist Raffi recorded the song on his 1979 album The Corner Grocery Store The song is sung by members of Navin Johnson Steve Martin s family under the opening and end credits of Martin s 1979 comedy The Jerk Dead Kennedys drummer D H Peligro recorded a version of this song under the name Black Bean Chili Thing on the 1995 self titled album of his band Peligro Ludacris implemented the verse in his 2005 single The Potion as a breakdown before the third verse He also references the verse in his feature on Missy Elliott s 2002 song Gossip Folks on the last line of his verse In 2014 Country and Irish singer Derek Ryan covered it in his 2014 album The Simple Things also releasing a music video 11 At some point the tune was adapted to the Hebrew words of Mishenichnas Adar A Person Who Enters Adar which is based on a line from the Talmud Ta anit 29a that means When a person enters Adar their joy should be increased Adar is a Hebrew month and home to the happy holiday of Purim 1 Changed perspective editThe song particularly its original lyrics has been criticized as racist and reminiscent of and glorifying the slavery period in American history The original lyrics contained the racial slur nigger multiple times 3 References edit Baker James 1933 1997 Pick a bale o cotton On Field Recordings Vol 13 1933 1943 Dumfries amp Galloway UK Document Records Platt Mose 1939 Pick a Bale o Cotton Washington DC Library of Congress Digital id hdl loc gov loc afc afcss39 2643a2 a b c Lomax J 1934 American ballads and folk songs New York The MacMillan Company Pick a Bale of Cotton HistoryWired Smithsonian Institution 16 March 2012 Retrieved 7 June 2013 Includes lyrics of song Johnny Cash Bonanza Pick A Bale O Cotton Discogs Retrieved 2019 01 20 John L Smith 1 January 1999 Another Song to Sing The Recorded Repertoire of Johnny Cash Scarecrow Press ISBN 978 0 8108 3629 7 a b C Eric Banister 1 August 2014 Johnny Cash FAQ All That s Left to Know About the Man in Black Backbeat Books ISBN 978 1 61713 608 5 Billboard Nielsen Business Media Inc 11 August 1962 pp 51 ISSN 0006 2510 The Johnny Cash Record Catalog Greenwood Publishing Group 1994 p 7 ISBN 978 0 313 29506 5 Steve Turner 2005 10 30 The Man Called CASH The Life Love and Faith of an American Legend Thomas Nelson pp 246 ISBN 978 1 4185 7809 1 Music video Derek Ryan Pick a bale of Cotton Nov 29 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pick a Bale of Cotton amp oldid 1223166053, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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