We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions
| We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions | ||||
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| Bruce Springsteen's studio album | ||||
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Publication |
2006 |
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admission |
1997, 2005, 2006 |
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| Label (s) | Columbia | |||
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Format (s) |
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Title (number) |
13/15/18 |
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running time |
60:34 |
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| occupation |
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Bruce Springsteen |
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We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions is an album that Bruce Springsteen recorded with the Seeger Sessions Band and released in 2006 on Columbia Records .
General
In 1997 Bruce Springsteen recorded We Shall Overcome for a tribute record for Pete Seeger , but as he himself wrote in the liner notes:
- "Growing up as a rock 'n' roll kid, I didn't know much about Pete's music or the size of his influence."
So he bought a few albums and was overwhelmed. Through Soozie Tyrell, the violin player of the E Street Band, he got to know some musicians from New York, including some who already took part on the tribute album and in 2005 and 2006 there were two one-day sessions each. The recordings can be described as live recordings because the recordings were made without rehearsals and you can hear Springsteen announcing the names of the musicians or new groups of instruments. The album is the first from Springsteen that consists exclusively of cover material and not only differs from Springsteen's previous work, but there are also differences to the recordings of the songs that Pete Seeger made himself. While Seeger usually plays his songs simply orchestrated, Springsteen's arrangements are lush. The selection includes work songs, spirituals and protest songs, it is possible to view the album and song selection as Springsteen's subtle commentary on the state of America.
In the United States, the album was released on DualDisc , one side of which contains the CD, the second the film about the recordings and the album in PCM stereo. In Europe, the album includes a CD with the album and a DVD with the film. In addition to the CD edition, the album is also available as a long-playing record. The album comes with a booklet with Bruce Springsteen's liner notes, as well as the lyrics and notes on the individual songs.
The album reached # 3 on the Billboard Top 200.
Track list
CD
- Old Dan Tucker - 2:31
- Jesse James - 3:47
- Mrs. McGrath - 4:19
- O Mary Don't You Weep - 6:04
- John Henry - 5:07
- Erie Canal - 4:03
- Jacob's Ladder - 4:28
- My Oklahoma - 6:03 am
- Eyes on the Prize - 5:16
- Shenandoah - 4:52
- Pay Me My Money Down - 4:32
- We Shall Overcome - 4:53
- Froggie Went a Courtin - 4:33
DualDisc extra title
- Buffalo Gals - 3:12
- How Can I Keep from Singing? - 2:20
American Land Edition extra title
- Buffalo Gals - 3:12
- How Can I Keep from Singing? - 2:20
- How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live? - 3:23
- Bring Em Home - 3:36
- American Land - 4:44
DVD
The DVD contains a 40-minute video (director: Thom Zimny) about the recordings of the CD with comments by the artists as well as four live tour videos from How Can A Poor Man ... , Bring `Em Home , American Land and Pay Me My Money Down .
criticism
- Rolling Stone : "These big-band treatments combine Dixieland brass, cantina accordions and barn-dance fiddles [...]" ( "This big band combines Dixieland blowers, cantina accordion and violins from dance in the barn [...]" )
- Entertainment Weekly : "He isn't afraid to mix in some merriment with the message." ( "He's not afraid to mix happiness in the message." )
- Q : "It's good to hear Springsteen with the pressure off, tapping deep into the bedrock of American music and singing and playing for the sheer joy of it." ( "It's good to hear Springsteen without pressure, diving deep into the past of American music, playing and singing just for the sheer joy of it." )
- Q: "It proved to be a rip-roaring masterstroke." ( "It turns out to be a great masterpiece." )
- Mojo : "[...] this is a Springsteen as you've never heard him before [...]" ( "[...] this is a Springsteen like you've never heard him [...] " )
Awards
- Grammy : 2007 Best Traditional Folk Album
- Rank 29 Rolling Stone "The Top 50 Albums Of 2006"
- Rank 16 Q Magazine "100 Greatest Albums of 2006"
Web links
- We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions on brucespringsteen.net (English)
- We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions at Discogs (English)
- We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions at Allmusic (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Liner Notes We shall overcome by Bruce Springsteen
- ↑ a b All Music Guide Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
- ↑ All Music Guide - Charts and Awards
- ↑ a b CD Universe - Product information