Artist: Paul Robeson
Title: Paul Robeson: The Complete EMI Sessions 1928-1939
Year Of Release: 2008
Label: Warner Classics
Genre: Traditional Pop, Vocal, Gospel
Quality: FLAC (tracks)
Total Time: 07:56:19
WebSite: Album Preview

Tracklist:

CD1

1. Paul Robeson – Kern_ Show Boat, Act 1_ _Ol’ Man River_ (Live At the Dury Lane Theatre)
2. Paul Robeson – Johnson, J. Rosamond_ Since You Went Away, _Seems Lak To Me_
3. Paul Robeson – Cook, Will Marion_ Down De Lover’s Lane
4. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Scandalize My Name
5. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Sinner Please Doan’ Let dis Harves’ Pass
6. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Weepin’ Mary
7. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ I Want to Be Ready
8. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ My Lord What a Mornin’
9. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ De Li’l Pickaninny’s Gone to Sleep
10. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Git On Board Li’l Children
11. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Dere’s No Hidin’ Place
12. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Plantation Songs (Part 1)_ So Early in the Morning – Carry Me Back to Old Virginia – Old Folks at Home – Goodnight La
13. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Plantation Songs (Part 2)_ Away Down South in Dixie – Poor Old Joe – Oh, Susanna – My Old Kentucky Home
14. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Oh Rock Me Julie
15. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Oh Didn’t It Rain
16. Paul Robeson – Donaldson_ My Mammy
17. Paul Robeson – Waller _ Tunbridge_ Roll Away, Clouds (from _Virginia_)
18. Paul Robeson – Henderson, Ray_ Sonny Boy (from the 1928 Lloyd Bacon’s Musical Movie _The Singing Fool_)
19. Paul Robeson – Henderson, Ray_ Little Pal (from the 1929 Lloyd Bacon’s Musical Movie _Say It with Songs_)
20. Paul Robeson – Shilkret, Nathaniel_ The Lonesome Road
21. Paul Robeson – Phillips, Alexander_ Just Keepin’ On
22. Paul Robeson – Nevin, Ethelbert_ Mighty Lak’ a Rose
23. Paul Robeson – Henderson, Ray_ Mammy is Gone

CD2

1. Paul Robeson – Robinson_ Hail De Crown
2. Paul Robeson – Cook, Will Marion_ 3 Negro Songs_ II. Exhortation. A Negro Sermon, _Remember, if a brudder smotes_
3. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ I Stood on the Ribber Jordan – Peter Go Ring Dem Bells
4. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Go Down Moses
5. Paul Robeson – Keirn Brennan_ High Water
6. Paul Robeson – Foster_ Old Folks at Home, _Swanee River_
7. Paul Robeson – Foster_ Old Black Joe
8. Paul Robeson – Foster_ My Old Kentucky Home
9. Paul Robeson – Kern_ Show Boat, Act 1_ _Ol’ Man River_ (Joe)
10. Paul Robeson – Woods, Harry M._ River Stay ‘Way from My Door
11. Paul Robeson – Carmichael, Hoagy_ Rockin’ Chair
12. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Medley of Spirituals
13. Paul Robeson – Robison_ My Heart is Where the Mohawk Flows Tonight
14. Paul Robeson – Kester_ The Folks I Used to Know
15. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Yes Lord, Oh Lord (Variation of _Mary Had a Baby_)
16. Paul Robeson – Johnson, J. Rosamond_ Lil’ Gal
17. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Bear De Burden – All God’s Chillun Got Wing
18. Paul Robeson – Brown, Ray_ That’s Why Darkies Were Born (from _George White’s Scandals of 1931_)
19. Paul Robeson – Muse, Clarence_ When It’s Sleepy Time Down South, _Sleepy Time Down South_ (from the 1931 William A. Wellman’s Movie _Safe in Hell
20. Paul Robeson – Marshall-Hall_ Seekin’

CD3

1. Paul Robeson – Carey, Lewis_ Nearer My God, to Thee
2. Paul Robeson – Gounod_ Le Calvaire_ _Il est au loin une colline_ – Sung in English, _There is a green hill far away_
3. Paul Robeson – Strickland_ Mah Lindy Lou
4. Paul Robeson – Clutsam_ Ma Curly-Headed Babby
5. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Pilgrim Song
6. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Roll the Old Chariot_ _Oh, a drop of Nelson’s blood_
7. Paul Robeson – Johnson, J. Rosamond_ Since You Went Away
8. Paul Robeson – Cook, Will Marion_ Wid De Moon Moon Moon
9. Paul Robeson – Wiley_ Got the South in My Soul
10. Paul Robeson – Clapham_ Hush-A-Bye Lullaby, _Rock-a-bye Baby_
11. Paul Robeson – Klenner_ Round the Bend of the Road
12. Paul Robeson – Parker_ Take Me Away from the River, _Song from the Viper_
13. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
14. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ On Ma Journey
15. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Bye and Bye
16. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Were You There
17. Paul Robeson – Cook, Will Marion_ 3 Negro Songs_ I. Swing Along, _Swing along, Chillun, along de lane_
18. Paul Robeson – Blake _ Sissie_ Piccaninny Shoes
19. Paul Robeson – Berwick _ Warren_ In a Narrow Street
20. Paul Robeson – Pepper_ Carry Me Back to Green Pastures
21. Paul Robeson – Carmichael, Hoagy_ Lazy Bones
22. Paul Robeson – Bishop_ Blue Prelude
23. Paul Robeson – Various Composers_ Medley I, Pt. 1_ Roll De Ole Chariot – Mary Had a Baby – Swing Low – Heav’n, Heav’n
24. Paul Robeson – Various Composers_ Medley I, Pt. 2_ Carry me Back – Mighty Lak’ a Rose – Round the Bend of the Road – River Stay ‘Way From my Door

CD4

1. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Fat Li’l Fella Wid His Mammy’s Eyes
2. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Shortnin’ Bread
3. Paul Robeson – Carmichael, Hoagy_ Snowball
4. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Water Boy
5. Paul Robeson – Noll_ Doan’ You Cry Ma Honey
6. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Steal Away
7. Paul Robeson – McCarthy _ Simon_ Scarecrow
8. Paul Robeson – DeRose_ Wagon Wheels
9. Paul Robeson – Boretz _ Samuels_ So Shy
10. Paul Robeson – Anonymous_ Piccaninny’s Slumber Song
11. Paul Robeson – Handy, Christopher_ St. Louis Blues
12. Paul Robeson – Trinkaus_ Mammy’s Little Kinky-Headed Boy
13. Paul Robeson – Wayne _ Hoffman _ Sigler_ Little Man, You’ve Had a Busy Day
14. Paul Robeson – Franklin_ I Ain’t Lazy, I’m Just Dreaming
15. Paul Robeson – Homer_ Bandanna Ballads, Op. 22_ IV. A Banjo Song, _I plays de banjo better now_ (With marked rhythm)
16. Paul Robeson – Various Composers_ Medley II_ Lazy Bones – Scarecrow – Fat Li’l Feller – Wagon Wheels – Deep River – Ma Curly-Headed Baby – Carry
17. Paul Robeson – Spoliansky_ Love Song (from the 1935 Zoltán Korda’s Film _Sanders of the River_)
18. Paul Robeson – Spoliansky_ Congo Lullaby (from the 1935 Zoltán Korda’s Film _Sanders of the River_)
19. Paul Robeson – Spoliansky_ Canoe Song (from the 1935 Zoltán Korda’s Film _Sanders of the River_)
20. Paul Robeson – Spoliansky_ Killing Song (from the 1935 Zoltán Korda’s Film _Sanders of the River_)
21. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Shenandoah
22. Paul Robeson – Strickland_ Jes’ Mah Song
23. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ De Ole Ark’s A-Movering
24. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Ezekiel Saw De Wheel
25. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Joshua Fit De Battle Ob Jericho

CD5

1. Paul Robeson – Van Alstyne_ Dat’s All, _Honey_
2. Paul Robeson – Seress_ Gloomy Sunday, _Hungarian Suicide Song_
3. Paul Robeson – Kern_ Show Boat, Act 1_ _Ol’ Man River_ (Film Version)
4. Paul Robeson – Kern_ Ah Still Suits Me (from the the 1936 James Whale’s Film _Show Boat_)
5. Paul Robeson – Ansell_ Sleepy River (from the 1936 James Elder Wills’ Film _Song of Freedom_)
6. Paul Robeson – Ansell_ Lonely Road (from the 1936 James Elder Wills’ Film _Song of Freedom_)
7. Paul Robeson – Ansell_ Song of Freedom (from the 1936 James Elder Wills’ Film _Song of Freedom_)
8. Paul Robeson – Ansell_ The Black Emperor (from the 1936 James Elder Wills’ Film _Song of Freedom_)
9. Paul Robeson – Guion_ Mam’selle Marie
10. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Dere’s No Hidin’ Place
11. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Oh! No John
12. Paul Robeson – Cockram_ Passing By_ _There is a lady sweet and kind_
13. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Hammer Song
14. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Lil’ David
15. Paul Robeson – Carr, Michael_ My Way (from the the 1937 Thornton Freeland’s Film _Jericho_)
16. Paul Robeson – Carr, Michael_ Golden River (from the the 1937 Thornton Freeland’s Film _Jericho_)
17. Paul Robeson – Spoliansky_ Wagon Song, _Ho! Ho!_ (from the the 1937 Robert Stevenson’s Film _King Solomon’s Mines_)
18. Paul Robeson – Spoliansky_ The Mountain Song, _Climbing up_ (from the the 1937 Robert Stevenson’s Film _King Solomon’s Mines_)
19. Paul Robeson – Ansell_ Lazin’ (from the 1937 James Elder Wills’ Film _Big Fella_)
20. Paul Robeson – Ansell_ I Don’t Know What’s Wrong
21. Paul Robeson – Ansell_ Roll up Sailorman (from the 1937 James Elder Wills’ Film _Big Fella_)
22. Paul Robeson – Ansell_ You Didn’t Oughta Do Such Things
23. Paul Robeson – Carr_ Deep Desert (from the the 1937 Thornton Freeland’s Film _Jericho_)
24. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child
25. Paul Robeson – Minstrel Man (Text by Langston Hughes)
26. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ The Wanderer

CD6

1. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Dere’s a Man Goin’ Round’ Takin’ Names
2. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ No More
3. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Work All De Summer
4. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel_
5. Paul Robeson – Gruber_ Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht (Sung in English)
6. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ All Through the Night
7. Paul Robeson – Ellington_ Solitude
8. Paul Robeson – Ellington_ Mood Indigo
9. Paul Robeson – Gershwin_ Porgy and Bess, Act 1 Scene 1_ _Summertime_ (Clara)
10. Paul Robeson – Gershwin_ Porgy and Bess, Act 2 Scene 1_ _It Take a Long Pull to Get There_ (Jake)
11. Paul Robeson – Gershwin_ Porgy and Bess, Act 2 Scene 2_ _It Ain’t Necessarily So_ (Sportin’ Life)
12. Paul Robeson – Gershwin_ Porgy and Bess, Act 1 Scene 1_ _A Woman Is a Sometime Thing_ (Jake)
13. Paul Robeson – Jacobs-Bond_ 7 Songs as Unpretentious as the Wild Rose_ III. Just A-Wearyin’ For You (Moderato)
14. Paul Robeson – Cadman_ Songs, Op. 29_ I. At Dawning, I Love You, _When the down flames in the sky_ (Con molta espressione)
15. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Song of the Volga Boatmen
16. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ An Eriskay Love-Lilt
17. Paul Robeson – Kilenyi_ 5 Popular Mexican Songs_ I. Encantadora Maria
18. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Goin’ to Ride Up in De Chariot
19. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Every Time I Feel de Spirit
20. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Lay Down Late
21. Paul Robeson – Mussorgsky_ Songs and Dances of Death_ IV. The Field Marshal
22. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ David of the White Rock
23. Paul Robeson – Rasbach_ Trees
24. Paul Robeson – Dvorák_ Gypsy Songs, Op. 55, B. 104_ IV. Songs My Mother Taught Me (Andante con moto) – arr. for Voice and Orchestra
25. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Loch Lomond
26. Paul Robeson – Calcott_ Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes

CD7

1. Paul Robeson – Cook, Will Marion_ Down de Lovers’ Lane
2. Paul Robeson – Grechaninov_ 5 Songs, Op. 1_ No. 5, Berceuse, _Dors, mignon, près de ta mère!_ (Sung in English)
3. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Night (Russian Folk Song)
4. Paul Robeson – The Little Black Boy (Reading of William Blake’s Poem)
5. Paul Robeson – Layton_ Dear Old Southland
6. Paul Robeson – Parry_ Jerusalem, on a Text by William Blake, Op. 208_ _And did those feet in ancient time_
7. Paul Robeson – Clarke_ The Blind Ploughman
8. Paul Robeson – Norton_ Chu Chin Chow, Act 2_ The Cobbler’s Song (Baba Mustafa)
9. Paul Robeson – Malashkin_ Oh Could I But Express in Song
10. Paul Robeson – Carpenter, Libbie Davidson_ Love At My Heart
11. Paul Robeson – Carpenter, Libbie Davidson_ Nothin’
12. Paul Robeson – Nevin_ The Rosary_ _The hours I spent with thee, dear heart_
13. Paul Robeson – Jacobs-Bond_ A Perfect Day_ _When you come to the end of a perfect day_
14. Paul Robeson – Metcalf_ Absent_ _Sometimes, between long shadows on the grass_
15. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Black Eyes, Russian Gipsy Song (Arr. Rosa Newmarch)
16. Paul Robeson – De Koven_ Oh Promise Me_ _Oh, promise me that someday you and I_
17. Paul Robeson – Martini_ Plaisir d’amour_ _Plaisir d’amour ne dure qu’un moment_ (Molto lento)
18. Paul Robeson – Speaks, Oley_ Sylvia
19. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ She Is Far from the Land (Irish Folk Song)
20. Paul Robeson – Adams_ Thora
21. Paul Robeson – Quilter_ 3 Songs, Op. 3_ No. 2, Now Sleeps, _Now sleeps the crimson petal_ (Slow, with emphasis)
22. Paul Robeson – Ireland_ Sea Fever_ _I must go down to the seas again_ (Lento)
23. Paul Robeson – Williams, Thomas John_ Ebenezer, _Ton-y Botel_
24. Paul Robeson – James_ Hen Wlad fy Nhadau (National Anthem of Wales)
25. Paul Robeson – Traditional_ Deep River
26. Paul Robeson – Mendelssohn_ Elijah, Op. 70, Pt. 2_ No. 14, Aria, _Lord God of Abraham_ – No. 11, Baal Chorus, _Baal, we cry to Thee_ (Rehearsal)

Paul Robeson remains as well known as an actor and athlete as for his musical activities, and in general is a “big name” whose music most listeners have sampled only in bits and pieces. For that reason alone, this seven-disc compilation of Robeson’s EMI recordings, made in Britain, would be worth a place in libraries and collections; it presents music by the great African-American bass not in bits and pieces but in collections that show the full range of his activities and capture a whole arc of his career. Missing among the types of music Robeson recorded are only his explicitly leftist workers’ anthems, which generally date from years later than the 1939 cutoff point of this set. Beyond that, the first thing to strike the listener may be the vast range of music with which Robeson was comfortable. He is best known for African-American spirituals and for the artful quasi-spiritual language of Jerome Kern’s “Ol’ Man River” and similar items. But even a quick Internet sampling of this set will reveal much more. A partial list would include early African-American musical theater (Robeson’s several versions of Will Marion Cook’s “Down de Lovers Lane” convey perhaps the best idea yet of what these shows sounded like in their time); minstrel and “plantation” songs like Dixie, from both white and black composers (some of them irredeemably racist by today’s standards); pop songs including a glorious set by Hoagy Carmichael; operetta; folk songs from Russia and elsewhere; parlor-room classics by Ethelbert Nevin and Carrie Jacobs Bond; country and western music (which were separate genres at the time); and American and British art songs. Robeson sounds as natural singing of “England’s green and pleasant land” in Hubert Parry’s Jerusalem (CD 7, track 6) as in a spiritual like Steal Away. The British origin of the recordings results in a few ridiculous moments, but Robeson spent years in Britain (especially in Wales, whose industrial struggles played a key role in the development of his activist consciousness), and in general the box represents the mainstream of Robeson’s career in the late ’20s and 1930s, not one of its tributaries. The remastering is superb, and the original recordings, with the later ones supervised by legendary producer Walter Legge, were impressive enough in their own time. The booklet notes, in English, French, and German, basically present a brief Robeson biography with a slight emphasis on the European phases of his career, but the track list is detailed and informative in itself. A major historical release that is highly listenable in itself.