More of the incomparable Huddy Ledbetter, better known as Lead Belly
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Fun fact: Lead Belly was the original author of Black Betty. Ram Jam’s version, Spiderbait’s version and Tom Jones’ version are Lead Belly’s covers.
Well, kinda. There’s evidence of pretty much all of Lead Belly’s best known songs being common folk songs sung throughout the Mississippi Delta, but Lead Belly has the first recorded version of them.
So many of his songs were covered by some of the greatest.
The ram jam video is one of my favorite things, though.
Here’s a remastered and upscaled version of the whole song
The ram jam video is one of my favorite things
I’ve grown to like the Tom Jones cover best. I mean Tom Jones was already totally washed out and unsuitable for that style of music when he recorded it, wears ridiculous makeup, acts totally ridiculous for his age, and yet somehow the song gels.
Another fun fact: this song is based on a centuries-old folk song called The Maid Freed from the Gallows that has been sung in one form or another by everyone from Lead Belly to Bob Dylan to Led Zeppelin
