Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
"Man of Constant Sorrow" (also known as "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow") is a traditional American folk song first published by Dick Burnett, a partially blind fiddler from Kentucky. It was titled "Farewell Song" in a songbook by Burnett dated to around 1913. A version recorded by Emry Arthur in 1928 gave the song its current titles.
His play on "Man of Constant Sorrow" suggests he traveled extensively, possibly through Appalachia. He is known for recording songs about being an outlaw, despite being legally blind. [ 5 ] Delta Blind Billy is not to be confused with the earlier musician, Blind Billy, who was a former slave.
The song is a rewrite of "Man of Constant Sorrow" that she remembered from a hillbilly record (likely recorded by Emry Arthur in 1928) she had heard some years before in the mountains, but the lyrics she wrote was considerably different from the original after the first verse. [7] [8]
One of Emry's solos was the first recording of "I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow," which was released on 78-rpm record in 1928. Vocalion was impressed by good sales, particularly of the religious sides, and by the fact that Emry was Southern singer living conveniently in the North, so he was invited back to record frequently through 1928 and 1929.
Burnett has been described as "one of the great natural songsters, a man who collected, codified, and transmitted some of our best traditional songs. Dick was also a skilful composer and folk poet of considerable skill; his "Man of Constant Sorrow" remains one of the most evocative country songs." [1]
"Trouble" is this earthly life; the singer looks forward to a better, heavenly, one: "Trouble will soon be over, sorrow will have an end". The singer reflects that God was a friend to the Biblical King David , and hopes for like treatment: "I'll gauge that the same God that David served will give me rest some day".
The Christian rock band Jars of Clay have recorded "I'll Fly Away" twice, first, for the 2004 various artists compilation album, WOW Worship: Red and again for their own 2005 album, Redemption Songs. The latter features guest vocals by Sarah Kelly. Redemption Songs reached No. 1 on Billboard's Top Christian Albums chart and No. 71 on the ...
The Jubilee Singers sang a song with a similar chorus but with different tune and lyrics, entitled "Nobody Knows the Trouble I See," first published in 1872. The second line ("Nobody knows my sorrow") is changed in some renditions to be "Nobody knows but Jesus"; [5] found most often in American church hymnals.