Leadbelly Newsreel
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- This is an excerpt from a 1935 March of Time newsreel (produced by Time magazine) which re-enacts Leadbelly's release from Angola Prison, Louisiana. John Lomax plays himself, and Leadbelly performs 'Goodnight Irene'.
![The Making of Lead Belly: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection [Behind The Scenes Documentary]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/WIiVq-ZLQYw/mqdefault.jpg)
![Yailin La Mas Viral, @kreizyk.official - Dale 2 (Remix) [Video Oficial]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/JaYHBzgqz94/mqdefault.jpg)
According to Alan Lomax, Leadbelly was never upset about the condescending nature of this film, he was only upset that he was never paid
That seriously sucks so much
That seriously sucks so much
Getting upset over principle is for people with money.
@@thepagecollective Jeez. There's a thought.
This is what European Americas and the West have been doing for years.
However, with social media, that check will be paid soon.
Ignorance was so fashionable and normal back then. It was a simpler time but a scary time
Actually, the conversation is almost humane compared to how our ancestors treated men like Lead Belly. Women, Hispanics and immigrants went through the same soul-crushing experiences and slavery was the ghastliest of all of these. Many survived and could tell the tale.
Why was he called Lead Belly? Was it something to do with lead or his belly?
He was called “Leadbelly” as a nick name because his real name was Huddie Leadbetter.
well its pretty self explanatory, has nothing to do with lighting..... its a REENACTMENT
AshleySaysSo brought me.💯💯💯
LOL, "But it wasn't my fault, a man was trying to cut my head off (smiling)"
amazing how blacks got through those ultra racist times...simply amazing.
+nancy vandi why would we all be anesthetists? what do doctors who give anesthesia have to do with anything going on in this video or comments or the situation in society concerning any theme within this video or its comments?
It's truly staggering. I'm not American, so this isn't a part of my people's history, but I am British, and ... yeah. Not much better. In fact, we were in many ways worse. Just ask all those countries who now have independence days thanks to us.
@@MarquisSmith Yes, feel guilty, change your ways! It will only make countries like the US stronger.
@@MarquisSmith Britain did redeem it's self by abolishing slavery, William Wilberforce i believe was the genetleman who pushed for it.
@@plasticbudgie And that was a surprisingly long time back. Wilberforce starting his activism in the seventeen hundreds. So yeah, some great amongst the bad. All country's are like that, I reckon. As for the previous poster, I don't feel any direct guilt for what my countrymen did before I was even conceived - what would be the point? - I'm just aware of my history. As for what you meant about my guilt making the USA stronger, I'm sorry to report that I'm not quite crazy enough to follow your line of logic.
I had no idea there was video of Lead Belly. I love RUclips. I love the Internet.
Yes, that is Lead Belly, and he is 'acting', i.e. recreating actual events that took place only a year or two before this was shot. Apparently it's the only film with live sound ever shot of him.
There's a color one from 1945 too.
@@reggiekrager5411 Its dubbed.
Leadbelly is a treasure that everyone should witness! :D
Wouldn't it been interesting if they had movie cameras way back in the 1600's......what they would sound like back then? Because they way they talk in this video seems like a completely different world from today......it's erie.
+nikkiejanee1972 1600's?
yeah the 1600's.
Well, this is a re-enactment. They are acting. It's hard to talk normally in front of a camera.
Actually I think racism wasn't as well developed back then, I mean there was racist chattel slavery, but they hadn't refined it in the way that they did in the 1700s
In the 1600s, truth be told, the white people would have sounded like you think pirates sound, and the black people would have sounded like Africans who had recently learned English from those “pirates”. Both accents would have been very difficult to understand by most Americans living today, but not to people from the British Isles.
How odd our words and behavior will appear to those in the future.
Frankly, a lot of it seems odd to me now.
+colujomes so true
Yeah this video is just sickening and creepy
@@victorvelie3980 This video is just a re-creation of events that happened maybe a year prior but highly dramatized. Leadbelly and Lomax both understood how condescending this was but essentially just viewed it as a gig they had to do to bring attention to what would come to be known as the Lomax Musical Archive.
@@victorvelie3980 it is only video of leadbelly in existence, it was the Times they lived in sad but I'm very glad it exists, leadbelly was the the start of modern music
and he had it good compared to others....sadly enough...
Wow. That's some nightmarish racist shit that guy had to endure.
Snogburg Flanders thats the way society was back then and still is to some degree exvept its more passive aggressive now , white folks really dont want the nappyheaded black as night man ,next to him in his office when you have to intergrate because its socially polite means its not going to work......blacks should keep black money in their noeborhood why enrich the whiteman ,keep black money in black areas cause the whites do it....do you see whites spending money in black hoods, nope! and thats why we wont ever see total transperamcy in society cause we still are segregated
This is insane.... histocal culture on video tape on the internet. Makes a man shit with curiousity.
indeed my good man "shit with curiosity" couldn't have put better myself.
+spencer holder Quite. Love a good shite
The dialog in this short clip shouldn't diminish the outstanding accomplishments of either Leadbelly or Lomax. We can probably assume that all or most of the dialog and brief story line in the clip are heavily scripted by the news production team. It's just great to see these legends in moving pictures for our own eyes. If we want to truly witness these two, I'd recommend listening to one of the many Leadbelly tunes on YT or listen to a few Lomax field recordings.
Leadbelly had to do what he had to do, but Lomax shouldn't have agreed to this script.
"Leadbelly, you're a fine songster, I..I never heard so many good Negra songs"
It's negro, you're just trolling his accent. Negro means Black.
@@williammayhem5487 That's sorta the point, jackass
@@williammayhem5487no it don’t
@@williammayhem5487 american english negro doesn't mean black at all it means a black man
Not the Declaration of independence, the declaration of Rock !!! Huddie Leadbetter made everyone from the Beatles to Led Zeppelin take up Rock n Roll
Leadbelly is one of the greatest geniuses to ever bless mankind ...
The comments at the end of this video putting the good Professor Ledbetter's work on par with the Declaration of Independence & other documents of monumental historical importance is right on the money. Leadbelly remains one of the greatest musical visionaries of all time & an absolute master of the folk rock idiom. He also apparently had a remarkable presence on camera & it would have been amazing to see him pursue a film career. A great 3 song live clip produced by Pete Seeger also survives.
It's true though, someone was trying to cut his head off and that is why he has a big scar on his neck.
I sure ain't offended by it, it was just the reality of the times.
lol best user account name EVER
Theres a difference between "authentic" vs pure. There is no pure music. Its a mixture of all kinds of things European/Anglo influences songs,ballads like "Gallows Pole" that go back to Medieval England
The bards sure did not play it the way Leadbelly did. "Kisses Sweeter than Wine" was an Irish ballad that Leadbelly heard sung in NYC and syncopated it / Is it "Folk Music" Damn sure it is! Is it Pure? What is pure As in racial purity - No way!
HUDDIE is acting obviously ,and getting paid for it ,he didnt realise that three quarters of a century later ,the world would be watching him ,via the internet and still be speechless at the talent +wisdom +passion that he emits ,,,,thank god for blues men and women as our lives would be empty in this moment of time without them +the determination of those that promoted them +recorded them in such primitive dark times ,,,,,,thanx to you alll ,,,..
Long live Lead
I've read that Lomax in real life was actually scared shitless of Leadbelly, who really was a genuine badass...
John Lomax or his son, Alan Lomax?
@@carsonwyler4047 John
Jesus! The level to which they made this man degrade himself!
Guitcad1
It's disgusting, isn't it?
The man is a legend.
At least we can appreciate him now.
If he hadn't played ball, we may never have had heard of him.
The irony of this vignette is not lost on me though.
Sad world.
This is what's its like to be black
Defensor Rationis I don't see this as degrading himself. I see a man playing a part to get what he could to better his situation. Who really was "playing" whom?
was, don't disrespect their suffering with comparing it to yours.
Those were much harder times
dont use the lords name in vain
Guess he had to do what he could to ensure his freedom. Dang.
b.t.w.
NOT a newsreel.
It's a promotion of Leadbelly, done by Lomax and Leadbelly!, when Lomax agreed to promote his songs. He is appearing in prison garb, as without this "job", (as a driver), he would not be out of prison from his second felony (attempted murder, stabbing). After a few appearences in prison garb, he then started wearing suits, and didnt talk like he was talking to a prison guard. This is not news, but sales.
This is really embarrassing to watch and also the level of acceptance in some of the comments for this degrading stuff (extra clapping, "boy," "my man," ew). He was talented, but at the same time, idk, I can feel racism in America just through this screen. It really hurts. It also sucks that he was a criminal who was pardoned too because of his talent...idk...just all of it together is interesting, bittersweet, and degrading.
It's really saddening.
Shoulda busted that guitar over Bosses head...wtf were people thinking?
"Just once more Leadbellay" epic southern drawl!!!
Ooooooh yeah! 😆
Lead Belly...what determination he had...he was a remarkable "songster". Great songs that made millions were written by Lead Belly...Goodnight Irene, Midnight Special, Cotton Fields.
So awesome that his music is in the Library of Congress 😎👍🏻
The record producers made Lomax and Leadbelly reenact the events. In realty Leadbelly pretty much forced Lomax to give him a job. But the time that he was with Lomax was a time of growth and maturity for him.
My Grandfather was Robert Lockwood Jr. I've meet tons of old blues guys. Grandpa was a cantankerous man in his old age. I honestly believe this was as the result of the shucking and jiving black folks were REQUIRED to do at the time in order to live. One false move and black guy could be jailed or killed without a protest to follow. As he aged and times changed he seemed to bend the other way. He frequently made it difficult for white journalists initially but then would smile off the awkwardness and pressure he'd have them under. he'd make a few squirm. He never admitted this was his goal it just sure seemed like it was. I didn't care for it. I appreciate the piece as it is. Times were rough then. Leadbelly made money and gained notoriety by remembering a few short terrible lines. I meet his family at a Severance Hall Event where he was honored. They weren't complaining. In fact, they were eating in part do to a few short terrible lines.
amazing. thanks. what has your life been like ? you look happy.
Thank you for sharing your great insights. Your grandfather was an amazing musician!
Thank you for sharing your insights. That 'newsreel' is so painful to watch now ... but - I guess it worked.
So that means your step great grandfather was Robert Johnson, then? That's awesome!
It's weird that leadbelly comes out of jail and says he owes his life to lomax. Sounds more like slavery.
GRAND Leadbelly!!!🙏💯💯💯
Leadbelly....one of our best men
😍👤🎩
He stayed out of prison and trouble and learned his potential to be an artist and Lomax preserved his legendarda
No he didn't he went back to prison for stabbing another man 16 times after this lol but he got out again so...
If that's really Leadbelly why does it say reenactment? I'm guessing the guys are real and the scenario is reenacted?
yes it is the real article acting out his scenes and its pure gold
Did John Lomax always travel with a large string orchestra or were they inmates of Angola? Lead Belly is the king without corny enhancements.
Lomax hired the prison guards to find their most talented black men to "write" songs. Leadbelly was their man. Law enforcement profited from Leadbelly, but Lomax could only hire him as a song writer. But, as an artist, he was LOVED. So, Lomax agreed to "hire" him, as was the need to get out early from his second felony (attempted murder), as a "driver", but everyone involved knew he would be singing. He got out early, and Lomax and Leadbetter sold his bad boy rep, to sell more. He performed in his prison garb. After a while, the prison garb disappeared, and Leadbetter appeared in a suit, and more articulate. (So, it all appears to be an act). He even got interviews and a radio gig. In NY, he also got convicted of another stabbing (his second), but this time he only got 8 months. For a man in that time in history, there is a shocking amount of recordings of speaking, and singing from him.
Django Reinhardt
don't be ashamed...i don't think he's acting at all w/ limited to no education, his dialect should be expected. this was during the 30's & w/ leadbelly being from one of the most racially loyal southern states of that time, his speech was standard. so, instead of concentrating on his broken english & the obvious disparagement of his agent, comprehend the phenomenal reality of this recording even existing & the blessing it has afforded us to be able to SEE such an influential & respected icon.
That was truly cringey.
It wasn't Leadbelly's broken English (?) but the tone a black man had to use when talking to a white man and also the tone a "superior" white man felt he could use in his patronising, which stuck in my craw. Mind you, it's easy to take the moral highground when you're not surrounded by bigots who'd string up anyone higher on the food-chain than themselves.
Lead Belly needed a job to remain on parole. There were not many jobs available during the Great Depression. Lomax did him a big favor by hiring him.
GOODNESS This man was huge and will go down as sexy in my book nothing more sexy than a huge black man. Altho i hate the way they have him acting as a slave in this...SAD
This is awesome. Sierra Ferrell did a good remake of this song.
I work at Angola a lot. The farm...
The plantation*...😬
Any one else think this is beyond fucked up?
It was made over a century ago. Leadbelly is lucky he didnt get lynched for the life he led. Back then this was probably a compliment to him
A century? Are you nuts?
he was convicted around 1918 I think, the pardon was quite a bit later though, and the video from 1935
No this is literally how they treated black people back then. No surprise at all.
"just once more leadbellay"
haha, this is awesome.
Lomax profited from Leadbelly, while he was in prison. What is going on here, is Lomax, agreed to be responsible for Leadbelly, and employ him (but they were already paying the prison). They employed him as a "driver", to get him out, but this was not true. Leadbelly, performed in the prison garb. Leadbelly, later stabbed a third man in NY, but only served eight months for his final felony. He had a radio show, he got back to. So, after Lomax helped him out, Lomax profited, and Leadbelly profited, but Leadbelly, got an early release, and they both exploited his bad boy rep, to sell. and sell they did. Leadbelly, was out of prison only 14 years after his second incarceration, but in those 14 years, he amassed 100K in net worth. Others have made millions off of his song, but they have not spent most of their adult life in prison. What's also weird, if you think about it, that the Louisiana officials profited, by farming Leadbelly out to write/sing songs, while he was in prison. Everyone was bragging about their discovered talent. (weird). Leadbelly had radio shows, and interviews.
Well, of course. Semantics. Simulated live, if you will. It's a great opportunity to see Leadbelly's dexterity on the guitar, though. He rips through "Pick A Bale Of Cotton" like the virtuoso that he was.
Nirvana song
This is almost Tim and Erric vibes
@AUSROTTENY2K It's 'Goodnight, Irene', one of Leadbelly's 'good nigra songs' that went on to become a folk and country standard.
When the Weavers had their hit after Lead Belly passed, the lyrics were, "I'll see you in my dreams. Lead Belly sang it, " I gets you in my dreams."
Leadbelly was lucky to get out of the set up with Lomax who clearly sets himself up as a saviour here and belittles him.. Leadbetter was Woody Guthries good friend and the 2 of them rose above the adversity that life had heaped on them and became famous. .which is what Graphic and Thos don't really like.
John lomax....allan lomax? How are these guys related?
nikkiejanee1972 Father and son.
Okay, thanks. Alan must be the younger one
David Everdell sure glad charles manson can't sing. just kidding. leadbelly had been through a lot of things before stardom that would lead you to believe he was a pretty bad apple but if anyone today black or white had to endure the things he did most couldn't make it. just think if he would of had that opportunity earlier in life he might not had to kill anyone well at least till he got drunk. he had chicken georges personality that a lot of folks back then took to. remember when the hillbilly on ducks or us made some people really mad for stating the truth about race relations not to long ago. back then at least on the surface all that shucking and jiving was necessary for survival. the black man knew his place and as long as he stayed there everything was cool. i would venture to guess that leadbelly was better than most at reading peoples motives and how to deal with it the best he could. he knew if he didn't stay sharp he'd get an even shorter end of the stick than he was already getting. just saying
jojo jana Actually, Charles Manson did sing.
this is seriously fucked up. but this is the perfect reflection of how fucked up the times were then. this man was more successful in songwriting and performing and basically laying a line for folk and blues music and this is the kind of shit he had to re-enact back then. what a travesty. im glad that we are where we are as a nation at least now but we still white vs. black everyday sometimes the majority of americans are americans and understand that we are all one. RIP THE LATE GREAT LEADBELLY
@colujomes Yea the Lomax father and son went to the South looking for "authentic american folk music." they thought they hit gold when they found him at a prison in the south because he had been isolated from mainstream culture. turns out when they brought him to nyc to showcase him, he clearly was playing music that wasnt his own, but from a wide array of influences. Authentic american folk music simply doesnt exist.
I would agree but there have been many instances of injustices. I am very disturbed by these "tea baggers" and anti immigrant rants and calls of "socialism" Every year 40,00+ Americans die from no health insurance (American Journal of Public Health Sept 2009) There is still a level of hatred and intolerance in this country. Not as bad as the attitudes depicted in this newsreel but they are there and need to be confronted.
This is the kind of information our history books ignore. There is a movement calling for compensation to African American families for the damages of slavery and segregation. I am not sure I agree with that but I believe we need a discussion about the contributions of African Americans to our society. Too many of us believed that we closed the book on race when Barak Obama was elected president. We were wrong
The truth is far more interesting, yet this mythologized (and now offensive) version of the Leadbelly-Lomax story is, nonetheless, a rare precious document of America's greatest folksinger. A handful of photos and only a few minutes of film exist, besides the many wonderful songs. See the Smithsonian Last Sessions recordings and the Moses Asch/Alan Lomax, eds., The Leadbelly Songbook.
Cringe! Aside from the neo-slavery undertones, the acting is just bad.
I suppose it was only fair that he got out of prison for singing a song. I know lots of people that should have been put in for doing the same thing.
The guy is a genius too...bloody sad to see.
He's actually John Lomax, Alan Lomax's father. Alan Lomax is the one who recorded Muddy Waters, and was much more aware of issues with race and power structures.
I couldn't watch the whole thing Leadbelly could run circles around these people
I love leadbelly's music but if I was black this would piss me off.....it still kinda does actually .
BESIDES THE BAD BREAKS HE HAD HE WAS ONE GERAT SONG WRIGTER I LOVED HIM. HE WAS A PRETTY GOOD 12 STRING GUITAR PLAYER
"Thank yuh, Missa Boss Suh!" Anything sadder?
Boss/Mr Boss is what the inmates/convicts call the prison guards(still to this day)
tegunn
What prison were you ever in bub? I did 3 years, 1 year in super max. I called the guards a lot of things, but "Boss/Mr.Boss" wasn't even close :)
Clint Walker I work prisons in Texas, yes they do..
tegunn I did 3 years in Maryland prisons, I was housed on death row for 6 months. I never heard a single inmate ever call one of the pig shit filth "boss" or "mr. boss" or anything even close. If the pigs would have tried that in any of the prisons I was in, he would have been stabbed or shit would have been thrown on him.
Clint Walker So you're the self-annoited one for prison slang? I can't speak for Mayland prisons, only Texas ones. Try Googling "boss prison slang" and see what you get. Three years? DUI got you on a trustee camp...big whoop.
I never heard so many good Negro songs. SHIT!... Where you think all the good ones came from?
The Very ORIGIN of "Based" ! 😎😉
@joecain123 so are telling me that a news event is not an event? What is then?
This is something. Thank you for sharing.
Is that Fred from I Love Lucy?
Don't let me find out the man was educated
Cool. Too bad the audio quality is so poor.
The faces of hopelessness...
Wow wow wow--I am speechless!
Not quite clearly
Thanks for sharing.
Wow.....what a different time. I wish I had a Delorean with a flux capacitor to drive by but never park...
Isso foi gravado em 1934
this is inspiring but sad.
It sadens me deeply to see how badly black people were treated.The bluesmen made rock 'n roll, so talented yet so poor. Sickens me to see now such untalented musicians making so much money and them real musicians lived a poor and hard life. When i listen to the real blues like the likes of leadbelly, robert johnson, big bill etc i can feel the music & the power; it inspires me & changes the way i play guitar completely. Without listening to these guys i dont think my guitar would have a voice.
Is Lead Belly playing himself too, or is that an actor?
That's him.
This is embarrassing! Such a great artist having to do Stepin Fletchet for the masses! Alan Lomax should have known better! I'm sure his son who continued the work hated this stuff. Those people who say the Lomaxes exploited the original artists should also realize that without them we may never have known a lot of them! Lead belly might have rotted away in prison!
Leadbelly was is a great American story. This film is based on the truth but you can see Lomax is doing some self-promotion here. We owe him thanks to for discovering Leadbelly and capturing music in the rural areas before it could get affected by the new technology being developed like radio that standardized and pigeonholed music to a great degree.
The tone of Lomax is patronising and Leadbelly's responses make me ashamed for the way I imagine he was obliged to speak. He was worth far more than the film allowed to be seen.
@bluesgurugod your spot on my friend, and they say downloading of the internet is killing music, it may be killing the music industry but at the end when ppl can't make great wads of cash from it anymore we will be left with just music again and at that time all music will be as good as this. If there had never been a music industry I am pretty sure the likes of Lennon and Michael Jackson would still be with us, they would still be rich but not stoopid rich.
There is a great book "The Land where the Blues Began" it was written by Lomax's son. It documents the Blues, race segregation and the fact that African Americans were responsible for the development of the South's Economy. African Americans built the railroads, canals, levy banks and roads in most Southern states. Many of these works are still in existence and still useful. and African Americans were never compensated for them.
@357ism umm, they call it a reenactment because no cameras were on hand to film the real event, if it actually even went down this way which i doubt
Thank God for Leadbelly! However, think of all the great folk songs he didn't hear....
His music was great and he was a revolutionary musician. But I dont feel that this was a travesty. The dude was a murderer and he got away with it (twice i might add), that is what should piss you off, because that is a problem that is still happening.
he didn't get away with it, he spent most of his adult life in a fucking chain gang swinging a fucking hammer in the Angola La heat. Living a life with chains on his feet ... how about you take a dose of STFU?
@@bugsycline3798 Its basically using charisma and talent to get yourself out of jail.
"most of his life" on a chain gang? Not even. 7 years in texas, 4 years in Louisiana, a various other short sits. Dude lived to be 60 so like 1/5 of his life tops.
I think our prison system is a major problem and we are way to quick to lock people up.
But I do thing there are crimes that deserve being locked up for and murder is one of those. If you take another persons life you forfeit your own. Its not a crime I have mercy for.
And im clearly not wrong since he got out for killing his cousin or whatever and went on to get in fights and stab two other people. He clearly had a violent streak.
leadbelly was bad to the bone
@357ism its a "reenactment" which suggests by its very name that it is a reenactment of an event and not the event itself.........
@lifestraight I think they call it a reenactment because of the lighting. The most difficult thing to keep consistent is the lighting of a piece. You switch from one camera to the next and find that it doesn't look the same. Go back and shoot the inconsistent scene with new lighting. The same thing happens when you don't have the same film in each of the cameras. Gets technical.
@miniraptorX See Charles Wolfe and Kip Lornell's excellent 1992 biography The Life and Legend of Leadbelly, (Harper-Collins), which discusses the filming in detail (pp.163-167). The authors also note that the live footage of Leadbelly in the newsreel 'brought a sample of authentic black folk music to an audience of millions'.
It is said that Leadbelly put shoe polish in his hair, to cover up the fact that he as significantly older than Martha! Great video! Ami, Israel
I could sell you this great biography by Wolfe & Lornell if you really want the answer. Yours for one hundred of your English pounds.
@joecain123 wasn't the newsreel a real event? I thought that's what we were talking about.
There's a couple of stories about it, one was that he was shot in the stomach with buck shot