Crazy Horse did not like white men because they encroached upon hisbeloved wide-open prairie. He detested their developments that chased awaythe buffalo his people depended on for food and clothing. When the coldcame roaring down the Plains, the buffalo faced those raging winds with itshead into the white storm, as if it were cleaning itself from hardship anddiscomfort. Those were the same winds blowing against Crazy Horse’s faceas the footprints of white men stamped more and more across the land.

P© 2012 Reprise Records. Made in the USA.

This song written by Stephen Foster, was originallyperformed on September 11, 1847. The “Americana” versionwas arranged with a new melody by Tim Rose and wasoriginally performed by “The Big Three” in 1963, andupdated by “Tim Rose and the Thorns” in 1964. This banddid a lot of arrangements of folk songs that were changedto be rock and roll songs and called folk-rock. Tim Rosewas one of the pioneers of folk-rock. Much of the music ofAmericana is based on this idea.

Written in the 18th century with possible melodic roots inthe 17th century, this anthem has been sung throughout theBritish Commonwealth and may have been sung in NorthAmerica before the American Revolution and Declaration ofIndependence in 1776, which rejected British sovereignty.The Americana arrangement draws from the original melodyand changes some melody and lyrics in the folk process.

This American folk ballad is believed to be based on “Downby the River Liv’d a Maiden” by H.S. Thompson 1863.However, it is usually credited to Percy Montrose 1884 orBarker Bradford from about the same period. The Americanaarrangement extends the folk process, using many of theoriginal words and a new melody. The song tells the storyof either a bereaved lover recalling his lost sweetheart, or afather missing his lost daughter. In both cases the daughterhas drowned in an accident. The song is now famous as anAmerican children’s song. The verse about Clementine’ssister has been omitted from most children’s versions. Thisverse has different meanings depending on whether thepoint of view of the singer is taken as the lover or the father.

This 19th century folk song is about a soul travelingthrough life, perhaps envisioning the end approaching. TheAmericana arrangement is influenced by the Burl Ives 1944recording, with the same words and and melody.

This folk song, writer unknown, is based on the 1866 murderof a woman named Laura Foster, who was stabbed to deathwith a knife in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Tom Dula, aconfederate soldier returned from the war and Laura Foster'slover, was convicted of her murder and hanged May 1, 1868.Grayson, mentioned in the song, was instrumental insupplying information to the posse that eventually foundDula. Dula had another lover, prior to his leaving for the war,named Anne Melton. It was her comments that led to thediscovery of Foster's body, She was charged with murder butwas acquitted based on Dula's word. Dula's last statementon the gallows was “Gentlemen, do you see this hand? Ididn’t harm a hair on the girl’s head”. Anne Melton diedinsane a few years later. The Americana arrangement is from“The Squires” with a new melody and the original lyrics.

This folk song was written by Woodie Guthrie in the 1940s,to a pre existing melody as a response to God Bless America,which Guthrie was tired of hearing. The lyrics Guthrie sangvaried over time, but the lyrics sung in Americana versionwere in the original manuscript of the song.

This centuries old folk song, writer unknown, probablyoriginates in Finland. It is about a woman condemnedto die and telling the hangman to wait because someonewas coming to rescue her with either money (gold) orinformation proving her innocence. The folk processenhanced this over the years and it has had manyinterpretations. The Americana arrangement, whichassumes the condemned is a man, is based on Odetta’sinterpretation, now an enduring American folk classic.

Written in the 1800s based on an old Negro spiritual, this songrefers to the second coming of Jesus and “she” is the chariotJesus is coming on. Some interpret this as the end of theworld. Others have said that “she” refers to union organizerMary Harris “Mother” Jones going to promote formation oflabor unions in the Appalachian coal mining camps. TheAmericana arrangement continues the folk process with a newmelody and a combination of lyric sources.

A song about a man who has not been able to find work,and is assumed lazy and a liar by his woman, “Get a Job”is included in Americana because it is a genuine folksong with all of the true characteristics. This song waswritten by Richard Lewis of the Silhouettes, althoughcredit is shared with the whole group because they didthe vocal arrangement. The hit recording performed by“The Silhouettes” was released in 1957. The Americanaversion follows the original arrangement.

Written by Billy Edd Wheeler, this is a folk song performed by“The Company” in 1964. Stephen Stills was the lead singer.The song is about freedom, life and death. The Americanaarrangement is based on “The Squires’” 1964 version.

“Gotta Travel On,” adapted by Paul Clayton and others froma British folk tune, was recorded by Billy Grammer in 1958.His version is an American classic. The song tells of a manwho has to keep moving for a variety of reasons, all commonwith American life. The Americana arrangement is based onBilly Grammer’s version with some lyric changes.