Song of the Day 4/11: Louis Armstrong, “Go Down Moses”
This song seems appropriate considering that not only is it Passover, we’re also afflicted by a ruler deaf to the pleas of the people. Louis Armstrong recorded it in 1958 with Sy Oliver’s orchestra.
Fats Waller recorded it 20 years earlier, accompanying himself on Hammond organ.
Its first mention in history was in 1862, when “contrabands” — slaves confiscated by federal troops — sang it at Fort Monroe, Va., and sheet music was published calling it “The Song of the Contrabands: O Let My People Go.” The chaplain of the camp said in the sheet music that it originated in Virginia in about 1853. As you can hear on this 1914 recording of the Tuskegee Institute Singers, the earliest I could find, it was originally done slow and solemn, basically a dirge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TS85YDIj9k
The tune was popularized by Paul Robeson, whose bass voice made it sound as if it were coming from the voice of Yahweh himself.
Speaking of Louis Armstrong… I’m looking for his recording of the New Orleans standard “Li’l Liza Jane.” I heard it once on the radio. It was unmistakably Louis Armstrong singing and blowing, and as far as I’m concerned that performance is the definitive gold standard and I now don’t want to hear the song any other way. But now I can’t find it via Google or Youtube.
Neville Brothers do a damn good job on that song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H26_oLOoTqw
Jeez, Puck, I can’t even find a mention of him recording it. Could you tell if it was a live performance?
Fascinating research, as usual, Alby.
Please forgive one quibble/clarification for folks not familiar with Civil War history: Union troops didn’t really have to “confiscate” Southern slaves, who happily self-liberated by escaping to Union camps wherever troops appeared in Confederate territory.
No such luck for slaves in Delaware and Maryland, which both stayed in the Union. They had to wait for the 13th Amendment in 1865.
You’re right. Thanks for the clarification; poor word choice on my part.
This is why copy editors earned their pay.
@alby – Can’t say if it was live or not. I likely heard it on WXPN, not sure which show. If it bugs me enough I can contact some of the shows directly. I can’t believe Armstrong never recorded that song.
Me either. It seems like a natural, but I can’t imagine the record company would pull it off YouTube.
I think the XPN website has a way to search all their past playlists, but I don’t know if I’m recalling that correctly.
Hi, Puck,
I contacted a friend who is an expert on all things Armstrong, and he has never heard of Satchmo ever having recorded “Li’l Liza Jane.” He’s anxious to hear if you ever find the source. You might want to try calling Johnny Meister at WXPN. His show airs Saturday evening. Good luck!
The other possibility, which seems unlikely, is that I somehow mistook some other artist for Armstrong. In my head I was convinced though.