O MARY DON'T YOU WEEP (DON'T YOU MOURN)

Created on 18/05/2006
Latest update on 08/04/2021

Artist: Fisk University Male Quartet
Author: traditional
Label: Columbia
Year: 1915

Negro spiritual predating the American Civil War. Became an anthem during the Civil Rights Movement. It's not about the mother of Christ, not about Mary Magdalene, it's about Lazarus' sister, who begged Jesus to wake her brother from the death.

Covers:

1921:

Southern 4 [on Edison]

1921:

Virginia Female Jubilee Singers

1926:

Norfolk Jubilee Quartet

1935:

Lead Belly [for the Library of Congress and in '48 for Folkways]

1938:

Frazier Family [Lomax recording]

1940:

Golden Gate Quartet [for the Library of Congress]

1947:

Mahalia Jackson

1956:

Sister Rosetta Tharpe

1957:

Pete Seeger [for Folkways and in '64 at Newport]

1958:

Caravans [vocal: Inez Andrews]

1958:

Swan Silvertones [leadsinger Claude Jeter's ad-lib "I'll be a bridge over deep water" inspired Paul Simon]

1959:

Nat King Cole

1959:

Jimmy Witherspoon

1959:

Stonewall Jackson [hit C&W]

1959:

Clara Ward

1960:

Harmonizing Four

1960:

James Cleveland

1961:

Kingston Trio

1962:

Mel Tillis

1963:

Halifax Three [with Denny Doherty pre Mamas And Papas]

1963:

Mississippi John Hurt

1963:

Bobby Darin

1964:

Soul Stirrers [produced by Sam Cooke]

1964:

James Brown [elements in Oh Baby Don't You Weep]

1964:

Johnny Nash

1964:

Justin Hinds [as Jump Out Of The Frying Pan]

1964:

Laurel Aitken

1965:

Staple Singers

1967:

Skip James

1969:

Shirley Caesar [ex Caravans]

1972:

Aretha Franklin [knew the Caravans' version]

1973:

Paul Simon [melody and atmosphere in Love Me Like A Rock]

1973:

Taj Mahal [with the Pointer Sisters]

1978:

Eric Gale

1983:

Prince [released in '18 on Piano & A Microphone]

1988:

Take 6

2002:

Long John Baldry [on a Lead Belly tribute]

2003:

Ronnie Earl

2005:

Klezmatics

2005:

Aaron Neville

2006:

Bruce Springsteen

Also by Roger McGuinn, Aaron Neville and Bobby Darin.

Contact


If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:

Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)

info@originals.be

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