Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Search this
Type:
YouTube Videos
Uploaded:
2019-07-11T17:00:03.000Z
Views:
8,960
Video Title:
Our Native Daughters - "Polly Ann’s Hammer" & "You're Not Alone" [Behind The Scenes Documentary]
Description:
In this behind the scenes documentary, take a peek into the recording process of "Polly Ann's Hammer" and "You're Not Alone," two songs off 'Songs of Our Native Daughters' released by Smithsonian Folkways on February 22, 2019. "Before rushing off to the studio with Dirk, Rhiannon told me and Alli to tell Polly Ann’s story. Once again, drawing from Sid Hemphill’s 'John Henry,' we wrote lyrics about Polly Ann, about her strength, and about her wish to be free from the grip of the physically unforgiving and often thankless job of steel driving." — Amythyst Kiah "Polly Ann—the real hero of the John Henry legend—was hiding in plain sight all along. John Henry’s woman, Polly Ann wields his hammer for him when he falls ill and 'drives steel just like a man.' The supposedly weaker sex survives the work that kills John Henry, raises the babies, and perhaps lives long enough to see their children campaign for civil rights and true freedom." — Allison Russell 'Songs of Our Native Daughters' available on CD, Vinyl LP, and Digital. Stream/download/purchase: Smithsonian Folkways: https://folkways.si.edu/songs-of-our-native-daughters Bandcamp: https://ournativedaughters.bandcamp.com/album/songs-of-our-native-daughters 'Songs of Our Native Daughters' gathers together kindred musicians Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell in song and sisterhood to communicate with their forebears. Drawing on and reclaiming early minstrelsy and banjo music, these musicians reclaim, recast, and spotlight the often unheard and untold history of their ancestors, whose stories remain vital and alive today. The material on 'Songs of Our Native Daughters' -- written and sung in various combinations -- is inspired by New World slave narratives, discrimination and how it has shaped our American experience, as well as musicians such as Haitian troubadour Althiery Dorval and Mississippi Hill Country string player Sid Hemphill, and more. Our Native Daughters Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ournativedaughters Twitter: https://twitter.com/ondaughters Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ournativedaughters Smithsonian Folkways: https://folkways.si.edu Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smithsonianfolkwaysrecordings Twitter: https://twitter.com/folkways YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SmithsonianFolkways Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smithsonianfolkways The content and comments posted here are subject to the Smithsonian Institution copyright and privacy policy (www.si.edu/copyright). Smithsonian reserves the right in its sole discretion to remove any content at any time.
Video Duration:
4 min 21 sec
YouTube Keywords:
music folk "Woody Guthrie" "Pete Seeger" Smithsonian Folkways old-time non-profit
