"Alberta" is the title of several traditional blues songs.

Lead Belly song

Lead Belly Huddie William Ledbetter (; January 20, 1888 – December 6, 1949), better known by the stage name Lead Belly, was an American folk music, folk and blues singer notable for his strong vocals, Virtuoso, virtuosity on the twelve-string guita ...

recorded four different version of "Alberta". One of these was recorded in New York on January 23, 1935 (for

ARC Records American Record Corporation (ARC), also referred to as American Record Company, American Recording Corporation, or ARC Records, was an American record company. Overview ARC was created in January 1929 by Louis G. Sylvester, president of Scran ...

, which did not issue it), and a similar version was recorded in New York on June 15, 1940 (included on ''Leadbelly: Complete Recorded Works'', vol. 1, 1 April 1939 to 15 June 1940). Another version, recorded in

Wilton, Connecticut Wilton is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 18,503. In 2017, it was the sixth-wealthiest town per capita in Connecticut, the wealthiest U.S. state per capita. Officially recog ...

, on January 20, 1935, included the lyrics "Take me, Alberta, take me down in your rocking chair" and is included on ''Gwine Dig a Hole to Put the Devil In'' (Rounder Records, Library of Congress Recordings, vol. 2). Lead Belly's fourth recorded version survives on recording disc BC-122 of the Mary Elizabeth Barnicle–Tillman Cadle Collection at

East Tennessee State University East Tennessee State University (ETSU) is a public research university in Johnson City, Tennessee. Although it is part of the State University and Community College System of Tennessee, the university is governed by an institutional Board of Tr ...

, recorded near the date of June 15, 1948, with which several related discs are labeled.

Wheeler 1944 song

Mary Wheeler, in her ''Steamboatin' Days: Folk Songs of the River Packet Era'' (Baton Rouge, La.: Louisiana State University Press, 1944), records a song she collected from Gabriel "Uncle Gabe" Hester, with the lyrics: :Alberta, let yo' hair hang low, :Alberta, let yo' hair hang low, :I'll give you mo' gold than yo' apron will hold, :Ef you'll jes' let yo' hair hang low. :Alberta, what's on yo' mind? :Alberta, what's on yo' mind? :You keep me worried, you keep me bothered, all the time. :Alberta, what's on yo' mind? :Alberta, don't you treat me unkind, :Alberta, don't you treat me unkind, :'Cause I'm worried, 'cause I'm bothered, all the time. :Alberta, don't you treat me unkind. Wheeler also reports Hester's reminiscences of the steamboat

work song A work song is a piece of music closely connected to a form of work, either sung while conducting a task (usually to coordinate timing) or a song linked to a task which might be a connected narrative, description, or protest song. Definitions and ...

s he had sung as a

roustabout Roustabout (Australia/New Zealand English: rouseabout) is an occupational term. Traditionally, it referred to a worker with broad-based, non-specific skills. In particular, it was used to describe show or circus workers who handled materials ...

in his younger days. However, Wheeler's account does not explicitly give any evidence for

Roger McGuinn James Roger McGuinn (born James Joseph McGuinn III; July 13, 1942) is an American musician. He is best known for being the frontman and leader of the Byrds. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with the Byrds. As a ...

's statement that, "This is a song sung by the stevedores who worked on the Ohio River." The song became popular in the

American folk music revival The American folk music revival began during the 1940s and peaked in popularity in the mid-1960s. Its roots went earlier, and performers like Josh White, Burl Ives, Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Big Bill Broonzy, Billie Holiday, Richard Dyer-Benn ...

. *

Bob Gibson Robert Gibson (born Pack Robert Gibson; November 9, 1935October 2, 2020) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals (1959–1975). Nicknamed "Gibby" and "Hoot" ( ...

recorded it for his ''Carnegie Concert'' (1957), and it was included on ''

Sing Out! ''Sing Out!'' was a quarterly journal of folk music and folk songs that was published from May 1950 through spring 2014. It was originally based in New York City, with a national circulation of approximately 10,000 by 1960. Background ''Sing Out ...

'', vol. 8, no. 3 (1959). * Jerry Silverman, ''Folk Blues'', vol. 1 (c. 1959) *

Burl Ives Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives (June 14, 1909 – April 14, 1995) was an American musician, actor, and author with a career that spanned more than six decades. Ives began his career as an itinerant singer and guitarist, eventually launching his own rad ...

, with the title "Lenora, Let Your Hair Hang Down, ''

The Versatile Burl Ives! ''The Versatile Burl Ives!'' is a 1961 album by Burl Ives, containing his hit single "A Little Bitty Tear." The album reached No. 35 on ''Billboard's'' 1962 Pop Album Chart. In the same year, "A Little Bitty Tear" climbed to No. 1 on ''Billboard's ...

'' (1961) *

Chad Mitchell Trio The Chad Mitchell Trio, later known as The Mitchell Trio, were an American vocal group who became known during the 1960s. They performed traditional folk songs and some of John Denver's early compositions. They were particularly notable for perf ...

, ''At the Bitter End'' (1962) *

Odetta Odetta Holmes (December 31, 1930 – December 2, 2008), known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, lyricist, and a civil rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire co ...

, under the title "Roberta," '' Odetta Sings Folk Songs'' (1963) * Valentine Pringle, ''I Hear America Singing'' (1963) *

Pernell Roberts Pernell Elven Roberts Jr. (May 18, 1928 – January 24, 2010) was an American stage, film, and television actor, activist, and singer. In addition to guest-starring in over 60 television series, he was best known for his roles as Ben Cartw ...

, ''Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies'' (1963) *

Blues Project The Blues Project is a band from the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City that was formed in 1965 and originally split up in 1967. Their songs drew from a wide array of musical styles. They are most remembered as one of the most artfu ...

, ''

Live at The Cafe Au Go Go ''Live at The Cafe Au Go Go'' is the debut album by the American band The Blues Project, recorded live during the ''Blues Bag'' four-day concert on the evenings of November 24–27, 1965 at the Cafe Au Go Go in New York City. The recording finish ...

'' (1966, recorded live 1965) *

Doc Watson Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson (March 3, 1923 – May 29, 2012) was an American guitarist, songwriter, and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues, and gospel music. Watson won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. W ...

, '' Southbound'' (1966) * Actor

Kiel Martin Kiel Urban Mueller (July 26, 1944 – December 28, 1990), known professionally as Kiel Martin, was an American actor best known for his role as Detective John "J.D." La Rue on the 1980s television drama ''Hill Street Blues.'' Early years Martin ...

played a soulful version of this song in the Season 6 episode entitled "Hell Wind" of the American Western TV series '' The Virginian'', accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, in 1968. Aside from this television episode, the performance remains unreleased on music media. *

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

, two versions, ''

Self Portrait A self-portrait is a representation of an artist that is drawn, painted, photographed, or sculpted by that artist. Although self-portraits have been made since the earliest times, it is not until the Early Renaissance in the mid-15th century tha ...

'' (1970) *

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...

, ''

Slowhand ''Slowhand'' is the fifth full-length studio album by Eric Clapton. Released on 25 November 1977 by RSO Records, and titled after Clapton's nickname, it is one of his most commercially and critically successful studio albums. ''Slowhand'' produ ...

'' (1977)

References

External links

Alberta, Let Your Hair Hang Low
(CSU Fresno Traditional Ballad Index) {{authority control 1935 songs American folk songs Blues songs Lead Belly songs Burl Ives songs Odetta songs Doc Watson songs Bob Dylan songs

Lead Belly song

Wheeler 1944 song

See also

References

External links