VA - Troubadours: Folk and the Roots of American Music, Part 2 (2014)

On the second volume of Bear Family's extensive four-part, 12-disc series, Bob Dylan arrives at the midpoint, his introduction as seismic as an atomic bomb. Prior to his introduction on the second disc – or CD 5, as the packaging denotes – a disc has been spent on "The Popular Folk Music Era," i.e. the sweet, freshly-scrubbed crossover folk performed by the Kingston Trio, the Limeliters, the Chad Mitchell Trio, the Rooftop Singers, and the New Christy Minstrels. This was the sound of college campuses between 1958 and 1962, spirited three- or four-part harmonies on traditional tunes and songs from newly emerging writers, sometimes coming from within the group itself. The focus remained on songs designed to be interpreted then delivered to a wide audience but with Dylan, the perspective became distinct, precise, and personal. His six songs are split between protest anthems ("Blowing in the Wind," "The Times They Are A-Changin'") and personal songs ("Masters of War" and "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" blend the two approaches), and while the former had an immediate impact the latter had a greater legacy, something that's evident on the rest of this set's second disc, which runs through Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton, and Eric Andersen, and its third. That third disc rounds up singers and songwriters from Greenwich Village – Dave Van Ronk, Judy Collins, Tim Hardin, Fred Neil, David Blue – peers of Dylan's who drew from similar influences, but each developed their own distinct style of writing or performing, something this disc makes plain. Further fallout from Dylan is documented on the subsequent sets but this volume of Troubadours of Folk shows how vibrant and exciting his Greenwich scene was and illustrates just how different the Bard and his peers were from the prevailing folk of the '50s.

TRACKLIST

CD1:

01. The Kingston Trio: Tom Dooley
02. The Kingston Trio: Scotch And Soda
03. The Kingston Trio: The M.T.A.
04. The Kingston Trio: A Worried Man
05. The Kingston Trio: The New Frontier
06. The Kingston Trio: Run The Ridges
07. The Kingston Trio: If You Don't Look Around
08. The Journeymen: Soft Blow The Summer Winds
09. The Journeymen: Hush Now Sally
10. The Journeymen: Ride, Ride, Ride
11. The Journeymen: Someone To Talk My Troubles To
12. The Limeliters: A Dollar Down
13. The Limeliters: Those Were The Days
14. The Limeliters: Adios Mi Corazon (Spanish Is The Loving Tongue)
15. The Chad Mitchell Trio: Dubarry Done Gone Again
16. The Chad Mitchell Trio: The Marvelous Toy
17. The Chad Mitchell Trio: One Man's Hands
18. The Chad Mitchell Trio: That's The Way It's Gonna Be
19. The Chad Mitchell Trio: Leaving On A Jet Plane
20. Bud & Travis: South Wind
21. Bud & Travis: Cloudy Summer Afternoon
22. The Highwaymen: Michael
23. The Highwaymen: Cottonfields
24. The Rooftop Singers: Walk Right In
25. The Rooftop Singers: Tom Cat
26. The New Christy Minstrels: Green Green
27. The New Christy Minstrels: Today

CD2:

01. Bob Dylan: Blowing In The Wind
02. Bob Dylan: Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
03. Bob Dylan: A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
04. Bob Dylan: Masters Of War
05. Bob Dylan: The Times They Are A-Changin'
06. Bob Dylan: Tambourine Man
07. Phil Ochs: There But For Fortune
08. Phil Ochs: Power And The Glory
09. Phil Ochs: I Ain't Marching Anymore
10. Phil Ochs: Draft Dodger Rag
11. Phil Ochs: Changes
12. Phil Ochs: When I'm Gone
13. Tom Paxton: Ramblin' Boy
14. Tom Paxton: I Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound
15. Tom Paxton: The Last Thing On My Mind
16. Tom Paxton: What Did You Learn In School Today?
17. Tom Paxton: Ain't That News
18. Tom Paxton: Bottle Of Wine
19. Eric Andersen: Dusty Box Car Wall
20. Eric Andersen: Violets Of Dawn
21. Eric Andersen: Thirsty Boots
22. Eric Andersen: Close The Door Lightly When You Go

CD3:

01. The Tarriers: Seven Daffodils
02. Dave Van Ronk: Cocaine Blues
03. Dave Van Ronk: Come Back Baby
04. Dave Van Ronk: Bad Dream Blues
05. Judy Collins: Anathea
06. Judy Collins: Hey Nelly Nelly
07. Judy Collins: Carry It On
08. Peter LaFarge: The Ballad Of Ira Hayes
09. Peter LaFarge: As Long As The Grass Shall Grow
10. The Greenbriar Boys: Stewball
11. The Greenbriar Boys: Different Drum
12. Patrick Sky: Many A Mile
13. Tim Hardin: Reason To Believe
14. Tim Hardin: If I Were A Carpenter
15. Tim Hardin: The Lady Came From Baltimore
16. Fred Neil: The Other Side Of Life
17. Fred Neil: Blues On The Ceiling
18. Fred Neil: Little Bit Of Rain
19. Fred Neil: The Dolphins
20. Fred Neil: Everybody's Talkin'
21. David Blue: Grand Hotel