American folklorist Harold Courlander compiled this series (Negro Folk Music of Alabama) from recordings he made in rural Alabama in 1950. The album is an attempt to counter the stereotypes of black music that were popular in America during the middle of the 20th century.
Vol. 1: Secular Music
1. Joe Brown – Mama Don't Tear My Clothes (01:42)
2. Joe Brown – Southern Pacific (01:23)
3. Rich Amerson – Black Woman (05:00)
4. Red Willie Smith – Kansas City Blues (01:46)
5. Red Willie Smith – Salty Dog Blues (01:30)
6. East York School (Ala.) – I'm Goin' Up North (01:26)
7. Lilly's Chapel School (Ala.) – Little Sally Walker (01:05)
8. Lilly's Chapel School (Ala.) – See See Rider (01:21)
9. Vera Hall – Mama's Goin' to Buy Him a Little Lap Dog (00:47)
10. Earthy Anne Coleman – Soon As My Back's Turned (01:35)
11. Willie Turner – She Done Got Ugly (01:20)
12. Willie Turner – Now Your Man Done Gone (02:04)
13. Annie Grace Horn Dodson – Field Calls (01:19)
14. Annie Grace Horn Dodson – Father's Field Call (00:27)
15. Annie Grace Horn Dodson – Children's Call (00:45)
16. Annie Grace Horn Dodson – Greeting Call (00:48)
17. Enoch Brown – Complaint Call (00:42)
18. Rich Amerson – Brer Rabbit and the Alligators (03:55)
Vol. 2: Religious Music
1. Trampin' Trampin' - Dock Reed - 1:26
2. Dead and Gone - Dock Reed & Vera Hall - 1:45
3. Abraham and Lot - E.D. Tuckey - 4:03
4. Rock Chair, I Told You to Rock - Earthy Anne Coleman, Price Coleman & Rich Amerson - 3:54
5. I Wonder Where My Brother Gone - Annie Grace Horn Dodson - 1:21
6. Free At Last - Dock Reed & Vera Hall - 1:41
7. Jonah - Earthy Anne Coleman & Rich Amerson - 6:26
8. Low Down Death Right Easy - Dock Reed - 2:19
9. Jesus Goin' to Make Up My Dyin' Bed - Dock Reed - 1:20
10. Prayer - Dock Reed & Vera Hall - 2:41
11. Prayer Meeting - Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church (Bogue Chito, Miss.) - 2:03
12. Move Members Move - Hibler family & Rosie Hibler - 2:03
Vol. 3: Rich Amerson - 1
1 - Railroad-Lining Track
2 - Texas Sandstorm
3 - John Henry
4 - Chicago and Rome
5 - Challenge to the Doctor
6 - Draft Board
7 - River, Creek, Sun, Moon
8 - The Champion
9 - Brer Rabbit Tales
10 - Sermonizing
Vol. 4: Rich Amerson - 2
1. Animals In Church
2. King David
3. Israelites Shouting
4. Didn't You Hear
5. When You Feel Like Moaning
6. Death Have Mercy
7. It's Getting Late In the Evening
8. Lord I'm Waiting On You
9. Job Job
10. Come On Up to Bright Glory
11. This May Be Your Last Time
Vol. 5: Spirituals
1. I'm Going Home on the Morning Train - Dock Reed
2. My God Ain't No Lying Man - Dock Reed And Vera Hall Ward
3. Where the Sun Will Never Go Down - Dock Reed
4. Troubled Lord I'm Troubled - Dock Reed And Vera Hall Ward
5. Look How They Done My Lord - Vera Hall Ward And Dock Reed
6. Job Job - Dock Reed And Vera Hall Ward
7. What Month Was Jesus Born In - Vera Hall Ward
8. Somebody's Talking About Jesus - Dock Reed And Vera Hall Ward
9. Death is Awful - Dock Reed And Vera Hall Ward
10. I'm Climbing Up the Hills of Mt. Zion - Dock Reed And Vera Hall Ward
11. Low Down the Chariot and Let Me Ride - Dock Reed And Vera Hall Ward
12. The Blood Done Signed My Name - Dock Reed And Vera Hall Ward
13. Everybody Talkin' About Heaven Ain't Goin' There - Dock Reed And Vera Hall Ward
14. Noah, Noah - Vera Hall Ward
15. Plumb the Line - Dock Reed And Vera Hall Ward
16. Travelling Shoes - Vera Hall Ward
Vol. 6: Ring Game Songs and Others
1 - Mary Mack - Lilly's Chapel School (Ala.) - 2:00
2 - Bob a Needle - Lilly's Chapel School (Ala.) - 0:54
3 - Watch That lady - Lilly's Chapel School (Ala.) - 1:20
4 - Old Lady Sally Wants to Jump - Lilly's Chapel School (Ala.) - 0:51
5 - Loop de Loop - Lilly's Chapel School (Ala.) - 1:47
6 - Green Green Rocky Road - Lilly's Chapel School (Ala.) - 1:29
7 - Rosie Darling Rosie - Brown's Chapel School - 1:37
8 - I Must See - Brown's Chapel School - 1:37
9 - Bluebird Bluebird - Pilgrim Church School (Ala.) - 1:13
10 - May Go 'Round the Needle - East York School (Ala.) - 2:35
11 - Stooping on the Window - East York School (Ala.) - 1:10
12 - Charlie Over the Ocean - East York School (Ala.) - 0:55
13 - Session with Celina Lewis, (a)Catch That Squirrel, (b)Sangar ee, (c) Whoa Mule, Can't Get the Saddle On,... - Celina Lewis - 5:14
14 - Water on the Wheel - Annie Grace Horn Dodson - 0:48
15 - Go Pray Ye - Annie Grace Horn Dodson - 2:37
16 - Captain Holler Hurry - Willie Turner - 1:27
17 - John Henry - Willie Turner - 2:16
18 - Going to Have a Talk with the Chief of Police - Peelee Hatchee (Emanuel Jones) - 1:48
19 - Meet Me in the Bottoms - Davie Lee - 1:36
20 - When the Role is Called in Heaven - Joe Brown, Harrison Ross, and Willie John Strong - 2:40
21 - I Moaned and I Moaned - Joe Brown, Harrison Ross, and Willie John Strong - 1:21
22 - I'm Standing in a Safety Zone - Rosie N. Winston - 2:53
