Born in 1895, Elizabeth Cotton wrote her most famous song, “Freight Train” in her early teens, on the porch of her house on Lloyd Street in North Carolina, despite never having been taught standard tuning (or any tuning for that matter). Unfathomably, she wasn’t discovered until she was in her sixties, after decades as a housekeeper. Despite living through America’s long, hot afternoon, she harbored no bitterness. “We’re all gonna rise the Judgement Day. That’d be wonderful wouldn’t it? I’d come and gather all my little children in my arms. All of you all. Just gather you up and take you right on back with me. Oh wouldn’t that be sweet. I wished I could.”
Having had an Elizabeth Cotten sized hole in my record collection for a long time, I was thrilled to finally see this record reissued. The original releases on Folkways are hard to come by, but this one should still be available at all fine record stores. You can get a taste here first:
Elizabeth Cotten - When I'm Gone (transferred from LP)
I got a tape with Cotten singing Reuben on it. Chilling stuff.
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