Volume 3 - The Dance of Death & Other Plantation Favorites
Studio album by John Fahey
Released 1972 or 1973 [originally released in 1965]
Recorded 1964
Genre Folk
Length 47:38
Label Takoma
Producer ED Denson
Volume 3: The Dance of Death & Other Plantation Favorites is the third album by American fingerstyle guitarist and composer John Fahey, originally released in 1965.
In the early Õ60s, Fahey was enrolled in the graduate program in folklore studies at UCLA. In the summer of 1964, along with Bill Barth and Henry Vestine, Fahey visited the South where they ÒrediscoveredÓ blues great Skip James. Fahey and ED Denson formally created Takoma Records in 1963. With increased distribution, Fahey's albums began to enjoy increased sales and popularity, though he had not as yet publicly performed on stage. As Matt Hanks stated in his article "Age Against the Machine" for No Depression, "For some reason, the hippies loved it." For his part, Fahey stated in his liner notes for his 1996 release City of Refuge, "I do hope that nobody will try to make me out as a child of the sixties. I was playing what I play before and after the sixties. This period had very little influence on me. I was never a hippie, and had no hippie friends."
The album was recorded at Adelphi Studios by Gene Rosenthal. Rosenthal would later create Adelphi Records, naming his label after Fahey's song "The Downfall of the Adelphi Rolling Grist Mill". He also claimed three other unused tracks from these sessions were used on subsequent releases by Fahey. Over 30 songs were recorded during the three-day sessions.
Of the sessions, Fahey recalled, ""It was an interesting session. It was the only one I ever did on marijuana and whiskey. It was kind of bouncy, you know. Another reason for that - I didn't actually own a good guitar at that time, so I was using Bill Barth's guitar, which was a big J-something Gibson and it had a real high action, so I couldn't hold the strings down very well."
"The Last Steam Engine Train" was covered by Leo Kottke on his 1969 album 12-String Blues and again on his 1973 album Greenhouse.
"On the Banks of the Owchita" is a duet with guitarist Bill Barth. The 1999 reissue bonus track "Steel Guitar Rag" is based on "Guitar Rag", Sylvester Weaver's original version of the song. "Wine and Roses" was later re-titled as "The Red Pony". "Poor Boy" became a Fahey standard.
Fahey continued writing liner notes in a similar vein as his previous two releases, attributing them to "Elijah P. Lovejoy". The notes were extensive, pseudo-academic, and humorous - all included in a booklet, which would often be the case on early releases by Fahey. Andy Beta, of The Village Voice described Fahey's liner notes in a 2006 article: "Doctoring loquacious, ludicrous liner notes for his self-released work that tempered his arrogant self-mythologizing with hilarious self-effacement, he mocked the academic bluster of scholars and revivalists. He renames his Fonotone patron "Joseph Buzzard," records as Blind Joe Death, or else espouses his work as "expert" Elijah P. Lovejoy." and noise guitarist and writer Alan Licht noted that Fahey "did as much to take folk out of the hands of squares as his music did," and he suffered lightly those that pined for the past."
The notes on The Dance of Death included an extensive discography and the basic theme of the notes is the search for John Fahey and his musical legacy:
"Prior to his discovery in 1958 by a Takoma research team Fahey had played as a guitarist for a bluegrass band; often appearing with Bill Hancock and Greg Eldridge, but no recordings are known from this period. Sometime in 1956 he was smote to the ground by a bolt of lightning. Upon awakening he heard Blind Willie Johnson singing and from that time onward he ceased playing hillbilly and concentrated upon blues. His first recordings were made under somewhat mysterious circumstances for the Fonotone company - a pioneer in the folk field.
Shortly before she met her tragic end by impalement when a chair rung she was tuning slipped from place under terrific pressure, Mrs Petranick informed us that John had the knowledge to operate recording equipment and that he was a hypnotist. Evidently, he would go to Fonotone with Blind Joe Death and Blind Thomas. The next morning the A&R man would awaken with a slight headache and a stack of unidentified masters. Needless to say this has left some ambiguity in the records of the company. We have here listed all recordings made by any of these artists, regardless of the name used on the label. While doubtless some of them are by Death or Thomas or even Firk, all of them are of considerable merit and we felt it best to take the risk of including a few too many, rather than risk leaving any out."
Professional Ratings:
allmusic 3 and 4/5 stars
Review by Richie Unterberger of allmusic:
One of Fahey's less eccentric early efforts, featuring relatively straightforward instrumentals showcasing his deft finger work and occasional keening slide. Blues, ragtime, and Appalachian influences come to the fore on this even-toned collection, with occasional excursions into dark and somber territory, as on the closing track "Dance of Death." Also includes an adaptation of "Poor Boy," taken from Bukka White, whom Fahey rediscovered with ED Denson in the early '60s.
Review of 1999 reissue by Alex Henderson of allmusic:
The title The Dance of Death and Other Plantation Favorites might lead some to believe that this is a collection of public-domain items that go back to the Deep South of the 19th century. However, while this 1964 session does contain a song titled "Dance of Death," most of the material (including that tune) was written by Fahey himself in the early 1960s. So an intriguing title is simply that: an intriguing title. Nonetheless, Fahey's music does have strong southern roots. Unaccompanied, the acoustic guitarist/instrumentalist demonstrates his love of African-American blues as well as the Anglo-American country, folk, and hillbilly music of Appalachia. This is essentially a folk album, but a folk album with strong country and blues leanings; in fact, numbers like "Worried Blues" and "Revelation on the Banks of the Pawtuxent" incorporate the slide guitar technique that came from Mississippi Delta blues. Not that Fahey limits himself to American influences -- Appalachian music is a descendent of British, Scottish, and Irish music, and Fahey is hardly unaware of its European heritage. Further, Indian raga is an influence on the Fahey piece "On the Banks of the Owchita." Reissued on CD in 1999 with four bonus tracks (including an interpretation of "Steel Guitar Rag"), this album makes it clear that even back in 1964 Fahey was quite original.
Review on amazon:
Ask yourself, what would it sound like if a civil war veteran rose up out of a battlefield grave so that he could relate to any listeners his ancient story? Imagine skeletal hands pressing against frets, conveying a feeling of long lost, spook, and mystery. Now ask yourself once more, what would it sound like to convey a total revelation? A life changing experience that altered the way you comprehend all things. Fahey's album sounds old, but each original song is played in a new and masterful way. An incredible combination that is worth your while.
Another review on amazon:
I am transported by this music, maybe a dusty road in the country, or a dark wood, or a lazy afternoon by the river with a long reed in between my teeth, lightly splashing my feet in the river, watching a turtle or something. Or its Mexico in the late 1800s..Or... Its really an amazing album with a slew of wonderful compositions. My favorite Fahey album, though America and Blind Joe Death are close. The best song is perhaps Wine and Roses. I would describe these records for the uninitiated as fine finger-picking steel string compositions, no singing (thank goodness), similar to some Kottke but less flashy and more contemplative. Folksy and bluesy but more than that. Melodic, rhythmic, very accessible but not predictable, not sugary sweet, sophisticated construction. A rambling feel generally. All kinds of different images and colors being suggested. Just a great composer! Anyway if you are only going to buy one Fahey album I recommend this one.
LP track listing
All songs written by John Fahey except as noted.
Side One
1. "Wine and Roses" Ð 3:28
2. "How Long" Ð 2:55
3. "On the Banks of the Owchita" Ð 3:52
4. "Worried Blues" Ð 2:24
5. "What the Sun Said" Ð 10:11
Side Two
6. "Revelation on the Banks of the Pawtuxent" Ð 2:34
7. "Poor Boy" (John Fahey, Bukka White) Ð 3:19
8. "Variations on the Coocoo" (arr. John Fahey, Clarence Ashley) Ð 4:00
9. "The Last Steam Engine Train" Ð 2:18
10. "Give Me Corn Bread When I'm Hungry (long version)" Ð 4:58
11. "Dance of Death" Ð 7:39
Notes:
-the labels have the side numbers reversed (but the song titles match the vinyl)
-the time for track 10 (on the label) is for a shorter version of the song; the longer version is on this pressing
Personnel:
* John Fahey Ð guitar
* Bill Barth Ð guitar ("On the Banks of the Owchita")