Eli's List of YouTube Videos (I Had to Do It)

People tell me to check out different videos on YouTube like 10 times a day. I guess that's why Google bought it for however many billion dollars. But I have to say, that I'm very happy that the forum of YouTube exists and I hope that stupid copyright laws, other bad laws and general restrictions don't mess it up. Hopefully its too late for that. Maybe its never too late. Probably both. We'll see. Anyway, here's links to videos that I found worthy for this particular list.

J.D. Sumner & the Stamps Quartet - 1967 - Wayfaring Stranger -Who are these crazy people? (Thank you to Jacob Groopman for this link.)

Jackson Pollock film - I heard that Jackson Pollock played in a string band with Pete Seeger in the 1930's. That makes sense, because as Pollock mentions in this really cool film, he was a student of Thomas Hart Benton. Benton was a good friend of Charles Seeger, Pete's father, and was definitely a big part of the "folk" music/visual art movement of that time.

Fugs 1968 - A film of The Fugs in 1968, made for Swedish television. They're a great band, definitely doing good work.

Ed Sanders plays finger-synth - Ed Sanders (of the Fugs) talks about poetry and music, reads/sings his own work, and plays an instrument that he invented. Great stuff!

To Hear Your Banjo Play Part 1 & Part 2 - This is an incredible film made in the 1940's. It features Pete Seeger and is largely narrated by him. The story and dialogue were done by Alan Lomax and its got some of the only footage of Woody Guthrie. Its also got footage of several other of the greats. You can download this film at Archive.org. Not to be missed!

Del McCoury Band - Playing "Get Down On Your Knees And Pray."

Sarah & Maybelle Carter- Here's links to several films of them: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 .

Roscoe Holcomb - plays "Little Grey Mule."

Roan Mt. Hilltoppers - Great string band. This is the trailer for an upcoming film about them.

- All the stuff from Pete Seeger's old tv show "Rainbow Quest" is worth checking out on YouTube.

- Also be sure to search on YouTube for Leadbelly. That footage is haunted, if you're into that sort of thing.

Harry Smith Films: Early Abstractions Parts One, Two, Three, Four and Mirror Animations
-Yes this is the same Harry Smith that put together the Anthology of American Folk Music for Folkways in 1952. He was a record collector, painter, film-maker, collector of other esoteric things like fabric and string designs. An artist/achemist. The process by which these films were made is extraordinary. The films are extraordinary!

 

 

*** Who are these people putting these awesome videos on YouTube!? I salute you.