Molly Scott - Waitin' On You And Other Folksongs (Original Mono LP, Full Album)

Описание: Molly Scott - Waitin' On You And Other Folksongs
Prestige International 1961
Original mono LP cut by Rudy Van Gelder

Played back on a Yamaha YP701 turntable with Ortofon 2M Black cartridge and Yamaha CX2 preamp
Transferred to a Tascam DR100mkii in 24bit/48khz resolution
New high resolution artwork scans

0:00 Katy Cruel
02:29 Waitin' On You
04:31 The Virgin Mary
07:26 Stewball
11:53 Who's Gonna Shoe
15:45 Come All Ye Fair And Tender Ladies
19:14 Malian Mome
21:17 I'm Sad And I'm Lonely
24:43 Look Up And Down
26:41 Melora
29:25 Low Down Death
30:59 Seaport Town
35:54 Sun's Gonna Shine

Liner notes condensed by AI to fit character limit

Molly Scott describes herself as part of a peculiar breed—“city folksingers.” Like many in the urban folk revival, she didn’t grow up immersed in the traditions she sings. Rather, she was drawn to them from outside, compelled by their emotional truth and cultural richness. For her and others like her, folksong is less a preserved relic and more a living tradition, something deeply personal and continuously reinterpreted.

When Molly approaches a song, she dissects it into its essential parts: melody, rhythm, inflection. She listens not only for musical features but for emotional and contextual layers—asking what the song is truly about, who created it, and why. Whether it's a railroad work song, a ballad of forbidden love, or a spiritual of survival, she seeks to understand the lived experience behind it and translate that experience into her own voice with honesty and respect.

She resists treating songs as museum pieces, instead choosing to breathe life into them through interpretation. In her view, authenticity comes from personal engagement, not strict replication. Each performance is a dialogue between the song's roots and her own inner landscape.

The album Waitin’ On You reflects that philosophy. It’s a collection of songs gathered from diverse traditions—African-American spirituals, Appalachian ballads, work songs, and more—each reimagined through Scott’s clear voice, guitar work, and deep respect for their origins.

Selected Track Notes (as written by Molly Scott):

“Katy Cruel” – A sharp, ironic lament from colonial New England, filled with bitterness and pride.

“Waitin’ on You” – A spiritual learned from the Golden Gate Quartet and adapted from African-American tradition. A slow, expressive piece about hope and endurance.

“Vision Mary” – A spiritual from the rural South, remembered from Molly’s childhood, full of beauty and mystery.

“Stewball” – A well-loved horse-racing ballad of British origin that came to the U.S. via Ireland. Molly was drawn to its sadness and simplicity.

“Who’s Gonna Shoe” – A common lullaby learned in Berkeley, full of questions a mother might ask as she prepares to leave a child behind.

“Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies” – A mournful Appalachian ballad expressing wisdom passed down through generations of women.

“Malinda Moore” – A ballad of execution from Missouri, in which a young Black man sings of his fate on the gallows.

“I’m Sad and I’m Lonely” – A classic lament of heartbreak and longing.

“Look Up and Down” – A spiritual urging faith and persistence. Molly learned this one from Ken Morse of Philadelphia.

“Medora” – A tragic mountain ballad about a young girl’s death during childbirth, steeped in Appalachian grief.

“Low Down Death” – A spiritual from rural Georgia, portraying death as a mysterious but accepted visitor.

“Seaport Town” – A ballad of love and betrayal, where a servant girl is abandoned by the man she hoped would marry her.

“Sun’s Gonna Shine” – A song of hope and resilience that closes the record on an uplifting note.

Throughout the liner notes, Molly emphasizes her belief that these songs are not just historical curiosities—they are emotional vessels, adaptable and alive. Each one invites the singer to inhabit it personally and pass it forward, changed but still true.

In essence, Molly Scott’s approach to folk music is both scholarly and soulful—deeply respectful of tradition, but equally committed to making each song her own.