Episode 6: John Henry & Stagger Lee

This is the tale of two men, two black men, two tough sons of bitches immortalized in American song. Two ballads and identities that tell us all we need to know about sex, and race, and danger in America's first 200 years.

John Henry was a working man, 6 foot 2, 200 pounds, a giant in his day, born a slave some time in the 1840s. He punched holes into mountains so the mountains could be dynamited for railroad tunnels and died after competing with a steel driving steam drill.

Stagger Lee was a pimp who owned the Modern Horseshoe Club in the notorious Deep Morgan section of St. Louis in 1895. He lived in two story house on North 12th with half a dozen crib apartments in back where the girls worked.

These men, and the ballads that grew up around them, launched the careers of two of America's greatest public identities. It's no surprise then that the ballads of John Henry and Stagger Lee have remained core parts of  the American repertoire for more than a century.

Listen to Down in the Flood Episode 6: John Henry & Stagger Lee (39:00 min, 43 MB)

Comments

[Tony Alva]

Another great show Jason. Becks version of Stagger Lee on Peter Cases' tribute album to Mississippi John Hurt called Avalon Blues is quite exceptional if you get a chance to check it out.

I've got your Doc Boggs recommendation in the car player right now. Amazon owes you big time since I've picked up at least 10 discs since reading your blog!

[Jason Chervokas]

Thanks. I've heard about that Beck cover but never heard it. It's on my list of things to check out actually.

That Revenant collection of Dock Boggs stuff is absolutely one of my faves. Probably among my top ten favorite albums.

Glad to hear you're buying some of the disks. It's ridiculous for the music industry, which has been struggling to find new market channels, to consider podcasting anything but a great new marketing channel.

I guess I should set up an Amazon referral account. At least it might subsidize a couple of my own Amazon purchases every year.

[Jason Chervokas]

FYI, I actually DID arrange for an amazon referral program that pays me in amazon credits, so if there's stuff you do want to buy listed in the sidebars, I would love it if you clicked through from here or from Trickster. More to the point my wife would love it!

[Jason Bennett]

Found your site via Scobleizer - I'll be listening later this afternoon. FYI, a great MP3 compendium of Stagga Lee versions was done about 4 months ago by Pre-War Blues:
http://prewarblues.org/2005/03/stagolee-recap-and-remaining-titles.html

My favorite is probably Lloyd Price's soul version.

[Jason Chervokas]

Yeah, I saw that Stagger Lee compendium. Great stuff.

[Eddie LeBreton]

The Black Keys do a nice one too, "Stack Shot Billy" off their most recent ablum, Rubber Factory.

The songs' good (while not mindblowing) but I'm really digging the band right now. Fits right into the garage rock revival scene. Reminds me of a dirtier Kings of Leon.

[Elixir Sue]

Great shows. I'm getting caught up with all of them. Keep 'em coming.

Who did the Stagger Lee toast?

Thanks!