Album Description

Goodbye Babylon is a 6 CD gospel reissue collection. 5 CDs contain 135 songs from 1902-1960 and the 6th disc is comprised of 25 sermons recorded between 1926-1941. Also included is a 200 page book complete with Bible verses, lyric transcriptions, and notes for each recording, plus over 200 illustrations. - Art direction and design by World of anArchie, the Grammy® winning team behind "Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton," and other fine works such as "Dock Boggs Country Blues," and "Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music, Volume IV." - Sound restoration and mastering by Airshow Mastering, the team that restored the "Anthology of American Folk Music" (Smithsonian Folkways, 1997), and won a Grammy® for their work on "Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton" (Revenant, 2002). - Reverently packed in raw cotton and housed in a deluxe 8" x 11" x 2.5" cedar box. Notes and essays by musicologists and scholars, including several Grammy® winners. - Contributors include Lynn Abbott, David Evans, Ray Funk, Anthony Heilbut, Kip Lornell, Luigi Monge, Paul Oliver, Opal Louis Nations, Bruce Nemerov, Guido van Rijn, Ken Romanowski, Tony Russell, Doug Seroff, Dick Spottswood, Warren Steel, David Tibet, Gayle Dean Wardlow, and Charles Wolfe.

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Discs and Tracks

Disc 1
  1 - Rev. T.T. Rose - Goodbye, Babylon
  2 - Da Costa Woltz's Southern Broadcasters - Are You Washed in the Blood of the Lamb
  3 - Roosevelt Graves and Brother - Woke up this Morning (with My Mind on Jesus)
  4 - Alabama Sacred Harp Singers - Present Joys
  5 - Blind Lemon Jefferson - All I Need is that Pure Religion
  6 - JE Mainer - Satisfied
  7 - Chuck Wagon Gang - As the Life of a Flower
  8 - Holy Ghost Sanctified Singers - Thou Carest Lord, for Me
  9 - Washington Phillips - Lift Him up That's All
  10 - Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet - Rock My Soul
  11 - Ernest V. Stoneman - There's a Light Lit up in Galilee
  12 - Arizona Dranes - Crucifixion
  13 - The Blue Chips - Crying Holy unto the Lord
  14 - Louvin Brothers - I'll Never Go Back
  15 - Mahalia Jackson - God's Gonna Separate the Wheat from the Tares
  16 - Luther Magby - Blessed are the Poor in Spirit
  17 - Blind Gary Davis - I Belong to the Band - Hallelujah!
  18 - Carter Family - River of Jordan
  19 - Lil McClintock - Sow Good Seeds
  20 - Bryant's Jubilee Quartet - I'll Be Satisfied
  21 - Frank Palmes - Troubled 'Bout My Soul
  22 - Bascom Lamar Lunsford - Dry Bones
  23 - Carlisle Brothers - Jesus My All
  24 - Taskiana Four - Creep Along, Moses
  25 - Tennessee Music and Printing Company Quartet - Joy Bells
  26 - Elder David Ross - He Gave Me a Heart to Love
  27 - Bessie Jones and the Sea Island Singers - O Day

Disc 2
  1 - Brother Claude Ely - There Ain't No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down
  2 - Elder Curry and His Congregation - Memphis Flu
  3 - Sister O.M. Terrell - The Bible's Right
  4 - Stanley Brothers - Standing in the Need of Prayer
  5 - Carl Smith with the Carter Sisters and Mother Maybelle - Blood That Stained the Old Rugged Cross
  6 - Thomas A. Dorsey - How About You
  7 - Skip James - Jesus is a Mighty Good Leader
  8 - Charles Butts Sacred Harp Singers - Murillo's Lesson
  9 - Kentucky Ramblers - Glory Glory Glory Glory to the Lamb
  10 - Elder Richard Bryant - Come Over Here
  11 - Jaybird Coleman - I'm Gonna Cross the River of Jordan
  12 - Trumpeteers - Milky White Way
  13 - Johnson Family Singers - Deliverance will Come
  14 - North Carolina Cooper Boys - Daniel in the Den of Lions
  15 - Sister Cally Fancy - Goin' to Heaven in the Sanctified Way
  16 - Jimpson - No More, My Lord
  17 - King's Sacred Quartet - This World Can't Stand Long
  18 - Virginia Dandies - God's Getting Worried
  19 - Empire Jubilee Quartet - Get Right Church
  20 - Rosie Hibler and Family - Move, Members, Move
  21 - Huggins-Phillips Sacred Harp Singers - Lover of the Lord
  22 - A.A. Gray and Seven Foot Dilly - The Old Ark's A Moving
  23 - Blind Roger Hay - On My Way To Heaven
  24 - Uncle Dave Macon - The Bible's True
  25 - Price Family Sacred Singers - Ship of Glory
  26 - Elders McIntorsh & Edwards - He Gave Me a Heart to Love
  27 - Elder Effie Hall and Congregation - O Day
  28 - Blind Willie Davis - When the Saints Go Marching In
  29 - Lion and the Cyril Monrose String Orchestra - Jonah, Come out the Wilderness

Disc 3
  1 - Dinwiddie Colored Quartet - Down on the Old Camp Ground
  2 - Norfolk Jubilee Quartet - My Lord's Gonna Move this Wicked Race
  3 - Edward W. Clayborn - Your Enemy Cannot Harm You (But Watch Your Close Friend)
  4 - McVay and Johnson - Ain't Going To Lay My Armor Down
  5 - James and Martha Carson - I'll Fly Away
  6 - Alabama Sacred Harp Singers - Heavenly Vision
  7 - Blind Willie Johnson - Lord I Just Can't Keep From Crying
  8 - Jubilee Gospel Team - Lower My Dying Head
  9 - Two Gospel Keys - You've Got to Move
  10 - Flatt and Scruggs - That Home Above
  11 - Golden Gate Quartet - Golden Gate Gospel Train
  12 - Roosevelt Graves and Brother - I'll Be Rested (When the Roll is Called)
  13 - Eddie Head and His Family - Down on Me
  14 - Blind Joe Taggart - Goin' to Rest Where Jesus Is
  15 - Louis Washington - Got Heaven in My View
  16 - Rev. Sister Mary Nelson - Judgment
  17 - Cotton Top Mountain Sanctified Singers - I Want Two Wings to Veil My Face
  18 - Rev. D.C. Rice - We Got the Same Kinda Power over Here
  19 - Washington Phillips - What are They Doing in Heaven Today?
  20 - T.C.I. Women's Four - That Great Day
  21 - North Canton Quartet - I'm Bound for Home
  22 - Washington White - I am in the Heavenly Way
  23 - Sam Morgan's Jazz Band - Over in Gloryland
  24 - Rev. Anderson Johnson - Death in the Morning
  25 - Maddox Brothers & Rose - In the Land Where We'll Never Grow Old
  26 - Dock Walsh - Bathe in that Beautiful Pool
  27 - Hank Williams - I'll Have a New Body

Disc 4
  1 - Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper - Walking My Lord Up Calvary's Hill
  2 - Sheffield Quartet - Christ Arose
  3 - Thomas A. Dorsey - If You See My Savior
  4 - Jubilee Gospel Team - Let Jesus Lead You
  5 - Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet - Found a Wonderful Savior
  6 - Arizona Dranes and Choir - He is My Story
  7 - Ernest V. Stoneman and His Dixie Mountaineers - I Remember Calvary
  8 - Blind Willie Johnson - Take Your Burden to the Lord and Leave It There
  9 - Rev. W.M. Mosley - If You Follow Jesus
  10 - Blind Benny Paris & Wife - Hide Me in the Blood of Jesus
  11 - Wade Mainer - I'll be a Friend to Jesus
  12 - Tennessee Mountaineers - Standing on the Promises
  13 - Mother McCollum - Jesus is My Aeroplane
  14 - Sam Jones - I've Got Salvation
  15 - Blind Alfred Reed - I Mean to Live for Jesus
  16 - Heavenly Gospel Singers - When Was Jesus Born
  17 - Blue Sky Boys - Come to the Savior
  18 - Dorothy Melton - I Want Jesus to Walk with Me
  19 - Laura Henton - He's Coming Soon
  20 - Okeh-Atlanta Sacred Harp Singers - Return Again
  21 - Blind Gary Davis - I am the True Vine
  22 - Bela Lam and His Greene County Singers - Sweet Story of Old
  23 - Elder Harris - I'll Lead a Christian Life
  24 - Famous Blue Jay Singers - I'm Leaning on the Lord
  25 - Blind Willie Harris - Where He Leads Me I Will Follow
  26 - Luther Magby - Jesus is Getting us Ready

Disc 5
  1 - Silver Leaf Quartette - Daniel Saw the Stone
  2 - Alfred Karnes - Called to the Foreign Field
  3 - Ridgel's Fountain Citians - Hallelujah to the Lamb
  4 - Deacon A. Wilson - You Need Jesus on Your Side
  5 - Pace Jubilee Singers - You'd Better Mind
  6 - J.T. Allison's Sacred Harp Singers - Exhilaration
  7 - Ernest Phipps and His Holiness Singers - If the Light Has Gone Out of Your Soul
  8 - Brown's Ferry Four - Keep on the Firing Line
  9 - Bailes Brothers - Romans Ten and Nine
  10 - Wade Mainer - Standing Outside
  11 - Monroe Brothers - Sinner You Better Get Ready
  12 - Blind Willie McTell - I Got to Cross the River of Jordan
  13 - Dock Reed and Vera Hall Ward - Free at Last
  14 - Bessie Johnson's Sanctified Singers - The Whole World In His Hand
  15 - Mahalia Jackson - Amazing Grace
  16 - Blind Mamie Forehand - Honey in the Rock
  17 - Seventh Day Adventist Choir - On Jordan's Stormy Banks We Stand
  18 - Elder J.E. Burch - My Heart Keeps Singing
  19 - Joshua White - I Don't Intend to Die in Egyptland
  20 - Daniels Deason Sacred Harp Singers - Primrose Hill
  21 - Daniels Deason Sacred Harp Singers - Primrose Hill
  22 - Mrs. L. Reed & Mrs. T.A. Duncans - Light in the Valley
  23 - The Georgia Peach - When the Saints Go Marching In
  24 - Jimmie Strothers - Down to the Shore
  25 - Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Strange Things Happening Every
  26 - Rev. T.T. Rose - Goodbye, Babylon part 2

Disc 6
  1 - Rev. J.M. Gates - Gettin' Ready For Christmas Day
  2 - Rev A.W. Nix - Black Diamond Express to Hell Part 1
  3 - Rev A.W. Nix - Black Diamond Express to Hell Part 2
  4 - Rev. J.C. Burnett - The Downfall of Nebuchadezzar
  5 - Rev. Isaiah Shelton - The Liar
  6 - Rev. Emmet Dickinson - Hell and What It Is
  7 - Elder J.E. Burch - The Church And the Kingdom
  8 - Rev. T.E. Weems - If I Have a Ticket Lord Can I Ride
  9 - Rev. Benny Campbell - You Must be Born Again
  10 - Rev. E.D. Campbell - Take Me to the Water
  11 - Jubilee Gospel Team - Oh, Lord Remember Me
  12 - Rev. E.S. (Shy) Moore - Christ, the Teacher
  13 - Rev. Johnny Blakey - King of Kings
  14 - Elder Otis Jones - O Lord I'm Your Child
  15 - Rev. Webb - Moses was Rescued by a Negro Woman
  16 - Rev. George Jones - That White Mule of Sin
  17 - Deacon Leon Davis - Deacon's Prayer Service
  18 - Rev. S.J. Worell - The Prodigal Son
  19 - C.H. Gatewood - Well of Salvation
  20 - Rev. F.W. McGee - Jonah in the Belly of the Whale
  21 - Rev. J.C. Burnett - The Gambler's Doom
  22 - Hallelujah Joe - The Prodigal's Return
  23 - Rev. T.E. Weems - God is Mad with Man
  24 - Rev. J.M. Milton - The Black Camel of Death
  25 - Rev. J.M. Gates - Death Might Be Your Santa Claus

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deeply moving        Rating:

i haven't a religious bone in my body, but this boxed set has provided me with one of the most moving listening experiences of my life. a good deal of this music is full of an intense yearning, coming from men and women who didn't have an easy lot in life. the sacred harp singing is a particular highlight for me. turn off whatever might provide a distraction and set aside an afternoon to listen. my budget prevents me from buying boxed sets such as these very often, but, to the best of my knowledge, there's no other collection of american religious music with this kind of scope and attention to detail - from mastering to liner notes (lyrics!) to packaging. i'm not usually one to care about packaging but the wooden box feels like a lovely personal touch - apparently the cotton comes from the label owners' farm. be forewarned that the discs can slide around in the box and out of their protective sleeves, though.

Old times not forgotten        Rating:

The product was as expected. That means material from before the time I was born in 1950. It sounds like old time AM radio because the source media is in most cases at least that old and much of it is gramophone. If you want to know what music was like then go for it. Excuse me. It is rural music not New York City music. This is what my parents and grandparents listened to.

Buy.        Rating:

Look up. Does it say "in stock"? It does? Buy it! The hell with the damn money - life's short, and this jewel from Dust To Digital is worth every cent. Goodbye, Babylon is a rich, deep vein of mixed ore - plenty of utilitarian coal, a good leavening of gold, and a double handful of diamonds. For starters, the box set itself is a beautiful object, made with respect and love. For musical trainspotters, there's plenty here to enjoy and mull over - by far the larger proportion not found on any of my other compilations. And for people like me, who are trawling for that elusive and rare combination of passion and melody, humanity and heartbreak, yearning and joy - it can be found here. I distilled the six CDs down to a compilation that I listen to as I would any good music, and as frequently - it's a great Sunday morning CD and, if you live in the suburbs like I don't, it'll freak the neighbours. Oh, unless you live in the southern states of the US, of course. Ahem. Anyway, sift through and you'll find beautiful songs that will lift your spirits, old weird America stuff that'll make you smile and sing along, and a wealth of really interesting music that draws from many traditions. This one is special, and worth it. Enjoy.

Buy this!        Rating:

This a very valuable collection of gospel music. Be aware that is all gospel. Is is nearly all old time gospel, and it gives us a rich history of the passion that goes into this form of music. If you are a lover of folk music you should own this set.The performers are now saved for all time! The one drawback is the insanley stupid packaging-a wooden box that does not work! I threw mine away. What were they thinking??

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