Customer Reviews

American Favorite Ballads: Tunes and Songs as Sung by Pete Seeger

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Terrific songbook with melodies' ,lyrics and sheet music for famous American tunes. 97 pages long, softcover as originally published in 1st edition by Oak Publication. Nearly 100 songs including Big Rock Candy Mountain, Rye Whiskey, Stagolee, We Shall Not Be Moved, Which Side are You on, John Henry, Kisses Sweeter Than Wine, and more. Many of the songs include a brief history of the origin, as well as illustrations and woodcuts on every page.

Excellent book of classic old songs. Includes useful little notes of interest by Pete about the songs.

I bought "American Favorite Ballads" in 1967, at the same time that my first banjo. It was the first money I got by working...

Sure the book is great ! I am very happy that it remains in print.

Use it, play music, sing... And do not look at Internet !!

"..... Now, if you love one of these songs, you can make it your own by singing it, through the years it will become part of your life as little by little you change the tune in subtle ways, or add or subtract verses.
This is what I have done.
As a matter of fact, without a certain amount of creative rearranging some of the songs in this book will be impossible to sing.
For example, you will probably have to adjust the pitch of MANY SONGS TO FIT THE RANGE OF YOUR VOICE, OR VOICES....."
[from the book of the introduction by Peter Seeger, Dutchess Junction, Beacon, N.Y., Dec. 1960]