May 18, 2009 6:59 AM
Oh Shenandoah ~22 versions~
I left Virginia in 1972 for San Francisco, but returned after 30 years with 21 native Californians (husband, 11 children (my first was born in DC), 2 sons-in-law and 8 grandchildren). I now live in the shadow of the Blue Ridge mountains and five minutes from the Shenandoah River.
Got up this morning with "Oh Shenandoah" on my mind and wanted to share. Ended up with a smorgasbord of interpretations for you. If you don't know this beautiful song, it is practically a hymn in Virginia. Still, we don't hear it often enough. I had a peaceful hour finding these for you. You might not have time to enjoy them all, but I hope there is something here for everyone.
Mamas, this is why you want your boys to grow up to be singers:
Here's how they start:
Deep bass by Tennessee Ernie Ford:
With an Celtic twist:
Other versions:
Paul Robeson (magnificent)
Bob Dylan (disappointing)
Bruce Springsteen (pitiful)
Mason Williams - acoustic guitar and soul (remember him? Classical Gas - if you're too young to remember, you must watch this - at the time it was groundbreaking to bring in symphonic backup for a humble guitar)
Arlo Guthrie (beautiful picture show - strange lyrics)
Randy Granger (Native American singing a capella and with great feeling)
Charlie Zahm (Celtic - homemade video, strong masculine interpretation)
Bryn Terfel (with Irish pipes)
Keith Jarret (piano and slideshow)
Tony Rice (bluegrass guitar)
Frontier Brigade Band (period brass band)
A Filipino Choir in a Catholic Church (exquisite)
Michigan Men's Glee Club (120 men - powerful - and another incentive to get your boys singing!)
Del XIII Certamen Internacional de Corales de Villafranca de los Barros (Badajoz, Spain)
Harmonica solo (with slideshow)
Bill Frisell (haunting electric guitar)
Here is a slideshow of the people and landscape of the Shenandoah region of Virginia:
Thank God for YouTube which is capturing our history and making spontaneous projects like this so rewarding! I never got into scrapbooking, but this really works for me!
Oh, and I hear Van Morrison has one of the best versions of Shenandoah, but it's not on YouTube. On the "Best of" album - can anyone send me an MP3?
Comments
I spent two years in college in Harrisonburg. Beautiful area.
Posted by: Julana | May 18, 2009 7:02 PM
Gee thanks, Barbara, I've got tears running down my cheeks. I was born and raised in the historic Northern Neck of Virginia and have ties to the Shenandoah region. It probably sounds ridiculous at best and chauvinistic at worst to others, but in my heart I will always be a Virginian. Perhaps one day I will live there again.
Posted by: Renee P | May 19, 2009 11:37 PM
