The Seeger Sessions - Studio Sessions

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Commercially released: April 24, 2006 / "American Land" edition: October 3, 2006
Produced by Bruce Springsteen and film by Thom Zimny
Recorded by Toby Scott at Thrill Hill East (November 1997, March 2005 and January 2006)
Mixed by Bob Clearmountain
Mastered by Bob Ludwig

Overview

Springsteen completed the Ghost Of Tom Joad tour in May 1997. In September 1997 Bruce organized a “Siesta” themed bash at his Colts Neck, NJ farm. He needed a band to play at the party and invited New York City-based outfit The Gotham Playboys. Bruce had heard about the band from Soozie Tyrell, who sometimes sat in with them at live gigs. In October 1997 Springsteen was asked to contribute a recording for an upcoming Pete Seeger tribute album. Bruce felt some of the musicians in The Gotham Playboys might be right for this project. He re-contacted them, fleshed out the session with additional musician friends and acquaintances, and a recording session was held at Bruce’s New Jersey home studio on November 2, 1997. There were six songs recorded at this session, including "We Shall Overcome", "Jesse James" and "My Oklahome Home". "We Shall Overcome" was the track selected for donation and it was eventually released on the March 1998 tribute album Where Have All The Flowers Gone: The Songs Of Pete Seeger. The Gotham Playboys were later invited to perform at a couple of other parties at the farm, including Bruce’s 1998 and 2000 birthday bashes.

From that original November 1997 Seeger session we must fast-forward seven years in the timeline to late 2004, soon after the conclusion of Springsteen’s ‘Vote For Change’ mini tour. Springsteen was liaising with manager Jon Landau regarding material for a follow-up to the 1998 Tracks boxed set. Some of the leftover material from the November 1997 Seeger Session was being evaluated and out of those discussions came the idea of releasing this session material as a stand-alone album project. However there were not enough songs recorded in November 1997 to fill an album. Consequently the original 1997 musicians were re-contacted and an additional session took place on March 19, 2005, just prior to Springsteen embarking on his solo tour to promote his about-to-be-released Devils And Dust album. There were nine songs recorded at this March 19, 2005 Seeger session.

Following the completion of the Devils & Dust tour Springsteen undertook a third and final Seeger Sessions Band studio session on January 21, 2006. There were eight songs recorded at this session. The original 1997 session wasn’t filmed, however the final two sessions in 2005 and 2006 were filmed and 30-40 minutes of docu-performance footage from these sessions (mostly the second) was included as DVD bonus material with some versions of the album.

Springsteen toured with the Seeger Sessions Band throughout 2006. During a break in the tour in mid-2006, and then in late 2006 shortly after the tour’s conclusion, Bruce recorded several other items. Some of these later session details are now known and others are likely to emerge over time. Although these mid-2006 to early 2007 recording sessions were not part of the true “Seeger Sessions” we have included the details below, as the material most logically fits into this section and time period.

Released

# Song Title Running Time Release
1.1. OLD DAN TUCKER 2:31 WSO / WSO: AL
1.2. JESSE JAMES 3:46 WSO / WSO: AL
1.3. MRS. McGRATH 4:20 WSO / WSO: AL
1.4. O MARY DON'T YOU WEEP 6:05 WSO / WSO: AL
1.5. JOHN HENRY 5:04 WSO / WSO: AL
1.6. ERIE CANAL 4:03 WSO / WSO: AL
1.7. JACOB'S LADDER 4:25 WSO / WSO: AL
1.8. MY OKLAHOMA HOME 6:02 WSO / WSO: AL
1.9. EYES ON THE PRIZE 5:14 WSO / WSO: AL
1.10. SHENANDOAH 4:53 WSO / WSO: AL
1.11. PAY ME MY MONEY DOWN 4:30 WSO / WSO: AL
1.12. WE SHALL OVERCOME 4:51 WSO / WSO: AL / COMP: FLOWERSGONE
1.13. FROGGIE WENT A COURTIN' 4:33 WSO / WSO: AL
1.14. BUFFALO GALS 1 3:11 WSO / WSO: AL
1.15. HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING? 1 2:20 WSO / WSO: AL
1.16. HOW CAN A POOR MAN STAND SUCH TIMES AND LIVE? 2 3:23 WSO: AL / 2006 single
1.17. BRING 'EM HOME 2 3:36 WSO: AL / 2006 single
1.18. AMERICAN LAND 2 4:44 WSO: AL

Total Running Time: 1:00:34 / 1:18:04 (American Land Edition)

1: Available on the bonus DVD of the original edition of WSO or, alternatively, on the later "American Land" CD edition of WSO. Also available as a internet download single. Videos directed by Thom Zimny.
2: A live version (not studio) was issued as a bonus track on the "American Land" CD edition of WSO. Also available as an internet download single, except "American Land".
3: A live version (not studio) was issued as a bonus tour video on the DVD of the "American Land" edition of WSO.

Additional Recordings

Details

Song Title Running Time Release

AMERICAN LAND - V1 uncirculating
AMERICAN LAND - V2 uncirculating
AMERICAN LAND - V3a uncirculating
AMERICAN LAND - V3b 4:25 WRECKING

Note: V1 recorded on January 21, 2006 at the third of the three Seeger Sessions. Bruce recorded another version (V2), this time solo, at his home studio sometime later in 2006. Both studio versions remain unreleased. Written by Springsteen and inspired by the song "He Lies In The American Land" (a Slovakian worker's poem later adapted and set to music by Pete Seeger). A live version (the debut performance, recorded June 22, 2006 in New York City) was issued as a bonus track on the American Land CD edition of WSO in October 2006. V3 was recorded at Stone Hill Studio in spring 2011; the base track was recorded live with Max Weinberg (drums), Ron Aniello (bass), and Charles Giordano (keyboards), and then completed with various overdubs. It was included as a bonus track with some editions of the 2012 album Wrecking Ball.

BRING 'EM HOME - V1a uncirculating
BRING 'EM HOME - V1b 3:43 2006 single

Note: Adapted by Springsteen from Pete Seeger's "Bring Them Home (If You Love Your Uncle Sam)" from 1965. V1a was recorded on January 21, 2006 at the third of the three Seeger Sessions. Springsteen, with Toby Scott at the engineering controls, re-recorded Bruce's lead vocal for this track (which includes some additional lyrics composed by Springsteen) on May 18, 2006 at Disclab Studios in Oslo, Norway during a day off while on Tour. That revamped version (V1b) was first made available by Sony in June 2006 as an internet download item. However a live version (recorded June 17, 2006 in Detroit, MI) was issued as a bonus track on the American Land CD Edition of We Shall Overcome in October 2006.

BUFFALO GALS - V1a uncirculating
BUFFALO GALS - V1b 3:11 WSO / WSO: AL

Note: Recorded on January 21, 2006 at the third of the three Seeger Sessions. Available on the bonus DVD of the original edition of We Shall Overcome or, alternatively, on the later American Land CD edition. Some elements, including the tub and organ parts, were recorded separately and overdubbed.

ERIE CANAL V1a uncirculating
ERIE CANAL V1b 4:03 WSO

Note: Recorded on March 19, 2005 during the second of the three Seeger Sessions. A few elements, including Art Baron's tuba and at least some of the backing vocals, were recorded separately and overdubbed later.

EYES ON THE PRIZE V1a uncirculating
EYES ON THE PRIZE V1b 5:14 WSO

Note: Recorded on January 21, 2006 at the third of the three Seeger Sessions. Some elements, including Art Baron's tuba, were overdubbed later.

FROGGIE WENT A COURTIN' 4:33 WSO

Note: Recorded on March 19, 2005 during the second of the three Seeger Sessions.

HOBO'S LULLABY - V1a uncirculating
HOBO'S LULLABY - V1b 5:11 COMP: YOURPOOR

Note: V1a was recorded on November 2, 1997 at the first of the three Seeger Sessions. V1b contains added vocal and banjo, performed by Pete Seeger, that was recorded by David Seitz at Seeger's cabin in Beacon, NY on July 4, 2006 and then mixed to the V1a recording to create V1b. Lisa Lowell and Mark Pender are also credited with backing vocals; if this is accurate, these would have been later overdubs as well. The V1b take was produced by Springsteen-Seitz and was first released on Sept 25, 2007 on the Various Artists charity compilation Give US Your Poor (Appleseed).

HOW CAN A POOR MAN STAND SUCH TIMES AND LIVE? uncirculating

Note: Not recorded during any of the three Seeger Sessions, although it's possible (but unlikely) that Springsteen recorded a solo studio demo later in 2006. A live version (recorded on or around April 13, 2006 at a non-audience rehearsal performance at the Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ) was issued as a bonus track on the American Land CD Edition of We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions in October 2006. This same recording had first been issued as a free download single on Springsteen's official website in April 2006.

HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING? 2:20 WSO / WSO: AL

Note: Recorded on January 21, 2006 at the third of the three Seeger Sessions. Available on the bonus DVD of the original edition or, alternatively, on the later American Land CD edition of We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions.

I COME AND STAND AT EVERY DOOR uncirculating

Note: Recorded on November 2, 1997 at the first of the three Seeger Sessions. Words transcribed into English by Jeanette Turner from a composition by Turkish poet Natzim Hikmet. Music by James Waters. Pete Seeger made a further adaptation in 1962.

IF I HAD A HAMMER (THE HAMMER SONG) COMP: APPLESEED21

Note: Recorded on January 21, 2006 at the third of the three Seeger Sessions. Released on October 19, 2018 on the various artists charity compilation Appleseed's 21st Anniversary: Roots and Branches (Appleseed).

JACOB'S LADDER V1a uncirculating
JACOB'S LADDER V1b 5:28 2006 video mix
JACOB'S LADDER V1c 4:25 WSO

Note: Recorded on January 21, 2006 at the third of the three Seeger Sessions. Some elements, including Art Baron's tuba and Charles Giordano's organ and piano, were overdubbed later. The video of the song's recording included on the the DVD side of the DualDisc release runs about one minute longer than the album version.

JESSE JAMES V1a uncirculating
JESSE JAMES V1b 3:46 WSO

Note: The first song recorded at the first of the three Seeger Sessions on November 2, 1997. Some minor overdubs were completed later, including Mark Pender's backing vocals.

JOHN HENRY V1a 5:29 2006 video mix
JOHN HENRY V1b 5:04 WSO

Note: Recorded on March 19, 2005 during the second of the three Seeger Sessions. The video of the song's recording included on the the DVD side of the DualDisc release includes about twenty more seconds of music at the end which were cut from the album version.

LONG WALK HOME 4:34 MAGIC / GREATEST: 2009

Note: Written by Springsteen while on the road in 2006 and premiered live as "Gonna Be A Long Walk Home" on November 11, 2006 in London during the Seeger Sessions Tour. This performance included an extra verse that was removed when Springsteen & The E Street Band recorded the song in Atlanta during March–April 2007. Now titled "Long Walk Home", it was released on Magic in October 2007. Issued as a promotional single, and a music video was also released featuring scenes of Springsteen at various Asbury Park landmarks, including Convention Hall. Patrick Warren adds Chamberlin and tack piano.

MICHAEL, ROW YOUR BOAT ASHORE uncirculating

Note: Recorded on March 19, 2005 during the second of the three Seeger Sessions.

MRS. McGRATH 4:20 WSO

Note: Recorded on March 19, 2005 during the second of the three Seeger Sessions.

MY OKLAHOMA HOME 6:02 WSO

Note: Recorded on November 2, 1997 at the first of the three Seeger Sessions.

O MARY DON'T YOU WEEP V1a uncirculating
O MARY DON'T YOU WEEP V1b 7:06 2006 video mix
O MARY DON'T YOU WEEP V1c 6:05 WSO

Note: Recorded on March 19, 2005 during the second of the three Seeger Sessions. The album version (V1c) is a slightly cut down version of the take released on video (V1b); both include minor overdubs to the base track, including Charles Giordano's accordion.

OLD DAN TUCKER 2:31 WSO

Note: Recorded on March 19, 2005 during the second of the three Seeger Sessions.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST 3:40 COMP: LOVEMORRICONE

Note: This song, an electric guitar-based instrumental, was not recorded during any of the original three Seeger Sessions. It was recorded solo by Bruce at his NJ home studio in July or August 2006, during a break in the Seeger Sessions Tour. Bruce's guitar part was then sent to Italian producer/conductor Luigi Caiola, who overdubbed the orchestra/string parts on top of Bruce's guitar parts to create the finished recording. First released in February 2007 on the Various Artists compilation tribute CD We All Love Ennio Morricone (Sony).

PAY ME MY MONEY DOWN 4:30 WSO

Note: Recorded on March 19, 2005 during the second of the three Seeger Sessions.

PRETTY BOY FLOYD uncirculating

Note: Recorded on November 2, 1997 at the first of the three Seeger Sessions.

SHENANDOAH V1a uncirculating
SHENANDOAH V1b 4:53 WSO

Note: Recorded on March 19, 2005 during the second of the three Seeger Sessions. Some elements, including Art Baron's tuba and Charles Giordano's piano and organ, were recorded later and overdubbed.

THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD - V1 uncirculating
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD - V2 4:20 JOAD / ESSENTIAL / CHAPTER / BESTOF
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD - V3 4:26 COMP: APPLESEED10
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD - V4 6:02 DOC: PEOPLESPEAK
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD - V5 4:44 OST: PEOPLESPEAK
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD - V6 7:34 HOPES

Note: Written as a rock song for the Greatest Hits project, but abandoned when Springsteen couldn't find an arrangement. Re-imagined as an acoustic song, and recorded May 23, 1995 at Thrill Hill Recording, Beverly Hills, California. Springsteen handles guitar and vocals, and his four-man backing band on this recording is Danny Federici (keyboards), Garry Tallent (bass), Marty Rifkin (pedal steel, dobro), and Gary Mallaber (drums). V3 is an entirely re-recorded version, but was not recorded during any of the three Seeger Sessions. It was recorded at various stages and studio locations during mid-/late-2006. Bruce's parts (vocal, harmonica) were recorded at Thrill Hill Recording, Rumson, New Jersey in August 2006. Pete Seeger's vocals were recorded at Seeger's cabin in Beacon, NY on July 4, 2006. The backing band's individual parts were recorded at various locations around the United States during mid-/late-2006 and then everything was mixed together at Shelter Island Sound Studios in New York City by David Seitz, and produced by Springsteen, Jim Musselman, and Seitz. The recording was first released on September 11, 2007 on the Various Artists charity compilation Sowing The Seeds (Appleseed). V4 was recorded, most likely early 2009, in his home studio for the The People Speak documentary, and was released on his website in January 2010; the distinct V5, released on the soundtrack to that documentary, was apparently recorded separately later in 2009. V6 was recorded in March 2013 in Los Angeles, the day before a flight to Australia for the Australian leg of the Wrecking Ball Tour, and was produced by Ron Aniello and Springsteen.

WE SHALL OVERCOME - V1a uncirculating
WE SHALL OVERCOME - V1b 4:40 COMP: FLOWERSGONE
WE SHALL OVERCOME - V1c 4:51 WSO / COMP:APPLESEED21

Note: Recorded on November 2, 1997 at the first of the three Seeger Sessions. V1b and V1c are slightly different mixes of the same core recording. V1b, which includes Bruce's count-in, was first issued in March 1998 on the Various Artists Pete Seeger tribute CD Where Have All The Flowers Gone? (Appleseed). Various minor elements of both recordings, including the organ and tambourine (both likely by Springsteen), Charles Giordano's piano and/or accordion, and Mark Pender (possibly erroneously credited) trumpet and backing vocals, were recorded separately and overdubbed onto the original base track (V1a).

WORRIED MAN BLUES uncirculating

Note: Recorded on January 21, 2006 at the third of the three Seeger Sessions.

Musicians

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