Ellie Mao – Ellie Mao: An Anthology Of Chinese Folk Songs

Label: Folkways Records – FW 8877
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1963
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Chinese Classical

Chinese classical trilling.  Lovely piano!  (NM/VG+)

In this charming collection of Chinese folk songs, Ellie Mao surveys the vast landscape of China’s music with her strong voice, from the Himalayas to the Pacific coast. These songs are often passed by word of mouth from generation to generation, sung in the fields, farmhouses, and festivals. Based on her understanding of Chinese culture, Ellie Mao works carefully to preserve the authenticity of the songs. Many of the songs featured in this anthology have appeared in various collections, but often have had no “public” performances, as “professional” folk singers had just begun to emerge in China at the time of this production. These songs were translated into the traditional Chinese dialect so that they could be more easily understood, but Ellie Mao provides listeners with the authentic Sichuanese dialect in several songs [Disc 2, tracks 1, 2, and 3]. The tracks of these albums provide small snapshots of the joy of life that pervades the spirit of the Chinese people, which can transcend the barriers of language.

Tracklist
A1 The Sweeping Wind
A2 In A Far-Away Place
A3 The Funny Old Man
A4 Heartache
A5 A Festive Song
A6 The Embroidered Purse
A7 Digging Potatoes
A8 Wu Ke Tends The Sheep
A9 Hanging Red Lanterns
A10 Lo-Ho-Ho
A11 The Nine-Ring Puzzle
A12 Clear Is The River
A13 Kite-Flying
B1 When The Gardenias Bloom
B2 Bean Sprouts, Scallions And Garlic Cloves
B3 The Washerwoman
B4 My Love Is Like A Dragon In The Sky
B5 The Mule Driver's Song
B6 A Guessing Song
B7 Riding Up The Hill
B8 The Little Birds
B9 Song Of The Wagon Driver
B10 The Little Swallow
B11 Majira
B12 The Happy Fisherman
B13 The Little Cabbage
B14 The Bamboo Flute
B15 Flower Drum Song