In fact, I'd just gone over there and I will be going back right after I finish this post.
Lots of real good albums by Harry Belafonte, but his 3 concert recordings for RCA are on an extremely high level.
The magnitude of Harry Belafonte performing in front of a "live audience" is phenomenal:
1 - BELAFONTE AT CARNEGIE HALL (1959)
2 - BELAFONTE RETURNS TO CARNEGIE HALL (1960)
3 - BELAFONTE AT THE GREEK THEATRE (1963)
On Harry's "Greek Theatre" concert album, he opens with the prison song "Look Over Yonder."
Belafonte was making reference to the men who sang it. They were all chained together ---
The convicted murderer; the poor bail-bond risk; the vagrant whose only crime was homelessness, etc...
In referring to these prisoners, Harry Belafonte tells the audience:
"When you see me laughin'...I'm laughin' just to keep from cryin'..."
The video below was taken from the Ed Sullivan Show:
This haunting song was written by William "Bill" Eaton who was the arranger for a number of Harry B's LPs. Among them is Belafonte-By Request which includes John Stewart's Missouri Birds .
Here's a very informative Harry B. website: www.harbel.one
In 1963, by the time Harry Belafonte recorded his "live" album "BELAFONTE AT THE GREEK THEATRE", his concerts had taken on the proportions of a theatrical event, akin to Broadway.
They included folk songs, dance numbers, prison songs, satires and a twenty minute sing along of "Zombie Jamboree." Lots of great songs, and one of the highlights would have to be
a ballad entitled "Windin' Road."
A song about false love, betrayal and murder. What could be better? This is Harry Belafonte at his best, and lately, I've been playing his "Greek Theatre" record since my wife got tired
of my listening to Bob Dylan. :>) HAPPY HOLIDAYS
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