Way down upon the Swanee River

Music in this episode:Mormon Tabernacle Choir - “Old Folks At Home (Way Down Upon the Swanee River)” (1968)Al Jolson - “Swanee River” (1950)Bing Crosby - “Old Folks At Home (Swanee River)” (1945)Pete Seeger - “Swanee River” (1959)Paul Robeson - “Old Folks at Home” (1930)Louis Armstrong & the Mills Brothers - “The Old Folks At Home (Swanee River)” (1937)Ray Charles- “Swanee River Rock (Talkin Bout That River)” (1957)The Honeys - “Surfin’ Down the Swanee River” (1963)Fu-Schnickens - “Sneakin’ Up On Ya” (1994)The Barbershop Singers - “Way Down Upon the Suwannee River” (2011)Hugh Laurie - “Swanee River” (2011)Al Jolson - “Swanee” (1945)Judy Garland - “Swanee” (1954)Aretha Franklin - “Swanee” (1966)Matthew Morrison’s book Blacksound: Making Race and Popular Music in the United States is a must-read.Read more about the history of these songs and the music education challenges they pose.Here’s my 20th century American popular music history syllabus. Get full access to Ethan teaches you music at ethanhein.substack.com/subscribe