WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.359 Welcome back to The Deep Dive. Today, we are 00:00:03.359 --> 00:00:06.860 dusting off a piece of vinyl that is, well, it's 00:00:06.860 --> 00:00:09.039 just a fascinating cross -section of a massive 00:00:09.039 --> 00:00:11.419 career. It really is. We're talking about the 00:00:11.419 --> 00:00:15.019 1960 studio album by the legendary Paul Robeson. 00:00:15.060 --> 00:00:17.179 Right, the album's called Encore Robeson. Yeah, 00:00:17.280 --> 00:00:20.839 and it has the subtitle, Paul Robeson, Favorites, 00:00:20.859 --> 00:00:24.679 Volume 2. Which is so interesting. It is, because 00:00:24.679 --> 00:00:27.190 it sounds almost like a... you know, a standard 00:00:27.190 --> 00:00:29.989 greatest hits compilation. But when you look 00:00:29.989 --> 00:00:31.690 at the actual source material we have today, 00:00:31.850 --> 00:00:34.310 the tracking details, the production notes, the 00:00:34.310 --> 00:00:37.869 metadata of his broader career, you realize it's 00:00:37.869 --> 00:00:40.490 not just a simple list of songs. No. Definitely 00:00:40.490 --> 00:00:43.030 not. And I think our mission today for this deep 00:00:43.030 --> 00:00:45.590 dive is to really look closely at this specific 00:00:45.590 --> 00:00:48.030 track list. Exactly. Because if you want to understand 00:00:48.030 --> 00:00:50.590 the incredible versatility and frankly, the intellect 00:00:50.590 --> 00:00:53.030 of Paul Robeson, this record is the perfect lens. 00:00:53.229 --> 00:00:55.390 We are going to contrast the different genres 00:00:55.390 --> 00:00:57.670 and languages he put on this single piece of 00:00:57.670 --> 00:00:59.990 plastic. So let's just jump right into the basic 00:00:59.990 --> 00:01:02.369 facts of the release. It came out in 1960. Right. 00:01:02.429 --> 00:01:05.010 And it was released on the Monitor label. Yes. 00:01:05.310 --> 00:01:08.269 Monitor. And for you audiophiles out there listening. 00:01:08.989 --> 00:01:10.950 The source gives us the specific catalog numbers, 00:01:11.069 --> 00:01:13.430 which is always fun. Oh, yeah. The pressing details. 00:01:13.709 --> 00:01:16.969 Exactly. It was released as MP581 for the mono 00:01:16.969 --> 00:01:20.290 version. And MPS581 for stereo. Right. And what 00:01:20.290 --> 00:01:22.689 really stands out in the source material is the 00:01:22.689 --> 00:01:24.849 critical reception. Yeah. This is a great little 00:01:24.849 --> 00:01:27.129 nugget we found. Billboard magazine actually 00:01:27.129 --> 00:01:30.469 gave this album a spotlight pick. A spotlight 00:01:30.469 --> 00:01:33.109 pick. Yeah. And a positive rating, which, you 00:01:33.109 --> 00:01:35.609 know, when you think about the year 1960. That 00:01:35.609 --> 00:01:38.810 year is hugely significant. Why is that? Well, 00:01:38.870 --> 00:01:41.189 looking at the stage shows list in our source 00:01:41.189 --> 00:01:44.250 material, Robeson had just performed Othello 00:01:44.250 --> 00:01:46.849 at Stratford. That was a year before, right? 00:01:46.909 --> 00:01:51.109 1959. Exactly. 1959. So this album captures him 00:01:51.109 --> 00:01:53.969 at a very specific, highly mature point in his 00:01:53.969 --> 00:01:57.010 career. He's coming off this. major Shakespearean 00:01:57.010 --> 00:01:59.090 performance. He's an established titan of the 00:01:59.090 --> 00:02:01.409 stage. Absolutely. Which makes the track list 00:02:01.409 --> 00:02:04.090 of this album even more wild. Let's talk about 00:02:04.090 --> 00:02:06.709 Side A, because it is, well, it's a global tour. 00:02:06.909 --> 00:02:08.849 That's the perfect way to describe it. The eclectic 00:02:08.849 --> 00:02:11.289 mix on this side is staggering. It really is. 00:02:11.289 --> 00:02:13.650 You drop the needle, and the track list just 00:02:13.650 --> 00:02:15.909 bounces all over the world. You have the Sky 00:02:15.909 --> 00:02:18.189 Boat song. Right, which gives us a Scottish connection. 00:02:18.550 --> 00:02:20.930 But then, on the exact same side of the record, 00:02:21.069 --> 00:02:25.030 you get Schulkfangkind. Yes. And Don LaPranton. 00:02:25.370 --> 00:02:27.490 And this is where we have to highlight the linguistic 00:02:27.490 --> 00:02:30.729 diversity. Yeah. Schulk Feinkind is Yiddish. 00:02:31.009 --> 00:02:35.530 Wow. And Dola Prandtl is French. So he's jumping 00:02:35.530 --> 00:02:39.129 from Scottish folk to Yiddish to French. It's 00:02:39.129 --> 00:02:41.650 incredible. And it doesn't stop there. He brings 00:02:41.650 --> 00:02:44.370 in O Mistress Mine. Right. Which directly connects 00:02:44.370 --> 00:02:46.229 back to his Shakespearean background. Exactly. 00:02:46.370 --> 00:02:48.310 Referencing that Othello performance we just 00:02:48.310 --> 00:02:50.189 talked about. Yeah. He's bringing the theater 00:02:50.189 --> 00:02:52.270 into the recording studio. And then there's a 00:02:52.270 --> 00:02:55.250 track called Zvornost. Yes. Zvornost. The source 00:02:55.250 --> 00:02:57.289 material provides a translation for this one. 00:02:57.330 --> 00:03:00.110 It translates to freedom. And that translation 00:03:00.110 --> 00:03:03.050 is key. When you connect Zvornost freedom to 00:03:03.050 --> 00:03:04.659 the activism section. of our source material, 00:03:05.020 --> 00:03:08.120 a bigger picture emerges. How so? Well, Robeson 00:03:08.120 --> 00:03:09.759 isn't just singing pretty songs in different 00:03:09.759 --> 00:03:13.139 languages. He's communicating themes that are 00:03:13.139 --> 00:03:15.919 deeply relevant to his actual life. Right, his 00:03:15.919 --> 00:03:19.219 real -world work. Exactly. The source lists his 00:03:19.219 --> 00:03:21.560 work with the Council on African Affairs. Oh, 00:03:21.659 --> 00:03:24.219 yeah. And his writings, like the Freedom newspaper. 00:03:24.460 --> 00:03:27.219 Ah, so the song Freedom and his newspaper Freedom. 00:03:27.300 --> 00:03:30.159 It's completely connected. He's using the music 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:33.250 to echo his activism. That is fascinating. Side 00:03:33.250 --> 00:03:36.789 A is this incredibly diverse, multilingual, intellectual 00:03:36.789 --> 00:03:40.050 showcase. Yes. But then you flip the record over. 00:03:40.289 --> 00:03:42.569 And the tone completely shifts. It really does. 00:03:42.830 --> 00:03:46.569 Side B moves heavily into spirituals and work 00:03:46.569 --> 00:03:48.669 songs. It's a very different vibe. It's a much 00:03:48.669 --> 00:03:51.150 more grounded, deeply rooted collection of tracks. 00:03:51.449 --> 00:03:53.389 The first one that really jumps out is No More 00:03:53.389 --> 00:03:56.539 Auction. Right. And you just have to pause. And 00:03:56.539 --> 00:03:58.879 consider the historical weight of a title like 00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:01.659 No More Auction. It's heavy. Very heavy. And 00:04:01.659 --> 00:04:03.900 he follows that up with tracks like Didn't My 00:04:03.900 --> 00:04:06.800 Lord Deliver Daniel? And Mount Zion, which has 00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:09.800 the subtitle On My Journey. Yes. These are profound 00:04:09.800 --> 00:04:12.960 African -American spirituals. And then you have 00:04:12.960 --> 00:04:14.759 Bear the Burden in the Heat of the Day. Which 00:04:14.759 --> 00:04:17.100 the source notes is a song about labor and struggle. 00:04:17.459 --> 00:04:21.319 Exactly. It's tying back into the themes of human 00:04:21.319 --> 00:04:23.699 endurance and the working class. And then, of 00:04:23.699 --> 00:04:25.240 course, to end the discussion of the tracks, 00:04:25.540 --> 00:04:29.079 the album features Amazing Grace. The universally 00:04:29.079 --> 00:04:32.100 known standard. Right. Everybody knows it. So 00:04:32.100 --> 00:04:34.720 you have this massive contrast. You really do. 00:04:34.860 --> 00:04:38.220 Think about it. Side A is classical and European 00:04:38.220 --> 00:04:41.660 folk. Yeah. And side B is heavily focused on 00:04:41.660 --> 00:04:43.959 African -American spirituals. It's almost like 00:04:43.959 --> 00:04:46.720 two different albums. It is, but it perfectly 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:49.180 mirrors the duality of his artistic identity. 00:04:49.480 --> 00:04:52.079 In fact, you can see this exact same duality 00:04:52.079 --> 00:04:54.660 in the films list provided in our source. Oh, 00:04:54.779 --> 00:04:56.959 let's look at that. The source lists his film 00:04:56.959 --> 00:04:59.779 roles ranging from King Solomon's Mines. Right. 00:04:59.899 --> 00:05:02.040 Sanders of the River. Which are these big, you 00:05:02.040 --> 00:05:04.720 know, colonial era adventure films. Exactly. 00:05:05.230 --> 00:05:07.069 Then the same list includes the Proud Valley 00:05:07.069 --> 00:05:09.029 and native land. Which are much more focused 00:05:09.029 --> 00:05:11.410 on labor and social issues. Right. So the contrast 00:05:11.410 --> 00:05:14.930 on the vinyl side A versus side B is just a reflection 00:05:14.930 --> 00:05:17.250 of the contrast in his broader career. That makes 00:05:17.250 --> 00:05:19.290 total sense. And speaking of his broader career, 00:05:19.370 --> 00:05:20.970 I think we should expand the conversation a bit. 00:05:21.129 --> 00:05:24.990 Let's do it. Because the C. Also, data in our 00:05:24.990 --> 00:05:28.790 source really paints a vivid picture of who Paul 00:05:28.790 --> 00:05:31.149 Robeson was at this time. It gives us the full 00:05:31.149 --> 00:05:33.990 context. Yeah. For instance, looking at the songs 00:05:33.990 --> 00:05:37.910 list, this album Encore, Robeson, is sitting 00:05:37.910 --> 00:05:40.730 on top of a decades -long discography. Oh, absolutely. 00:05:41.029 --> 00:05:43.769 The source mentions his seminal song Old Man 00:05:43.769 --> 00:05:47.649 River from way back in 1928. Right, 1928. And 00:05:47.649 --> 00:05:51.709 Ballad for Americans from 1939. So by 1960, he 00:05:51.709 --> 00:05:54.600 has been a massive... cultural figure for over 00:05:54.600 --> 00:05:58.240 30 years. Over 30 years. And the network of people 00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:01.259 he interacted with is just, it's wild. The associates 00:06:01.259 --> 00:06:03.480 and family and friends lists are incredible. 00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:05.660 It really shows the circles he moved in. Just 00:06:05.660 --> 00:06:07.600 reading off the names here, you have W .E .B. 00:06:07.639 --> 00:06:10.339 Du Bois. The legendary intellectual. Pete Seeger. 00:06:10.519 --> 00:06:13.519 A giant of folk music. Carrie Belafonte. Right. 00:06:13.740 --> 00:06:16.610 Peggy Ashcroft. From the theatrical world. And 00:06:16.610 --> 00:06:20.449 this one is a striking historical detail. Nikita 00:06:20.449 --> 00:06:23.089 Khrushchev. Yes, the Soviet leader. Now, I want 00:06:23.089 --> 00:06:25.009 to be very clear for you listening. We're just 00:06:25.009 --> 00:06:26.990 reporting what's in the historical metadata here. 00:06:27.110 --> 00:06:29.550 Right. We are absolutely not taking any political 00:06:29.550 --> 00:06:31.649 sides regarding the Cold War or anything like 00:06:31.649 --> 00:06:33.670 that. Exactly. We're just conveying the information 00:06:33.670 --> 00:06:36.509 in the source material. But strictly as a historical 00:06:36.509 --> 00:06:40.209 fact, it shows the sheer global scale of his 00:06:40.209 --> 00:06:42.910 network from folk singers to heads of state. 00:06:43.310 --> 00:06:45.870 It's a completely unique life, and you see that 00:06:45.870 --> 00:06:48.829 global nature reinforced by the locations list 00:06:48.829 --> 00:06:51.670 in the source, too. Oh, the locations are fascinating. 00:06:51.769 --> 00:06:54.949 He's associated with Rutgers University. Right. 00:06:55.069 --> 00:06:57.490 Columbia Law School. Which shows his deep academic 00:06:57.490 --> 00:07:01.110 roots in the U .S. But then also the Moscow Conservatory. 00:07:01.189 --> 00:07:03.029 Right, crossing the Iron Curtain. And the Royal 00:07:03.029 --> 00:07:05.310 Shakespeare Company in the U .K. It's a life 00:07:05.310 --> 00:07:08.910 lived on a global stage. It really is. Just to 00:07:08.910 --> 00:07:11.209 recap the journey of what we've talked about 00:07:11.209 --> 00:07:13.170 today. Yeah, let's pull it all together. We started 00:07:13.170 --> 00:07:16.910 with a single 1960 album. Released on monitor. 00:07:17.170 --> 00:07:19.829 Right. And on this one piece of vinyl, we found 00:07:19.829 --> 00:07:23.810 Scottish folk music, a Yiddish lullaby, Shakespearean 00:07:23.810 --> 00:07:26.889 theater, and deep African -American spirituals. 00:07:26.889 --> 00:07:29.990 It's an entire world encapsulated in one track 00:07:29.990 --> 00:07:32.129 list. And it makes me think about the title again. 00:07:33.149 --> 00:07:36.399 Encore. Robeson. I've been reflecting on that 00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:38.879 title, actually. Yeah. An encore usually implies 00:07:38.879 --> 00:07:41.259 a demand for more, right? The audience is cheering. 00:07:41.339 --> 00:07:43.560 They want more. Right. Come back out. Exactly. 00:07:43.779 --> 00:07:46.720 But it's almost ironic here because this is a 00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:49.759 man who had already given so much across film, 00:07:49.879 --> 00:07:52.680 across the stage, and through his activism. He 00:07:52.680 --> 00:07:54.360 had already done a lifetime's worth of work by 00:07:54.360 --> 00:07:57.819 1960. Precisely. And yet the title suggests the 00:07:57.819 --> 00:08:00.300 world still wanted more from him. It's a powerful 00:08:00.300 --> 00:08:02.439 thought. And, you know, we live in a world where 00:08:02.439 --> 00:08:05.360 artists are so often pigeonholed. Oh, constantly. 00:08:05.579 --> 00:08:08.000 There's supposed to be just one thing, one genre. 00:08:08.199 --> 00:08:12.040 Right. But Robeson's 1960 track list completely 00:08:12.040 --> 00:08:15.500 defies categorization. It refuses to be boxed 00:08:15.500 --> 00:08:18.259 in. Which leaves us with a final, I think, really 00:08:18.259 --> 00:08:20.620 provocative thought for you listening at home 00:08:20.620 --> 00:08:22.560 to just mull over. Yeah, what's the takeaway? 00:08:22.970 --> 00:08:25.610 Well, think about how the song Zvornost Freedom 00:08:25.610 --> 00:08:28.649 on side A speaks to the spirituals on side B. 00:08:28.810 --> 00:08:31.709 On one side, he's singing a Czech song about 00:08:31.709 --> 00:08:34.549 freedom. On the other side, he's singing No More 00:08:34.549 --> 00:08:37.049 Auction and Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel? Different 00:08:37.049 --> 00:08:39.769 languages, different cultures. Exactly. But what 00:08:39.769 --> 00:08:42.909 does that tell us about the unity of human struggle 00:08:42.909 --> 00:08:46.070 through music? That's the real question. Is the 00:08:46.070 --> 00:08:49.679 desire for freedom universal? No matter the genre 00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:52.139 or the language. I think the album makes a strong 00:08:52.139 --> 00:08:54.620 case that it is. I agree. Something for you to 00:08:54.620 --> 00:08:57.080 explore on your own. Thanks for joining us on 00:08:57.080 --> 00:08:58.559 this deep dive. See you next time.