1. LeadBelly

2. Introduction Leadbelly is a blues man become famous in 1934. Is one of the first traditional folk musician to perform a city audience. His real name is Huddies William Ledbetter and was born in Louisiana in 1888. His nickname « Leadbelly » had differents origins. In fact some say that it refers to his physical appearance, others say that it because he has bullets in his stomac...

3. His arrival in the world of the blues In prison, for the second times, he's discovered by John and Alan Lomax in 1933, thanks to his talent. He records a significant numbers of songs there and he's released thanks to a petition.

4. His specificities in the blues Leadbelly began to develop his own style of music. He can play piano, harmonica, mandolin, violin, accordion. He's master of the guitar in 12 ropes, and has an acute and powerful voice.

5. What did it bring to the blues ? Leadbelly bring to the blues his important repertoire of songs, and he influenced a lot of musicians..But in this time, the population wanted to listen to of blues and not some folk music.. To the result, Leadbelly finds the celebrity but no the fortune.

6. « Where did you sleep last night » My girl, my girl, don't lie to me Tell me where did you sleep last night In the pines, in the pines Where the sun don't ever shine I would shiver the whole night through My girl, my girl, where will you go I'm going where the cold wind blows In the pines, in the pines Where the sun don't ever shine I would shiver the whole night through Her husband, was a hard working man Just about a mile from here His head was found in a driving wheel But his body never was found My girl, my girl, don't lie to me Tell me where did you sleep last night In the pines, in the pines Where the sun don't ever shine I would shiver the whole night through My girl, my girl, where will you go I'm going where the cold wind blows In the pines, in the pines Where the sun don't ever shine I would shiver the whole night through My girl, my girl, don't lie to me Tell me where did you sleep last night In the pines, in the pines Where the sun don't ever shine I would shiver the whole night through My girl, my girl, where will you go I'm going where the cold wind blows In the pines, in the pines Where the sun don't ever shine I would shiver the whole night through http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6yCEs DsGx4

7. Explanation of the song This song has other titles as « In the pines » or « Black girl ». She was recorded in 1870 and writed by Leadbelly. At the beginning she was constituted by 4 lines and a melody. Time after time, a lot of musicians took back her. The original Leadbelly's text changed because of numerous and differents interpretations. All in all, we count about 160 interpretations. The first interpretations mentionned a man « who the head was found in the driver's wheel ». Following these differents interpretations, the person who the head was found in the driver's wheel was a man, a woman, a girl, a wife, a husband, or a father..The pines was symbol of sexuality, death, or solitude..The text makes also reference in the depresion with the expression « Black girl ». This girl could be a tramp avoïds the police by hydding in pines.