A Titanic Playlist: Songs and Gospel

Almost as soon as Titanic sank, people were singing about her. And they've been singing ever since:

"Be British" Robert Carr, 1912
"The Titanic," Ernest Stoneman, 1924
"The Titanic," William and Versey Smith, 1927
"The Sinking of the Titanic," Richard "Rabbit" Brown, 1927
"Last Scene of the Titanic," Frank Hutchinson, 1927
"God Moves on the Water," Blind Wllie Johnson, 1929
"Down with the Old Canoe," Dixon Brothers, 1938
"The Titanic," Leadbelly, 1948
"Legend of the U.S.S. Titanic," Jamie Brockett, 1969
"The Sinking of the Titanic," Gavin Bryars, 1975. There are two versions, both of which are worth listening to. Thanks, Christopher.
"Titanic," General Echo, 1979

(Early recordings of Titanic-related music were collected in a French compilation, available for digital download:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EZ90C9U/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp )

"Shine and the Titanic"

Carter Family "Just as the Ship Went Down" and  with a new last verse about 9/11. Giving you this one because this book is my 9/11 book.

Bob Dylan, "Tempest", based on the Carter Family song. Can't find him singing it on YouTube (get the album!), so here's Tim Heidecker's fine cover. 45 stanzas in this baby!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyYK75eeBpA
Gotta have Dylan singing a Dylan survival song, though--"Not Dark Yet" was on my playlist while I was writing the book

Josh Ritter "To the Dogs, or Whoever". This man is a legend. Listen for the line about the iceberg.

Reisden and Perdita hear these men during their night in Harlem :

• ​Rev. E.D. Campbell, "In Hell He Lifted Up His Eyes" and "Come Let Us Eat Together"
• Luther Magby, "Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit" This wonderful singer recorded only two songs in November 1927, but there's a record of a Luther Magby playing gospel music in 2002. He'd have been 106 then. Or a ghost. Live forever, ghost, and sing.

And, for spine-tingling eeriness, here is Titanic's whistle itself.





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