A song first sung by enslaved people on southern plantations. 100 years later David Bowie made it his first single.
This film explores the remarkable journey of one of the most recorded, most beloved songs in American history. But there's more. Fresh performances by five iconic musicians create a bold soundtrack, expanding the narrative around American music and inspiring new audiences.
In addition to this documentary film, our project also features a podcast and a book, POOR GAL, which is now available for pre-order from the University Press of Mississippi.
Filmed at the Capital Fringe Trinidad Theatre in Washington, DC, with creative direction by Emily Cohen, Dan Gutstein, and Erich Roland. Andrew Capino served as assistant camera and Lenny Schmitz served as sound engineer. Mike Cohen took still photographs and was assistant fog machine operator. Katie Sheridan was editor.
American Songbag Podcast - Stay Tuned!
Think Kurt Cobain inhabiting the voice of Lead Belly or David Bowie recording “Liza Jane” one hundred years after enslaved people first sang the tune. Series host Emily Cohen and citizen-musicologist Dan Gutstein trace the voyages of iconic American folk songs that crossed over to pop. These are the stories behind the songs we love.