Search - Peter Lafarge :: Songs of the Cowboys/Iron Mountain

Traditional songs great, his originals just OK...

William E. Adams | Midland, Texas USA | 02/09/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Pete was one of the most interesting characters of the folk music revival of 1958-65. (See my comments about his other Bear Family compilation "On the Warpath.") In this CD two of his Folkways LP's are combined. The first 16 tunes are from 1964's "Songs of the Cowboy". Most are traditional, sung as well as Pete could, with his plain voice and basic guitar chords. He presents perfectly honest versions of "Whoopie Ti YI Yo" and "Chisholm Trail" and "I Ride an Old Paint" and "When the Work's All Done this Fall" and "Strawberry Roan", among others. The second half offers his 1962 record "Iron Mountain and Other Songs." Most of these 14 are originals, and in addition to his singing, Pete proclaims some poetry, a bit of shouting, and a couple in the "talking blues" style. Pete died still a young man with much to say. He is most well-known for writing "The Ballad of Ira Hayes" and you'll find that one on his "Warpath" CD. The phrase "non-commercial folkie" might have been coined for Peter himself, but I like most of his work. Once you get used to his sound and style, you might like him, too. As the first of the Native-American urban protest singers, beating Buffy St. Marie to a recording studio by a year or so, he is worth checking out."