We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions [DualDisc] - Springsteen, Bruce (CD 2006)

This lively tribute to Pete Seeger, by Bruce Springsteen and clutch of musicians, has a lot of heart, a lot of love and without a doubt respects the music. But (oh, no, the dreaded but in a review) it doesn t always work for me though; there are simply times that certain instruments don t FIT the song. Just because you have brass doesn t mean you have to use the horns in a song.

I feel somehow unkind finding fault with this musical tribute; I ve been a fan of Seeger since high school (long time) and his love of American music, audience involvement, bringing history alive, there s so much to honor. And Springsteen is a wonderful performer and song-writer; the collaboration (it isn t really one since Seeger s not there) should work. Too often, however, it doesn t.

When something as anticipated as this CD appears and I have mixed feelings, I wonder what I ve missed. (This is me about Harry Potter Um, it s okay, but I ve read better young adult fantasy . This ms me on The DaVinci Code Um, who cares if he married her? Oh really? Oh, oops. ) So I listened again. And again to see if maybe I was being too hard-line, too trad to accept how this music is performed. But no matter how many times I heard some songs, they didn t do what I had hoped they would do make me smile, make me remember, make me want to sing along, remind me of music I loved.

Take John Henry , Erie Canal and Mary, Don t You Weep : these are songs which just beg you to join in. And that too is appropriate with an album subtitled the Seeger sessions as Pete Seeger is the absolute best at getting people to sing along. He seems to hate the idea that there would be someone sitting by, not participating in the fun. And Springsteen, has respect for all kinds of musical roots. He doesn t have the most musical voice I can t imagine that comes as a surprise to anyone but his enjoyment of these songs, his enthusiasm comes through

It s not that I m not a fan of horns, but Jacob s Ladder" with a horn section? Tuba and sax? It s a hymn; a lively one to be sure, but this version just gave the song an edge I don t think it needed. At the same time, I would argue with the inclusion of accordion or trombone on My Oklahoma Home . I m not that much of a purist, but I m not sure that we need the kitchen sink along with all the other instruments.

Yes, I love fiddle and banjo and think they should be on every song, but in large part because when you think Seeger , you think banjo . Simple is the byword with songs made famous by this legendary man; simple tunes so there can be lots of folks joining in with harmonies, sharing the story, the feelings and the beauty of the music.

For me, cuts like Eyes on the Prize work beautifully, with Springsteen and the backing chorus starting slow and maintaining the pace of the song with some fine fiddle and harmonies. Again, I d argue that the horns don t add to the presentation of the tune. And making Jacob s Ladder into what sounds like a New Orleans jazz funeral number? Sure I guess. You can, but do you have to?

At the same time, the everyone jump in that happens on many of these cuts is RIGHT. According to the liner notes, there were no rehearsals, the stuff was just captured as it happened. Was that such a great idea? I m guessing that even the Weavers rehearsed.

I don t mean to come across as hidebound; it s likely (I hope?) that the creative changes made to some of these songs will get people to listen to them, maybe for the first time. And there s no better reason to record old songs than to introduce them to a new audience. Maybe that s the catch; I m still the old audience.

Is it blasphemous to call a album by Springsteen overproduced? Because I think too many cuts here are simply too much and less would have been more.