Latest additions to National Recording Registry (Photos + audio)
U2, Linda Ronstadt, the Everly Brothers, Celia Cruz, Creedance Clearwater Revival and Stephen Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd" are just some of the latest recordings to be marked for preservation by the Library of Congress. On April 2, 2014, the Library named 25 audio recordings to its National Recording Registry, a compendium of sound recordings that will be preserved as representative of America's cultural, artistic and historic treasures.
"As technology continually changes and formats become obsolete, we must ensure that our nation's aural legacy is protected," said Librarian of Congress James Billington.
Click though our gallery to listen to audio examples from this year's additions.
By CBSNews.com senior producer David Morgan
"Brother, Can You Spare a Dime"
PLAY EXCERPT: "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime" by Bing Crosby (courtesy New World)
PLAY EXCERPT: "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime" by Rudy Vallee (courtesy Pro-Arte)
Once I built a railroad, made it run,
Made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad, now it's done.
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Composed for the Depression-era musical "American Revue," "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime" (by Jay Gorney and E.Y. "Yip" Harburg) was an anthem to America's workers who now found themselves with no prospects in a time of tremendous social upheaval. Two recordings released in 1932, one by Bing Crosby and one by Rudy Valee, present the song with different nuances and emotions, yet both are powerful renditions devoid of sentiment.
"Caldonia"
Louis Jordan (1945)
PLAY EXCERPT: "Caldonia" (courtesy MCA)
"Caldonia! Caldonia! What makes your big head so hard?"
Vocalist and alto saxophonist Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five achieved a crossover success in the 1940s with his buoyant mix of boogie woogie and jump blues. "Caldonia" was one of Jordan's biggest hits -- his fifth Number One on the Billboard Harlem Hit Parade. Jordan has been called the Grandfather of Rock 'n' Roll, though the rise of rock performers in the 1950s effectively cast a shadow on Jordan's own career.
"Carnegie Hall Concert"
Buck Owens and His Buckaroos" (1966)
PLAY EXCERPT: "I've Got a Tiger By the Tail" (courtesy Capitol Records)
They were only the second country-western band to play New York's Carnegie Hall, and the rousing reception Buck Owens and the Buckaroos received was matched by flawless honky-tonk performances of such songs as "Act Naturally," "Together Again," "The Streets of Laredo," "Love's Gonna Live Here," "I've Got a Tiger by the Tail," and "Twist and Shout." In addition to Owens, the band members included Don Rich, Doyle Holly, Tom Brumley and Willie Cantu.
"Cathy's Clown"
The Everly Brothers (1960)
PLAY EXCERPT: "Cathy's Clown" (courtesy Warner Brothers)
After releasing two records on Cadence, Don and Phil Everly signed with Warner Brothers in 1960, and in their first release had perhaps their greatest hit: "Cathy's Clown." Tape loops gave the false impression of two drummers, and a heavy reverb added to the vocal harmonizing created a distinct and haunting sound.
"Celia & Johnny"
Celia Cruz and Johnny Pacheco (1974)
PLAY EXCERPT: "Celia & Johnny"
Afro-Cuban singer Celia Cruz had experienced a lull in her career by the early 1970s when, with the backing of New York bandleader Johnny Pachero (co-founder of Fania Records), Cruz belted out some truly joyous numbers that led to her title "Queen of Salsa." Also performing were pianist Papo Lucca, tres player Charlie Martinez, and a swatch of percussionists.
"Appalachian Spring"
Aaron Copland (1974)
PLAY EXCERPT: "Appalachian Spring"
In 1942 Aaron Copland was commissioned by choreographer Martha Graham to compose a ballet score, a chamber piece for 13 instruments that became "Appalachian Spring." The success of the ballet and its score led Copland to rearrange it as an orchestral suite, which was recorded frequently. In 1974 Copland returned to the original chamber parts for this Columbia Masterworks recording - the first commercial recording of the original version.
"Dust My Broom"
Elmore James (1951)
PLAY EXCERPT: "Dust My Broom" (Courtesy Trumpet Records)
One of the most influential blues records ever, Elmore James' 78 recording of Robert Johnson's acoustic blues standard with electric guitar riffs -- the amplified slide guitar opening is instantly recognizable -- became a landmark, though it was James' only release from the Jackson, Miss., Trumpet Records.
"The First Family"
Vaughn Meader (1962)
PLAY EXCERPT: "The First Family" (courtesy Barnaby Records)
Satirist Vaughn Meader became an overnight sensation with his impression of President John F. Kennedy on the comedy album, "The First Family." Written by Bob Brooker and Earle Doud, the disk comprised comedy skits about JFK and his family, becoming the best-selling comedy album at that time, moving as many as one million copies a week, and became the first (and only) comedy album to win a Grammy for Album of the Year. A sequel followed ("The First Family Volume Two"), but Kennedy's assassination the following year knocked the albums out of circulation -- and put an end to Meader's career.
"Fortunate Son"
Creedence Clearwater Revival (1969)
PLAY EXCERPT: "Fortunate Son" (courtesy Fantasy Records)
John Fogerty borrowed a phrase common at political conventions, "favorite son," for his rousing rock song against cannon fodder that was on the CCR album, "Willy and the Poor Boys." It was, Rolling Stone critic Barry Walters wrote, "a protest song that makes you wanna dance."
And while wars have changed, the song remains the same: in the past four decades "Fortunate Son" has been covered by such artists as Bob Seger, Pearl Jam, U2, Kid Rock, Bruce Springsteen and Santana.
"The Goldbergs"
(Broadcast date: July 9, 1942)
PLAY EXCERPT: "The Goldbergs" (CBS)
This pioneering radio program, which ran for 17 years on NBC and then CBS, starred Gertrude Berg as Molly Goldberg, matriarch of a Jewish immigrant family struggling to adapt to American life. This wartime episode -- which was broadcast live from Grand Central Station in New York – told of the sacrifices being made on the homefront, as Molly's boy, Sammy, boards a train to join the Army.
"Hallelujah"
Jeff Buckley (1994)
Leonard Cohen's rendition of the soulful ballad "Hallelujah" has made the song a contemporary hymn, but the evolution of the song's lyrics over the years led to a variety of renditions. Jeff Buckley's take -- based on a version performed by John Cale on a Cohen tribute album -- underwent numerous sessions in the studio to produce what is a highly intimate sound. If not the best known, Buckley's version (from his 1994 album, "Grace") may be the most wide-reproduced -- in news broadcasts, film and TV soundtracks, and religious services.
"Heart Like a Wheel"
Linda Ronstadt (1974)
PLAY EXCERPT: "When Will I Be Loved"
Linda Ronstadt's hauntingly pure voice proved to be yet again an excellent interpreter of songs in her fifth album, which included covers of songs by Hank Williams, Paul Anka and Lowell George, and the title track by Anna McGarrigle. Her rendition of the Everly Brothers' "When Will I Be Loved" hit #2 on Billboard Hot 100, and #1 on Billboard's C&W chart.
"The Joshua Tree"
U2 (1987)
PLAY EXCERPT: "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
"We wanted the idea of a one-piece record, not a side-one, side-two thing," Bono said of their 1987 album, "The Joshua Tree," which won the Grammy award for Album of the Year. The Irish rockers had already released four studio albums, but this (co-produced by Brian Eno) showed their growing interest in blues, American and Irish roots music, more overly-electronic rock, and the political environment witnessed during their 1986 tours of the U.S. and their travels to Nicaragua and El Salvador. America became very much a character for "Joshua Tree," in such songs as "In God's Country," "Bullet the Blue Sky" and "Exit."
"The Laughing Song"
George Washington Johnson (c. 1896)
PLAY EXCERPT: "The Laughing Song" (courtesy Berliner)
Virginia native George Washington Johnson worked as a busker on New York City's streets in the late 19th century and became, in 1890, the first African-American to make a commercial recording. "The Laughing Song" was Johnson's most famous and long-lived number.
Interviews with Baseball Pioneers
PLAY EXCERPT: Lawrence Ritter interviews Sam Crawford
For five years Lawrence Ritter, a professor of economics and finance at New York University, traveled more than 75,000 miles to interview professional ballplayers from the early years of the game, forming the basis of his 1966 book, "The Glory of Their Time: The Story of the Early Days of Baseball Told by the Men Who Played It." Among the 26 oral histories that Ritter captured were Sam Crawford, left (who played from 1899 to 1917), Smoky Joe Wood (1908-1922), Rube Marquard (1908-1925), Chief Meyers (1909-1917), Bill Wambsganss (1914-1926), and Babe Herman (1926-1945).
"Texas Sharecropper and Songster"
Mance Lipscomb (1960)
PLAY EXCERPT: "Texas Sharecropper and Songster" (courtesy Arhoolie)
Born in Navasota, Texas, in 1895, Mance Lipscomb played guitar and wrote songs beginning in his teenage years (his father, a former slave, played fiddle, and his mother, half-Choctaw, was a gospel singer). But Lipscomb never recorded until age 65, with this recording made in his kitchen and released on Arhoolie Records, which launched a late career on the folk festival circuit.
"A Night at Birdland, Vols. 1 and 2"
Art Blakey (1954)
PLAY EXCERPT: "Split Kick" (courtesy Blue Note)
These energetic recordings capture the bebop for which drummer Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers became world famous. With pianist Horace Silver, Clifford Brown on trumpet, Lou Donaldson on alto sax, and bassist Curly Russell, Blakey created essential performances that helped redefine jazz in the 1950s.
"Only Visiting This Planet"
Larry Norman (1972)
PLAY EXCERPT: "I Wish We'd All Been Ready"
Larry Norman was a California rocker and street-corner evangelist, who sang on matters of faith, social justice and pop culture, but who also had a strained relationship with organized religion (some evangelists condemned his first album, "Upon This Rock"). Norman's second album, "Only Visiting This Planet," was recorded at George Martin's AIR Studio in London, and to this day sets a high standard for Christian music.
Presidential Recordings of Lyndon B. Johnson
(1963-1969)
PLAY EXCERPT: "Phone recording of President Johnson" (courtesy Miller Center)
Presidents from Franklin D. Roosevelt to Richard Nixon recorded conversations in their Oval Office, but none as voluminously as Lyndon B. Johnson, who left office in 1969 having documented 9,400 telephone conversations and 77 cabinet-room meetings. LBJ's facility for deal-making and coercion, which was legendary, is preserved in the nearly 850 hours of recordings that cover the Vietnam War, the War on Poverty, his battle to win passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and other key policy issues of one of the most turbulent periods of American history.
Recordings of Chief Dan Cranmer
In 1938 anthropologist Franz Boas, left (founder of both the American Anthropology Association and the American Folklore Society) and ethnomusicologist George Herzog recorded 22 aluminum discs of Kwakwaka'wakw chief Dan Cranmer, preserving the British Columbian tribe's native tongue, and the rituals of the "potlatch," a tribal ceremony that had previously been outlawed by the Canadian government.
"Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street"
Original Cast Recording (1979)
PLAY EXCERPT: "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd"
PLAY EXCERPT: "A Little Priest"
Stephen Sondheim's landmark musical, whose source originated with a 19th century penny dreadful about a homicidal barber whose victims were outsourced to a pie maker, was an astoundingly witty tragedy of love and loss. While Sondheim's unparalleled musical and lyrical precision may sometimes elude emotion (such as in the second half of "Sunday in the Park With George"), in "Sweeney Todd" he perfects the musical form in all its emotional power with an operatic work in which original Broadway players Len Cariou as Todd and Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Lovett are both beyond superb.
"Theme from 'Shaft'"
Isaac Hayes (1971)
PLAY EXCERPT: "Theme from 'Shaft'"
Who is the man that would risk his neck for his brother man?
SHAFT!
Can you dig it?
They say this cat Shaft is a bad mother
SHUT YOUR MOUTH!
I'm talking about Shaft.
THEN WE CAN DIG IT!
One of the most successful examples of early '70s blaxploitation films, "Shaft" starred Richard Roundtree as a private detective caught in a war between Harlem and Little Italy gangsters. Isaac Hayes, a writer-producer at Stax Records, broke through as a solo artist with his funk score to the film, which he expanded to a Grammy-winning double-album. The title tune certainly was the coolest tune to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song, making Hayes the first African American to win an Oscar in that category.
"They Didn't Believe Me"
Harry Macdonough and Alice Green (1915)
PLAY EXCERPT: "They Didn't Believe Me"
Jerome Kern's elegant "They Didn't Believe Me," featuring lyrics by Herbert Reynolds, was a late addition to the musical, "The Girl from Utah," but was an instant hit - and proved to be a turning point in the American musical songbook. The earliest recording of the piece, on the Victor label, features Harry Macdonough and Alice Green (a.k.a. Olive Kline).
"Were You There"
Roland Hayes (1940)
PLAY EXCERPT: "Were You There" (courtesy Angel-Mo)
Lyric tenor Roland Hayes - a child of former slaves - performed both spirituals and the classical repertoire, both solo and as a member of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. A stellar example of his gift can be heard in his 1940 a capella recording of "Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)."
"When I Stop Dreaming"
The Louvin Brothers (1955)
PLAY EXCERPT: "When I Stop Dreaming" (courtesy Universal)
The Louvin Brothers, Ira (1924-1965), on mandolin, and Charlie (1927-2011), on guitar, sang close harmony, beginning with gospel music in their native Appalachia. "When I Stop Dreaming" was their commercial breakthrough, and one of a series of fatalistic country-western songs (like "You're Running Wild," "My Baby's Gone," and "Must You Throw Dirt in My Face") for which they became famous.
The worst that I've ever been hurt in my life
The first time I ever wanted to die
Was the night when you told me you loved someone new
And asked me if I could forget.
When I stop dreaming
That's when I'll stop loving you.
Their tempestuous relationship (and Ira's drinking) led the brothers to split up in 1963, two years before Ira died -- killed by a drunk driver.
Art Blakey
This year's additions bring the total catalog of the National Recording Registry to 400.
Do YOU have suggestions for future additions to the National Recording Registry? Visit the Library of Congress' website.
For more info:
National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress
National Recording Preservation Board
National Jukebox at the Library of Congress
Library of Congress celebrates the Songs of America
Gallery + audio: National Recording Registry additions 2013
Gallery + audio: National Recording Registry additions 2012
Gallery + audio: National Recording Registry additions 2011
By CBSNews.com senior producer David Morgan