The various versions of "Down in the Valley" epitomizes what folk songs are. Most folk songs vary in lyrics because they get tailored and transformed into something that is more meaningful to the singer. An example of this is seen when Leadbelly substitutes "Shreveport jail" for "Birmingham jail" which is a place where Leadbelly preformed when he was young. These personalizations are what make folk songs genuine and relatable.
After listening to a number of versions of "Down in the Valley" there was a consistent feeling of loneliness, and longing. The protagonist of the song is calling out for the lady he loves. Although the song seems straight forward, we are missing the opinion of the female. The missing side of the story makes me questions the "real story." What I mean by this is that the protagonist might be singing for a woman that does not desire his love.
This piece is meant to be the delusion the man in Birmingham jail is singing about. In his mind he pictures an unbelievably beautiful women, wearing a crown of flowers to exaggerate her femininity. Her contemplative face is meant to represent the ambiguity of her side in the song.The background is a representation of a dreamlike state.
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