Sounds of Darkness

Dean Gitter – Ghost Ballads (1959)
Music

“Dean Gitter’s interest in folk music is traceable to the time when he was no more than 10 years old, for such music was a part of his upbringing” states the back of this nearly 50-year-old album of ghost songs. Gitter was a folk music producer, singer, and theater owner. In the 70’s, he moved to the Catskills and opened “Catskill Corners”, a huge complex with restaurants, stores, a lodge, conference center, and the world’s largest kaleidoscope. He is now the owner of Crossroads Ventures, LLC, which appears to have a few huge projects in the works for developing in the Catskills.

The music is simply Dean Gitter’s singing, accompanied by his own acoustic guitar. It is very folksy … his voice has a gentle vibrato, and he’s a talented guitarist. The lyrics are, of course, all ghost-related. Some songs were written early in the 20th century, while “The Unquiet Grave”, a ballad beautifully performed on this album, dates back to the 1400’s.

“Anne Boleyn” is probably better known as “With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm”, though there are a couple additional verses in this recording that I’d never heard before. “Skin and Bones” is a fun song … the back of the album claims that Dean ruined a perfectly good microphone at the end of it. We’ve got songs about restless ghosts, phantom trains and ships, haunted hayfields, and the familiar theme of a ghost borrowing an article of clothing, which is later found in the ghost’s final resting place. The last song, “Lost Jimmie Whelan”, is a touching story about a grieving young woman whose lover rises from a watery grave to speak to her one last time.

The cover artwork is terrific and the notes on the back are an interesting read, but it is the lyrics to the songs that make this album a worthwhile addition to your library. These are folk tales that have been around for years, and each tells a story briefly, but completely. I intended to write a negative review, as I’d never listened very carefully before, but after listening carefully and researching some of these folk tales a bit, I have to recommend it. A careful listen will sometimes amuse, sometimes touch the heart of the listener.

Why not get it right here?