The Library of Congress today added 25 historic recordings to the National Recording Registry. They were mostly songs, ranging from jazz to country to blues to opera, although poets, politicians, and comedians also made appearances. The only nonhuman voice to make the select group was the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. You can listen to its nasal kent calls arriving from 74 years in the past on this montage of the recordings.
The National Recording Registry was established in 2000 and now contains 275 entries. Its purpose is to preserve the best available recordings of “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” material. You can nominate your favorite historic sounds for next year’s installment at this Library of Congress website.
The Ivory-billed Woodpecker was recorded (and filmed) in Louisiana in 1935 by Cornell Lab of Ornithology founder Arthur Allen and colleague Peter Paul Kellogg. It appears alongside Leonard Bernstein’s score from West Side Story and John Lee Hooker’s blues recording of “Boogie Chillen.” For more about the recording, see our Ivory-billed Woodpecker website.
Other notable inductions? Marian Anderson’s recital on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Dylan Thomas reading “A Child’s Christmas in Wales,” Link Wray’s growling guitar “Rumble,” and Mel Brooks cracking up an audience as a 2000-year-old man. (Full list here.)
But you’ll hear only one of these famous artists actually beating its head on a tree—and if you ask me, that’s the one that sticks in the mind.
(Image: James Tanner recording in the Singer Tract, Louisiana, 1935. Arthur Allen Collection, Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
9 Comments
Not to take away from the significance of the IBWO making this august list, but did you notice that Tom Dooley made the list twice? I can’t help wondering what makes that particular song so worthy of inclusion while Bing Crosby singing White Christmas (for example) doesn’t even rate one entry.
Anne
Having worked on the Ivory-Bill acoustic project and spent countless hours combing recordings hoping to hear this sound, and ALSO being a big fan of Bernstein, West Side Story, Dylan Thomas and “A Child’s Christmas in Wales”, and others on the list, it absolutely warmed my heart to hear of this.
The sounds of the natural world along with the sounds of human poetry and music are a big part of what make life worth living, and when they disappear, or are in danger of disappearing, it is a sad day for all of us.
Anne – just as a reassurance, “White Christmas” is already in the National Recording Registry – you can see a full list here http://www.loc.gov/rr/record/nrpb/nrpb-masterlist.html
You can use the link to find out if your favorite recordings have been included yet. If they haven’t – nominate them! Recordings must be at least 10 years old to qualify; at present the youngest recordings are Public Enemy’s landmark “Fear of a Black Planet” and Nirvana’s grunge epic “Nevermind.”
Beth – just wondering where things stand in the great Ivory-Bill debate, or at least what you personally believe. Do you think the Lab was correct, or was it a case of very refined scientific wishful thinking? With all the time and energy devoted to corroborating the existence of an Ivory-Bill in Arkansas, is it even possible to have missed it by now? I’m one of the people who rejoiced, and now I’m sadly doubtful.
Its great to hear the Ivory-billed Woodpecker! But thats not why I’m writing. Which song was directly before the IBW? Was it one of the Tom Dooley’s?
Thank you for this wonderful post. I am totally intrigued when sounds from nature are combined with human are, whether it be music, poetry, or another form of expression.
How wonderful to be reminded of human roots when in an electronic age we are loosing touch with our beginnings.
Thankyou, thankyou.
bill;www.wildramblings.com
I like red robins
IM exstermley I am going to read. And Im going to go to 3grade.
taday Im hooking Up birds.