"Black Betty" is a 20th-century African-American work song often credited to Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter as the author, though the earliest recordings are not by him. Some sources claim it is one of Lead Belly's many adaptations of earlier folk material, in this case, an 18th-century marching cadence about a flintlock musket.
There are numerous recorded versions, including a Capella, folk, and rock versions. The best known modern recordings are rock versions by Ram Jam, Tom Jones, and Spiderbait, all of which were hits.
The above version is from Ram Jam, one of the song favorites of our local radio rock station CHOM FM. "Black Betty" is our vintage track of the week.
