Watch Hurray For The Riff Raff & Peter One Cover ‘Midnight Special’ For ‘eTown’

Hurray for the Riff Raff and Ivorian folk musician Peter One were the guests on a recent episode of nationally syndicated radio program eTown. Hurray For The Riff Raff’s Alynda Segarra and Peter One teamed with hosts Nick and Helen Forster as well as the eTown House Band for a performance of the traditional “Midnight Special.”

Early versions of “Midnight Special” entered popular music in the first decades of the 20th century. Folk legend Lead Belly recorded his version for famed folk music curators Alan and John Lomax in 1934 while incarcerated at Louisiana’s notorious Angola Prison.

The song would go on to be recorded by Big Bill Broonzy, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Odetta, Creedence Clearwater Revival and many more. A 1962 version by Harry Belafonte included a young Bob Dylan on harmonica, the latter’s first official recording.

For the eTown “Midnight Special” with Hurray For The Riff Raff and Peter One, host Nick Forster prefaced the song by saying, “We’re gonna do one more song for you that’s got an interesting tie to both New Orleans and West Africa.” Peter One and Alynda Segarra traded verses on the tune while Nick added slide stylings on resonator guitar.

Watch Peter One, Hurray For The Riff Raff, Nick and Helen Forster and the E Town House Band perform “Midnight Special” below: