102 years ago today, the Titanic hit an iceberg. Here’s Leadbelly’s song about the disaster, and especially Jack Johnson’s reaction.

YouTube video

UPDATE: I first heard this song performed by Michelle Shocked and her father on Austin City Limits in 1990. Had no idea until now that it was originally written and performed by Leadbelly.

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Ed Kilgore is a political columnist for New York and managing editor at the Democratic Strategist website. He was a contributing writer at the Washington Monthly from January 2012 until November 2015, and was the principal contributor to the Political Animal blog.