Socialist/Anarchist Songs

[tollbar]

Can't listen to that song without it bringing tears to my eyes. [/big soft git]

The best version, for my money is the one by Dick Gaughan.

 

[tollbar]

Freedom, come all ye. is a good one, written by Hamish Henderson and the John Maclean march.

 

[mk12]

The best version, for my money is the one by Dick Gaughan.

Is there anywhere to listen to it online?

 

[gurrier]

Another French number - July 1936, serge utge royo (quick and rusty translation below)

Juillet 1936 dans les casernes catalanes
La mort bute sur les milices et le peuple compte ses armes
Dans les villages et les hameaux les paysans groupent les terres
En un seul et riche morceau et passe le vent libertaire

Je pense à vous vieux compagnons dont la jeunesse est à la douane
et pardonner si ma chanson vous refait mal à votre Espagne
Mais j'ai besoin de vous apprendre j'ai envie de vous ressembler
Je gueulerai pour qu'on entende ce que vous m'avez enseigné

Donne-moi ta main camarade
Prête-moi ton coeur compagnons
Nous referons les barricades
Comme hier la confédération

A quelques heures de Barcelone se sont groupés des menuisiers
Et sans patron tout refonctionne on sourit dans les ateliers
Sur la place de la mairie qu'on a changé en maternelle
Des femmes ont pris la blanchisserie et sortent le linge au soleil

Donne-moi ta main camarade
Prête-moi ton coeur compagnons
Nous referons les barricades
Et la vie, nous la gagnerons

Tandis que quelques militaires font leur métier de matadors
Des ouvriers, des ouvrières détruisent une prison d'abord
Là-bas, c'est la mort qui s'avance tandis qu'ici: Ah madame c'est l'Anarchie
La liberté dans l'espérance il ont osé la vivre aussi

Dame tu mano companero
I presta me tu corazon
Barricadas leventaremos
Como ahier la confederacion

------------------

Juyly 1936, in the catalan barracks
death bites the militias and the people count their arms
in the villages and the hamlets, the peasants collectivise the land
In a single and rich event, the libertarian wind sweeps through

I think of you, old companions, whose youth is long ago,
and I'm sorry if my song brings back bad memories of your spain
but I need to learn from you, one day I want to be like you,
I croon so that people may hear the things that you have taught me.

Give me your hand comrade
lend me your heart companions
We'll rebuild the barricades
Like yesterday, the confederation.

A few hours from Barcelona, the carpenters have gathered,
without bosses, everything runs, they smile in the workshops
On the town hall square, which has been turned into a nursery
the women have taken the laundry and are hanging it in the sun,

Give me your hand comrade
lend me your heart companions
We'll rebuild the barricades
And life, it will be ours.

While some solidiers carry out their trade as matadors,
The workers, men and women, destroy a prison before,
Over there, it's death that advances while here: madame it's anarchy
Freedom in hope, they have dared to live it as well,

(last verse in catalan)
Give me your hand comrade
lend me your heart companions
We'll rebuild the barricades
Like yesterday, the confederation.

Sadly, all the anarchist songs that I know are French. Irish anarchist songs are too expensive in terms of beer. If you want some, send us drink. Lots of it.

 

[reallyoldhippy]

One of my favourites and one my daughters had to suffer me singing to them as they grew up: Bread & Roses. Sung by striking textile workers in 1910.

As we come marching, marching in the beauty of the day,
A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill lofts gray,
Are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses,
For the people hear us singing: "Bread and roses! Bread and roses!"
As we come marching, marching, we battle too for men,
For they are women's children, and we mother them again.
Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes;
Hearts starve as well as bodies; give us bread, but give us roses!

As we come marching, marching, unnumbered women dead
Go crying through our singing their ancient cry for bread.
Small art and love and beauty their drudging spirits knew.
Yes, it is bread we fight for -- but we fight for roses, too!

As we come marching, marching, we bring the greater days.
The rising of the women means the rising of the class.
No more the drudge and idler -- ten that toil where one reposes,
But a sharing of life's glories: Bread and roses! Bread and roses!

 

[knopf]

The best version, for my money is the one by Dick Gaughan.

I've heard it by Dick Gaughan, Billy Bragg & Leon Rosselson (sp?). And even though Leon R can't sing for cakes, it still has the same effect.

 

[reallyoldhippy]

I've heard it by Dick Gaughan, Billy Bragg & Leon Rosselson (sp?). And even though Leon R can't sing for cakes, it still has the same effect.

and by the Oysterband, Karen Casey, Chris Foster, Chumbawamba, Clandestine and Patti O'Doors.

 

[Taxamo Welf]

It's in the evening after dark,
When the blackleg miner creeps to work,
With his moleskin pants and dirty shirt,
There goes the blackleg miner!

Well he grabs his duds and down he goes
To hew the coal that lies below,
There's not a woman in this town-row
Will look at the blackleg miner.

Oh, Delaval is a terrible place.
They rub wet clay in the blackleg's face,
And around the heaps they run a foot race,
To catch the backleg miner!

So, dinna gang near the Seghill mine.
Across the way they stretch a line,
To catch the throat and break the spine
Of the dirty backleg miner.

They grab his duds and his pick as well,
And they hoy them down the pit of hell.
Down you go, and fare you well,
You dirty blackleg miner!

Oh, it's in the evening after dark,
When the blackleg miner creeps to work,
With his moleskin pants and dirty shirt,
There goes the blackleg miner!

So join the union while you may.
Don't wait till your dying day,
For that may not be far away,
You dirty blackleg miner!

been sin ging that song every summer since the age of 5. Always a favourite

 

[Bajie]

There was a whole load of Socialist Reggae songs made at one point during the 1970's and on the sound systems during the 1980's, during the time when the Peoples National Party was still enthusiatically stating they where democratic socialists and party activisits where using reggae music as a promotional tool. The PNP still did this up to the late 1980's in fact, when they used to sponsor large sound system dances (which where actually pretty good by all accounts) that had many of the best known names in reggae at the time performing at them..

But from the late 1970's onwards their use of music was just a cynical ploy to use popular working class culture to attract voters to them (as there supporters where overwhelmingly working class), becuase their polices which where at one point Socialist had by that time began the move towards the "centre".

 

[Idris2002]

That was under pressure from the CIA wasn't it? But from the little I know of Jamaican politics (both parties using gunmen) it's hard not to see it as the result of cynicism as well. . .

Who's this David Rovics guy quoted above?

 

[butchersapron]

Who was that Jamaican (proper) marxist reggae bloke who was stoned to death - Michael someone?

edit: Mikey Smith:

"Although he was contemptuous of the main political parties in Jamaica, Mikey was identified with the radical left. He was not averse to engaging people in high places in heated verbal combat.He once told his editor, Mervyn Morris, that he had anarchist tendencies and that he was close to Rasta."

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/life..._of_the_caribbean_s_most_original_voices_.asp

 

[Chuck Wilson]

There was a whole load of Socialist Reggae songs made at one point during the 1970's and on the sound systems during the 1980's, during the time when the Peoples National Party was still enthusiatically stating they where democratic socialists and party activisits where using reggae music as a promotional tool. The PNP still did this up to the late 1980's in fact, when they used to sponsor large sound system dances (which where actually pretty good by all accounts) that had many of the best known names in reggae at the time performing at them..

But from the late 1970's onwards their use of music was just a cynical ploy to use popular working class culture to attract voters to them (as there supporters where overwhelmingly working class), becuase their polices which where at one point Socialist had by that time began the move towards the "centre".

In the early 80s I bumped into a mate of mine who was out having a drink with his cousin from Jamaica and his cousin was a very enthisiastic PNP supporter. After a fairly long discussion with me trying to get him to come to an swp meeting he agreed and then asked me how many guns did the local Harlesden branch have.............

 

[Christian Man]

 

[Blagsta]

That was clever.

 

[catch]

http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warstatv.htm#Biblical

That comes to about 1,283,000 mass killings specifically enumerated in the Bible

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusades

 

[Bajie]

That was under pressure from the CIA wasn't it? But from the little I know of Jamaican politics (both parties using gunmen) it's hard not to see it as the result of cynicism as well. . .

Do you mean the PNP moving towards liberalism? I think the World Bank and WTO had just as much to do with that in the long term. Though the CIA did help to de-stabilise Jamaica in the short term so making the process easier.

 

[In Bloom]

"Mourn not the dead that in the cool earth lie -
Dust unto Dust -
The calm sweet earth that mothers all who die
As all men must;

Mourn not your captive comrades who dwell -
Too strong to strive -
Within each steel-bound coffin of a cell,
Buried alive;

But rather mourn the apathetic throng -
The cowed and the meek -
Who see the world's great anguish and its wrong
And dare not speak! - Ralph Chaplin

More of a poem than a song, but rather good

 

[In Bloom]

100 million you say?

Do show your work, I'm intrigued

 

[fishfingerer]

100 million you say?

Do show your work, I'm intrigued

“The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away” (Job 1:21)

 

[JonnyT]

Who's this David Rovics guy quoted above?

USAn singer-songwriter - see www.davidrovics.com

 

[gilhyle]

I dreamed

How about "Stalin wasn't stalling when he stopped the beast of Belson" and that other one that had the line "All the propellors are turning in defence of the USSR".

There were a few Tankies in UCATT in my local branch who used to start singing these on the way home after a beer on Fridays.

Robert Wyatt recorded a version of 'Stalin Wasn't Stalling' on one of his albums.

Utah Phillips did a great album of IWW songs, including, I think, 'I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last Night'.

 

[past caring]

There was a whole load of Socialist Reggae songs made at one point during the 1970's and on the sound systems during the 1980's, during the time when the Peoples National Party was still enthusiatically stating they where democratic socialists and party activisits where using reggae music as a promotional tool. The PNP still did this up to the late 1980's in fact, when they used to sponsor large sound system dances (which where actually pretty good by all accounts) that had many of the best known names in reggae at the time performing at them..

But from the late 1970's onwards their use of music was just a cynical ploy to use popular working class culture to attract voters to them (as there supporters where overwhelmingly working class), becuase their polices which where at one point Socialist had by that time began the move towards the "centre".

Although, to a degree, Max Romeo was inspired by rasta as much as socialism by the time he released the Revelation Time album in 1975 (he'd earlier recorded Socialism Is Love and Let the Power Fall On I - the latter adopted by the PNP as a campaign song in the '72 election), that's maybe explained by a common milleniarist theme, at least as far as Romeo's take on socialism is concerned......

Warning, warning (from the 1975 Revelation Time album)

Givin’ out my warning...
Now you rich people listen to me
Weep and wail over the miseries
That are coming, coming up on you
Your riches have rotted away
And your clothes have been eaten by moth
Your gold and silver I
s covered with rust
And this rust will be witness against you
And eat up your flesh like fire
You have piled up your riches
In these last days
But heads a go roll down Sandy Gully one of these days
Heads a go roll down Sandy Gully that’s what Marcus says

Your life here on earth have been filled
With luxury and pleasure
You have made yourself fat
For the day of slaughter
You've not paid the men that work in your fields
The cries of those that gather your crops
Have reached the ears of Jah, Jah Almighty
Heads a go roll down Sandy Gully one of these days
Heads a go roll down Sandy Gully that’s what Marcus says

Dog up a Beverley Hills a eat T-bone steak an’ drink cornflakes
While poor people in the ghetto a rake an’ scrape
To get a cake

Be patient my brother be patient
As a farmer is patient
As he waits for the autumn and the spring rains
To water his crops
You also must be patient
And keep your hopes up high
Happy are those who greatest desire
Is to do what Jah Jah require

Heads a go roll down Sandy Gully one of these days
Heads a go roll down Sandy Gully that’s what Marcus says
Bald head a go roll down Sandy Gully one of these days
Heads a go roll down Sandy Gully that’s what Marcus says
I say; you look, you look, you look and you can’t see...
I said; you listen, you listen, you listen and you can’t hear...

(ernesto could almost have written it himself - neckshots, anyone? )

 

[CWalken]

A las barricadas

Negras tormentas agitan los aires
nubes oscuras nos impiden ver,
aunque nos espere el dolor y la muerte,
contra el enemigo nos llama el deber.
El bien más preciado es la libertad
hay que defenderla con fe y valor,
alza la bandera revolucionaria
que del Triunfo sin cesar nos lleva en pos
alza la bandera revolucionaria
que del Triunfo sin cesar nos lleva en pos.
En pie pueblo obrero,
a la batalla hay que derrocar a la reacción.
¡A las barricadas, a las barricadas,
por el triunfo de la Confederación!
¡A las barricadas, a las barricadas,
por el triunfo de la Confederación!

Very bad translation available here

Great song.

 

[q_w_e_r_t_y]

There is some good left-wing stuff coming out of the US. See for example
http://www.blackmustache.com/ride.html
http://www.riotfolk.com
http://www.evangreer.com/x/ethanandkate/01 - Declaration of War (Live in Studio).mp3

I sing a lot of anti-war/leftie music to my children who lap it up, causes problems in Nursery tho (especially as the owner has mentioned to me on more than one occasion about her support for the war). One of the songs I sing is "Later will be Greater" by the Unpeople, which they sing along to, including with those well known radicals Shakey Vara and Derek Ali.

 

[treelover]

mmm, resurrected thread, cool, btw, that riotfolk link is now a commercial site, any other site?

 

[q_w_e_r_t_y]

Sorry - should have been www.riotfolk.org, not very helpful tho as it has a message that the bandwidth is exeeded. They are a collection of about 6 people - one of them is Evan Greer.

http://www.geocities.com/evangreer2003/

but dont have links for the others

 

[brixtonvilla]

"Tomorrow belongs to me"?

Oh, right, not that kind of socialism... sorry.

 

[cathal marcs]

http://lacucaracha.info/scw/music/

Spanish Civil War tracks to download.

 

[treelover]

That Evan Greer stuff is pretty good

 

[Idris2002]

I once heard this being played loud in New Lodge a republican area of North Belfast:

viva la quinte brigada


C.Moore / Bal Music Ltd.



Around the time I saw the light of morning
A comradeship of heroes was laid
From every corner of the world came sailing
The Fifth International Brigade.

They came to stand beside the Spanish people
To try and stem the rising fascist tide
Franco's allies were the powerful and wealthy
Frank Ryan's men came from the other side.

Even the olives were bleeding
As the battle for Madrid it thundered on
Truth and love against the force of evil
Brotherhood against the fascist clan.

Viva la Quinta Brigada,
No Pasaran, the pledge that made them fight
Adelante was the cry around the hillside
Let us all remember them tonight.

Bob Hilliard was a Church of Ireland pastor
Form Killarney across the Pyrenees he came
From Derry came a brave young Christian Brother
And side by side they fought and died in Spain.

Tommy Woods age seventeen died in Cordoba
With Na Fianna he learned to hold his gun
From Dublin to the Villa del Rio
He fought and died beneath the Spanish sun.

Viva la Quinta Brigada,
No Pasaran, the pledge that made them fight
Adelante was the cry around the hillside
Let us all remember them tonight.

Many Irishmen heard the call of Franco
Joined Hitler and Mussolini too
Propaganda from the pulpit and newspapers
Helped O'Duffy to enlist his crew.

The call came from Maynooth, "support the facists"
The men of cloth had failed again
When the Bishops blessed the Blueshirts in Dun Laoghaire
As they sailed beneath the swastika to Spain.

Viva la Quinta Brigada,
No Pasaran, the pledge that made them fight
Adelante was the cry around the hillside
Let us all remember them tonight.

This song is a tribute to Frank Ryan
Kit Conway and Dinny Coady too
Peter Daly, Charlie Regan and Hugh Bonar
Though many died I can but name a few.

Danny Boyle, Blaser-Brown and Charlie Donnelly
Liam Tumilson and Jim Straney from the Falls
Jack Nalty, Tommy Patton and Frank Conroy
Jim Foley, Tony Fox and Dick O'Neill.
Viva la Quinta Brigada,
No Pasaran, the pledge that made them fight
Adelante was the cry around the hillside
Let us all remember them tonight.

Viva la Quinta Brigada,
No Pasaran, the pledge that made them fight
Adelante was the cry around the hillside
Let us all remember them tonight.