The title track of Bob Dylan's third Album, released in 1964, was The Times They Are A'Changing. That was 49 years, 9 months, 30 days ago.
Have they?
Are they?
Will they?
plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Today's post is dedicated to Toshi Seeger.
NY Times obit/article here - Toshi Seeger, Wife of Folk-Singing Legend, Dies at 91
So put your ears on and follow us over the jump.
Come senators, congressman please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway, don't block up the hall
For he who gets hurt will be he who has stalled
Here are a few songs that have stood the test of time.
Right click the links and open in new window.
Tom Lehrer's Join the Folk Song Army calls to us over the decades.
Tom Lehrer's Folk Song Army Tongue firmly in cheek, Tom lays it all out in 1 minute, 34 seconds.
From the last depression -
Al Jolson singing Al Jolson - Brother can you spare a Dime back in the day.
and Phil Alvin - "Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?" in January of this year.
A look at GeoPolitics -
The Merry Minuet, written by Sheldon Harnick in 1955. Harnick is best known for the popular musical, "Fiddler on the Roof". The Kingston Trio recorded it 1959.
It is uncanny how this song nailed the political events that have persisted. Many of us still have it in our songbags. Here is the Kingston Trio performing it twice, one cut from their 1959 album, and again live in NYC in 1981. Skip ahead to 6:24 on the live version if you want to hear only the Merry Minuet, or pour another cup of coffee and listen to the whole clip for a great version of Early Morning Rain, and some very interesting repartee.
The Kingston Trio - "The Merry Minuet" 1959 STEREO
Kingston Trio live 1981 "Early Morning Rain" "Merry Minuet"
And in the same theme -
Barry McGuire, lead singer for the New Christey Minstrels, went to #1 in the country in 1965 ( and #3 in the UK) with Eve of Destruction (Hullabaloo - Sep 20, 1965) in spite of the song being banned in some cities.
And Barry is still performing it - Barry McGuire 2011
Go Barry!
Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'.
Where, oh where, are there voices being raised like this today?
If they are out there I have not heard them.
Is it because I am not tapped in to the indie performers?
Back in the time we only had the FM "underground" radio, mostly college stations, and everybody was listening to the same songs. Now there are so many alternative means of self publishing, recording, and promoting that I fear many artists must not be getting the exposure they deserve due to the consolidation and dissipation of the FM radio channels by Clear Channel (Bain Capital), and the resultant dearth, and some would say death of "underground" radio. It is now underground streaming audio on the computer, although SiriusXM has many of the DJs from back then. Check out Meg Griffin, David Johansen, and Vin Scelsa on the Loft, and we had Lou Reed until last week.
Well take heart, I just found one, in the 7/10/13 edition of Indy Week, the Raleigh, Cary, Durham, Chapel Hill guide to music events, and alt newspaper. I am not sure how much coverage there has been outside the area, but since April we in NC have had an especially interesting socio- political weekly event called Moral Mondays, gatherings inside the Legislative Building in Raleigh.
From yesterday's (November 12th) News and Observer:
Moral Monday cases confuse Wake courts
Seems that of the 924 who have been arrested for civil disobedience Since the protests began, back in April 2013 (curiously coincident with my Stem Cell Transplant) many of those arrested have opted for a trial instead of a fine and community service. These are for the most part professional people, not the unwashed masses.
The protests are peaceful, and these events prompted Django Haskins of a local band, The Old Ceremony, to write this song.
"We Are Not For Sale" -- song for NC
| G | C G |
you can buy yourself an office in the capitol
| G |D7 |
enjoy it while you can
| G | C G |
cause faith and love and charity are much more powerful
| G D7 | G |
than greed or spite, my friend
| G | C G |
you can auction our clean water to the frackers, but you know
| G | D7 |
you'll need water too
| G G7 | C G |
you can wish your way back to the days of old jim crow
| G D7 | G |
but we won't follow you
CHORUS
| G | G G7 |
no we are not for sale
| C | G |
we are not for sale
| G B7 | C |
if you think that you can silence us you'll need a bigger jail
| G D7 | G7 |
cause we are not for sale
VERSE
you can buy yourself a mansion down on granville drive
or try to buy a university
you can buy yourself a navy but you can't turn back the tide
cause you do not own me
CHORUS
no we are not for sale
we are not for sale
if you think that you can silence us you'll need a bigger jail
cause we are not for sale
no we are not for sale
Pretty good, eh? It has a good sing along chorus as a hook, just needs another verse about the way teachers are being treated here in NC. It has a good sing along chorus as a hook, and I hope it goes viral.
What is your favorite Protest Song not mentioned here? Let me know in the comments, and I will put together a compilation.
If the comment box does not work for you, email me and I will post it.
capnchris@gmail.com
Thanks,
CC
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin'
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'
As someone who participated in various demonstrations back in the 60's, I believe today's lack of "protest songs" is directly related to the current lack of viable mass protest movements and the rise of social media . Such groups in the past, whether during the depression or the 60's, used songs to help get their message across to the public and often inspired popular performers to create music sympathetic to the cause. In my time, the fact that there was a draft for military service also was a strong factor in deciding to join "the movement", demonstrate in the streets, and listen to music about what was going on in Washington and the rest of the world. Since there was no Facebook, Twitter, or internet in those days, the music we listened to (and reflected our viewpoints) was one of the main ways, along with the length of our hair and clothing style, we were able to connect with one another. Even though we have much more access to info and viewpoints on current issues than we did back then, I think that because most people today (besides being fatter and dumber) are not personally threatened in the near term by social/political issues, they are unwilling to become activists for change and would rather limit their actions to posts (like this one) or sit back and be content to adopt the thoughts of whatever TV, magazines, or website that occupies most of their free time. Such lack of personal commitment to taking action to change perceived problems in their communities, the nation, and the world, is not conducive to creating protest songs.
ReplyDeleteChuck,
DeleteThanks for your comment. I actually got some phone calls from blog subscribers saying about the same thing.
So you see the various political blogs as virtual streets and airwaves where one can in comfort and anonymity post in lieu of marching, in a sort of proxy protest?
I would agree, but I still wonder where is the music? I mean stuff goes viral.
Is it only American Idol stuff? Where is the virtual venue for the protest song?
Maybe some of our younger and international blog subscribers know, and I only hope they will comment.
Cheers,
Chris
If one removes volunteers from the equation, Viet Nam was fought by draftees.
DeleteSince 1973, it has been all volunteer, with increasing support from Contractors (read Mercenaries like Blackwater )
I think many of today's volunteers are poor kids looking for a career. Put in 20 , get out with skills. What else is a city kid who can't afford an education going to do, flip burgers as a career choice?
You want anti war songs? Big list on wiki.
peace