Friday, 14 July 2000
.....
I've been listening to Voices of the Civil Rights Movement: Black American Freedom Songs, 1960-1966, which is amazing, inspiring, and delightful.
Personally, I suck in group situations. (Interestingly, I discovered that it was, at least partially, due to an inner ear condition I have, which makes tracking foreground vs. background and self vs. environment movement very tricky.) In any case, I always get huge embarrassment hives when the "Hey hey, ho ho"s start up. Chants, in general, make me feel itchy.
But these songs are different. You didn't have to be a singer or a politico to sing these with comfort. You could sing these songs and feel inspired and feel community on many different levels.
Indeed, listening to these songs gets me all a-bopping (knocked the keyboard over twice), and makes me want to be out marching.
Let's forget "campaign theme songs" ("Don't worry, be happy"). Forget the crafted part-commercial part-poltical songs of even the best protest song artisans. Forget the brass band. Instead, I'd love too see Ralph and Winona leading a crowd in (an updated) Get On Board, Children!
Get on board children, children
Get on board children, children
Get on board children, children
Let's fight for human rights!
When I hear pundits complaining
and twisting round the facts
I'm glad that I just vote for Greens
and not for Republicrats.
... Get on board children, children
Let's fight for human rights!
These greedy men in power
have clearly done thier share
to wreck our world and all our lives
in the name of trade unfair!
...
Get on board children, children
Let's fight for human rights!
(Voices is put out by Smithsonian Folkways, which has a stupendous collection of cool music. They also sell individual songs over the net, and custom burnt CDs. I could wish that they were cheaper or even free for the downloads. I'd love to have this stuff circulating as widely as possible.)
This is Black American Freedom Songs <http://monkeyfist.com/articles/605>