Bear Family Records to release a ten-disc collection of songs about lynchings, anti-union murders and riots, and other injustices, including wretched working conditions permitted by earlier governments, et cetera. There's folk material, of course, but also cowboy songs, country songs, blues and country-blues. These ten CDs also tear down the stereotype of the dry and doctrinaire political song.
Highlights include Disc One ("The Roots of the Folk Revival,") which is primarily given over to the oldest union songs and farm-related protest songs. Disc Three is given over to the Almanac Singers; this body of work was recorded when the official Communist Party line (to which they adhered) was non-aggression against Nazi Germany. Some of the music on Disc Four ("Fighting the Fascists") was surprisingly complex, given the spartan conditions under which a lot of it was done. Disc Seven ("Pete Seeger: 1946-48") is mostly made up of Seeger's masterpieces Roll the Union On and Songs for Political Action. Disc Nine ("Campaign Songs: 1944-1949") represents the last significant cohesive body of topical political songs to come from the American left. By the time of Disc Ten ("An Era Closes"), the Left couldn't do more than snipe at the reactionaries setting the agenda and the passive moderates who stood by. The sound quality on most of the material in this set is astonishingly good and the ten discs are accompanied by an over-200-page hardcover book featuring historical and musical essays, photographs, session information and lyrics -- one of the finest documents of the relationship between music and politics of the period that has ever been published.
Disc One: The Leftist Roots Of The Folk Revival
1. The Strange Funeral At Braddock - MORDECAI BAUMANN & ELIE SIEGMEISTER
2. Abraham Lincoln (parts 1 & 2) - EARL ROBINSON
3. Joe Hill - EARL ROBINSON
4. Spring Song - PAUL ROBESON
5. The Old Chisholm Trail - TONY KRABER
6. Old Paint (The Horse With The Union Label) - SAUL AARONS
7. Capitalistic Boss (parts 1 & 2) - SAUL AARONS
8. Little Theater On The Right - HARRISON DOWD
9. Little Theater On The Left - HARRISON DOWD
10. Nine Foot Shovel - JOSH WHITE
11. Chain Gang Boun' - JOSH WHITE
12. Trouble - JOSH WHITE
13. Goin' Home Boys - JOSH WHITE
14. Cryin' Who? Cryin' You! (parts 1 & 2) - JOSH WHITE
15. Told My Captain - JOSH WHITE
16. Jerry - JOSH WHITE
17. Southern Exposure - JOSH WHITE
18. Uncle Sam Says - JOSH WHITE
19. Jim Crow Train - JOSH WHITE
20. Bad Housing Blues - JOSH WHITE
21. Hard Times Blues - JOSH WHITE
22. Defense Factory Blues - JOSH WHITE
Disc Two: Theatre And Cabaret Performers: 1936-1941
1. The Strange Funeral At Braddock - MORDECAI BAUMANN & ELIE SIEGMEISTER
2. Abraham Lincoln (parts 1 & 2) - EARL ROBINSON
3. Joe Hill - EARL ROBINSON
4. Spring Song - PAUL ROBESON
5. The Old Chisholm Trail - TONY KRABER
6. Old Paint (The Horse With The Union Label) - SAUL AARONS
7. Capitalistic Boss (parts 1 & 2) - SAUL AARONS
8. Little Theater On The Right - HARRISON DOWD
9. Little Theater On The Left - HARRISON DOWD
10. Nine Foot Shovel - JOSH WHITE
11. Chain Gang Boun' - JOSH WHITE
12. Trouble - JOSH WHITE
13. Goin' Home Boys - JOSH WHITE
14. Cryin' Who? Cryin' You! (parts 1 & 2) - JOSH WHITE
15. Told My Captain - JOSH WHITE
16. Jerry - JOSH WHITE
17. Southern Exposure - JOSH WHITE
18. Uncle Sam Says - JOSH WHITE
19. Jim Crow Train - JOSH WHITE
20. Bad Housing Blues - JOSH WHITE
21. Hard Times Blues - JOSH WHITE
22. Defense Factory Blues - JOSH WHITE
Disc Three: The Almanac Singers: March 1941 - July 1941
1. The Strange Death Of John Doe - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
2. Billy Boy - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
3. 'C' For Conscription - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
4. Washington Breakdown - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
5. Lisa Jane - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
6. Ballad Of October 16th - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
7. Plow Under - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
8. Talking Union - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
9. Union Train - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
10. Which Side Are You On? - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
11. Get Thee Behind Me, Satan - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
12. Union Maid - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
13. All I Want - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
14. Songs For Bridges - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
15. Babe O' Mine - WOODY GUTHRIE
16. Blow Ye Winds, Heigh Ho - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
17. Haul Away, Joe - ALMANAC SINGERS
18. Blow The Man Down - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
19. The Golden Vanity - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
20. Away, Rio - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
21. The Coast Of High Barbary - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
22. Greenland Fishing - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
23. The Dodger Song - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
24. Ground Hog - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
25. State Of Arkansas - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
26. Hard, Ain't It Hard - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
27. I Ride An Old Paint - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
28. House Of The Rising Sun - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
29. The Weaver's Song - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
Disc Four: Fighting The Fascists: 1942-1944
1. Dear Mr. President - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
2. Belt Line Girl - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
3. Round, Round Hitler's Grave - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
4. Side By Side - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
5. Deliver The Goods - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
6. Reuben James - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
7. Boomtown Bill - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
8. Keep That Oil A-Rollin' - THE ALMANAC SINGERS
9. I'm Looking For A Home (Housing Song) - THE PRIORITY RAMBLERS
10. Amsterdam Maid - THE PRIORITY RAMBLERS
11. Song Of The Free - THE PRIORITY RAMBLERS
12. In Washington - THE PRIORITY RAMBLERS
13. Overtime Pay - THE PRIORITY RAMBLERS
14. Quinte Brigada - PETE SEEGER & TOM GLAZER & BALDWIN HAWES & BESS LOMAX
15. Jarama Valley - TOM GLAZER & BALDWIN HAWES & BESS LOMAX
16. Spanish Marching Song - PETE SEEGER & TOM GLAZER & BALDWIN HAWES & BESS LOMAX
17. Cook House/The Young Man From Alcala - PETE SEEGER & TOM GLAZER & BALDWIN HAWES & BESS LOMAX
18. Quinte Regimento - PETE SEEGER & TOM GLAZER & BALDWIN HAWES & BESS LOMAX
19. Quarter Master Song - PETE SEEGER & TOM GLAZER & BALDWIN HAWES & BESS LOMAX
20. Little Man On A Fence - JOSH WHITE & THE BOYS (Union Boys)
21. Jim Crow - THE UNION BOYS
22. You Better Get Ready - THE UNION BOYS
23. Hold The Fort/We Shall Not Be Moved - THE UNION BOYS
24. U.A.W.-C.I.O. - THE UNION BOYS
25. Hold On - THE UNION BOYS
26. Solidarity Forever - BURL IVES & THE BOYS
27. A Dollar Ain't A Dollar Any More - THE UNION BOYS
Disc Five: World War II And The Folk Revival
1. Horace Greeley - EARL ROBINSON
2. Kevin Barry - EARL ROBINSON
3. The House I Live In - EARL ROBINSON
4. A Man's A Man For A'That - EARL ROBINSON
5. Drill Ye Tarriers Drill - EARL ROBINSON
6. The Frozen Logger - EARL ROBINSON
7. Jefferson And Liberty - EARL ROBINSON
8. Sweet Betsy From Pike/Dirty Miner - EARL ROBINSON
9. Grand Coolee Dam - EARL ROBINSON
10. Free And Equal Blues (parts 1 & 2) - EARL ROBINSON & DOOLEY WILSON
11. The Century Of The Common Man - SIR LANCELOT
12. I'm A Native American Nazi - VERN PARTLOW
13. Join The U.A.W.-C.I.O. - VERN PARTLOW
14. Keeping Score For '44 - VERN PARTLOW
15. The U.A.W. Train - VERN PARTLOW
16. Susan's In The Union - VERN PARTLOW
17. The Rollback Blues - VERN PARTLOW
18. Mama Don't Allow - VERN PARTLOW
19. Farmer-Labor Train - WOODY GUTHRIE
20. So Long, It's Been Good To Know You - WOODY GUTHRIE
21. Talking Sailor - WOODY GUTHRIE
22. Sally, Don't You Grieve - WOODY GUTHRIE
23. Citizen C.I.O. - TOM GLAZER & JOSH WHITE
24. No More Blues - JOSH WHITE
25. We've Got A Plan - TOM GLAZER
26. Social Worker's Talking Blues - TOM GLAZER
27. I'm Gonna Put My Name Down - TOM GLAZER
28. Freedom Road - JOSH WHITE
Disc Six: The People's Songs Era: 1945-1949
1. Landlord - JOSH WHITE
2. Johnny Has Gone For A Soldier - JOSH WHITE
3. Beloved Comrade - JOSH WHITE
4. The Man Who Couldn't Walk Around - JOSH WHITE
5. I'm The Guy - JOSH WHITE
6. Little Man Sitting On A Fence - JOSH WHITE
7. When The Country Is Broke - TOM GLAZER
8. Money In The Pocket - TOM GLAZER
9. Our Fight Is Yours - TOM GLAZER
10. Moses Green - LEE HAYS
11. The Rankin Tree - LEE HAYS
12. Talking Bilbo - LEE HAYS
13. This Old World - LEE HAYS
14. No. 1 Stooge - BOB CLAIBORNE
15. Song Of My Hands - BERNIE ASBEL
16. Mad As I Can Be - BERNIE ASBEL & PETE SEEGER
17. Jackie Robinson - LORD INVADER
18. High Price Blues - BROWNIE McGHEE
19. Black, Brown & White - BROWNIE McGHEE
20. Nix On Mundt/Nixon - ANNA BEYER
21. The Daily Worker's Song - GEORGE LEVINE(?)
22. Taft-Hartley Blues - UNIDENTIFIED VOCALIST
23. Parnell Thomas Blues - SIS CUNNINGHAM
24. Turn Me Loose - MALVINA REYNOLDS & BILL OLIVER
25. Snowball - THE BERRIES
26. Swingin' On A Scab - THE BERRIES
27. On To Sacramento - MARIO CASETTA
28. Atomic Talking Blues - VERN PARTLOW
29. Newspapermen Meet Such Interesting People - VERN PARTLOW
30. Passing Through - DICK BLAKESLEE
Disc Seven: Pete Seeger: 1946-1948
1. Listen Mr. Bilbo - SEEGER & HAWES & HAYS & WOOD & KLEINMAN
2. Joe Hill - SEEGER & HAWES & HAYS & WOOD & KLEINMAN
3. O.P.A. Shout - PETE SEEGER & BOB CLAIRBORNE
4. Voting Union - SEEGER & GLAZER & HAYS & WOOD
5. Get Out The Vote - SEEGER & GLAZER & HAYS & WOOD
6. A Dollar Ain't A Dollar Anymore - SEEGER & GLAZER & HAYS & WOOD
7. A Dollar For P.A.C. - SEEGER & GLAZER & HAYS & WOOD
8. Oh, What Congress Done To Me - HAYS & SEEGER & GLAZER & WOOD
9. Four P.A.C. Nursery Rhymes - GLAZER & SEEGER & HAYS & WOOD
10. D.D.T. - HAYS & SEEGER & GLAZER & WOOD
11. Fare Ye Well, Bad Congressman - SEEGER & GLAZER & WOOD & HAYS
12. No, No, No Discrimination - SEEGER & GLAZER & HAYS & WOOD
13. Voter, Oh Voter - SEEGER & GLAZER & HAYS & WOOD
14. Intro/Commonwealth Of Toil - SEEGER & GLAZER & WOOD & GILBERT
15. We've Got Our Eyes On You - SEEGER & GLAZER & WOOD & GILBERT
16. Talking Union - SEEGER & GLAZER & WOOD & GILBERT
17. The Preacher And The Slave - SEEGER & GLAZER & WOOD & GILBERT
18. Which Side Are You One? - SEEGER & GLAZER & WOOD & GILBERT
19. Solidarity Forever - SEEGER & GLAZER & WOOD & GILBERT
20. The Whole Wide World Around - SEEGER & GLAZER & WOOD & GILBERT
21. Hold The Fort/Conclusion - SEEGER & GLAZER & WOOD & GILBERT
22. Talking P.A.C. - PETE SEEGER
23. Conversation With A Mule - PETE SEEGER
24. The Farmer Is The Man - PETE SEEGER
25. Join The Farmer's Union - PETE SEEGER
26. Talking Atom - PETE SEEGER
27. Newspapermen Meet Such Interesting People - PETE SEEGER
28. Skillet Good And Greasy - PETE SEEGER
29. T For Texas - PETE SEEGER
30. Cumberland Mountain Bear Chase - PETE SEEGER
Disc Eight: Charter Records: 1946-1949
1. Walk In Peace (part 1) - SIR LANCELOT
2. Walk In Peace (part 2) - SIR LANCELOT
3. Atomic Energy - SIR LANCELOT
4. Old Lady With A Rolling Pin - SIR LANCELOT
5. Red Boogie - GOODSON & VALE
6. Unity Rhumba - GOODSON & VALE
7. Elephant And The Ass - GOODSON & VALE
8. Hungry Rhapsody - GOODSON & VALE
9. Housing - GOODSON & VALE
10. Ballad Of F.D.R. - PEOPLE'S SONGS CHORUS
11. Jim Crow - PEOPLE'S SONGS CHORUS
12. Mein Shtetele Belz - THE BERRIES
13. Zhonkoye - THE BERRIES & PETE SEEGER
14. Travelin' - PETE SEEGER
15. Black, Brown & White Blues - PETE SEEGER
16. The Death Of Harry Simms - PETE SEEGER
17. Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues - PETE SEEGER
18. No Irish Need Apply - PETE SEEGER
19. Unemployment Compensation Blues - BOOTS (MARIO CASETTA)
20. The Fireship - BETTY SANDERS
21. Johnny, I Hardly Knew You - BETTY SANDERS
22. The Peekskill Story (incl. Hold The Line), (parts 1 & 2) - THE WEAVERS & HOWARD FAST
23. Wasn't That A Time - THE WEAVERS
24. Dig My Grave - THE WEAVERS
25. Freight Train Blues - THE WEAVERS
26. Love Song Blues - THE WEAVERS
27. The Hammer Song - THE WEAVERS
Disc Nine: Campaign Songs: 1944-1949
1. We're Keeping Score In '44 - EARL ROBINSON
2. No More Blues - JOSH WHITE
3. Lay That Ballot Down (part 1 & 2) - BILL OLIVER
4. The Fertilizer Song - VERN PARTLOW
5. Talking F.T.A. - VERN PARTLOW
6. Kiss The Boys Goodbye - VERN PARTLOW
7. Round And Round The Canneries - VERN PARTLOW
8. My Name Is Cannery Bill - VERN PARTLOW
9. The Bosses' Gang - MARA ALEXANDER & OTHERS
10. Bye, Bye Bosses - MARA ALEXANDER
11. The New Walls Of Jericho - RICHARD HUEY & CHORUS
12. Henry Wallace Is The Man - THE ROYAL HARMONAIRES
13. A Corrido To Wallace And Taylor - ABIGAIL ALVAREZ
14. Second Corrido To Wallace And Taylor - ABIGAIL ALVAREZ
15. The Battle Hymn Of '48 - PAUL ROBESON
16. The Same Old Merry-Go-Round - MICHAEL LORING
17. I've Got A Ballot - MICHAEL LORING
18. Great Day - MICHAEL LORING
19. Wallace Button/Goodbye, Harry - GEORGE LEVINE
20. Henry Wallace - SIS CUNNINGHAM
21. We Can Win With Wallace - BILL OLIVER
22. Work With Reynolds - MALVINA REYNOLDS
23. The Century Of The Common Man - SIR LANCELOT
24. Wallace Is The Man For Me - SIR LANCELOT
25. Yankee Doodle, Tell The Boss - MICHAEL LORING & ALAN LOMAX
26. Intro/New York City - THE WEAVERS
27. Marcantonio For Me - FRED HELLERMAN
28. Skip To The Polls - THE WEAVERS & HOPE FOYE
29. Marcantonio For Major - FRED HELLERMAN
30. Now, Right Now - LAURA DUNCAN
31. We Shall Not Be Moved - THE WEAVERS
32. Oh, Freedom - HOPE FOYE & PETE SEEGER
33. Ben Davis - PETE SEEGER
34. M.T.A. - UNIDENTIFIED VOCALIST
35. The People's Choice - UNIDENTIFIED
36. Keep A-Goin' And A-Growin' - FRED HELLERMAN
Disc Ten: An Era Closes: 1949-1953
1. The Riddle Of Thurman Towns - DeCORMIER & BERNARDI & BOOTH
2. Grapes To Pick - GERALD GALLANT
3. Medley: I Don't Want To Get Adjusted/Stand Up And Be Counted/We Will Overcome/The Progressive Party Is Here To Stay - FRED HELLERMAN
4. Pity The Downtrodden Landlord - BOB HILL
5. The Hammer Song - THE WEAVERS
6. Banks Of Marble - THE WEAVERS
7. Spring Song - ERNIE LIEBERMAN & HOPE FOYE
8. Songs Of My Hands - ERNIE LIEBERMAN
9. My Old Man - ERNIE LIEBERMAN
10. I'm On My Way - ERNIE LIEBERMAN
11. In Contempt - LIEBERMAN & DUNCAN & SMITH & SANDERS
12. Die Gedanken sind frei - LIEBERMAN & DUNCAN & SMITH & SANDERS
13. Walk Along Together - LIEBERMAN & DUNCAN & SMITH & SANDERS
14. Put My Name Down - LIEBERMAN & DUNCAN & SMITH & SANDERS
15. Hold On - LIEBERMAN & DUNCAN & SMITH & SANDERS
16. Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel - OSBORNE SMITH
17. I've Got A Right - LAURA DUNCAN
18. We Shall Overcome - THE JEWISH YOUNG FOLKSINGERS
19. Talking Un-American Blues - BETTY SANDERS
20. Old Bolshevik Song - JOE GLAZER & BILL FRIEDLAND
21. The Cloakmaker's Union - JOE GLAZER & BILL FRIEDLAND
22. Land Of The Daily Worker - JOE GLAZER & BILL FRIEDLAND
23. Our Line's Been Changed Again - JOE GLAZER & BILL FRIEDLAND
24. In Old Moscow - JOE GLAZER & BILL FRIEDLAND
25. Unite For Unity - JOE GLAZER & BILL FRIEDLAND
26. Bill Bailey - JOE GLAZER & BILL FRIEDLAND
27. The Last International - JOE GLAZER & BILL FRIEDLAND
28. The Giveaway Boys In Washington - JOE GLAZER
29. Joe McCarthy's Band - JOE GLAZER
30. I've Got To Know - WOODY GUTHRIE
31. This Land Is Your Land - WOODY GUTHRIE
