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Music in a dismal economy
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Subject: Music in a dismal economy From: Stewart Date: 30 Dec 08 - 01:14 PM In the midst of financial collapse, housing foreclosures, billion dollar bailouts, job losses, and an uncertain economic future, I wonder how this will affect our music and the lives of musicians. Certainly the hard times of the Great Depression had a big effect on the music of that era and the lives of musicians. What music is coming out of our current economic decline? And how is this economy affecting the lives of musicians? A couple recent songs speak to this: Steve Tilston's "A Pretty Penny" laments the unfairness and greed of those who manipulate the system for their own gain: "There's some men in this city who are paid a pretty penny Just for guessing where the money flows. Certain handshakes, knowing smiles, in this city mile. That's the way you know the bonus grows." And the rest of the lyrics are HERE. Mudcat's Reggie Miles sings about the result of all this in his "Wall Street Blues." You can hear him sing this song in Seattle's Pike Place Market or on YouTube "Everybody's talkin' about The economic downturn Who's getting' bailed out And who is going to get burned Wall Street millionaires Vultures coming home to roost One more corporate welfare To pad their golden parachutes Fannie May and Freddie Mac They're starvin' like AIG A blank check is all they lack For their next spending spree Everybody's talking 'bout The stock market crashing down Who's going to get a handout Who they're going to let drown" ... Are there other protest songs, songs of hard times, or songs to make us forget our hard times, coming out of this economic downturn? What are some examples? How does the current downturn affect musicians? Will singer-songwriters move away from "me, me, me..." to more relevant themes? Is there perhaps a silver lining to the dark cloud of this economy? What do you think? S. in Seattle |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: Acorn4 Date: 30 Dec 08 - 01:23 PM There is a recent thread "The Recession and folk music" which will have some relevance here. |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: Leadfingers Date: 30 Dec 08 - 01:25 PM Unemployment Compensation Blues ! In the D T -- http://www.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=10287 |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: Ian Fyvie Date: 30 Dec 08 - 01:40 PM I hope the recession will get more people together to sing and play generally (as I've said in other threads). Folk singarounds especially are a cheap way of providing people with decent (local) entertainment for the price of a drink or so. And the ethos is superior to consuming the Big Names hyped by the music industry (or the overrated cronies loved by local folk cliques). And who knows - someone who enjoys a singaround might start another on a different night - or in a different town and get thousands more involved with folkie type music generally - and showing thousands more to rea that making entertainment together is far more fun than paying to be a passive punter. Ian Fyvie |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE WAY WE LIVED THEN (Harvey Andrews) From: GUEST,harvey andrews Date: 30 Dec 08 - 02:23 PM I know it's not cool to post one's own work or to say I told you so but I can't resist. I wrote this in 1992 and recorded it on "Spring Again" in 1994. ^^ THE WAY WE LIVED THEN Caviar on the table, Champagne in the glass We laughed and we jeered at the poor working class We drank to their ruin, we drank to their shame We pissed on their problems, said they were to blame Oh the way we lived then, the way we lived then, The way we lived then. Jason wore braces and slicked his hair down Ben had the number of each deb in town I was a member of every new club And I used my gold card to pay every sub For the way we lived then, the way we lived then, The way we lived then. chorus Oh, the way we lived then, Selling Deutschmark or Yen, Never thinking of where did it come from How long would it last us, or when Would we all have to pay for this mad holiday For the Porsche and the Rolls That were our only goals Me and Jason and Ben, Oh, the way we lived then. Jason met Sarah, a girl in P.R. They had a white wedding all paid for by Pa Borrowed a fortune to buy their first pad It was two hundred K, but then prices were mad. The way we lived then, the way we lived then, The way we lived then. Jason said, three years, we'll sell and move on Then suddenly, terribly, Maggie was gone Ben said don't worry she's schooled them all well So we drank to the sending of Labour to hell Oh, the way we lived then, the way we lived then, The way we lived then. CHORUS Sarah got pregnant, then Jason got fired Ben took a pay cut and I felt too tired Burnt out at thirty and sacked on the day The repo man took my red Roller away Oh the way we lived then, the way we lived then, The way we lived then. CHORUS Now there's bread on the table and beer in the glass It's merely a set back and bad times will pass Monopoly money means always pass go And we'll surely pass you if you're going too slow And we'll live it again, the way we lived then, The way we lived then. Yes, we'll live it again, selling Euro or Yen Only this time we'll know where it comes from We'll know how to keep it, and then We'll make someone else pay for our mad holiday For the Porsche and the Rolls that are our only goals Me and Jason and Ben, We'll live it again, The way we lived then, We'll live it again.
-Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: Stewart Date: 30 Dec 08 - 02:35 PM That is COOL Harvey! Can we listen to it anywhere? On the internet? Cheers, S. in Seattle |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: GUEST,harvey andrews Date: 30 Dec 08 - 02:42 PM Sorry Stewart, it's on the cd (which is, obviously for sale on my website)but is not for download on the internet and I'm not computer literate enough to do anything about that!Maybe someone more advanced who has the cd can MP3 it, or whatever you do, with my permission as I own the track and would have no objections just this once! |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: Effsee Date: 30 Dec 08 - 10:53 PM By coincidence , tonight on my programme on Caithness FM, I played Harvey's song "Again" from his 70's album "Writer of Songs", and wondered if this was the future prospects apropos the Credit Crunch! Great song Harvey, have loved your work for the best part of 40 years ever since "Kids colour bar", keep on doing the bizz! |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: Dave Roberts Date: 31 Dec 08 - 10:41 AM Harvey Andrews Rules! |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: Rasener Date: 31 Dec 08 - 10:53 AM Hi Harvey Enjoyed your gig at Grimsby. Up the Villa:-) Happy New Year to you. Les Worrall |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: Goose Gander Date: 31 Dec 08 - 11:07 AM In a dismal economy, make your own music. |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: Big Al Whittle Date: 31 Dec 08 - 11:59 AM In my mind the the rise of the fascist element in England is related to this prophesied recession. the shops are full of sales shoppers at the moment. When will the hammer fall, we wonder? This is my song about it:- Every Englishman's Friend Oh the rich man stood on his castle wall And said that the poor deserve bugger all So no one turned the wheels or oiled the locks And all our economy went to cock And soon the Blame Game Boys are out there , and at it again First they tell you they're every Englishman's friend Its all these blacks and all these Asians Ruining the fabric of our nation An theres blokes on the street sayin' stuff like this With a mind like a jackboot and mind like a fist! And the schools couldn't teach the kids And no one could reach So much wrong-headed, right wing crap had been preached And the Blame Game Boys are out there at the school gate Stopping all the white kids and calling 'em mate You don't read too good, don't worry man I've read the book of hate and I've got a plan Its all these blacks and all these Asians All the fault of this immigration And soon the kids are startin life With a swastika tattoo and a flick knife So this is a song To say your parents are wrong If they vote BNP, they've been fooled and conned You wanna go to the place Hitler took the krauts? Just think twice before you bring that about Pride in Fatherland! See the foreigner bow! It was bollocks then and its bollocks now! And soon the Blame Game Boys are out there , and at it again First they tell you they're every Englishman's friend Its all these blacks and all these Asians Ruining the fabric of our nation An theres bloke on the street sayin' stuff like this With a mouth like a jackboot, and a mind like a fist © Alan Whittle 25/11/2008 07:48:08 You can hear it hear. too late to worry about being cool! http://www.bigalwhittle.co.uk/id35.html |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: GUEST,harvey andrews Date: 31 Dec 08 - 03:07 PM And a good New Year to you Les and to all Mudcatters. Great to see the Villa challenging the top four! May it be a good year for both our city's teams. |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: Stringsinger Date: 31 Dec 08 - 03:31 PM Time to reach into the songbag and dust off "The Banks Are Made Of Marble" and "U.A.W.C.I.O. Makes the Army Roll and Go". (Bess Hawes and others.) "Get thee behind me Satan, travel on down the line. I am a union man, and I'm gonna' leave you behind." (Almanac Singers) "Some will rob you with a six-gun and some with a fountain pen" --Pretty Boy Floyd--W. Guthrie Such a rich tradition and it's readily available. Frank Hamilton |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: Amos Date: 31 Dec 08 - 03:53 PM And if you're white, hang tight! Black or brown, stick around. On the US workforce? Out-sourced, out-sourced, out-sourced. IF you want better wages, let me tell ya what to do, Ya got to talk to the worker sin the shop with you, Ya got to build you a union, biys, and make it strong, 'Cuz if you all stick together, boys, it won't be long! Too old to work. Woo old to work! You're too old to work, and you're too young to die. Who will take care of you, how'll you get by? When you're too old to work and you're too young to die. The list goes on and on.... A |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: Stewart Date: 31 Dec 08 - 05:17 PM Down Home Radio Show Songs of the Great Depression Audio Archive - mp3 Tracks: 1.Brother, Can You Spare A Dime- Leo Reisman & His Orchestra Poor Man's Heaven 2. Bank Failures - Bob Ferguson & Scalawaggers Songs for Political Action: Folk Music, Topical Songs and the American Left 3. No Depression in Heaven - The Carter Family 4. How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live- Blind Alfred Reed Hard Times In The Country 5. Poor Man - Frank Proffitt Memorial Album 6. NRA Blues- Bill Cox 7. Death Of The Blue Eagle - George Davis Mountain Music Of Kentucky 8. WPA Song - unknown 9. Join The CIO- Aunt Molly Jackson 10. Join The Union Tonight- John Handcox Songs for Political Action 11. 35 Depression - Daddy Stovepipe & Mississippi Sarah Poor Man's Heaven 12. '31 Depression Blues - The New Lost City Ramblers Volume II 1963-1973 13. Jolly Banker - Woody Guthrie Library Of Congress Recordings 14. Wreck Of The Tennessee Gravy Train - Uncle Dave Macon Classic Sides 1929-1938 Disc D 15. President Roosevelt Is Everybody's Friend - Rev. JM Gates Poor Man's Heaven 16. Roosevelt After Inauguration (excerpt)-From The Yage Letters - William S. Burroughs 17. Tell Me Why You Like Roosevelt - McKinley Peebles Friends Of Old Time Music (Disc 2) 18. I Don't Want Your Millions Mister - Tillman Cadle Songs for Political Action 19. 11 Cent Cotton 40 Cent Meat - Bob & The Boys Songs for Political Action 20. Pretty Boy Floyd - Woody Guthrie Dust Bowl Ballads This ought to cheer you up for the New Year! Cheers, S. in Seattle |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: Barry Finn Date: 31 Dec 08 - 11:54 PM For the banks are all broken they say And the merchants are all up a tree When the big-wigs are brought To the Bankruptcy Court What hope for a squatter like me More than 100 years later & it's still relevent Barry |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: GUEST,WATG Date: 11 Mar 09 - 05:15 PM There's another great song about no money in these economic times "If You Ain't Got The Money" by "Who Are Those Guys". The song has been used on CBS televisions "Without A Trace" . If you want to hear the tune for free go to their website at: www.whoarethoseguys.com or you can find links to buy the song from there. Enjoy!!!! |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: paula t Date: 11 Mar 09 - 05:43 PM Hi Harvey, I think that "Targets" is, once again, so topical! |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: Mavis Enderby Date: 12 Mar 09 - 04:14 AM I recently heard Alex Glasgow's Turning the Clock Back and thought it pretty relevant to current times. Some good music on this thread. Guthrie's line "Some will rob you with a six gun, and some with a fountain pen" is so spot on! I'd also second Ian and Michael's comments regarding making your own music. I think this was coming around, recession or not, anyway due to a reaction against over produced pop (X-factor, robotic pop etc). Recession may well speed it up though... Pete. |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: MikeofNorthumbria Date: 12 Mar 09 - 04:38 AM Nice one Harvey. A long time ago, Stan Kelly wrote an ironic little song called "Pity the Downtrodden Landlord" - perhaps it's time for an updated version along the lines of "Pity the Unemployed Banker". Or maybe someone will give us "How Can a Rich Man Stand Such Times and Live"? Wassail! |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: Mavis Enderby Date: 12 Mar 09 - 04:50 AM I remember a time when bonuses were high You could sell on debt and banks would fight to buy Now we're up to our necks in sh*t The taxpayer must take the hit Tell me how can a rich man stand such times and live Pete (who really must get on with some work now!) |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: Ian Fyvie Date: 30 Jan 11 - 02:29 PM Revisited this thread after a week of news which included political eruptions in Egypt (military jets buzzing protesters, tanks on the streets...); demonstration in Britain by students, trades unionists (against fees, against job cuts). Anti capitalist protesters are energeticly publicising how the bankers and other sectors of the Rich are still whooping it up - despite two years now of we ordinary folk being told to expect austerity, perhaps for a generation - and English demonstraters are now getting tear gassed. The scope for new songs is huge - perhaps we need a dedicated forum where writers can offer thieir up-to-the-minute songs to campaign groups who might like to use them on demos, campaign DVD's - and of course where songsters can offer to write campaign songs. Any ideas? Ian Fyvie |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: Paul Davenport Date: 30 Jan 11 - 03:30 PM Once I built a tower, up to the sun Of bricks and mortar and lime Once I built a tower and now it's done Buddy can you spare a …hugely obscene bonus?? |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: Deckman Date: 30 Jan 11 - 03:52 PM BARRY ... I was going to suggest the same song ("Come Stumpy Old Man") but you beat me to it! Stew ... your thread idea is very good ... why am I NOT surprised. I also am a great admirer of Reggie Miles' song writing abilities ... simply breathtaking. One of the things that concerns me, with a few exceptions, is that good and powerful songs FOLLOW THE EVENT ... rather than proceeding the event. There are obvious exceptions: "We Shall Overcomw", "Marching To Pretoria", etc. But as Pete Seeger often preached ... (my words) but with a good song we can change things. It might be interesting to re-visit this thread in ten more years. bob(deckman)nelson |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 30 Jan 11 - 04:04 PM ... if any of us oldies can make it back here ... :-P |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: GUEST,harvey andrews Date: 30 Jan 11 - 07:16 PM HERE'S TO THE COALITION HERE'S TO THE CON LIB PACT HERE'S TO THE COALITION THE ONE NO VOTER BACKED HERE'S TO THE COALITION AND THE CUTS THAT THEY WILL HAND ON BUT WITHOUT SUPPORT IT'D COME TO NAUGHT IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE A CLEGG TO STAND ON YES WITHOUT SUPPORT IT'D COME TO NAUGHT IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE A CLEGG TO STAND ON |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: michaelr Date: 31 Jan 11 - 12:37 AM Here in my corner of California - the world's 8th largest economy - we've gone from 12 folk venues twenty years ago to three. This is Sonoma County, where there are more folk, bluegrass, old-time, Celtic and oher players than anywhere else I know. It SUCKS! |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: VirginiaTam Date: 31 Jan 11 - 02:26 AM BILLIONS OR MORE The queue at the bank grows more glum and more grey Since they've learned a new trick To drive borrowers away borrowers away, borrowers away borrowers away since they've learned a new trick to drive borrowers away If you ask them for credit you'll find they give none But the bankers got a bonus for the good job they done good job they done, good job they done good job they done but the bankers got a bonus for the good job they done Rob Peston he wakes us each day with news so dire in a clipped halting voice says we're deep in the mire deep in the mire. deep in the mire deep in the mire in a clipped halting voice says we're deep in the mire Now I work at 3 jobs to keep roof over head And the day I retire is the day you find me dead find me dead, find me dead find me dead and the day I retire is the day you find me dead So the bankers are wealthy, but the banks they are poor But would they be fairer with billions or more billions or more, billions or more billions or more but would they be fairer with billions or more |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: GUEST Date: 05 Feb 11 - 05:15 PM I've been thinking about "the way we lived then" quite a lot recently, so many thanks for the posting! The only difference is the price of houses! Mike |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: Dorothy Parshall Date: 05 Feb 11 - 05:46 PM And the banks are (still) made of marble with a guard at every door... |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: GUEST,harvey andrews Date: 06 Feb 11 - 02:14 PM I know it's three years too late for Stewart but "The way we lived then" is now available for download on my website and you can listen to the whole track for free if you wish. www.harveyandrews.com |
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Subject: RE: Music in a dismal economy From: A Wandering Minstrel Date: 07 Feb 11 - 07:51 AM I Find I'm singing John Heslops "Blood of the Common Man" a lot more these days with one small change to the last line of the refrain as below... Far away in the marble city where there's neither love nor pity The bankers drink whenever they can The get drunk on the blood of the common man! Blood and toil, sweat and labour and in debt forevermore |
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