the Little Red Songbook--I.W.W.

Subject: RE: the Little Red Songbook--I.W.W.
From: Gulliver
Date: 01 Nov 10 - 04:46 PM

New link for the Socialist Songbook is:

http://www.hengstrom.net/songbook/

Don

Subject: RE: the Little Red Songbook--I.W.W.
From: Art Thieme
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 06:43 PM

Refresh: for Bill Williams--and any interested folks.

Art

Subject: RE: the Little Red Songbook--I.W.W.
From: Big Mick
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 01:11 PM

I am glad you pointed that out, Art. That section is exactly why I sent you a copy of the book. In my opinion, your taped converations are a critically important piece of labor history. One cannot help but be moved by them.

Mick

Subject: RE: the Little Red Songbook--I.W.W.
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 14 Jun 07 - 01:07 PM

I forgot to mention that Archie Green, at the very back of the BIG RED SONGBOOK, in a section titled "A Word About Field Recordings" (or something close to that) had some interesting things to say about my old interview tapes of Paul Durst---1961. It took decades (45 years actually) of showing those tapes to people, and writing about my meeting Paul, before getting anything like this. Mostly I got skepticism and doubt. I'm glad I got my tapes of Paul Durst to Archie. And I thank him for seeing their rarity--and value.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: the Little Red Songbook--I.W.W.
From: Big Mick
Date: 13 Jun 07 - 11:53 AM

It is a beauty, eh Art? I love mine, and knew you would love it too!! The gift you made me of the Durst tape is one that I will be a long time repaying.

A thought occurs to me. The real value in this book is that it teaches the importance of lending our voices to the struggle. It has always been the bards that have stepped up to lend structure to the voices of those desiring a better life. It has always been the bards that gave words and tunes to the struggle for justice and fairness. If you get the book, read it, and put it away, it will simply be a book gathering dust. If you read the book, sing the songs, and then become inspired to lend your voice, words and music to the fight, the book will have fulfilled its mission.

Mick

Subject: RE: the Little Red Songbook--I.W.W.
From: Riginslinger
Date: 13 Jun 07 - 10:59 AM

I ended up with a used one I got through Amazon.

Subject: RE: the Little Red Songbook--I.W.W.
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 13 Jun 07 - 10:56 AM

If anyone wants a copy, please let me know. I've run out of tock, but if a half-dozen or so folks want a copy, I'll reorder.
List Price: $24 (soft cover), $36 (hard cover)
CAMSCO Price: $19.20 (soft cover), $28.80 (hard cover)

Subject: RE: the Little Red Songbook--I.W.W.
From: MartinRyan
Date: 13 Jun 07 - 05:31 AM

I second Art's motion! (Then again, maybe not...) Just got a copy of the Big Red Songbook via Dick Greenhaus - it's great.

Regards

Subject: RE: the Little Red Songbook--I.W.W.
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 12 Jun 07 - 09:03 PM

Archie Green, David Roediger, Franklin Rosemont and Salvatore Salerno edited an amazing compilation titled the BIG RED SONGBOOK! Recently issued, it's from the Charles H. Kerr Publishing Co. in Chicago and it's simply a wonderful collection of wobbly songs and artworks and lore! Big Mick just sent me a copy of this great book and I want to thank him heartily and publicly for that!!! I'd heard it was coming out, but then lost track of it...

www.charleshkerr.net

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 05:24 AM

GUEST, thank you for refreshing this. It has been wonderful reading it again. I shall now dig out my copy of Art's Paul Durst tape, and sing some songs from my Little Red Songbook, gift of Ammon Hennacy. I'm a pale revolutionary these days but this thread has got the blood stirring. Thanks again. Burl

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Mar 03 - 08:55 PM

just though i would refresh this...in light of all the "subversiveness" in todays politics...

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From:
Date: 03 Sep 01 - 09:55 PM

Hillstrom

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From:
Date: 03 Sep 01 - 09:54 PM

PBS has a program talking about the I.W.W. and Utah and Joe Hill. Very interesting story.

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Art Thieme
Date: 29 Jul 01 - 07:24 PM

Joe, That's fine stuff. Thanks so much. And watch your mail. Eventually (maybe within a couple o' weeks) a tape is coming your way.

Art

---

Oooh, oooh! Thanks, Art. I like getting tapes.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Jul 01 - 03:20 AM

I came across a real gem this evening,

IWW Songs to Fan the Flames of Discontent (1917, dedicated to Joe Hill)

Also, don't forget the
1916 Little Red Songbook (London) and Socialist Songbook, both listed above.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 02:15 PM

Click here to get to the IWW bookstore, which offers two editions of the U.S. IWW Little Red Songbook, plus a Canadian IWW songbook that has songs by Rick Fielding and others.
Is anybody familiar with the other songbooks listed at the store, and can you give us a review?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: marty D
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 12:28 PM

When I was growing up, I found a copy of the 'Little Red Songbook' on our bookshelf. Today I'm thinking 'Who was the progressive/subversive in my family'? Think it may have been my Grandad. Good for him.

marty

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: SINSULL
Date: 19 Jun 01 - 12:14 PM

I wish some of these Little Red Songbooks would show up in our auction. Any spares out there?

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: mousethief
Date: 18 Jun 01 - 12:15 PM

One bit of information on the State of Washington that I think is pretty humorous. One of the Secretaries of State (I think it was pre-ww2?) made a quip that we have "47 States, and the Soviet of Washington."

This has always been a Union state. Think Teamsters, Longshoremen, Machinists.

Alex

Subject: ADD: Dear Brother (Amergin)
From: Amergin
Date: 18 Jun 01 - 05:45 AM

Bassen....this may not be quite what you had in mind but here are some words based on that lovely letter....

Dear Brother
(Amergin, 2001)

Dear Brother, I write to you
From Seattle in 1919
The wages of a lumberjack
Are decent but the prices are high
They have doubled since before the war

Dear Brother I write to tell you
That they don't like us here
They want our labour but not our ideas
They harass us with guns and words
There are thousands going home

Dear Brother, I must inform you
The workers are striking across the land
The wobblies help them march
Singing songs for better conditions
For each and every working man

Dear Brother I say to you
I am a member of that Wobbly union
And they say that I am a red
But I'm not sure what that means
But I wear the label proud

Dear Brother I must go
Give my love to the family
You're in my thoughts and prayers
As I march and sing down the Skid Road
Of this dirty logging town

Amergin

P.S My most sincere apologies for taking so much liberty with it....

The working class and the employing class have nothing in common.

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 May 01 - 08:55 PM

Quite a thread! I have kept my bookmark and print facilities busy. I was a kid when the hoboes came round for a meal in exchange for a little work. Some of the local people were doing the same thing. Quite a period in American history!

Subject: Paul Durst Interview - Art Thieme
From: Art Thieme
Date: 26 May 01 - 10:39 PM

Ed,

Truly, thanks for showing that letter here. This thread represents real examples of the amazing depth and breadth of historical items long lost with the passing of participants in all of the events discussed here. I'm really glad that, at age 20 I took the time to talk to and tape record Paul Durst. So many of those who were THERE are gone now and their remembrances are lost.

Quite recently Utah Phillips used excerpts of my 1961 interview with Paul Durst for an entire episode of his LOAFERS GLORY radio show. (No. 77) It was grand to see old Paul shown to so many folks that way--and 40 years after the fact to boot. I was really excited. Bruce Phillips is a good and an old friend, as well as being a mentor of mine, so it was an honor to have him use the interview and to have him feel it was important.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Amergin
Date: 25 May 01 - 06:01 PM

Bassen,

That is absolutely wonderful...yes there is a song or two or three in that....

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: bassen
Date: 25 May 01 - 03:43 PM

This thread was one of the reasons I got hooked on the Mudcat. BS notwithstanding, the information, reminiscences and factual information about and around folkmusic that is accumulating here is amazing. I'd like to add a small voice to this Wobbly thread. My wife's greatgreat uncle Ed emigrated to the US from Norway in 1890. He fought in the Philippine-American war around 1902 and worked his whole life as a lumberjack in Washington. He sent home letters regularly until his death in the early 1950s. The following is an excerpt from a letter he sent home in 1919, translated from the original Norwegian. Maybe someone can find a song in this; its place in this thread is selfexplanatory.

Bassen

Seattle Washington August 10 1919

Dear Brother ... Concerning daily wages for a lumber jack, they're pretty good now but everything we need to buy is double the price it was in 1914 before the war. ... Yes it's terrible how they hold the working man down, here in America there are strikes here and there all over the country over low wages and the high cost of living. They have a union here that the owners don't like at all and that's the Industrial Workers of the World in other words I.W.W. They demand to be paid fairly for the work they do and want to change things so that if the Capitalists want to eat, then they must work too, just like in Russia.

Bolshiviki they call them here. I figure that in a year or two there'll be some big changes made here in America, there are thousands of Europeans going back to their homes in Europe, the people here hate Europeans now, but at the same time don't like to see them go because they take a lot of money with them and you know they don't like that. Also it won't be so easy for the bigwigs to get a hold of cheap workslaves. It's the Europeans who are trying to get better conditions for the working man by trying to get together in one big union, so that when they go on strike everyone all over the country will quit and you know that will be hard on the Capitalists' wallets and larders.

I'm a member of that IWW union. ... I'll close now in the hope that all of you are well and doing fine

From your brother Ed

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Metchosin
Date: 21 May 01 - 09:59 AM

Uh oh....well Joe, now that you've asked, there are quite a few actually. I've been putting it off because there were so many, but I guess I should get cracking, eh? Only this time I'll do a search to double check that they really aren't already in the Forum and DT.

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 May 01 - 01:18 AM

Anything else you can transcribe from that Pacific Northwest book, Metchosin?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Metchosin
Date: 21 May 01 - 12:59 AM

good, I figured it was relevant, but I wasn't looking forward to typing it all out.

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 May 01 - 05:55 PM

Hi, Metchosin. I don't know who AJS is, but I think he/she submitted a number of Joe Hill's songs to the Digital Tradition. Click here for "Where the Fraser River Flows." A search for "Joe Hill" shows we could use some more.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Metchosin
Date: 20 May 01 - 04:09 PM

Joe, I have another song that belongs here as well, entitled Where The Fraser River Flows written by Joe Hill, to the tune of Where The Shannon River Flows, when he came out to BC to rally support for construction workers who were building the Canadian Northern Pacific Railway.

The song was first sung in 1912 during an I.W.W. strike on the railway, when 6,000 men downed tools for two and a half months.

It is contained in a book called Songs of the Pacific Northwest by Philip J. Thomas and when I get a chance in the next few days I will post the lyrics to this thread.

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Art Thieme
Date: 20 May 01 - 11:52 AM

Joe,

That's great. THANKS !

Art

Subject: Index: LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 May 01 - 10:01 PM

There are a couple of threads going that ask for radical and Wobbly songs. I thought it would be a good idea to refresh this thread and post the index of my Little Red Songbook, 36th edition (1995). Mick Lane gave it to me, so it's a very special gift. Thanks, Mick.
You will find many of these songs in the Digital Tradition. Others are in the 1916 Little Red Songbook (click). Also see IWW Songs to Fan the Flames of Discontent, 1917 edition.
-Joe Offer-

---

A Las Barricadas A World To Win All Used Up Aragon Mill Aristocracy Forever Babylon Updated Banks of Marble The Blackleg Miner The Boss's Darling Box Factory Bread and Roses Buy This American Car Capitalism's Endless Chain Casey Jones, the Union Scab Christians At War Commonwealth of Toil Cotton Mill Girls Down At The Picket Line Drill, Ye Tarriers, Drill Dump the Bosses Off Your Back Ella's Song Fight Like Hell Food Not Finance Forget Me Not The Four-Hour Day Freedom Road Give Back My Factory To Me Give Me That New Union Contract Giving Nothing Back Go, I Will Send Thee Go to Work on Monday Hallelujah, I'm a Bum Hijos del Pueblo High Tech Hold the Fort

If It Weren't For The Union I'm Dreaming of a Fair Contract The Internationale Joe Hill Joe Hill's Last Will Labor's Endless Chain Landlord and Tenant Larimer Street Legal-Illegal Links on the Chain UP Song Lumberjack's Prayer The Men of Kemira Mexican Revolutionary Song Mister Block Moderation The New America Nine to Five Song No Nos Moveran Not So Long Ago Old Ma Bell On The Picket Line One More Day Than Them Outa Work Blues The Picket Boogie Popular Wobbly Porque Los Pobres No Tienen Potter Valley Mill The Preacher and the Slave Public Workers Stand Together Put It On the Ground Rise Again Rob A Train Rock-A-Bye Baby Roll the Hours Back

Roll the Union On Scabs The Scab a Crawlin So Long Partner Solidaridad Pa' Siempre Solidaiity Forever Song of My Da Soul Stealers Stand United, All You Workers Star-Spangled George Bush Staying Out On The Line Stung Right There Is Power In A Union (Bragg) There is Power in the Union (Hill) This Little Scab The Union Buster Union Maid Universal Housewife V.D.T. We Are Building A Strong Union We Have Fed You All For A Thousand Years We Shall Not Be Moved We Shall Not Give Up The Fight What Is a Boss? What Is a Scab? Where Are We Gonna Work? Which Side Are You On? Who Bombed Judi Bari? Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues Wobbly Doxology Work Rap Song The World Turned Upside Down Workers' Control Song Working folk Unite You Gotta Go Down

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From:
Date: 20 Aug 00 - 12:43 PM

Art, have a look at the site using this link

http://www.acronet.net/~robokopp/folkindx.htm

It has links by categories, as well as country, or by author. Some of these are

Sea Songs
Hymns
Robert Burns
Isaac Watts
Robert Tannahill

It's quite a nice entry to the site.

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From:
Date: 20 Aug 00 - 07:27 AM

You're very welcome, Art. I was looking around, and saw that. Kept it to post here because I remembered this.

The title always intrigued me. My compilation of Gaelic songs is in a Red Duo-tang, and so, it's been called the "Little Red Book".

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Art Thieme
Date: 19 Aug 00 - 11:52 PM

An amazing site that I never knew about. Thanks so much.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From:
Date: 19 Aug 00 - 04:04 PM

http://www.acronet.net/~robokopp/iww.html

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: northfolk/al cholger
Date: 24 Apr 00 - 01:55 PM

I am on break, and thought this may be of interest, I have in front of me, Charlie King's "Little Read Songbook" available from Charlie, and everywhere folksong parody books are sold...subtitled..."to inflame the fans of discontent", good stuff, and so typical of CK's wit and satire.

Side note on Ed Sadlowski, He and I were on the original National Interim Committee, which met in Chicago, of Labor Party Advocates, which a few years ago became the Labor Party...I haven't seen or heard about him in the last five or six years, but his involvement gave credibility to what now has become one of the most important expressions of political involvement that a significant sector of the US labor movement has ever embraced...a future alternative to the tweedledee, tweedledumber politics that we often excoriate in these posts.

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Mudjack
Date: 23 Apr 00 - 02:02 PM

WOW! I can remember bying my Little RED Book at a Utah Phillips concert and thinking at the time, there must be a FBI agent taking pictures and catalogging all the potential revolutionist and commie agitators. So as I read this thread I again have that suttle feeling that the FBI is looking in on us and making a list. So be it known that not only do I own a little RED Book, But I also subscribe to "Sing Out".
Ed Sadlowsky.....He ran a hard and true campaign to win the Steelworkers leadership and lost. I was a steelworker then and now, but must say it isn't the same today as then. I pay my dues but without fair reprensentation. Sounds like the same complaint we have with the Government. Hmmn...
Thanks Art, good thread. Mudjack

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Art Thieme
Date: 23 Apr 00 - 01:35 PM

Joe,

Thanks. That is amazing.

Art

Subject: RE: GUEST, Edgar A. (very clever, Art!)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Apr 00 - 04:14 AM

Dear Edgar A.,
Just remember, It takes a heap o' livin' to make a house....

-Joe Offer-

Oh, Edgar, in case you're interested, click and click again, and Click once more.

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 21 Apr 00 - 11:53 PM

Mr. Offer,

Thank you for that site. Pretty amazing.

Art

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 21 Apr 00 - 11:50 PM

Fedele---I think the song you want is in the Socialist Songbook that has the link to it in this thread---Joe Offers post.

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

To whom it may concern: I've re-set my cookie 3 times in recent days. All I get it a notice that "I have PERVERTED MY COOKIE" --- or something like that. As far as I know I am not a guest although I'm said to be a guest when I post to a thread.

My question. Should I change my name to "EDGAR A. G---- ?

Would appreciate some help...

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Fedele
Date: 21 Apr 00 - 05:33 PM

ha ha ha... It's ane ENORMOUS pleasures to me Italian to know that there are true revolutionaries all over the world and specially in the U.S. Tell me more and more and more about IWW; I saved these messages and I'll read them carefully. I'd like to know all the revolutionary and workers' songs of the American tradition since they are little know here in Europe.

Help me: i saw a movie bout Woody Guthrie's life. When he was with the other workers at night outside the fields, there comes the radio singer (don't remember the name) who will become his talent-scout and friend; he incites the workers to form a union and he sings: Workers of the world unite, side by side, ...

TELL ME What was that song and give me the lyrics, please please please !!! Yours sincerely, "Fedele"

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: DebC
Date: 21 Apr 00 - 10:19 AM

I have a copy of a songbook that was given to me by an AFSCME organiser. I got it in 1975 and the book was put out by the DSOC (Democratic Socialist Organizing Commitee)in Chicago.

It's been a great resource for me and is still in one piece.

Funny, but I didn't see this thread until now. Where have I been?

Debra

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: thosp
Date: 20 Apr 00 - 09:35 PM

thanks Joe!

peace (Y) thosp

Subject: Socialist Songbook Online
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Apr 00 - 09:07 PM

Click here for a real treat. Somebody has transcribed the Socialist Songbook.
-Joe Offer-

---

Transferred from a message in the Help Forum. I'll e-mail him and get him registered.

---

Subject: Send Max or Dick email NG Codename?
From: [e-mail]
Date: 20-Apr-00 - 01:28 AM

Well, I tried to register and it said the codename I had picked was already in use. So I looked at the form and there was no place for a codename. I figured you knew I was a refugee from suburban Schwenksville lo, these many years and were screwing with my mind.

Then I went to send you email about a site where you can get the Socialist songbook and that wasn't working either.

In case you are interested, the IWW is still alive and on the Internet. They have "The Little Red Song Book" available. www.best.com/~engstrom/songbook/ will get you the Socialist Songbook.

If you want to do something nice for me, find "The Bosses' Songbook" for me.

David

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Write Flyer
Date: 16 Dec 99 - 02:10 AM

Art, lovely interview! Good for you. I didn't know that information about Mr. Charters.

Harpgirl: I just sing to amuse myself. When I attended the local folk club they seemed to think my taste was weird...or something.

Warble, warble. In Halleluja I'm a Bum, shouldn't the last line should be "to revive us again..."?

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Marymac90
Date: 16 Dec 99 - 02:08 AM

Dear Art,

Mary here again. This whole thread has really touched me. I started out interested because I have a copy of the IWW songbook, one of those extra-long, wouldn't fit in your pocket ones. I bought it in recent years, from Charlie King, I think, or maybe at the People's Music Network gathering. (The next one of those is Jan 28-30 in Queens, NYC.)

My next interest in the thread was the wanderlust one. I never hopped freights, but I did a lot of solo hitchhiking around the US between 1967 and 1981. I'd hitchhike to gatherings of social changers, folk festivals, wherever. A couple times I started a trip on a bus or train, at night, got off in the morning, and continued by thumb.

Also, I loved your interview with Paul. I was so touched by the story of his life, and his death. How ironic that someone who should have been a national treasure should die like that. I've done some study of the IWW, but he lived that history.

And overall, I loved the responses by the various mudcatters who have written for the thread. There are certainly various folkies who are not particularly leftists, just as there are leftists who aren't folkies. My favorite people are the leftish folkies, or the folkish lefties, and it is good to know there is a strong showing of them here at the mudcat.

Please keep up the good work.

Peace,

Mary

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Big Mick
Date: 16 Dec 99 - 01:51 AM

And now you know why I love this man.........genuinely.

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 16 Dec 99 - 01:45 AM

Hey Art... when you and the Big Mick get to the Colorado Mountains on your Westering journey, you've got a place waiting by the fire in my cabin.

LEJ

Subject: RE: the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK--I.W.W.
From: Marymac90
Date: 16 Dec 99 - 01:07 AM

Dear Art,

I was very touched by your interview with Paul. I have been having a lot of trouble replying to threads, so I am just going to send this now, and see if it works.

Mary