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Songs about war and its effects |
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Subject: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: GUEST,George Mann Date: 28 Aug 16 - 11:10 AM Seeking Songs: "Until You Come Home" Compilation CD (George Mann, producer) In 2010, I produced a compilation CD entitled "Until You Come Home: Songs for Veterans and Their Kin." It was my reaction to a marked increase in the work I was doing in veterans and nursing homes, as I began to transition from 14 years squatting in New York City (I never really considered it my home) to Ithaca, where I now live. I was seeing physical and psychic wounds up front, much more than I had in the past, and getting to know the humans who carried those wounds— men and yes, women too, especially from the most recent wars. I also became aware of the work of Veterans for Peace and The Welcome Home Project, and members of those organizations— most of them veterans themselves— whose work and courage in the face of their own wounds and pain inspires me to this day. The album was an attempt to address the horrors of war, the damage to the human spirit as well as the body, and I was lucky to have songs from so many great artists associated with it. The website http://www.untilyoucomehome.com has info about this CD, including links to videos for some of the songs. In assembling the album, I put out an open call to artists to submit songs, and in some cases went after specific songs and artists I knew and wanted represented on the CD (such as my mentors Julius Margolin and Utah Phillips, both veterans themselves and longtime activists for peace, and who had died recently). In other cases, we were lucky that revered artists such as Tom Paxton, Holly Near and John Gorka understood the goal of the project and donated their songs to it. I also found songs from a number of relatively "unknown" songwriters that were heartfelt and right on the mark. Six years later, I still sing regularly in veterans and nursing homes, and the endless flow of wounded bodies and minds in these VA and state hospitals and homes is at times overwhelming. Every week I see kids in their twenties, men and women in their fifties and sixties, in various stages of breakdown, much of it caused by reckless decisions to enter war and send humans into inhuman conditions. I am planning to produce a second album, a collection of songs about the horrors of war from the perspectives of all affected by it, but especially those who serve during wartime and their families. "Until You Come Home: Songs to Heal the Wounds of War" will be released independently as a CD and online in late October. I am interested in hearing from people who can recommend songs and artists who are writing about these topics. I have deep love and admiration for so many artists who have written songs about war and its permanent scars, and those people who conquer the demons that war conjures up. In the past, when I have produced similar compilations, I have received songs from dozens of artists, and ultimately I have to choose about 15 songs. This time, I am already clear about some of the songs that will appear on the CD, and am honored that songwriters such as Charlie King, Joe Jencks, David Rovics, and Magpie (Terry Leonino and Greg Artzner)— people I am overjoyed to call friends and partners in some of the work I have done over the years— have written songs that will be on this album. I will be reaching out to others over the next month, but invite anyone who has questions or a song they think might be relevant to contact me privately at georgemann@att.net with suggestions, questions, etc. If you would like to submit a song for the project, you can mail a physical CD or CDR containing the song with a copy of lyrics to George Mann, PO Box 435, Ithaca, NY 14851. If the song is available in video format or audio on Youtube or other streaming service (you can upload a songfile in about 5 minutes) you can also submit a link to Youtube or your website. DO NOT SEND ME MP3 files to download. The deadline for submitting songs is September 15, as we go into production for release in late October. If you are a songwriter and this inspires you to write something in the next few weeks, send me a demo! But the completed version needs to be in my hands by September 15. I plan to work with veterans' organizations and folk DJs around the United States, and in other countries, to get these songs out and will initiate a GOFUNDME project to help with the production and marketing expenses. Thanks for reading this and thanks to all who sing and play music for people living out their lives in institutions such as veterans' and nursing homes; we get to do the fun work. At the same time, there are thousands and thousands of health-care workers who do the hard work, every day, for our veterans and seniors. I hope this music also reaches as many of them as possible. -George Mann |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: Lighter Date: 28 Aug 16 - 11:47 AM "Two Brothers," words & Music by Irving Gordon (composer of "Unforgettable," et al.) co.1951. |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: cnd Date: 28 Aug 16 - 11:48 AM George, I have a cassette of several songs about war (mostly Civil War songs, but some about other wars) by Sgt. Benjamin R. Gormley called Haunted Fields. He also published the poems as a book first, but like I said, they talk about the Civil War. I don't know if you are interested in Civil War songs or not, but I have those if you want them. |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: GUEST,Mg Date: 28 Aug 16 - 03:20 PM I have many songs about the vietnam war. I have to be careful that they will not be used to hurt veterans. It does not sound like that would be a problem. Tell me what you want a d i might have something that works. Iam also planning a compilation of songs by people wnho were in that war. Will start soon. I think it will be called outside the wire. |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: Gurney Date: 28 Aug 16 - 06:25 PM Two songs about WWI: 'The Band Played Waltzing Matilda.' Australian P.O.V., crippled veteran. 'Dancing at Whitsun' English P.O.V., widow who couldn't remarry because there weren't enough men left! |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: cetmst Date: 28 Aug 16 - 09:12 PM A few years ago I made for my personal use a CD mix I called Peace Songs, songs for the promotion of peace but including some detailing the adverse effects of war, among these were: Where Have All the Flowers Gone? - Pete Seeger, Joe Hickerson and the German version Sag mir wo die Blumen sind, sung in Israel by Marlene Dietrich Mothers, Daughters, Wives - Judy Small Flowers of the Forest - traditional Scots Killiecrankie - Robert Burns The First Battalion's Home, Yes I See, Two Brothers - American Civil War Trilogy- Bob Camp, Bob Gibson No Man's Land - Eric Bogle The Band Played Waltzing Matilda - Eric Bogle Dancing at Whitsun - Austin John Marshall Ballad of the Soldier's Wife - Berthold Brecht/Kurt Weill Rosemary's Sister - Huw and Tony Williams I Come and Stand at Every Door (Dead Girl of Hiroshima)- Nazim Hikmet Come Seamus and Ivy - Northern Ireland, can't find author, sung by Meg Davis Come Away Melinda - Fred Hellerman, Fran Minkoff |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: NOMADMan Date: 28 Aug 16 - 10:35 PM Have a listen to Richard Thompson's "How Will I Ever Be Simple Again." Also, Huw Williams' "Rosemary's Sister," already mentioned above. John Mazza (NOMADMan |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: eftifino Date: 29 Aug 16 - 12:42 AM "I was only 19" Redgum. Australian POV Vietnam war. |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: Andrez Date: 29 Aug 16 - 01:11 AM Re post above for "Only 19" see the YouTube Clip below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urtiyp-G6jY&ab_channel=nzoz1983 Contact details for John Schumann re access to this song for your project are below. http://www.schumann.com.au/john/john.html Cheers, Andrez |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: Acorn4 Date: 29 Aug 16 - 04:23 AM "Midnight on the Water" by Judith Edelman - from the album "Only Sun" (Compass Records) is a little known gem. |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: CupOfTea Date: 29 Aug 16 - 10:31 AM I have a whole section of my repertoire that I think of as "after the war" songs. Several of my favorites were recorded by Phil Cooper (the Mudcat member) & Margaret Nelson, who, with others over the years have had a fine ear for get-you-by-the-throat lyrics. Previously mentioned "Rosemary's Sister" and "How Will I Ever Be Simple Again" I got from them (also Prine's "Sam Stone"). I've teamed Thompson's song with one written by Margaret -both include aspects from the veteran and the vet's loved one (in 3/4 time). HOW WILL I EVER BE SIMPLE AGAIN? RICHARD THOMPSON She danced in the street with the guns all around her All torn like a rag doll, bare foot in the rain And she sang like a child, touralay, toraladdy, How will I ever be simple again? She sat by the bank of the dirty grey river And tried for a fish with a worm on a pin There was nothing but fever and ghosts in the water How will I ever be simple again? War was my love and friend and companion, What use had I for the pretty or plain? But her smile was so pure and my heart was so troubled How will I ever be simple again? In her poor burned out house I sat at her table The smell of her hair was like cornfields in May And I wanted to weep and my eyes ached from tryin How will I ever be simple again? So gracefully she moved through the dust and the ruins Happy she was in her dances and games Teach me to see with your innocent eyes, love, How will I ever be simple again? War was my love and friend and companion, What use had I for the pretty or plain? Teach me to see with your innocent eyes, love, How will I ever be simple again? Followed by DIED IN THE WAR MARGARET NELSON 1995 She's middle aged now, She uses her time For her friends and her work and improving her mind She's lonely tonight, she knows who it's for Her sweetheart who died in the war When her lover came home She thought that her life Would be husband and babies, mother and wife But the man was a stranger who walked through her door Her sweetheart had died in the war Died of the bullets, the mines and the shells Died with his buddies in two years of hell With a wall round his heart where love needs a door Her sweetheart had died in the war He's a pretty good boss, he works with his crew Taking old buildings and making them new Some nights he drinks less, some nights he drinks more His sweetheart she died in the war. Died of the hard words, the booze and the pain Died of the distance he couldn't explain, Oh the girl was a stranger who walked out the door His sweetheart had died in the war. She's middle aged now, She uses her time For her friends and her work and improving her mind She might have done less, she might have had more. Her sweetheart died in the war If the songs need not be Vietnam-era inspired: Band Played Waltzing Matilda Bantry Girl's Lament By the Hush Cruel War Gone the Rainbow (Shul Aroon) In the Hills of Shiloh Johnny I hardly Knew Ye Mick Ryan's Lament Tenting Tonight Where Have All the Flowers Gone? In concert, Robin & Linda Williams prefaced "Don't Let Me Go Home A Stranger" by saying it made them think of a veteran in their family - been too many years to remember if it was written specificly for that person, but I know it was published in SING OUT, so the reference might be there. I would love to know what goes into this album and wait to hear the result. Joanne in Cleveland |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: mrdux Date: 30 Aug 16 - 02:17 AM if you haven't yet, try Peter LaFarge's "The Ballad of Ira Hayes" -- Peter LaFarge (1962) Ira Hayes, Ira Hayes [Chorus] Call him drunken Ira Hayes He won't answer anymore Not the whiskey drinkin' Indian Nor the Marine that went to war Gather round me people there's a story I would tell About a brave young Indian you should remember well From the land of the Pima Indian A proud and noble band Who farmed the Phoenix valley in Arizona land Down the ditches for a thousand years The water grew Ira's peoples' crops 'Till the white man stole the water rights And the sparklin' water stopped Now Ira's folks were hungry And their land grew crops of weeds When war came, Ira volunteered And forgot the white man's greed [Chorus] There they battled up Iwo Jima's hill, Two hundred and fifty men But only twenty-seven lived to walk back down again And when the fight was over And when Old Glory raised Among the men who held it high Was the Indian, Ira Hayes [Chorus] Ira returned a hero Celebrated through the land He was wined and speeched and honored; Everybody shook his hand But he was just a Pima Indian No water, no crops, no chance At home nobody cared what Ira'd done And when did the Indians dance [Chorus] Then Ira started drinkin' hard; Jail was often his home They'd let him raise the flag and lower it Like you'd throw a dog a bone! He died drunk one mornin' Alone in the land he fought to save Two inches of water in a lonely ditch Was a grave for Ira Hayes [Chorus] Yeah, call him drunken Ira Hayes But his land is just as dry And his ghost is lyin' thirsty In the ditch where Ira died many recordings of it, maybe my favorite is this one by Patrick Sky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a_AlBAFArc. (Lyrics here: http://www.letssingit.com/pete-seeger-lyrics-the-ballad-of-ira-hayes-pw26gt1). |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: fat B****rd Date: 30 Aug 16 - 04:42 AM John Prine "Sam Stone" |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: GUEST,Mark Stevens Date: 30 Aug 16 - 04:55 AM War - Edwin Starr. 1969. Heard it and the singer interviewed on the Johhny Walker Show, BBC Radio 2 yesterday. A great strong song and production, quite an effect on me when growing up. |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: GUEST,Mike Yates Date: 30 Aug 16 - 05:00 AM Pete Seeger once set this poem, by the Turkish poet Nazin Hickmet, to music. There must be a recording somewhere or other... Hiroshima Child I come and stand at every door But none can hear my silent tread I knock and yet remain unseen For I am dead for I am dead I'm only seven though I died In Hiroshima long ago I'm seven now as I was then When children die they do not grow My hair was scorched by swirling flame My eyes grew dim my eyes grew blind Death came and turned my bones to dust And that was scattered by the wind I need no fruit I need no rice I need no sweets nor even bread I ask for nothing for myself For I am dead for I am dead All that I need is that for peace You fight today you fight today So that the children of this world Can live and grow and laugh and play |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: cetmst Date: 30 Aug 16 - 06:58 AM Go to thread "Girl of Hiroshima" begun 5 December1997 |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: Lighter Date: 30 Aug 16 - 08:06 AM For another perspective, try "When the Atom Bomb Fell," by Karl & Harty (1945). |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: eftifino Date: 31 Aug 16 - 03:44 AM There is 'The Kerry Recruit" about a young naive volunteer who ends up in the Crimea. By The Dubliners. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osSO_T3X6zw |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: Jack Campin Date: 31 Aug 16 - 04:34 PM Nazim Hikmet. The thread is here: http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=83298 |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: mg Date: 31 Aug 16 - 09:15 PM I think the very best of all is ich hatte einen komaraden...it is an old german song..not nazi.. |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: Stewie Date: 01 Sep 16 - 08:07 PM One of the best contemporary songs about soldiers and war is by New Zealander, Marcus Turner - 'When the boys are on parade'. Andy Irvine does a cover of it, but I prefer this recording by Michael Black: Click WHEN THE BOYS ARE ON PARADE (Marcus Turner) Here they come marching past the houses, shiny boots and khaki blouses Stiff as the creases in their trousers standing tall and straight and strong And they all keep in step together glint of steel and flash of leather Braving every kind of weather as they boldly march along You may dismiss it as a ploy for the enlistment of the boys Who'll be impressed to see the toys and play the games that can be played And you may well prefer abstention but I feel compelled to mention You'd do well to pay attention when the boys are on parade Look at your sons before they're older, they'll be stronger, they'll be bolder Just the thing to make a soldier and we'll turn them into men And they'll be taught to follow orders, keep the peace and guard the borders To protect us from marauders and defend us to the end But the position they'll be filling is to be able and be willing To be killed or do the killing when there's a price that must be paid Refrain In the pursuit of a community of decency and unity And equal opportunity, we stand prepared to fight And if there's a threat to our position from aggressive opposition Then with guns and ammunition we'll repel with all our might We'll dehumanise and hate them, send in the troops to decimate them As in the name of the nation all it stands for is betrayed Refrain Merely the whim or intuition of an elected politician Makes a melee without condition as the monster quits its cage It's a machine that knows no quarter, dealing death and sowing slaughter Raping mothers, wives and daughters in an all-consuming rage We may well decide we need it and we'll pay to arm and feed it But can you tell me who will lead it when the decisions must be made" Refrain Some will wonder what's to fear and say there is no danger here But there has never been a year when soldiers haven't been at war And the eternal executions and the bloody revolutions And the ultimate solutions too have all been seen before And there's always someone scheming and some nights when I am dreaming In the distance, I hear screaming and in my heart I feel afraid Refrain Here they come marching past the houses, shiny boots and kharki blouses Stiff as the creases in their trousers, standing tall and straight and strong And is it any cause for pride that now the women march beside them Will there be wiser gods to guide them in discerning right from wrong 'Cause every step is a reminder of the threat that lies behind If we forget the ties that bind us when the decisive game is played Refrain And as the procession passes by consider the sight before your eyes 'Cause it'll be you they'll kill and die for when they're called to the crusade And you may love them and adore them, you may hate them and abhor them But for god's sake don't ignore them when the boys are on parade --Stewie. |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: Mysha Date: 02 Sep 16 - 03:09 AM Agent Orange Let me breath Jag Hade En Gång En Båt Our Son Jack What's this about recordings? Are you looking for songs to play, or for recordings to include? (And what's that about it being easier to load an mp4 than an mp3?) Bye Mysha |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: GUEST,Larry the Radio Guy Date: 02 Sep 16 - 10:27 AM One of the most powerful in my opinion is "When The War Began" by Tom Rapp (Pearls Before Swine). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhVrRAHO6a0 |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: GUEST Date: 18 Sep 16 - 10:53 PM Folks, thanks for all the replies and suggestions, I've been dealing with a very sick cat and other projects, just got back here. Will listen to the songs that you suggested-- for anyone interested in submitting a song they sing/have recorded-- it must be original content or public domain (or have express permission of the author if not original), and yes, this is for a compilation CD, my initial notice had a link to http://www.untilyoucomehome.com -- the first CD we did in 2010. If you are interested in submitting something (yes, I can take MP3s,but prefer having a physical CD), please email georgemann@att.net for more info-- Thanks, George |
Subject: RE: Seeking Songs about War and its Effects From: GUEST,George Mann Date: 18 Sep 16 - 10:55 PM PS, not interested in classics like "War" or "Sam Stone," great songs that they are... looking for lesser-known (and newer) material... in the folk/American genre. |
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