Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade

Subject: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: WKG
Date: 28 Jul 02 - 03:36 PM

Got a CD that apparently combines two older recordings, possibly even 78 albums: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade and International Brigade, and: Southern Mountain Hoedown. Label: Collectables [sic], COL-CD-5606, c1994. "The Stinson Collectors Series."

The front cover lists, for the Lincoln Brigade set: Pete Seeger, Bess Lomax, Butch Hawes, Ernst Busch, Woody Guthrie and Chorus; for the Hoedown set, Woody Guthrie, Cisco Houston, Sonny Terry. Only two of the Lincoln Brigade set are in English, but most are familiar: Peat Bog Soldiers, Quince Brigada, The Quartermaster song ....

The liner notes are pathetic, history of the Spanish Civil War and condescending generalities about hoedowns, along with three-line bios of Woody and Cisco. What I'm hoping is that someone out there in Catland can point me to information on the original recordings, more on Ernst Busch, time and place of capture, etc. Woody's and Pete's voices sound very strong and fresh, and I surmise these are from the early days of the Almanacs and maybe 1940's NYC busking.

Sure like to have more than my guesses.

Thanks, Warren

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: Gareth
Date: 28 Jul 02 - 04:28 PM

Somewhere out of the depths of my memory comes an Almanac Singers LP of old age. I can remember listening to it in South London Bedsits in the early 70's whilst we were plotting the overthrow of Capitalists !

Is this any help ??

Gareth

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 28 Jul 02 - 06:49 PM

Ernst Busch was born into a working-class family in Kiel - where I now live - in 1900, trained as an actor and rose to fame in pre-war Berlin. By then he'd become a member of the Communist Party. For his Communist convictions and his singing of material by Brecht and Eisler, Tucholsky and others, as well as traditional workers' songs (I have several of his recordings) he became known as the "Tauber of the Barricades" (Richard Tauber being a famous opera singer of the same era). He had to flee the Nazis, went to Spain to sing to the Republican troops, lived in the Netherlands for a while until (in 1944?) he was discovered and transported back to Berlin. He only survived because the Allies were faster than his trial.
After the war he stayed in what was to become the GDR, where he managed to be both a treasured icon and a thorn in the side of the authorities. He founded the 'Amiga' record label and recorded extensively for them, was 'frozen out' by the political elite for some time, and lived till 1980. I have a biography of him (in German) - I'll post the details if it's any good to you. In recent years a label (Buschfunk?) has started bringing out his recordings on CD. Have you tried a search engine?

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: WKG
Date: 28 Jul 02 - 10:23 PM

Gareth --

Yeah, it's a step. I was guessing Almanacs, but hoping for info on original recordings. Thanks.

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: cetmst
Date: 29 Jul 02 - 08:26 AM

"Six Songs for Democracy" was recorded in Barcelona in 1938 during shelling of the city, sung by Ernst Busch and a chorus from the Thaelmann Battalion (11th International Brigade and issued on 78's by Keynote Records in 1940 (Keynote 101). It was reissued by Folkways Records FH5436 in 1961 as one side of an album entitled "Songs of the Spanish Civil War" vol. 1. The other side was "Songs of the Lincoln Battalion" issued by Asch Records in 1940 and sung by Pete Seeger, Tom Glazer, Baldwin Hawes and Bess Hawes (Woody Guthrie is not mentioned). Smithsonian Institution has reissued Folkways recordings on CD's and I think this one as well as volume 2 is available from them. The six songs are Los Quatro Generales, Die Thaelmann-Kolonne, Hans Beimler, Das Lied von der Einheitsfront, Lied der Internationalen Brigaden and Die Moorsoldaten. Descriptive notes in the LP attribute these songs to their composers and include the lyrics in Spanish, German and English. The songs of the Lincoln Battalion included are Jarama Valley, Cookhouse, Young Man from Alacala, Quartermaster Song, Viva la Quince Brigada, El Quinto Regimeiento and Si Me Quires Escribe. I do not yet have volume 2 but will post more if I can find it.

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: WKG
Date: 29 Jul 02 - 12:08 PM

Thanks, cetmst -- precisely what I had hoped for. I knew some Catter would know! I'm off to the Smithsonian.

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: GUEST,Bill Kennedy
Date: 30 Jul 02 - 09:33 AM

I have a copy of the Folkways lp, as above, can dig it out and check the liner notes, I vaguely remember a booklet being included with lyrics, etc.

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Jul 02 - 06:01 PM

Please do, Bill.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: DonMeixner
Date: 30 Jul 02 - 11:43 PM

Si Kahn did a very good song about about a soldier from the US in the Spainish Civil War.

Don

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From:
Date: 08 Aug 04 - 10:56 AM

HAVE A THREE RECORD SET ON 78. CALLED SONGS OF THE LINCOLN BRIGADE BY ASCH RECORDINGS. THE RECORDS CREDIT PETE SEEGER BESS LOMAX BALDWIN HAWES TOM GLAZER ASCH 330 1A&B SIDES.NO OTHER INFORMATION ON THE ALBUM COVER. PAMPHLET INSIDE WITH NOTES BY ALBERT PRAGO ALONG WITH THE WORDS TO THE SONGS.

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: Peter T.
Date: 08 Aug 04 - 11:40 AM

It is worth noting that there is a new recording of some of these songs issued last year (something like Songs of the Spanish Civil War) -- there is an introduction by Pete Seeger who discusses the original recordings.

yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 08 Aug 04 - 02:49 PM

The Asch recordings have been re-released on CD. Available from CAMSCO.

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 08 Aug 04 - 04:23 PM

Songs of the Spanish Civil War. It is on Appleseed recordings---check their website.

Great CD and have had tons of requests to play pieces on my program.

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 08 Aug 04 - 09:21 PM

Back in '84, in a concert in New York City, right around the corner from where Pete and some of the Almanacs had an apartment in 1941, Pete said that this was one of the few records he made that he can listen to and enjoy.

Art

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: GUEST,Moosethrob
Date: 03 Apr 08 - 12:37 AM

Excuse me for not knowing how you organize your posts, but I noticed none of the lyrics for Spanish Civil War songs had chords or tabs.

These chords work for El Frente de Gandeza.

Si me quieres escribir, ya sabes mi paradero, Dm A7   Dm
Si me quieres escribir, ya sabes mi paradero,    Dm A7 Dm
En el frente de Gandesa primera linea de fuego. C Dm C Bb A
En el frente de Gandesa primera linea de fuego. Dm C Bb A

I took this lyric form elsewhere in Mudcat, but I thought the place name was spelled with a Z, not an S.

I have to admit, I'd be more comfortable with this song if it placed more blame on the Franco fascists than the Arabs.

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: Mark Ross
Date: 03 Apr 08 - 10:04 AM

I think most of those recordings are available on SONGS FOR POLITICAL ACTION on Bear Family Records, unfortunately, it's a ten CD set costing about 200 simoleans, but it does have a gorgeous book by Ron Cohen with it. I wonder if CAMSCO has it?

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: open mike
Date: 03 Apr 08 - 12:35 PM

I see this disc from 1995
http://www.amazon.com/Songs-Lincoln-Brigade-Southern-Hoedown/dp/B0000008XM
This more recent compilation by Pete Seeger and others-great info here:
http://www.appleseedrec.com/spaininmyheart/
This record compnay--Appleseed--has this motto:
sowing the seeds of social justice through music.

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 03 Apr 08 - 04:19 PM

Mark-
CAMSO has it. Of course

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: Charley Noble
Date: 03 Apr 08 - 08:39 PM

My copy of the Songs of the Lincoln Brigade LP had almost no notes but was tastefully pressed onto red vinyl. I think I purchased it in the early 1970's. Right now it's stored in an inaccessible place. Well, the records are all in alpha order but I haven't a clue how I stored this one and my wife has piled up boxes of "stuff" in front of the record cabinet.

I'm hoping it's not an emergency requiring me to lay my hands on it.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: GUEST,GUEST, Vaughan Abbott
Date: 19 May 08 - 05:23 PM

I have Songs of the Lincoln Brigade on Stinson SLP #52. The record label gives the performers as Pete Seeger, Bess Lomax, Butch Hawes, and Woody Guthrie. The song Jarama Valley is definitely performed by Woody Guthrie and not Tom Glazer. I note that Smithsonian-Folkways record Songs of the Spanish Civil War, Vol. 1 released 1961 has Jarama Valley performed by Tom Glazer and Group. When you listen to the snippet it definitely is Tom Glazer and Group singing. Were two editions of this album released?

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: GUEST,Sue
Date: 01 Mar 09 - 02:09 PM

I have the 6 set record collection, recorded in 1938. It includes a pamphlet that talks about the songs and includes the lyrics.

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: DADGBE
Date: 01 Mar 09 - 05:13 PM

I grew up in the 50s with the original 78s of Songs of the Lincoln Brigade and Six Songs for Democracy. They're long gone, alas, but they're imprinted in my memory.

After reading this thread, I went to You Tube and a bit of searching turned them all up there.

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: MartinRyan
Date: 02 Mar 09 - 12:02 PM

DADGBE

Any chance you'd post the links here, please?

Regards

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 02 Mar 09 - 03:57 PM

Sue,
Wonder if you would scan or photocopy the booklet for me???
Thanks, Thomas.

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: InOBU
Date: 02 Mar 09 - 05:19 PM

I had an old friend, I haven't seen in years, hope he is still with us, Jock, a one legged sailor who fought with the international brigade in Spain, he was born in Scotland and had a pronouced bur, but was a US citizen and had been in the Links. I once sang "Jamie Foyers" for him. He nodded and gave me a truely wicked grin and said, "Wheel lad, I'll sing you one we REALLY sang in Spain." Then to the tune of "The Worker's Flag" (Oh Tannenbaum) he sang,
The Worker's flag is growing pink,
It's no so red as ye may think.

Bless him where ever he is is.
Cheers
Lorcan

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Apr 10 - 06:06 PM

all or almost all are available here
http://www.folkways.si.edu/searchresults.aspx?sPhrase=songs%20of%20the%20spanish%20civil%20war&sType='phrase'

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jan 11 - 11:42 AM

i got a few of these albums and i would like to sell them.anyone interested?

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: GUEST,Andi
Date: 28 Feb 13 - 07:25 PM

Have you been able to sell these. The reason for the inquiring is to price the 4 album set of Songs We Remember.

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: GUEST,Denis
Date: 17 Aug 20 - 06:45 PM

If anyone still is on this side. Here is the link for all the songs from the record "Six Songs of Democracy".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cWar7Rogno

These are all the original ones. I have the original one at home and it sounds like versions are identical.

Salud and No Pasaran

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 19 Aug 20 - 06:01 AM

There is a lot of information here
https://media.smithsonianfolkways.org/liner_notes/folkways/FW05436.pdf

Subject: RE: Help: Songs of the Lincoln Brigade
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 20 Aug 20 - 09:02 PM

Bear Family Spain in my Heart

Thomas.