who knows some anarchist folk songs?

Subject: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,andy
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 10:17 AM

i'm looking for folk songs about anarchy or by anarchist singers. if anyone knows of any, and could lead me to lyrics or tunes on this forum, links to other webpages, e-mail ([e-mail]) or otherwise, i would really appreciate it! I'm making a presentation for a class with Tony Barrand. thanks and everyone have a great day!

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: mack/misophist
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 12:27 PM

Doesn't it depend on how you want to define 'anarchist'? I know at least 2 definitions.

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 12:31 PM

A Google on "anarchist songs" will turn up enough sites to keep you busy for a while!

Regards

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: greg stephens
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 12:52 PM

Have a browse among Spanish Civil war songs, and you will find some anarchist ones(if you dont mind singing in Spaanish). Though I expect there English language ones as well, a lot of British, Irish and Americans fought in the anarchist battalions.

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Charley Noble
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 03:43 PM

There's always the comical anarchist bomb song that we used to sing when we were young and innocent. It should be in the DT and the first verse and chorus runs:

All in the anarchist's attic,
So lowly and so mean,
All amidst the fumes of nitroglycerene;
They're stuffing cans with powder,
And they're craming cans with nails,
And when they're done they raise their voice
In this mournful wail-l-l:

It's brother Petros' turn to throw the bomb, bomb, bomb;
Mother's aim is bad and the Cossacks all know Dad,
So it's brother Petros' turn to throw the bomb, bomb, bomb!

Give Tony our best!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 05:01 PM

Oh Charlie, haven't heard that for years...

I thought most 1960's folk song were anarchistic - or about peace and Love - which the Right seems to think are the same.... only when everybody is marching up and down in step in neat rows can there be Peace....

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Mark Clark
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 05:08 PM

Well, the Wobblies (Industrial Workers of the World or IWW) were orginally anarcho-syndicalists advocating violence as a means of gaining control of the means of production. Perhaps Wobbly songs are also anarchy songs.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 05:20 PM

How about Leon Rosselson's WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN (DIGGERS) -- it's in the DT (0.7742). depending on how you're defining "anarchy", it might or might not be the kind of thing you have in mind -- but have a look & see what you think.

cheers,

YY

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: greg stephens
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 05:29 PM

If Leon Rosselson is an anarchist I am Kylie Minogue.

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Coyote Breath
Date: 24 Nov 03 - 10:46 PM

"When I was a student at Oxford
We made lots of Anarchist bombs
And blew up the buildings of Parliament
With decorum and lots of aplomb

Cho.

Sonya, Sonya the guests are at the door
Sonya, Sonya, the guests are at the door
Sonya, Sonya, the guest are at the door
The prussic acids in the wine.

Mother was a Muscovite masochist
Nailed by father each night to the door
We'd take her down for breakfast each morning
As on arm of leg we would gnaw

Cho. "

There is more but, fortunately, memory fails. I think that this might have been in "The Bosses Song Book, Songs to Stiffle the Flames of Discontent". I had a copy and loaned it to someone who never brought it back - they also didn't bring back my "Little Red Songbook" and a lovely Tudor press book on Hieronymus Bosch.

YOU know who you are!!!!

Sorry

CB

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: joe hill
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 03:55 PM

Adrian May has written humorous songs with anarchy in them.
they mention ukaleles as well.
for example
'Annual general meeting of the ukalele liberation front'
and 'Anarchy in the ukelele'
They are great songs and very funny.
They are on the LP 'Anarch in the ukelele'
I think he still does the odd booking around London and Essex

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 04:50 PM

Presumably, since anarchy predicates the absolute absence of rules (funny, is that a rule?) anarchist songs neither scan, nor rhyme, nor have melodies.

I always found it rather funny (and I was no the first) that there could be an anarchist party, on this basis.

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: akenaton
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 08:21 PM

Chairman Mao,s dictum ,during the cultural revolution,to have a state of continual revolution ,could perhaps be described as Anarchy..
This tactic was supposed to stop power resting in the hands of a few people and so becomming corrupted...Ake

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: breezy
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 08:44 PM

does Robb Johnson sit here?
West London singer-songwriter
go via 'Unlabelled'

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 08:58 PM

Breezy - you beat me to it, because I was checking out Robb's website. 21st Century Blues?

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Cllr
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 09:29 PM

Robb regularly sings at the anarchists book fair (or used to) Oh yes and he is playing at ampthill acoustic club on the 27th of January. Robb used to describe himself as an unreconstructed socialist but paul the drummer in the band rob used to front was the only anarcho-syndicalist I ever met. Depends really what you mean by anarchy really. Cllr

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Coyote Breath
Date: 25 Nov 03 - 11:57 PM

Of course there is an anarchist party, next friday night, or maybe wednesday, bring your own booze (naturally) show up or not, there might be someone there and NO I won't tell you where it is, I'm no damned informer!

CB

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Nov 03 - 06:35 PM

Of course there are as many definitions of anarchism as there are anarchists, but it seems that the bomb throwing stereotype has great currency even here on Mudcat. I think I might speak for many anarchists when I say that anarchism is predicated on the lack of coercive relationships, not so much the lack of rules. That definition would place the bomb-throwers in another category. And in fact, they are not believers in anarchism but in anarchy--there is a real difference there. They are not anarchists so much as nihilists. But I split hairs and drift threads. Sorry.

There are many quiet, peaceful sorts of anarchists--anarcho-pacifists, anarcho-communalists. I'm not as in touch with that part of the world as I once was, but Kropotkin comes to mind and perhaps Murray Bookchin would fall into that category.

A great anarchist song, according to my definition, is John Ball. It has the great anarchist line "...when we are ruled by the love of one another." Unfortunately, it has been pulled from the DT.

David

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,David Ingerson
Date: 26 Nov 03 - 06:36 PM

OK, who's got my cookie?

That guest was me,

David

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Cllr
Date: 26 Nov 03 - 07:01 PM

I agree with David The anarcho-syndicalist I met was a complete pacifist based (I think) on the presumtion that a utopia based on those principles would, to work by its own internal logic, be non confrontational on a physical level. Also "love one another" is the one ony the main planks of any humanist or religious idealogy. Cllr

Subject: Lyr Add: JOHN BALL (Sydney Carter)
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 26 Nov 03 - 07:14 PM

It may have been pulled from the DT, but Sidney Carter's "John Ball" has been floating around in threads.

JOHN BALL
(Sydney Carter)

Who will be the lady,
Who will be the lord,
When we are ruled
By the love of another? Tell me,
Who will be the lady,
Who will be the lord,
In the light that is coming
In the morning.

Chorus
Sing, John Ball
And tell it to them all -
Long live the day that is dawning!
And I'll crow like a cock,
I'll carol like a lark,
For the light that is coming
In the morning.

Eve is the lady,
Adam is the lord,
When we are ruled
By the love of another, oh it's
Eve is the lady,
Adam is the lord,
In the light that is coming
In the morning.

Chorus

All shall be ruled
By fellowship I say,
All shall be ruled
By the love of one another,
All shall be ruled
By fellowship I say,
In the light that is coming
In the morning.

Chorus

Labour and spin
For fellowship I say,
Labour and spin
For the love of one another.
Labour and spin
For fellowship I say,
And the light that is coming
In the morning.

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: David Ingerson
Date: 26 Nov 03 - 07:31 PM

Thanks, Herga Kitty, for posting the words. I've been casting about for them and now they've falled into my lap!

David

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 26 Nov 03 - 07:45 PM

David - you're welcome

Cllr - I haven't seen Paul M, the anarcho-syndicalist drummer, for ages, and that was probably at a Scope event.

Kitty

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Gareth
Date: 26 Nov 03 - 08:19 PM

Ahhhh ! Anarchy.

Do any aging "lefites" remember that parody of the Lincolnshire Poacher _

"With Moscow Gold and Dynamite,
We'll set the People free !
Oh tis my delight on a Friday Night,
To Bomb the Burgiousy (SP)"

Gareth

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,WeeWillie
Date: 11 Dec 09 - 08:55 PM

Here is a nursery rhyme from the 1600's.

They hang the man and flog the woman
who steals the goose from off the common.
But let the greater criminal loose
who steals the common from the goose.
They say we must atone
when we take things we do not own.
But leave the Lords and Ladies fine
when they take things that are yours and mine.

This was during the time of Bloody Bess' "Enclosure Laws", that allowed the commons to be split up and claimed by the rich..

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 11 Dec 09 - 09:03 PM

How about "Why Don't We Do It In The Road?" by the Beatles?

What? Not "folk"? Well, excuse me!

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Mark Ross
Date: 11 Dec 09 - 09:13 PM

I WILL NOT OBEY by Utah Phillips is a great anarchist song.


Mark Ross

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Art Thieme
Date: 12 Dec 09 - 12:08 AM

Mark, I do recall Bruce saying that an anarchist was anyone who didn't need a policeman to tell him the difference between right and wrong.

Hope you are well,

Art

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 12 Dec 09 - 03:25 AM

Secco and Vansetti are dead


The song on UTube

Sacco & Vanzetti the 2 leaders of the working class were executed in America 1927song of Woody Guthrie & David Rovics: Oh say there, have you heard the news Sacco worked at trimming shoes Vanzetti ...   

'Christy' Moore performs the Guthrie song 'Sacco & Vanzetti' on his 1983 album "The Time Has Come" and again on the 2006 "Live at the Point" album. Also on the first or second Planxty album

L in C

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 12 Dec 09 - 03:53 AM

The Sheep Stealer

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Dec 09 - 04:50 AM

Is Sex Pistols too obvious?

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 12 Dec 09 - 06:28 PM

"twas explained to me once that the Anarchist/Syndicalist movement disappeared because of the aging of it's members---it's just too hard to say while wearing dentures.

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 13 Dec 09 - 03:23 AM

Why do Anarchists drink herbal tea?

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 13 Dec 09 - 04:43 AM

Because proper tea .................

Brilliant

L in C

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 13 Dec 09 - 05:15 AM

Must fix that cookie... again (sigh).

Here's Sister Jenny and her bomb, bomb, bomb from The Socialist Songbook

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 13 Dec 09 - 05:15 AM

By the way, anyone know the tune?

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 13 Dec 09 - 07:01 AM

Not strictly Anarchist -partially remembered - be grateful if anybody could supply a full version.
Jim Carroll

Tune Volga Boatmen

When Serge and I were young we went to love in Omsk
And there we spent our time making great big beautiful bomsk

Then Serge and I grew up we went to live in Tomsk,
And there we spent our time making great big beautiful bomsk.

Then Serge and I were caught and exiled to Murmansk,
And there we spent our time making revolutionary plansk

But we shall not forget our revolutionary plot
And we shall not forget our exiled comrade Trottt-skiiii.

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Dec 09 - 11:10 AM

Fourth verse:
We returned to Omsk when we were set free
And used our beautiful bombsk to blast the bourgeousie.



Is your "When Serge and I were young we went to love in Omsk" a typo or is there really an alternative gay version?

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,bankley
Date: 13 Dec 09 - 11:32 AM

anarchist ? I thought it said Antichrist Folks Songs...which may exist out there in the shadows,, 'The Beelezebub Boogie', 'Brimstone Cowboy', 'Neocons on Crack' stuff like that

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 13 Dec 09 - 01:22 PM

Guest - thanks for that - 'love' probably a Freudian slip!
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 14 Dec 09 - 03:27 AM

But the tune, the tune?

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 14 Dec 09 - 03:32 AM

Sheet music here. But since I can't read music, I'll have to wait for the day when Google produces something that will read sheet music and play a tune. Or when someone puts the song on YouTube.

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Monique
Date: 14 Dec 09 - 03:44 AM

Guest JTT, you can hear the music played on the page you linked to. Just click on the icone!

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 14 Dec 09 - 04:14 AM

Tried that, Monique. The mp3 link says "click here to upload your mp3", and the gif link shows a visual of a file playing, but is mute.

Apparently Leslie Fish recorded Sister Jenny's Turn, but I can't find any soundfile of it.

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Monique
Date: 14 Dec 09 - 05:56 AM

Check your computer volume control. I don't know how it shows in English but there must be the "Synthe SW" cursor on the lowest position that needs to be moved up

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 14 Dec 09 - 07:17 PM

Nope, volume was up.

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 14 Dec 09 - 08:31 PM

It's in digiTrad, along with a click-to-play button. Look up [throw the bomb]

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 02:33 AM

Tried that, Dick Greenhaus, but I got a '404 Not Found' message for the midi.

(Kind of beside the point - I can never really translate how a song sounds in actuality from a midi file; something about the rhythm.)

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,hariri
Date: 24 Dec 09 - 03:28 PM

there is a song for an argentenian band. '' gente que no '' for the band ( todos tus muertos ).

there is also another spanish song named ( democrata )

and one named ( anarchista ) it starts with : un hombre alto me pregunta que porque soy anarchsita. this one is the best.

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Dec 09 - 03:52 PM

sorry it says : Un hombre alto me pregunta, en el autobús sentado, que porque soy anarquista, muy nervioso y asustado.   


there is one song about the spanish civil war. it is called : los dos gallos. for los olimareños.

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,Corona Smith
Date: 24 Dec 09 - 04:05 PM

Chumbawumba have been writing lots of lovely Anarchist folk songs, many are destined to become classics of the Genre IMO, check out there last few albums!

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,Dano
Date: 19 May 10 - 03:02 PM

Hey! I got a blog about that!
http://anarchofolk.wordpress.com
Cheers!

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Stringsinger
Date: 19 May 10 - 06:01 PM

Somebody should write a song about Saint Emma.

Her associate, Leon Czolgosz was indicated in
the McKinley ballad and may have been mentioned in a verse here and there.

"McKinley, he cried, McKinley he squalled,
The doctor said, "McKinley, I can't find that pistol ball"
From Washington to Buffalo

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: ollaimh
Date: 20 May 10 - 11:26 AM

here's richard bridges with another ignorant and uneducated posting. only right wingers think anarchists don't have rules. they don't have coercive relationships, but lots of rules if you have evr been a member of a collective,

as to songs, try the little red song book by the iww. they have many editions but republished every song ever in the bookma few years back.

anything by utah phillips

the canadian band sabotabby wereagreat anarchist group.

any oof the grreat union organizer joe hills songs.

and in europe there is a whole other tradition with songs in many langusges.

the little red song book is the easiest to find

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Rog Peek
Date: 20 May 10 - 03:27 PM

'I'm a Better Anarchist Than You'
-David Rovics.

Rog

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 21 May 10 - 12:06 AM

two minutes and eighteen seconds and he's still not singing...

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,Continuity Jones
Date: 21 May 10 - 01:43 AM

There's a new album of anarchist folk songs called Spades, Hoes & Ploughs just been released by the Welsh folksong singer David Wrench. I only heard one song on the radio, Blackleg Miner, but it sounded very interesting. I'd say it's at the other end of the folk music scale from K Rusby, L McKeenit, J Moray et all.

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,Continuity Jones
Date: 21 May 10 - 02:18 AM

Actually I think you'll find, Mr Continuity Jones, that it's called 'Spades, Hoes & Plows' not 'ploughs' as you so ignorantly posted above. It's on Invada Records.

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,Rog Peek
Date: 21 May 10 - 04:16 AM

It's very simple on utube to move the curser on to the song if you are not interested in how he came to write it leeneia.

Rog

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,SylviaN
Date: 21 May 10 - 09:36 AM

For humour - I am a Feline Anarchist by Graham Miles.

Sylvia

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 21 May 10 - 12:15 PM

Seems to me that John Lennon wrote some stuff that was pretty anarchistic in nature. It's not folk, but....

How about "Why Don't We Do It In The Road", "Revolution #9", and "Working Class Hero"?

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Deckman
Date: 21 May 10 - 12:21 PM

"Banks of Marble"

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: mousethief
Date: 21 May 10 - 01:11 PM

I have to assume that anarchists are incapable of singing in harmony?

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: LadyJean
Date: 22 May 10 - 12:10 AM

We have an Anarchist Marching Band in Pittsburgh. It strikes me as a bit of an oxymoron, but I have heard, seen and smelled them. They don't sound bad.

There are, heaven knows, plenty of IWW songs. If the wobblies count as anarchists.

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 22 May 10 - 08:04 PM

When Adam delved
And Eva span
Who was then
The 'gentleman'?

Subject: Lyr Add: THE RIBALD REBEL'S SONG
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 22 May 10 - 11:44 PM

THE RIBALD REBEL'S SONG (Fight For Liberation)

In the draft board here we sit
Covered o'er with Nixon's shit
While our sweat is turning Agnew's filthy mill
And the people, as they pass
They jam Melvin up our ass
Well I guess we've had our goddam fucking fill

Cho: Fight, fight, fight for liberation
Break, break, break the social scheme
We will drag the bastards down
And we'll grind 'em in the ground
And replace them with a working class regime

Then we'll send a firing squad
After Cardinal Spellman's God
Henry Kissinger will be the next in line
Then we'll pump some LSD
Into Jackie Kennedy
And we'll make her fuck the workers' overtime

Then we'll get a bloody rope
And we'll hang the fuckin' pope
And we'll burn the Sistine Chapel to the ground
Then we'll turn our tommy-guns
On the screaming, ravished nuns
And the peoples' voice will be the only sound

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: Mark Ross
Date: 23 May 10 - 11:23 AM

And the last verse Dick is;

If you hate the working class, but you want to save your ass,
You'd better give your money to the poor,
Or we'll sell your mothers twat to some some sailor on your yacht,
And we will turn your favorite daughter to a whore.

Recorded by Pat Sky on SONGS THAT MADE AMERICA FAMOUS. The original version can be found in that wonderful collection THE BOSSES SONGBOOK. I think that Patrick updated it a bit.


Mark Ross

Subject: RE: who knows some anarchist folk songs?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 23 May 10 - 12:16 PM

Mark-
Don't know an original source, but I can testify that the song--at least portions of it---predated The Bosses Songbook by at least a decade.