The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #132900   Message #3017283
Posted By: GUEST,Gallus Moll
27-Oct-10 - 07:28 PM
Thread Name: Eskimo Republic Political Song Book
Subject: RE: Eskimo Republic Political Song Book
Political correctness is all very well, but if it means living in a Brave New World of editing every song and ballad ever written - -the the music will surely die!
I have been a feminist for all of my adult life, but it doesn't stop me singing songs written in a different time, with different attitudes - I might choose not to include some in my repertoire, but I can't rewrite history!
I am not quite old enough to accurately recall the details of the anti-nuclear protests on the Clyde (tho' I do sing a number of the songs) - I am sure any errors on my part will be quickly corrected by those who were there!
The Glasgow Eskimos were so named by a commander / captain of one of the early US 'mother ships' to their submarines based in / imposed on the Holy Loch, by Dunoon (Scotland)during the Cold War - against the wishes of many if not most of the people of this small country!
Some of the protesters kayaked out to the ships, tried to board them, paint the submarines yellow (!) - wearing the 60s equivalent of Goretex, parkas with fur lined hoods (hence Glesca Eskimos).

There were various forms of protest, and T.S. Law (whose nephew still lives in this locality) was the driving force behind a group of writers producing songs under the name 'Thurso Berwick' - Thurso being the farthest North town and Berwick the farthest South in Scotland.
One of the songs was 'The Glesca Eskimos' to the tune 'Marching Through Georgia,' and another was 'The Eskimo Republic' to 'the Boys of Garvagh' - it painted a picture of an ideal life in a land where all are equal, peaceful, happy and fulfilled.
As Jack Campin said, the complainers are obviously unaware of the background and the song, so perhaps you should check them out first!