The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #89352 Message #3811047
Posted By: GUEST,Faith
23-Sep-16 - 09:25 PM
Thread Name: refugee and immigration songs
Subject: RE: refugee and immigration songs
The most powerful one is one I have known since the 60s, I think was a Julie Felix song of WH Auden's poem, sometimes known as Refugee blues. I have been looking for the version I sang, but cannot find it atm.
It is really powerful, written just before WW2 about the plight of Jews in Europe. Each verse has 3 lines, and the tune covers 2 verses, with the second one being higher, and plaintive.
The version I knew changed Auden's words a little to give it more rhythm. I particularly liked this verse -
"Walked into the forest, there were birds upon the trees,
They had no politicians so they sang at their ease,
They weren't the human race, my dear, they weren't the human race."
I have sung it recently acappella to two young audiences, who were very moved!