Strawbs' Part of the Union

Subject: RE: Strawbs' Part of the Union
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 24 Feb 06 - 05:56 PM

The record was NOT "The Strawbs" it was by "Hudson Ford" which contained peple who had also been members of the Strawbs.
I never regarded it as being anything other than SUPPORTING the idea of Union Power and solidarity of working peole against the crooks who control the cash.
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Strawbs' Part of the Union
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 24 Feb 06 - 12:08 PM

Nothing wrong with the sentiments expressed in that verse, that I can see. The only question is whether they were sincere.

Subject: RE: Strawbs' Part of the Union
From: Purple Foxx
Date: 24 Feb 06 - 11:54 AM

Fair criticism well made Giock but the lines you quote are what some Tories seemed to believe Trade Unionists did think & some Leninists seemed to believe they should think.
Both were correct in respect of certain individuals neither were correct of all Unionists.

Subject: RE: Strawbs' Part of the Union
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 24 Feb 06 - 11:38 AM

I'd say it can be read several ways. You could sing it sneering, but equally you could sing it straight, as a way of saying "The Union makes us strong" - slightly tongue-in-cheek, but perfectly sincere.

As with many songs.

Subject: RE: Strawbs' Part of the Union
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 24 Feb 06 - 11:19 AM

So though I'm a working man
I can ruin the government's plan
Though I'm not too hard
The sight of my card
Makes me some kind of superman.

Nothing ambiguous about that verse is there?

Giok

Subject: RE: Strawbs' Part of the Union
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 24 Feb 06 - 10:59 AM

The Strawbs are playing in Holmfirth..www.holmfirthfestivaloffolk.co.uk

Subject: RE: Strawbs' Part of the Union
From: number 6
Date: 24 Feb 06 - 10:48 AM

I remember that song quite well ... during the Strawbs Canadian tour (which I saw them perform at the old Massey Hall) in 1973 ... they were invited by the Mine Mill/Canadian Auto Workers union to perform in Sudbury Ontatio, a concert fully endorsed by this union.

sIx

Subject: RE: Strawbs' Part of the Union
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Feb 06 - 10:44 AM

Originally called The Strawberry Hill Boys after Strawbery Hill teacher training college where they met.

Subject: RE: Strawbs' Part of the Union
From: Purple Foxx
Date: 24 Feb 06 - 10:29 AM

If I remember correctly Strawbs had a hit with this in early '73.
The earlist recollection I have of someone denouncing this as an anti-union song is not earlier than '82. Though I do remember Strikers singing it well before that.
Looking at the link McGrath provided it strikes me as being (intentionally?) a very ambiguous lyric. This is as McGrath pointed out in his last but one posting.
I have it in mind that some members of the Strawbs regrouped with Hudson-Ford under the name The Monks in '79 to record the genuinely awful "Nice legs shame about the face" Can anybody confirm or deny?

Subject: RE: Strawbs' Part of the Union
From: gnomad
Date: 24 Feb 06 - 10:19 AM

I'm with McGoH on this. Whether irony was intended or not, my recollection is that it was taken as a straight "Up Yours!" at the governing/boss classes, at least in the circles I haunted at the time.

That'a a problem of irony, refine it too much and you end up appearing to support what you intended to attack.

Subject: RE: Strawbs' Part of the Union
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 24 Feb 06 - 10:07 AM

Part of the Union

Subject: RE: Strawbs' Part of the Union
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 24 Feb 06 - 10:03 AM

I never got into analysing it too closely. Just took it at face value. The only time I saw the Strawbs performing live, there didn't seem anything ironic or sneering about the way they sang it, and I don't think the audience took it that way either.

Sometimes irony is in the minds of the performer and not the listener, and sometimes the other way round. And sometimes neither.

Subject: RE: Strawbs' Part of the Union
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 24 Feb 06 - 09:55 AM

either the strawbs were complete tory
wolves in sheeps clothing;
or 'liberal' drugged up irresponsinle hippies..
whatever,
the song was written and sung in a sarcastic 'ironic' tone
and could be construed as a sneer at trade union solidarity and 'power'


well, thats as i remember it going down 30 odd years ago
but buggered if i can remember any of the lyrics now
to prove any case against 'em..

besides i was only about 13 or 14 at the time,
and my dad was a factory shop-steward,
and anyway,
he probably thought it was only a 'harmless' daft
disposable singalong pop song

Subject: Strawbs' Part of the Union
From: belfast
Date: 24 Feb 06 - 07:44 AM

In the BBC4 'Folk Britannia' it is said that 'Part of the Union' is an attack on the trade unions. This interpretation is repeated in the thread about the series. I hadn't really noticed the song before apart from noticing that it seemed to be based on Woody Guthrie's Union Maid. I've just looked at the lyrics and I'm wondering how it was known that it was attack on the unions. On the face of it the lyrics seem a slightly triumphalist celebration of union power. An ironic celebration perhaps considering the beating that the unions were to suffer at the hands of Thatcher's government.

Another question. If it was an attack on the unions, are the writers and performers of the song pleased that they did their little bit to destroy organisations dedicated to protecting the rights of working people?