Subject: Lyr Add: BLOOD AND RAIN (John Young) From: GeoffLawes Date: 12 Feb 12 - 06:33 PM BLOOD AND RAIN By John Young Welcome all..... to blood and rain Welcome all..... who seek no gain Welcome all..... like John Maclean Welcome all..... who fight for Spain
Come miner, come farmer, men of trade
My name is Thomas Brannan, Blantyre born and bred
On Jarama field, we held our ground
Tell them Cathie, I stood the test
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsE43DPDTiU |
Subject: Lyr Add: FROM BELLSHILL TO BARCELONA (Chris Rogers From: GeoffLawes Date: 12 Feb 12 - 06:30 PM FROM BELLSHILL TO BARCELONA By Chris Rogers From Bellshill to Barcelona, she rode on the wings of her dreams From Coatbridge to Catalunya, she followed her faith as it seemed And all those, who travelled with her, had done so with never a pause All wide-eyed and full of fervour, determined to fight for the cause Miners, mechanics and medical men, poets, professors and all From Bellshill to Barcelona, they rallied to answer the call
A young girl with wild ideas, who knew that her reasons were right
But to Bellshill, from Barcelona, she came back in sadness and pain
From Bellshill to Barcelona is dedicated to Ethel McDonald, one of the first women to join the international support in Spain, who transmitted regular English-language reports on the war on Barcelona’s widely heard Anarchist radio station. In the crackdown following the events of May 1937 she assisted the escape of anarchists wanted by the Communist secret police and smuggled into prison letters and food for fellow anarchists. Through her activities in helping anarchists escape Spain, she became renowned in the British press as the “ Scots Scarlet Pimpernel”. Liner notes from the CD http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethel_MacDonald
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Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: GeoffLawes Date: 12 Feb 12 - 06:26 PM MOTHER'S WISH, A By Claire McGhee HEAR IT HERE > This song is recorded on the CD From Blantyre to Barcelona. Further details of this CD can be found here thread.cfm?threadid=143174 I will try to obtain the words and post them here as soon as I can. |
Subject: Lyr Add: VIVA ESPANYA; FIGHTING AGAINST FASCISM From: GeoffLawes Date: 12 Feb 12 - 06:22 PM VIVA ESPANYA; FIGHTING AGAINST FASCISM By Graham Fudge ( aka Graham Carter) LISTEN HERE All across the Spanish plains, the guns are ringing out, Ole! Viva España! In the streets of Madrid, people scream and shout, Ole! Viva España!
And we've been fighting against Fascism for liberty,
Adolf Hitler dropped his bombs down on Guernica,
And we've been fighting against Facism for Liberty,
There's a Nationalist advance in Catelonia,
And we've been fighting against Facism for Liberty,
The Civil war is lost and the Republic's through,
And we've been fighting against Fascism for liberty, This song was based on an arrangement of the traditional sea-shanty "Santy Anno". You can find out a bit more about me, Graham, on www.reverbnation.com/growlingrahamcarter
This song is recorded on the CD From Blantyre to Barcelona . Further details of this CD can be found here thread.cfm?threadid=143174 |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: GeoffLawes Date: 12 Feb 12 - 06:12 PM WHITE FLAG By Heather Young HEAR THE SONG HERE This song is recorded on the CD From Blantyre to Barcelona. Further details of this CD can be found here thread.cfm?threadid=143174 From the sleeve note) This song has been written from the woman's point of view and describes how she feels watching those she loves going off to war. It tells the story of her lovers 'surrender' to his conscience and leaving to fight against Franco and fascism.
I will try to obtain the words and post them here as soon as I can. |
Subject: Lyr Add: THE FIGHT FOR SPAIN From: GeoffLawes Date: 12 Feb 12 - 06:07 PM FIGHT FOR SPAIN, THE By Billy Stewart HEAR IT HERE
2. From the city streets of Glasgow, Aberdeen and fae Dundee
3. They left their homes and families and marched away to war
4. From the valley of Jarama to the mountains high and cold
Men went to fight in the Spanish Civil War from every walk of life and from cities and villages alike. Miners, factory workers, ship builders, agricultural workers all left homes and families to join the fight against fascism. Many never returned Liner notes from the CD. |
Subject: Lyr Add: FOR EDDIE From: GeoffLawes Date: 02 Feb 12 - 05:54 PM FOR EDDIE By Skip Haynes & Eugene von Heitlinger Aliotta, Haynes and Jeremiah singing For Eddie on YouTube ,This is a song about Eddie Balchowsky, the pianist who lost his hand in the Spanish Civil War. He'd been dealt a bad hand, Nearly fifty years old. Cleanin' glasses, At night in a bar. Only one good hand, For to play him his tunes, On a piano, Tired out and marred.
And the stone angel hung,
Duke, the white Shepherd,
And the stone angel hung,
I heard him one night,
He played better with one hand,
And the stone angel hung,
Issued on Songs(1994) & Lake Shore Drive(1995) |
Subject: Lyr Add: THE LAST LINCOLN VETERAN From: GeoffLawes Date: 02 Feb 12 - 05:11 PM LAST LINCOLN VETERAN, THE By David Rovics David Rovics singing The Last Lincoln Veteranon YouTube
David Rovics performing The Last Lincoln Veteran on YouTube
They were old when I was young
Beside Martin Luther King
The working class of many countries
The Republic had the people
Some say people get conservative
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Subject: Lyr Add: SILVER DURO From: GeoffLawes Date: 01 Feb 12 - 07:54 PM SILVER DURO By Na- Mara Performances of Silver Duro by Na-Mara can be seen Here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvLLurWc24o And Here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBBVuxdRq2g On the quayside at Santurce, our tears they mixed with rain We held tight until parted, and swore that we’d soon meet again, With a wink and a kiss, as the wind it did blow, You pressed in my hand, as I turned to go, A silver duro
And all through that long journey, the Habana did roll and heave
For eight long years then we travelled, moving from town to town
When at last peace had returned, I started to count the days
When at last we were united, the tears of joy did pour
And now we are together, we never once more shall part
© na-mara: Words and Music P.Mcnamara / R.Garcia |
Subject: Lyr Add: ONE LAST KISS IN THE RAIN From: GeoffLawes Date: 01 Feb 12 - 10:51 AM ONE LAST KISS IN THE RAIN By Greg Quiery One Last Kiss In The Rain by Greg Quiery on YouTube This new song is reported in the January 2012 edition of The IBMT Newsletter.
One hundred and sixty soldados,
In ones and twos at Lime Street Station,
One hundred and sixty soldados,
In London they gave them five shillings,
Under dark they left for the mountains,
They enlisted near big Barcelona,
They’d never been drilled up as soldiers,
One hundred and sixty soldados,
Painters and glaziers and brickies,
Though fascist guns pounded like thunder,
Hit by a shell at Jarama,
One hundred and sixty soldados,
When at last those brave young soldiers,
One hundred and sixty soldados,
Ones and twos at Lime Street Station,
( I think I got the words down correctly from the video but let me know if I didn't and I will correct them.) The song is a tribute to the men from Liverpool who volunteered to fight for the Spanish Republic. More information about these men can be found Here |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: GeoffLawes Date: 25 Jan 12 - 07:53 PM CIVIL WAR YEAH! By 12E AS History & Leonard Cohen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgfcOiwSkB4 |
Subject: Lyr Add: RED MOON From: GeoffLawes Date: 24 Jan 12 - 05:22 PM RED MOON Lyrics by Norman Bethune, Music by Robert Rival And the same pallid moon tonight, Which rides so quietly, clear and high, The mirror of our pale and troubled gaze Raised to a* cool Canadian sky. Above the shattered Spanish troops** Last night rose low and wild and red, Reflecting back from her illumined shield The blood bespattered faces of the dead. To that pale disc we raise our clenched fists, And to those nameless dead our vows renew, "Comrades, who fought for freedom and the future world, Who died for us, we will remember you." Below are the words Bethune wrote in his poem in 1936 *the **mountain tops Recording of the song RED MOON on Robert Rivals website (scroll down a bit from the top of the first page) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Bethune |
Subject: Lyr Add: FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS From: GeoffLawes Date: 24 Jan 12 - 01:13 PM FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS By Metallica Make his fight on the hills in the early day Constant chill deep inside Shouting gun on they run through the endless gray On they fight for their right, yes, but who's to say? For a hill, men would kill, why? They do not know Stiffened wounds test their pride Men of five, still alive through the raging glow Gone insane from the pain and they surely know For whom the bell tolls Time marches on For whom the bell tolls Take a look to the sky just before you die It is the last time he will Blackened roar, massive roar fills the crumbling sky Shattered goal fills his soul with a ruthless cry Stranger now are his eyes to this mystery He hears the silence so loud Crack of dawn, all is gone except the will to be Now they see what will be blinded eyes to see For whom the bell tolls Time marches on For whom the bell tolls METALLICA YouTube video of For Whom the Bell Tolls Video with singalong lyrics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_Whom_the_Bell_Tolls_(Metallica_song) |
Subject: Lyr Add: TOM WINTRINGHAM From: GeoffLawes Date: 22 Jan 12 - 07:15 PM TOM WINTRINGHAM By Paul Frith Can anyone complete the parts of the lyrics which I cannot catch in this song as performed by Paul Frith and the Considerate Lovers CHORUS address He struck up the band, Marched on the land, Tom Wintringham, D--- his debt began.??? He was the last to bleed, believe ??? When they took his strength from him, He could not quite believe, All the things they took from him. CHORUS Would I do the same? Would I go to war in Spain? Put aside all my grief , For something that I believe. CHORUS CHORUS Because this perma-thread is now so long it is a bit unweildy for collecting new information so I have also started another Mudcat thread called TOM WINTRINGHAM, Spanish Civil War Song which can be reached using this link Here The following sites give information about Tom Wintringham who was commander of the British Battalion of the XVth International Brigade at the Battle of Jarama during the Spanish Civil War.(the 75th anniversary of the beginning of the battle is in three weeks time). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Wintringham http://www.myspace.com/tomwintringham ( although this site is a bit cavalier with the facts in saying that He founded the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War . If Anyone discovers somewhere where this song can still be heard on-line then please let us know. 23/02/2016 - Still not found an easy link to hear the song but it can be heard for free if you sign up for Spotify herehttps://play.spotify.com/track/4vZ6ERulO3uLFPaR2LmLOd?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open Here is a post on another Mudcat thread which help clarify some of the Lyrics to this song Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Tom Wintringham (Spanish Civil War Song) From: GUEST,Paul Frith - PM Date: 24 Jul 22 - 05:06 AM So 10 years too late, but I just came across this! D--- his debt began.??? = All of his deadly gang He was the last to bleed, believe ??? = bleed
Also the original lyric was "When all Franco's fascists reigned", but I think I prefer "old Franco's"! Tom Wintringham · Paul Frith & The Considerate Lovers on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvS8mRoGI3o |
Subject: Lyr Add: GENERAL LISTER'S LAST COMMAND From: GeoffLawes Date: 05 Jan 12 - 06:31 PM GENERAL LISTER'S LAST COMMAND By Manus O'Riordan I met Enrique Líster And I took him by the hand "Adelante, Comandante! To the front, your last command." Though one commander, Alexander, - Captain Bill - tried to deny: Bob, Mick and Peter hugged their leader, General Líster's last goodbye. At General Líster's last command Those brigadistas said goodbye - ( Repeat ) Though one commander, Alexander, - Captain Bill – tried to deny: Bob, Mick and Peter hugged their leader, General Líster's last goodbye. (air: The Wearing of the Green: The Wearing of the Green sung by The Wolfe Tones on YouTube This song was written by Manus O'Riordan and appears on this website. http://irelandscw.com/ibvol-DoyleLister.htm There is more information about the song to be found on the site. Thanks to Ciaran Crossley who runs the Ireland and the Spanish Civil War website. |
Subject: Lyr Add: GOODBYE BARCELONA (Karl Lewkowicz) From: GeoffLawes Date: 06 Dec 11 - 07:25 AM GOODBYE BARCELONA Words & Music: Karl Lewkowicz Goodbye Barcelona and goodbye Spain, We came when you called us, we'll come again, We gave all we had, Should we go when there's so much to do?. Goodbye Barcelona, the skies are grey, The storm is approaching, with no delay, Hold on through the dark We'll be waiting to see much you come through. Will you remember, why we came today, Not to find the glory, no revenge or pay, Just for a moment there seemed to be a way, We could stand up and fight, but now we must say; Goodbye Barcelona the world was blind, Goodbye to the friends that we leave behind, They'll stay here forever Be sure you remember their names So when your children ask you why we came, Say these open eyes could see no other way, Say how we tried, to keep alive the flame, How we wanted to stay, but just had to say, Goodbye, Barcelona goodbye Thanks to Karl Lewkowicz for responding to my request for the lyrics to this song which is the title song from the musical Goodbye Barcelona for which he wrote the songs and music. Link to sound clip of the song Other information about the song and the musical is accessible on that site. The musical is still playing in London until 23rd December 2011 at the Arcola Theatre. |
Subject: Lyr Add: ENGLISH PENNY From: GeoffLawes Date: 01 Dec 11 - 06:47 PM ENGLISH PENNY Words & Music: Paul McNamara / Roberto Garcia. © copyright 2011. Reproduction only permitted with prior consent of the copyright holders. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MJW9wP8FRg Sister, you have asked to hear my story, And in this calm, it seems a world away, When heroes fought for principle not glory, And the sound of battle thundered every day. [Chorus] They knew that, as the day of battle it drew nearer, And the sun's bright rays o'ercame the dark of night, With the armoury of her station gleaming clearer, 'English Penny' she stood ready for the fight. In '37, I arrived at Albacete, From there to work with nurses, doctors, brave and good, At Tarancon, Jarama and Brunete, In the days when Spain was red – with Spanish blood. Chorus Unlike this room so peaceful and so calming, It's the dreadful sounds of battle still I hear, The chaos of the transports to the front line, And the bombing raids when children cried in fear. Chorus Unlike the chill nights of an English autumn, I can still feel the cruel Murcian sun, When working day and night with army surgeons, To heal the damage wrought by shell and gun. Chorus And unlike the softness of this bed I lie in, It's the endless toil of nursing I recall, Dividing up the living from the dying, In makeshift wards in burnt out barn and hall. Chorus And quite unlike our sober conversation, It's the strutting demagogues that I abhor, That play upon the basest of emotions, And march young men and women off to war. Chorus This new song by Na Mara is reproduced with kind permission of the copyright holders, Paul McNamara / Roberto Garcia. I had heard that Na Mara had written a new Spanish Civil War related song and asked Rob Garcia for the words. Rob says in his covering email : We have plans in the New Year to record an EP of our Spanish Civil War related songs - 'English Penny' will be one of these. We played this at the IBMT Gala Event in London in October and it went down very well. The song takes the form of an imagined conversation between Penny Feiwel and a young nurse who is nursing her in her old age. It compares and contrasts the tranquillity of where she is now, with the chaos, noise and terror of war. It is based heavily on Penny's own words as recorded in Max Arthur's 2009 book The Real Band of Brothers Google Books Link |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: mikesamwild Date: 30 Nov 11 - 04:14 AM I was listening to Abba's 'Fernando' on the car radio and it could easily be about Spain. The Rio Grande mention indicates US/Mexico border though. |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: mikesamwild Date: 26 Nov 11 - 05:36 AM THEY SHALL NOT PASS by Grace Petrie Nice to see the Katie Mellua singing of Mike Batt's Guernica (he of the Wombles!) Grace Petrie is on Youtube singing the song she sang at the concert for the 75t Anniversary and AGM of IBMT in Islington in October 2001 They Shall Not Pass.. (With comments added by a viewer condemning Communist murderers and praising Franco ) They Shall Not pass by Grace Petrie.I'll do a transcription if I can't get the words printed out. Thanks Mike,
Here on YouTube -Geoff
LYRICS:
Why fight the good fight, fight the good fight? Why not let them burn?
Stand up today that we might save tomorrow
And you who speak of ideology, who speak of people like they're pawns
Why fight the good fight, fight the good fight? Why not let them burn?
Stand up today that we might save tomorrow
Stand up and speak, it's not a call to arms
Why fight the good fight, fight the good fight? Why not let them burn?
Stand up today, that we might save tomorrow |
Subject: Lyr Add: VIVA LOS BRIGADISTAS From: mikesamwild Date: 26 Nov 11 - 05:23 AM VIVA LOS BRIGADISTAS by Geordie McIntyre Geordie McIntyre and Alison McMorland, who were fellow presenters at the Whitby Folk Week concert in August sent me the song Viva Los Brigadistas written by Geordie and put to the adapted trad. tune Band O'Shearers We will not forget their names We will not forget their pains Those who did their bit for Spain Viva Los Brigadistas Men and women side by side They defied the fascist tide Many suffered , many died Viva Los Brigadistas It was not for glory that they came United by a worthy aim To challenge Franco's deadly games Viva Los Brigadistas Injustice has not gone away Cruel wars and greed hold sway The struggles live on to this day Viva Los Brigadistas......! Repeat verse 1 To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the start of the Spanish Civil War G. McIntyre 2.10.2011 Here is a selection of YouTube videos of Band O'Shearers to give an idea of the tune to which Geordie has fitted his words BAND O'SHEARERS He sent me the music for his adaptation but of course you can't yet put that up on Mudcat - Geoff I have found that Geordie and Alison McMoreland have a YouTube video of their performance of Geordie's song here Viva Los Brigadistas, Geordie and Alison on YouTube There are several other Spanish Civil War song videos at the end of the link. |
Subject: Lyr Add: OWT FOR NOWT From: GeoffLawes Date: 18 Nov 11 - 06:10 PM OWT FOR NOWT by John Watt When you're lounging on the beaches of España's sunny shore, And the hawkers group like leeches ' helados, por favour?', Remember Franco's icy reign as you ride on RENFE's rails, Think on the terror and the pain that lurked in Spanish goals. CHORUS España, you bled from Bilboa to Seville, While the ghosts of your dead, Oh they walk the beaches still, So while you're busy getting laid and you're raising merry hell, Think of what the price was paid for your dirt cheap San Miguel A holiday for Adolph's plane's, with Spain the practice course, While Uncle Joe he pullled the reins when he backed a losing horse, As Albion left Madrid to bleed as she watched the game being played, The backbone of España's need International Brigade. Costa Brava , costa plenty, more than you will ever know. And that card from San Vincente , where all the tourists go, No-one gives you owt for nowt, when you think that you've got friends, That España soon found out, each one pursues his ends. España tu sangresta a Bilbao a Sevilla, Mientras tanto, los fantasmas andan por la playa, Cuando tu éstas borracho, a la noche el hotel, Que un precio muy grande, por el San Miguel.
Hi Geoff. In 1994 John was doing some work for the WEA on the Spanish Civil War. Here are John's notes on the song. 'In 1936, 38 people from the mining villages of Fife joined the 5000 Britons who fought for the International Brigade in Spain. Willie Gallagher, Communist MP for West Fife acted as special correspondent for The Daily Worker in Spain. The last surviving member of this party, Hugh Sloan from Buckhaven died on 20th Dec 1994'. The song was written in that year. John had a great story (presumably told to him by Hugh) about Hugh Sloan meeting Ernest Hemmingway who was sitting on the tail of a truck Hugh was supposed to be guarding. The conversation went something like, Hugh; "Get off that truck you". Hemmingway, puffing on a cigar, "What if I don't pal?" Hugh; "Then I'll fuckin' shoot ye". Hemmingway got off the truck. Tich Thanks Tich |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: GeoffLawes Date: 18 Nov 11 - 05:29 PM Thank You, Trevor Sheridan , I mistakenly thought that I had already posted the words for John Watt's Owt For Nowt above. Geordie McIntyre gave me the words in the Summer, when I was very busy, and I clearly forgot to put them up. Thanks for the reminder and I will type the words out as soon as I can.Thanks for your information that Jim Bainbridge has also recorded the song. |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: GUEST,Trevor Sheridan Date: 18 Nov 11 - 08:15 AM Great song by the late John Watt called "Owt for Nowt" on his "Heroes" CD and also on "Lights on the River" CD by my mate Jim Bainbridge |
Subject: Lyr Add: MINERS AGAINST FASCISM From: GeoffLawes Date: 22 Sep 11 - 06:35 PM MINERS AGAINST FASCISM by Tracey Curtis RECORDING ON MY SPACE
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Subject: Lyr Add: MARKET DAY AT GUERNICA From: GeoffLawes Date: 21 Jul 11 - 11:23 AM MARKET DAY AT GUERNICA by Mike Batt My children played a skipping game On market day in Guernica On market day before they came Before they came to Guernica. I search my soul but cannot start to find forgiveness in my heart. My little ones no longer play In Guernica on market day. My father wore his linen suit On market day in Guernica He always sold the finest fruit Before they came to Guernica Now there's no way to let him know How much I loved and miss him so I watched as he was blown away In Guernica on market day. Away Away All blown away My children played a skipping game On market day in Guernica On market day before they came Before they came to Guernica. I search my soul but cannot start To find forgiveness in my heart. My little ones no longer play in Guernica On market day. This song was broadcast on by Mike Harding on the BBC 2 Folk Programme this Wednesday and can be heard for another six days on the BBC i player. It was released on an EP called 9 Million Bicycles. It is the last song in the programme (at about 53.00 minutes into the programme) which also includes Christy Moore singing Viva La Quince Brigada. LInk To BBC 2 Available for the next week 21/08/2015 Posted by Geoff Lawes |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: GeoffLawes Date: 13 Jun 11 - 05:55 PM I have received a newsletter from na-mara with information about a performance which they will give of three of their SCW related songs on July 2nd 2011,12.30-2.00 at the International Brigades Memorial Day on the South Bank at Jubilee Gardens, next to the London Eye. They will be singing a new song about Penny Fywell,the inspirational nursing volunteer who died recently . Unfortunately I can't get down for the commemoration this year but I hope we can have the lyrics posted here and a YouTube video of what I missed would be good.Apparently there is more music afterwards at the Camel and Artichoke121 Lower Marsh Street,SE1. __________________________________________________________________ na-mara's newsletter "International Brigade Event" Dear friends, Many of you will know that na-mara is a keen supporter of the International Brigade Memorial Trust (IBMT) which remembers all those who left their homes in the 1930s to fight fascism in Spain. On a number of occasions, we have had the honour to play at the Annual Commemoration ceremony of the IBMT. We are pleased to report that we have again accepted an invitation for this year's event which will be held on Saturday 2 July 2011, at Jubilee Gardens, Belvedere Road, on London's South Bank. At what looks to be a very musical event this year, we will be playing three songs - including a new song in honour of the nurse Penny Feiwel and all her nursing colleagues who served the International Brigade in Spain. Also taking part in the event this year will be the Strawberry Thieves choir and the cast of the musical "Goodbye Barcelona". As we often say, it would be lovely to see some familiar faces in the crowd that always gathers for this popular and moving event. Paul & Rob |
Subject: Lyr Add: THE NEW SAINT (Lorcan Otway) From: GeoffLawes Date: 13 Jun 11 - 05:10 PM YOUR NEW SAINT by Lorcan Otway I found this song on Mudcat over a year ago and have sent a couple of PMs asking if Lorcan Otway ( INobu) would like to post it here himself but I have not had a reply yet and so I am harvesting the relevant parts of the several other Mudcat threads in which the song appears. YOUR NEW SAINT Words Lorcan Otway, Tune traditional The Bantry Girl's Lament (Oh who will plow the fields now, and who will reap the corn, since Johnny lovely Johnny now plows the fields of Spain, ) Oh tell me Father Michael, What's that I heard you say That the church for all its past neglect, named a Gypsy saint today. Tell me all the details, I'd really like to know For its been more than a little time, since to our church I'd go. Tell me what his deeds were, and how he came to die. Was he murdered by the Gadje, while in exile forced to fly Or hanged by James of Scotland, when Faa was sent away Or killed by a Polish peasant mob on some lonely cold byway Did he die with the resistance, in that cold Vichy midnight While bringing food and weapons to carry on the fight Or aiding Jews and exiles to escape the Nazi scourge Or killed by a Nazi death squad bent on their racist purge Did he die in Auschwitz death camp, when Ziguenier Nacht took place On that day that tens of thousand Rom, were murdered for their race Or in in the Czech Republic, thrown from a bridge to die, Oh tell me Father Michael, was that the reason why? I can't believe what you're telling me, about the way he died Defending a Fascist priest, defending Franco's side. If that's the side that God was on, forgive me if I say It will be a cold day in Hell before with you I'll pray. The song is available on Lorcan "Larry" Otway's CD with Sorcha Dorcha, the name of which is Nil Sasta Ach Amadain (Only Idiots are Satisfied) $15 US, available by Emailing InOBU@aol.com These are the Mucat threads which refer to the song. MUDCAT THREAD: Lyr Req: Romany songs MUDCAT THREAD: New Otway Songbook, out in a few days... MUDCAT THREAD: Mudcatter's CD's Part 2 Many recordings of “The Bantry Girl's Lament “ on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=The+Bantry+Girls%27+Lament |
Subject: Lyr Add: THE SKELETONS OF QUINTO From: GeoffLawes Date: 11 Jun 11 - 09:01 AM THE SKELETONS OF QUINTO By Christopher Guest THE SKELETONS OF QUINTO YouTube video sung by The Folksmen I worked the fields my father worked From dawn until setting sun My calloused hands and wind-burned face Have marked me as a man Who has no voice, no rights, no hope No place to call his own And the skeletons of Quinto call me home The silver tentacles of the moon's rays caught me The deathly silence of the mountains chill me to the bone And the skeletons of Quinto call me home If I lived to be a hundred, I won't know me Papa's plight The cruelty of the master's whip The horrors of the night He braved them all and stood his ground The bravest ever known And the skeletons of Quinto call me home I know that somehow, in the world, The workers must be free The toil and sweat, and tyranny, the fascist jeu d'esprit Will only serve to keep us down, and make the bourgeoisie And the skeletons of Quinto call me home This song is from Christopher Guest's folkumentary A Mighty Wind and is clearly taking the Miguel out of the Spanish Civil War song genre. Towards the end of the film's concert section, The Folksmen are required to fill in time when the next performer goes missing. The banjo player announces an encore: a song about the Spanish Civil War called The Skeletons of Quinto. The bass player then talks at length about the song but because the missing singer then turns up they never actually perform it. This is interesting because Christopher Guest, who co-wrote, directed and acted in the film as the Folksmen's banjo player is the nephew of David Guest, a young mathematician who was killed fighting with the International Brigades after the crossing of the Ebro in 1938. I see in the film's credits that Christopher Guest is credited with the words to The Skeletons of Quinto and the Folksmen with its performance. This companion Mudcat link,A Mighty Wind & Spanish Civil War Song , confirms that the song was relased on a soundtrack album. I see from his Wikipedia entry,HERE, that Christopher Guest plays mandolin and guitar - does he play banjo in the film? |
Subject: Lyr Add: COMMUNIST VERSION OF SUSSEX BY THE SEA From: GeoffLawes Date: 07 Jun 11 - 06:52 PM COMMUNIST VERSION OF SUSSEX BY THE SEA by Ernie Trory Brass Band version of the Tune on YouTube HERE Now is the time for marching, under our banners red, Rank upon rank advancing, surely we forge ahead, So let your voices ring, comrades, all who would be free, And we'll sing a song as we march along, Of peace and liberty. For we are the men from Sussex, Sussex by the sea, We plough and sow and reap and mow, and useful men are we, And when you go from Sussex, wherever you may be, You can tell them all that we stand or fall, For peace and liberty. Sussex, Sussex men are we, On our march to victory, Workingmen unite, we can win the fight, And Sussex shall be free. Out of the years of struggle, out of the years of toil, Stride forth the people's heroes, sons of the Sussex soil, The banner that they raised aloft, our heritage today, We will bear with pride, marching side by side, Where they have led the way. Far o'er the seas we wander, wide through the world we roam, Into the Spanish trenches, fighting for those at home, Wherever there's a fight, comrades, to save democracy. You can be sure then, you will find the men, Of Sussex by the sea. These words are reproduced from Between The Wars" (Recollections Of A Communist Organiser), Ernie Trory, Crabtree Press 1974. ISBN 0950350303 & 9780950350301 The book is the recollections of Ernie Trory, a communist historian and party organiser from Sussex who says in the bookthat he wrote new words for the famous Sussex song ( Wikipedia entry) especially for a Communist Party demonstration in 1938.He says, on pages 112 and 113: The whole Party threw itself whole-heartedly into the preliminary work of producing historical banners, making flags and generally giving publicity to the forthcoming event. A thousand copies of a souvenir programme were printed and put on sale well in advance. For the first time the Brighton and Hove Herald gave us an advanced write-up, commenting on our programme as follows: " The souvenir programme of the march sets out the part that Sussex men have played in history, and mentions such figures as Jack Cade, Deryk Carver and Tom Paine. It refers to the foundations of the Brighton Communist Party in 1926, and finishes up with the significant line, '1937: Tom Elloit, secretary of the Worthing Labour Party, is killed in action. somewhere in Spain' " On the back of the pamphlet are set out a Communist version of 'Sussex by the Sea' and the 'International'." The song referred to, "Sussex by the Sea"," was in its original form adopted as the marching song of the Sussex County Regiment. We kept the tune, which went with a good swing, but I rewrote the words giving them the social significance needed for our forthcoming demonstration. Later our version became very popular in the Labour Movement and in many ways better known than the original. On the Sunday afternoon of the 7th August 1938, the demonstration lined up in front of the Brighton Labour Club in London Road, headed by the South West London Workers' Band, borrowed for the occasion. Behind the band massed red flags were carried by gaily dressed girls. Then came the historical banners interspersed with the branch banners of the four main branches. The whistle blew and the drums thunderedout, bugles sounded and the march moved forward. After the bugles had played for some time they stopped and the marchers began to sing: "Now is the time for marching, under our banners red, Rank upon rank advancing, surely we forge ahead, So let your voices ring, comrades, all who would be free, And we'll sing a song as we march along, Of peace and liberty. For we are the men from Sussex, Sussex by the sea, We plough and sow and reap and mow, and useful men are we, And when you go from Sussex, wherever you may be, You can tell them all that we stand or fall, For peace and liberty. Sussex, Sussex men are we, On our march to victory, Workingmen unite, we can win the fight, And Sussex shall be free." The marchers stepped out happily through Castle Square, singing as they went. Everyone was surprised at the strength of the Communist Party in Sussex could show, Curious sightseers craned their necks to read the inscriptions on the banners. We felt conscious of our responsibility for carrying on the traditions of those who had fought in the past. "Out of the years of struggle, out of the years of toil, Stride forth the people's heroes, sons of the Sussex soil, The banner that they raised aloft, our heritage today, We will bear with pride, marching side by side, Where they have led the way." At the Clock Tower the police had to hold up the traffic, while we turned into West Street> The salt sea air blew up from the sea, blowing the banners proudly. The holiday crowds stopped to watch the procession, commenting on the portraits of the Sussex men fighting in Spain. "Far o'er the seas we wander, wide through the world we roam, Into the Spanish trenches, fighting for those at home, Wherever there's a fight, comrades, to save democracy. You can be sure then, you will find the men, Of Sussex by the sea." Many thanks to Mike Anderson, of the International Brigades Memorial Trust who drew my attention to this song and sent me the information which I needed to compile this post. A Mudcat thread about the original song and other variants Does anyone have more information about this song? Because this thread has now become so long and complex I have also posted this appeal for information on a dedicated Mudcat thread HERE |
Subject: Lyr Add: ALWAYS THE CAUSE From: GeoffLawes Date: 01 Jun 11 - 06:52 PM ALWAYS THE CAUSE Words and Music by Al Stewart Always the Cause AL STEWART (YouTube video) Bad news over the great divide Comes in from every side Still hope won't be denied There was always the Cause There was always the Cause Oh La Pasionara sang This day, no pasaran! It echoed out in Catalan There was always the Cause There was always the Cause Mariposa Late nights waiting on the Via Dolorosa Hold me closer Not long now, oh ma bella hermosa There was always the Cause Setbacks come at every turn New ways are hard to learn Tonight I saw Guernica burn There was always the Cause There was always the Cause Mariposa Late nights waiting on the Via Dolorosa Hold me closer Not long now, oh ma bella hermosa There was always the Cause Three years gone in the heart of Spain He brings home a quiet pain, He'll never be that young again, There was always the Cause, There was always the Cause, Thanks to Mike Anderson of the International Brigades Memorial Trust for suggesting this song. Wikipedia information about the Album on which this song was released Recorded November 1994 – March 1995
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Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: mikesamwild Date: 29 May 11 - 09:06 AM I've just been rereading a book published in Rotherham about Tommy James who was in Spain A lion of a man ed Brian Lewis & Bill Gledhill . In Pounded Earth TJs memoir p68 he mentions waiting to go to Brunete in June 37 thousands of men stretched outon tehbgarss, uncannily quiet 'suddenly the silence was broken by the strains of Tipperary coming from the British lines followed by a medley of music hall songs. Soon all the Brigade was singing, ech man in his particular tongue concluding with The Internationale. That night before the battle thousands stood u and sang. That was after the slaughter at Jarama earlier in the year. On p 91 after the terrible onslaught at Brunete he mentions listening to Danny Boy being sung by an Irish Comrade in the moonlightand thinking back to the earlier mass sing on night of July 5th 1937 The power of song and the resilience of young men! |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: GeoffLawes Date: 09 May 11 - 07:03 PM PEOPLE'S FRONT Words and Music by Edward Brangwyn This song appears on page 54 of Canciones de las Brigadas Internacionales , the International Brigades Songbook, originally published in Barcelona in 1938. The songbook gives no more information about the song or the writer, Edward Brangwyn, and so I have begun a new Mudcat thread to see if anyone knows more. The thread can be reached using this link: EDWARD BRANGWYN,30's songwriter,INFO? The new thread also includes a link to Google Books which shows the words and music for the song. |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: GeoffLawes Date: 20 Apr 11 - 07:30 PM ONCE A JOLLY FRANCO TUNE: Waltzing Matilda there is so far only a fragment of the lyrics to this song which was posted by GUEST: Gerry in another Mudcat thread called Australia and the Spanish Civil War which can be seen HERE Once a jolly Franco started up a civil war Liking himself as the top dog you see .... Aeroplanes from Italy are raining bombs on wrecked Madrid Gunners from the Volga side are firing merrily And the League still declares, with the simple faith of infancy Non-intervention's a reality. Thanks Gerry. Does anyone have more of the song which was culled from Amirah Inglis' book Australians in the Spanish Civil War |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: mikesamwild Date: 18 Apr 11 - 12:33 PM Re The olives bleeding , when we were at Jarama in March they were harvesting some black olives . I squahed some and the juice was red and bitter. So a great image. I found several ancient trees with shrapnel embedded in the trunks from 74 years ago The battle was Feb 1937.. We found sardine tins and bullets etc all preserved as the limestone soil is dry and the climate is better than ours! I read the poem by John Lepper where he says 'Death stalked the olive groves His leaden finger beckoned again and again.' Somebody set that to music it was on youtube I found it very powerful at the spot where my uncle Bert was killed along with Clem Beckett, Christopher St.John Sprigg (aka Caudwell) (Sprigg) and so many others - and my dad Sam was wounded on Feb 12 th 1937 |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: mikesamwild Date: 17 Apr 11 - 01:12 PM AT THE SIEGE OF MADRID By Robb Johnson There is a good youtube of Robb Johnson singing The Siege of madrid , one of his. At The Siege Of Madrid ROBB JOHNSON
I've just been sent a copy by Allen Warren in Barcelona, of a facsimile page in a book of Harry Pollitt in Spain where he mentions a Christmas party in 1937 where they sang songs such as One finger one thumb keep moving and Frankie and Johhny so it wasn't all The International!
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Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: GUEST Date: 10 Mar 11 - 12:03 PM Jamie O'Reilly FYI for your list. Here are the songs Michael Smith and I recorded in English on Pasiones: Songs of the Spanish Civil War, recorded at WFMT studios in Chicago 1997. Please include us in the list of folks who recorded these stirring songs. The live Pasiones by Peter Glazer, son of Tom Glazer. We will be performing it live AGAIN this Oct in Chicago in honor of the 75th anniversary of the International Brigades in Spain. Song of the United Front, Peat Bog Soldiers, Comrade We Love You, Quartermaster's Store, Gunner Name of Bill (new Music by Michael Smith, setting words of Theodore Cogswell). Sweet Cookhouse, Young Man from Alcala, Los Cuatro Generales, Five O'Clock in the Afternoon (Eng translation of Lorca, new music by Michael Smith), Beloved Comrade, Jarama
The Spanish Civil War Songs - Who Sings What? thread is HERE
Hi Jamie I have posted you and Michael Smith as performers of most of the songs you give on the Mudcat thread to which I have provided a link above. |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: GeoffLawes Date: 20 Feb 11 - 05:43 PM Does anyone know anything about the song HANS BEIMLER KAMERAD as sung by Notorious Goose from Ireland.This song is in English and does not use the old German tune Ich Hatt'Einen Kameraden as Ernst Busch did when he re-wrote the song as a tribute to Hans Beimler in 1937. This is a YouTube video of the English/Irish song. Hans Beimler Kamerad by Notorious Goose as compared with HANS BEIMLER by Ernst Busch But the words in the English/Irish version seem to be a translation/rewrite of the Busch song. |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: GeoffLawes Date: 20 Feb 11 - 01:10 PM What book is that Mike - I wonder if it was really a concertina? People are often unsure what a concertina is and use it as a generic term for any squeezy free-reed instrument. I have never come across mention of a concertina in memoires of the SCW although I have seen pictures of Brigaders with accordians and possibly a melodeon in one photo of the Abraham Lincoln Battalion. The Bandoneon is a more likely possibilty if it were a Spaniard or South American playing it. But if it was a concertina that would be very interesting. |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: mikesamwild Date: 18 Feb 11 - 10:31 AM I'm just reading a book about Jarama and Harry Pollitt in a letter mentioned marching to a concertina and singing The Internationale at a memorial near Madrid after the battle where so many IBrs died. |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: mikesamwild Date: 18 Feb 11 - 10:27 AM Good song- Geordie sang it tome on the phone sounds good and I'm glad it's been passed on Here's a version of the poem by John Lepper set to music and guitar / Lepper fought at Jarama ad came home shortly after but no trace after spain is kown apparently. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBJZAHmnUts Martin Simpson told me the other night he has Jamie Foyers on his new album. |
Subject: Lyr Add: SALUD INTERNATIONAL BRIGADE! From: GeoffLawes Date: 11 Feb 11 - 05:38 PM SALUD INTERNATIONAL BRIGADE! By Jim Brown Salud International Brigade! We honour the gallant part you played, Remembered with pride on the banks of the Clyde, Salud International Brigade! From Scotland and every place they came, To fight with the working class of Spain, And they helped defend Madrid, When Franco made his bid, In the bombing and the shelling and the flame. Salud International Brigade! We honour the gallant part you played, Remembered with pride on the banks of the Clyde, Salud International Brigade! When Franco said he'd pass they answered'Never!' Said those heroes whose names will live forever, And how valiantly they tried to halt that fascist tide. From Jarama Valley to the Ebro River. Salud International Brigade! We honour the gallant part you played, Remembered with pride on the banks of the Clyde, Salud International Brigade! Passionaria, her statue stands today, On the banks of the Clyde at Customs Quay, In memory of the time when from shipyard and from mine, Those volunteers they chose to make their way. Salud International Brigade! We honour the gallant part you played, Remembered with pride on the banks of the Clyde, Salud International Brigade! Better to die fighting on your feet , Than live forever on your knees, And if the fascists rise again, the way they did in Spain, We'll know the truth there was in words like these, Salud International Brigade! We honour the gallant part you played, Remembered with pride on the banks of the Clyde, Salud International Brigade! © Jim Brown The words and music for this song were written by Jim Brown of Cumbernauld, Scotland who died at the end of 2010. Thank you to Joan Brown for permission to post Jim's great song here and to Geordie McIntyre for sending it to me. Jim Brown recorded the song on his cassette tape album My Old Guitar which contains other songs written by Jim. The song is now performed by Geordie McIntyre. |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: GeoffLawes Date: 06 Feb 11 - 10:31 AM Here are some performances of Jarama/ Jarama Valley with a variety of lyrics and tunes: EWAN Mc LENNAN PETE SEEGER & THE ALMANAC SINGERS WOODY GUTHRIE ARLO GUTHRIE & PETE SEEGER DAVID ROVICS |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: GeoffLawes Date: 30 Jan 11 - 09:11 PM LETTER FROM BILBAO By Lowest Of The Low Letter From Bilbao by Lowest of the Low on YouTube Letter From Bilbao by Lowest of the Low on YouTube |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: GeoffLawes Date: 30 Jan 11 - 09:01 PM ETHEL ON THE AIRWAYS By Alister Hulett Alistair Hulett performs ETHEL ON THE AIRWAVES a song about Scots Anarchist Ethel McDonald. |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: GeoffLawes Date: 30 Jan 11 - 08:39 PM SKETCHES OF SPAIN By Nits Sketches of Spain performed by Nits - Does anyone know who the writer is in Nits? |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: GeoffLawes Date: 30 Jan 11 - 08:32 PM THE VOLUNTEER By Stevie (?) YouTube performance of THE VOLUNTEER by Stevie
Does anyone know his surname? |
Subject: Lyr Add: THESE DAYS From: GeoffLawes Date: 30 Jan 11 - 07:43 PM THESE DAYS By Lothian 121
I was thinking late last night,
Grandad had just fifteen years,
I can’t imagine what he’d seen,
Two years later tired and sore,
I was thinking late last night,
Can anyone correct the words that I could not work out? HERE is another Mudcat thread devoted to collecting information about this song. Thank you, Mick Pearce (MCP), for the suggestions on that thread which I have incorporated into the lyrics above. The words suggested by Mick do sound like what is being sung although their meaning in the song seems obscure. |
Subject: RE: Songs in English about the Spanish Civil War From: GeoffLawes Date: 02 Jan 11 - 07:27 PM BELOVED COMRADE by Lewis Allen (w)& Fred Katz (m) (Abel Meeropol) The song Beloved Comrade has words written by Abel Meeropol under his pen name, Lewis Allen and is associated with the Spanish Civil War as a result of its having appeared on several records about the war and by virtue of its having been performed at memorial meetings of International Brigaders in memory of their dead comrades. Here is a link to another Mudcat thread which I have used to collect information about the origin and provenance of the song. Origins: Beloved Comrade: Spanish Civil War Song? That thread includes links to a recording of the song by Josh White and the full set of lyrics. The current state of information uncovered in that thread is that the song is by Lewis Allen & Fred Katz and was probably written in 1944 for a radio play scripted by Langston Hughes about race relations in the US army. However, Alan Lomax is credited with having helped in the selection of songs for this BBC broadcast and it is theoretically possible that the song had been written at an earlier date specifically about the Spanish Civil War On another Mudcat thread Joe Offer kindly posted the entries from some People's Songs publications which say that the song was written for combatants of the Spanish Civil War These may be seen using the following link Mudcat thread with Peoples Songs reference HERE Thanks Joe Any further firm evidence would be welcome. |
Subject: Lyr Add: WE ARE THE FIGHTING ANTI-FASCISTS From: GeoffLawes Date: 27 Dec 10 - 08:17 PM WE ARE THE FIGHTING ANTI-FASCISTS We are the fighting anti-fascists, We're members of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, We are the fighting anti-fascists, And we'll stay here, until the fascist tomb is laid. And when we get back home once more, We'll do, we'll do the same thing there. And when we get back home once more, We'll do the same thing there. These are the words to a song sung by Milton Wolff, once the commanding officer of the Abraham Lincoln Battalion during the Spanish Civil War, as he sings them in the film The Good Fight. You can see and hear him singing the song on part VI of the film as it appears on YouTube Milton Wolff singing at 3.27/8.51 secs on THE GOOD FIGHT video I used the first line of the song as its title:Does anyone know if that is correct, if there is any more of the song or who wrote it? I suspect the tune used is one borrowed from a song well known in the thirties: can anyone name that tune? Does anyone know anything more about the song? |
Subject: Lyr Add: PAUL ROBESON (Sumishta Brahm) From: GeoffLawes Date: 23 Dec 10 - 12:14 PM PAUL ROBESON By Sumishta Brahm Paul Robeson in the middle of a war with Love in his heart... In the middle of a war Paul Robeson before the Second World War in a small town in Spain where the bullets flew and fell like rain In the middle of a war Paul Robeson with microphone and speakers in the air sending his beautiful voice everywhere Paul Robeson in the middle of a war sing "'Ol Man River" in the middle of a war and the guns stopped killing yeah the guns stopped killing Paul Robeson with a silence all around singing about injustice and who is to blame when we are all equal to God we're all the same I hope to God ...we're all the same Paul Robeson in the middle of a war I think of you when I feel so pulled apart when all I'm doing is what I believe in my heart Paul Robeson reminds to be a human being with individuality In the middle of a war if that's how it has to be... Paul Robeson in the middle of a war with love in his heart. Hear it Here |
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