Misuse of song - anti-migrant Oz rallies

Subject: Misuse of song - anti-migrant Oz rallies
From: Helen
Date: 05 Apr 15 - 04:08 PM

Hi all,

This is an article in our local newspaper.

John Schumann's song I Was Only 19 misused at anti-migrant Oz rallies

John Schumann's song is an Oz classic, and he states in the article that the song "was written to help people understand the plight of Vietnam veterans".

The article then states: "Like his other songs, it was about compassion, tolerance and inclusiveness, he said."

In my opinion, it was a sad day for Australia when these rallies were held around the country on Easter Saturday 4 April 2015. It demonstrates the narrow mindedness and bigotry of people who do not appreciate cultural inclusiveness and the wealth of cultural experience and diversity in Australian society.

Using this song at the rallies has sullied a beautiful song.

John Schumann's song I Was Only 19 - YouTube

Helen

Subject: RE: Misuse of song - anti-migrant Oz rallies
From: Andrez
Date: 06 Apr 15 - 08:29 AM

I agree Helen. Its a wonderful song indeed and right up there with Bogles No Mans Land or Green Fields of France. Perhaps not recognising what the song is really about is more a comment about the (mis)users of the song and where they are really at!

Cheers,

Andrez

Subject: RE: Misuse of song - anti-migrant Oz rallies
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 06 Apr 15 - 12:44 PM

The trouble is the bleep bleeping fascists will nick anything that isn't nailed down. Up here in the northern climes, the European far right have hijacked Tomorrow Belongs To Me, from the film Cabaret.

The stupid sods either don't realise it, or don't care, that Cabaret is one of the finest critiques of fascism ever portrayed on film, and TBTM is included in the movie to show how mass hysteria can sweep a whole beer garden, to say nothing of an entire country.

Subject: RE: Misuse of song - anti-migrant Oz rallies
From: Helen
Date: 06 Apr 15 - 04:00 PM

Hi Andrez & Fred,

I agree, and I like your term, Fred: "the bleeping bleep fascists".

My other persistent thoughts are that the media, e.g. radio talk shows and sensationalist pseudo-current affairs TV shows like to stir up resentment and racial hatred because it makes for good ratings, and therefore sells more advertising.

I think that they can take a lot of the responsibility for enhancing some people's natural tendencies to not analyse what they hear or see, and to just take it all as gospel. Those shows also tap into some people's natural inclination to look for the worst in others, and then it's only a few more steps for some of them to then decide to "take action" on the "issue", which is sometimes just an excuse to let out their own frustrations and anger on innocent people.

Helen

Subject: RE: Misuse of song - anti-migrant Oz rallies
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 07 Apr 15 - 03:20 AM

Re 'Tomorrow Belongs To Me' -- Remember that irony can be a two-edged weapon.

Although the overall tone & message of Cabaret are indeed anti-fascist, Tomorrow Belongs To Me is shown in the context of the film as a highly effectual totalitarian recruiting song, leading to a demonstration which causes Bradshaw, the Isherwood-like character, to say to his German companion "Still think you can control them?" -- and we know from history that the point was that indeed they couldn't. So no surprise that it should be taken out of context as a rightwing rallying song, as which the film explicitly shows it working.

≈M≈

Subject: RE: Misuse of song - anti-migrant Oz rallies
From: Andrez
Date: 07 Apr 15 - 05:16 AM

Once again I agree Helen, the almighty dollar is what it is all about when it comes to the commercial media and promoting neo-conservative ideology and social values (does the name Rupert mean anything here?). Thank god for the ABC, SBS and maybe the BBC in the UK as one way to get some balance into what is reported as news these days.

Interesting to note the almost total silence coming from our fearless leader in Canberra about the events of last weekend!

Cheers,

Andrez

Subject: RE: Misuse of song - anti-migrant Oz rallies
From: Helen
Date: 08 Apr 15 - 02:40 PM

Yes, MGM Lion, a two-edged sword. I can see why the bleeping-bleeps would see it as an anthem. I still can't see how they could pick I Was Only 19 as an anti-immigrant song. What's the logic, if there is any, to pick on a song about what it was like to be an Australian soldier in the Vietnam war and what life was like for those soldiers after the war - a war that a lot of people thought we shouldn't be involved in anyway.

And Andrez, I agree, Rupert Murdoch has a lot to answer for, and our fearless, or should I say, brainless leader is not much good at anything really, IMHO.

Thank god for the ABC & SBS - impartial and fearless in the most positive sense of the word.

Helen

Subject: RE: Misuse of song - anti-migrant Oz rallies
From: GUEST,freespiritceol
Date: 08 Apr 15 - 03:29 PM

for what it's worth, I have some experience of this, my elder brother Roy was a ten pound tourist back in the 60's . he was met at the dock with a demonstration displaying huge POMS GO HOME banners. When he bought a house, an aussie who lived next door greeted him with " another Pommie Bas****." The aussie turned out to be a great neighbor and friend, even cutting a hole in the hedge so my brothers children could go into his garden and play. The only prejudice he experienced was from an Englishman who lived on the other side and never spoke a word to him or his family all the time they lived there. Nowt so strange as folk! There is a great song in this story and one day I will get around to writing it.All the best John

Subject: RE: Misuse of song - anti-migrant Oz rallies
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 08 Apr 15 - 10:41 PM

ahem

Helen said - And Andrez, I agree, Rupert Murdoch has a lot to answer for, and our fearless, or should I say, brainless leader is not much good at anything really, IMHO.

well, I have collected over 300 cartoons about our brainless leader since January, bringing my total to over 600 since he hit the cartoonists' radar some years ago! These are merely my on-line cartoons so I'm sure there are one or two in my newspaper cut-out collection.

so he is good for one thing!

sandra

Subject: RE: Misuse of song - anti-migrant Oz rallies
From: Helen
Date: 08 Apr 15 - 11:28 PM

Well, Sandra, being good for a laugh is still good for something. LOL

I was going to say earlier, that he is fearless in the sense that he blurts out whatever thoughts enter his head, regardless of the consequences. So either he's brave or foolhardy.

Helen

Subject: RE: Misuse of song - anti-migrant Oz rallies
From: Dennis the Elder
Date: 09 Apr 15 - 04:45 AM

This is as quoted, a total misuse of a very well considered song. I too can see no conection with the reasons for the rally. I thank you greatly Helen for posting this thread from my purely selfish point of view, what a great song this is, I had never heard it before and certainly will hear it often in the future.
I am leaving shortly to go to Manchester Airport to pick my wife Di up as Sheffield in from Adelaide, I will spend time researching the author and trying to obtain a CD. Had Australia not had the 12 week limit I feel Di would have stayed much longer,I thank Australia for that rule, I have missed her, she has been staying with her £10 Pom brother.
Thanks again Helen and I must say hi to you Sandra

Subject: RE: Misuse of song - anti-migrant Oz rallies
From: Helen
Date: 10 Apr 15 - 05:34 PM

Hi Dennis,

Yes, it is a great song. An Australian classic.

John Schumann was a member of a well-known folk-pop fusion band called Redgum. They had some great songs in the 1970's & 1980's.

Redgum - a history on John Schumann's website

And here's another personal link for you Dennis. Redgum started up in Adelaide. (I had forgotten that, but just read the history.)

Also, the record label which released their first album was Larrikin Records, which was one of the best known folk labels in Australia. Warren Fahey was pivotal in establishing our very own Folk Club here in Newcastle, NSW, at a location only about half a mile from where I live now.

Helen

Subject: RE: Misuse of song - anti-migrant Oz rallies
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 10 Apr 15 - 09:56 PM

& Warren occasionally posts on Mudcat as Bodgie or Guest, Warren Fahey & he lives down the road & around the corner from me!

Warren's site - The Australian Folklore Unit

sandra

Hello, Dennis

Subject: RE: Misuse of song - anti-migrant Oz rallies
From: Dennis the Elder
Date: 11 Apr 15 - 12:26 PM

Hi Hellen and Sandra, thanks to you I have found John Schumann's song "I was only 19" on iTunes and am able to down load it.
I now have my wife home from Adelaide and my Niece who went to University in Adelaide (daughter of the £10 Pom) will be back here on Monday, I am sure she must know of Redgum.
I love the positive side of Mudcat, thanks again
Dennis

Subject: RE: Misuse of song - anti-migrant Oz rallies
From: Helen
Date: 11 Apr 15 - 03:44 PM

Hi again, Dennis.

Redgum was all the rage when I was at Uni back in the mid-70's, but it's not heard so much now, so your niece may not have heard it.

Sandra,

The folk world is a small world, isn't it? LOL

Helen

Subject: RE: Misuse of song - anti-migrant Oz rallies
From: GUEST,Dave
Date: 11 Apr 15 - 04:04 PM

I was in Australia in the early to mid 80s, and Redgum were pretty well known. "I've been to Bali" was maybe their best known song. Along with Midnight Oil they gave Australian music something of a social conscience.

Subject: RE: Misuse of song - anti-migrant Oz rallies
From: Helen
Date: 19 Apr 15 - 03:30 PM

Hi all,

A news article this weekend about

John Schumann's new song - a tribute to Indigenous soldiers

This relates to the Anzac Day centenary on 25 April 2015, commemorating 100 years since the
Gallipoli Campaign in World War 1.

Helen

Subject: RE: Misuse of song - anti-migrant Oz rallies
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 19 Apr 15 - 08:06 PM

I was just listening to him talk about the creation of the song

sandra

World War I centenary

google image search - indigenous soldiers WWI

Australian War Memorial - Indigenous Australian servicemen

Black Anzacs mural A street artist has pasted a mural of Indigenous soldiers from World War I on a wall opposite Anzac park at Meningie, south of Adelaide.

Sydney-based artist Hego said the 15-metre-long work was made up of 99 paper panels.

"The mural was installed with a technique known as wheat pasting, using simply paper and glue," the artist explained.

The artwork shows 18 servicemen of World War I who came from the region, which is Tanganikald country.

"Direct descendants of each of the Aboriginal soldiers gave permission to include their relatives' image in the mural," Hego said.

Locals said the mural was a welcome addition to the town and would impress visitors as they passed it along Meningie's main street.