Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns

Subject: RE: Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns
From: Azizi
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 08:29 PM

Sorry.

Sorcha I meant to write that it would be great if you would post the words or post a link to the "Rosin the Bow/Beau" song that you referred to.

And Guest HughM, I don't know the song that you referred to. I'm also sorry to say that I know very little about the campaign to unify Germany in the 19th century. I'm wondering under what kind of banner was that campaign wanting to unify Germany? I guess I'm wondering did this pre-date the 20th century Nazi German movement in any ways?

I mean no disrespect. I'm just curious because I don't know this history.

Thank you in advance for your response if you care to give one.

Subject: RE: Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns
From: Azizi
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 08:11 PM

Sorcha, Franz S, and Guest HughM thanks for your contributions to this thread.

****

Franz S., I was very interested in your childhood remembrance.

I've read a little bit about how unions and other social movements changed the words of religious songs to rally folk, lift up their energy, and reinforce that energy through the difficult times that they inevitably faced as part of those movements. Of course, the Civil Rights movement built on that practice of using songs to energize, inspire, sustain, and comfort folk.

As to your statement that "Wilson won, of course, and Henry Wallace lost, but that's not the point. Is it?" I agree, that's not the point of this thread, though certainly a candidate winning who you support[ed] is exhilarating, and a candidate losing who you support[ed] can be quite deflating.

Btw, not that I want to go off on a tangent :o) but that song "glory, glory hallelujah" sure does get around! There are a number of children's taunts that are parodies of that religious song.
And most of them have lyrics which are quite violent {such as "Glory Glory Hallelujah/teacher hit me with a ruler/I met her at the door/with a loaded 44/and she aint gonna teach no more"

Of course, most adults who remember these kind of taunts say they weren't serious about what they were saying...

Oh well, that's a whole 'nother discussion...

Subject: RE: Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns
From: GUEST,HughM
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 07:53 AM

I heard on the TV once that "Deutschland Ueber Alles" was written in support of the campaign to unify Germany in the 19th. century.
   "Ue" in "Ueber" represents U umlaut, which I don't know how to type.

Subject: RE: Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns
From: Franz S.
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 11:04 PM

In 1948 I was about seven and attending a "Saturday school" for workers' kids at Washington Hall in Seattle. I have a clear but disconnected memory of being in a children's choir that recorded what were probably Progressive Party campaign songs. I have no idea what became of those recordings, haven't been able to track them down. But on his Loafer's Glory radio program (Program #35, on the Progressive Movement) Utah Phillips played "The Battle Hymn of '48", sung by Paul Robeson:

There's a fresh breeze a-blowing all across this mighty land,
And it sings of peace and progress and prosperity at hand,
With security and plenty for the people to command,
For the people's march is on!

Glory, glory, hallelujah! (3x)
The people's march is on!

From the village, from the city, all the nation's voice has roared,
Down the rivers, 'cross the prairies (couldn't get this part)
We will march with Henry Wallace, we will fight with Gideon's            sword,
Fro the people's march is on!

I'm sure this came out of People's Songs (Pete Seeger et al.). I don't believe that such songs are meant to convert anyone so much as to fire up the faithful, and for that they do seem to work. As recently as a decade ago I was at a rally lustily singing "Sacaremos ese buey de Sacramento!" (We'll kick that ox out of Sacramento!) referring to Pete Wilson, the Republican candidate for governor of California. Wilson won, of course, and Henry Wallace lost, but that's not the point. Is it?

Subject: RE: Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns
From: Sorcha
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 10:56 PM

Abe Lincoln used the tune Rosin the Bow/Beau for an election song...I'm sure I can find the words.

Subject: RE: Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns
From: Azizi
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 09:09 PM

Here's a chant about that same campaign [from that same site]:

Joe! Joe!
Gotta Go! (repeat)

by Bulldawg on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 05:51:40 PM PDT

Subject: Lyr Add: HIT THE ROAD JOE
From: Azizi
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 08:59 PM

Correction:

The line "We can but try. Sherlock Holmes." is probably a signature quote used by that poster and not part of the parody.

With that deletion, the entire song would be:

HIT THE ROAD, JOE
Hit the road, Joe
And don't ya come back no more no more
Hit the road, Joe
And don't ya come back no more.
You Republican whore.

What you say??

Joe oh Joe you treat us so mean
(you're the worst Democratic Senator we've ever seen
and if you keep treating us so
we'll have to take our votes and go

That's right!

What I say

Hit the road, Joe
Woah, Senator, oh Senator, don't treat my party so mean
You're the meanest old Senator that I've ever seen
I guess if we said so
You have to pack your things and go (That's right)

[chorus]

Now Joe, listen, Joe, don't ya treat me this-a way
Cause the Democratic Party be back on its feet some day
(Don't care if you are 'cause it's understood)
(You took Repubilcan money you just ain't no good)
Well, I guess if we say so
You have to pack your things and go (That's right)

[repeat chorus]

----

"Joe" of course, is Senator Joe Lieberman. And the political campaign is the August 8, 2006 Democratic primary in Connecticut between Leiberman and Ned Lamont.

Subject: RE: Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns
From: Azizi
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 08:53 PM

Imo, it is possible to acknowledge the creativity of a song parody that is used as political commentary about a candidate regardless of whether you support or oppose that particular candidate.

But I confess that acknowledging the creativity of such a parody is easier if you agree with the words of the parody {as I do in this case}.

So without further ado, here's a series of posts from a dailykos dairy. I've included the posting times to show the intervals between the postings of the song's verses:


Hit the road, Joe
And don't ya come back no more no more
Hit the road, Joe
And don't ya come back no more.
You Republican whore.
We can but try. Sherlock Holmes.

by Carnacki on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 04:19:48 PM PDT

---

What you say?? n/t

by Elwood Dowd on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 04:21:03 PM PDT

----

Joe oh Joe you treat us so mean
(you're the worst Democratic Senator we've ever seen
and if you keep treating us so
we'll have to take our votes and go

by Lefty the playwright on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 04:24:33 PM PDT

----
That's right!

by juliesie on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 04:25:25 PM PDT

---

What I say

Hit the road, Joe
Woah, Senator, oh Senator, don't treat my party so mean
You're the meanest old Senator that I've ever seen
I guess if we said so
You have to pack your things and go (That's right)

[chorus]

Now Joe, listen, Joe, don't ya treat me this-a way
Cause the Democratic Party be back on its feet some day
(Don't care if you are 'cause it's understood)
(You took Repubilcan money you just ain't no good)
Well, I guess if we say so
You have to pack your things and go (That's right)

[repeat chorus]

With apologies to the late, great Ray Charles.

by Carnacki on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 04:26:18 PM PDT


CT-Sen: Turnout stuff by kos; Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 04:26:29 PM PDT


-snip-


I love the quick wit that this group composition demonstrates. This parody seemed to be spontaneously created. In my opinion, this shows that the folks process is alive and well.

Subject: Songs & Jingles in Political Campaigns
From: Azizi
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 08:34 PM

This thread focuses on the role of songs, chants, and jingles in current & past political campaigns.

Please post your thoughts about the use of songs etc. in political campaigns or as social commentary about politics and/or political campaigns.

Do you know any examples of such songs, chants, and jingles?

Please post them.

I'll start with an example I found this evening on another website.