!PROTEST!
American Protest Songs 1928 to 1953
RELEASE DATE - 21st Aug 2006
The definition of protest is 'a statement or action showing
that you disapprove of something'. This is something that we
seem to have pushed to one side in this day and age (in Western
Culture anyhow). In the first part of the 20th Century, it was
a different story, with protest songs coming in all guises and
musical genres. Within the confines of this album, we have tried
to represent great examples of each. They range from the incredibly
emotional and heart breaking : Billie Holiday's 'Strange Fruit'
and Woody Guthrie’s ‘1913 Massacre' - to the light
hearted and humorous : The Golden Gate Quartet's 'Atom & Evil
' and Texas Jim Robertson's ' The Last Page of Mein Kampf'- (but
still with a serious message).
Subject matters include: Civil Rights, the Atom Bomb, being
poor, homeless and unemployed, Prostitution, War and at times
all the wrongs of our society.
This subject matter was never going to make for easy listening
but surely music and song writing is not just about entertainment!
It should also enlighten and if not directly change the world,
at least point out a few home truths about the society we have
created. Music can be used as an incredibly effective weapon
- something it seems we have forgotten about……Listen
and learn.
TRACK LISTING:
1) The Sons Of The Pioneers - Old Man Atom 1947
2) Texas Jim Robertson -The Last Page of Mein Kampf 1942
3) Lee Hays + The Almanac Singers -The Dodger Song 1941
4) Bessie Smith- Nobody Knows You When You're Down &Out 1929
5) Uncle Dave Macon - We're Up Against It Now 1926
6) Big Bill Broonzy - Black,Brown And White 1951
7) Slim Smith - Breadlines Blues 1931
8) Golden Gate Quartet- Atom And Evil 1946
9) The Monroe Brothers - The Forgotten Soldier Boy 1936
10) Memphis Minnie - Husslin' Blues Women 1945
11) Harry McClintock - Fifty Years From Now 1931
12) Mississippi Sheiks - Sales Tax 1934
13) Josh White/Millard Lampell The Almanac Singers-Billy Boy 1941
14) Billy Hughes & his Buckaroos - Atomic Sermon 1953
15) Dave McCarn - Poor Man, Rich Man 1930
16) Gene Autry - The Death Of Mother Jones 1931
17) Billie Holiday - Strange Fruit 1939
18) Furry Lewis - Judge Harsh Blues 1928
19) Ernest V. Stoneman - All I've Got Is Gone 1928
20) Woody Guthrie - 1913 Massacre 1945
Press Notes
"The
sounds that inspired Dylan, Cash and Springsteen- The power to entertain
while continuing the battle against social injustice"
Fred
Dellar, Mojo, Sept. 2006.
"A very well executed wakeup call"
Paul Vernon, Folk Roots, Sept. 2006
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