oldtimeterry - Posted - 04/11/2007:  22:32:17

Are there any collections, online or otherwise, of labor songs arranged for clawhammer? I'm interested and involved in the politics of the working class and so I have a strong interest in a lot of the traditional union songs. All that intellectual stuff but also how moving and poetic they can be.

I have the 'Sing Out!' book which has a good collection of union songs. However, its all chord progression so I don't get any feel for the melody.

Edited by - oldtimeterry on 04/11/2007 22:43:45

banjo_brad - Posted - 04/11/2007:  22:41:59

Get to know "Red Wing" - you are then set for "Union Maid"

"Banjos and Fiddles and Guitars, Oh My!" (me)
http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/5
www.PricklyPearMusic.net

fictioneer - Posted - 04/11/2007:  22:52:30

Pete Seeger's "American Industrial Ballads," on Folkways, might be what you're looking for.
In print, per the web site, so try your favorite CD dealer for it
http://www.folkways.si.edu/search/A...aspx?ID=2274

Or, if you're an eMusic member (or willing to take the 2-week free trial membership, with 25 downloads included -- one more than the # of songs on the album)
http://www.emusic.com/album/10863/10863770.html

Bill Rogers - Posted - 04/12/2007:  00:02:41

Many of them aren't that suitable for clawhammer. In addition to the Seeger record, look for a very-hard-to-find copy of John Greenway's lp American Folksongs of Protest on Riverside. Mike Seeger's Tipple, Loom and Rail on Folkways will be available from the Smithsonian. Contact Professor Robbie Lieberman at Southern Illinois University to see if she knows of any further recorded sources. Woody Guthrie wrote some great labor songs too, notably "1913 Massacre" and the classic "Ludlow Massacre." Many of the great labor songs aren't "union songs" per se, but there's no doubt of their sympathies. The NLCR recorded a number of workers' songs through the years too. Their stuff's all at on Smithsonian Folkways of course. Hazel Dickens has recorded some workers' songs too. Don't forget Dave Macon's "Buddy, Won't You Roll Down the Line."

Bill

chip arnold - Posted - 04/12/2007:  00:10:11

Heddy West did a wonderful album called Love, Hell and Biscuits which can be found now and then on Ebay or in your 60's folkie friend's record library. She was a great frailer and every song on the album is a labor related song. Babies in the Mill is one of my all time favorites.

Play with a plan
Chip

Lonesome Steve - Posted - 04/12/2007:  11:18:57

Here's something I stumbled onto recently when I was looking for lyrics for Peg and Awl (one of my favorite labor related songs).

http://unionsong.com/songs.html

They have lyrics, musical notation and midi files for at least some of the songs. Unfortunately no clawhammer tab though.

Edited by - Lonesome Steve on 04/12/2007 11:20:00

BigRedWarEagle - Posted - 04/12/2007:  17:40:03

Let me know if you find any of those books, Terry. My masters is in Industrial and Labor Relations and I'd LOVE to get my hands on one.

John

2007 Ome Juniper openback

Ottawa - Posted - 04/12/2007:  18:01:07

"Hard-hitting Song for Hard Hit People" Lomax-Guthrie-Seeger. Fantastic collection of songs and lyrics, each with commentary on the times by Woody Guthrie-and lots of period photos. IMHO the definitive collection for these period/topical songs. Not arranged for clawhammer, but easy enough to figure out, they have the musical notation for the melody...

Steven

rendesvous1840 - Posted - 04/12/2007:  21:15:41

Also look for Pete Steele's recording Payday at Coal Creek. It's probably been out of print for decades, but try ttheSmithsonian/ Folkways web site. They will make copies of most of their huge collection for sale to the general public.www.folkways.si.edu You might search their site for labor songs.
Paul



"As I see it, every newborn should be issued a banjo." .....Linus

Stev187 - Posted - 04/13/2007:  13:57:40

I grew up hearing and singing union songs... My grandpa was a union leader, and now I'm president of a union! One of my favorites to play on the banjo is "Too Old to Work and Too Young to Die." I learned it off an old out-of-print UAW record. I think Tommy Makem sang it, and it was written by Joe Glazer:

http://www.press.uillinois.edu/f02/glazer.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...1901654.html

Red Wing/Union Maid is a fun tune to play, too.

If you know Battle Hymn of the Republic (aka John Brown's Body) that's the same tune as Solidarity Forever.

Steve
Flint, Michigan [USA]

-----------------------------------------
JOIN THE UNION!
http://www.banjohangout.org/playersunion/

Stev187 - Posted - 04/13/2007:  14:03:54

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bill Rogers
The NLCR recorded a number of workers' songs through the years too.

---

Edited by - Stev187 on 04/13/2007 14:05:27

vrteach - Posted - 04/13/2007:  14:22:27

The Pete Steele album is available at emusic, if you are a subscriber

http://www.emusic.com/album/10894/10894967.html

as is the New Lost City Ramblers "songs of the depression." I love that one.

http://www.emusic.com/album/10894/10894944.html


Erich
-------
http://vrteach.freepgs.com/banjo/

fictioneer - Posted - 04/13/2007:  17:57:35

Steele's original LoC recording of "Payday" is available on the Yazoo set, Kentucky Mountain Music. It's a better performance than the later one on Folkways (as always, this is just my Rs. 10 worth!), but the audio quality is somewhat lower. This set is also available on eMusic and contains some excellent banjo playing (am I the only one who'd like to see a complete reissue of Justis Begley's LoC recordings?).

Probably made at the same time as the Folkways set, there are a couple of Pete Steele video clips. Likely they're on youtube but I have them on a commercial DVD from Vestapol. Abridged versions of both "Payday" and the instrumental "Coal Creek March" are included.

BigRedWarEagle - Posted - 04/13/2007:  19:45:22

Just bought Seeger's American Industrial Ballads off iTunes...this cd rocks!!!! I am loving it!

2007 Ome Juniper openback

Mountain Banjer Girl - Posted - 04/13/2007:  20:47:37

You should listen to Harlan County, USA. This is a good CD featuring coal mining protest music. I know Hazel Dickens, Phyllis Boyens, and Nimrod Workman appear on the CD. It is out on the Rounder label and is available at County Sales. I have done Clay County Miner, and the Mannington Mine Disaster successfully on the clawhammer banjo.
Mountain Banjer Girl

Pour it on.

Tom-B - Posted - 04/13/2007:  21:08:49

quote:

---

Originally posted by BigRedWarEagle

Let me know if you find any of those books, Terry. My masters is in Industrial and Labor Relations and I'd LOVE to get my hands on one.

---

Tom-B - Posted - 04/13/2007:  21:39:35

quote:

---

[i]
I have the 'Sing Out!' book which has a good collection of union songs. However, its all chord progression so I don't get any feel for the melody.

---

rendesvous1840 - Posted - 04/15/2007:  02:25:50

http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/p...bor.html#top
Try this link for Labor Movement songs. If I did this right, it should work.
Paul



"As I see it, every newborn should be issued a banjo." .....Linus

pastorharry - Posted - 04/15/2007:  03:09:59

This book has a good selection of work and labor union tunes ,plus 100's of other topics-chords only, but very useful for building a repotoire.(Of course ,now that I look at your original post, this may be the one you have....oh well). Aloha and God bless, PH
http://www.amazon.com/Rise-Up-Singi...p/0962670472

Isaiah 38:20 -played on banjo,guitar,dulcimer
http://www.kidspot.org/pastorharry/

Edited by - pastorharry on 04/15/2007 03:12:41