I'm fascinated by those libertarian movements that spring up in times of uncertainty and unrest...the Peasants Revolt with its slogan 'When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?', but most of all the Civil War movements like the Diggers and the Levellers. No ruling class will tolerate them; it's during times of chaos that they flourish briefly and then are stamped out. Dammit. This first song is the one I remembered from being in a play about the Diggers.
The Diggers' Song - Chumbawamba
The New St George - Richard Thompson
Freedom and Rain - June Tabor and the Oysterband
We Shall Overcome - Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Sessions Band
Van Diemen's Land - Shirley Collins and the Albion Country Band
The Ballad of Easy Rider - Fairport Convention
Freedom Come All Ye - Five Hand Reel
The World Turned Upside Down - Billy Bragg
4 comments:
Excellent; especially in the light of the O'Hagan article in today's Grauniad, a potent reminder of the traditions of popular culture and resistance. Desperately needed, at a time when the world has already been turned upside down by the idiots and lunatics to whom we conceded power over us...
TFD, I loved the whole playlist, and according to my boxstr files a lot of people are listening to yours, because I only have maybe 2 listens for the rest of my songs, but the first one, which comes right after yours, has 9!
Thank you, steenbeck: 'preciate it.
Interesting how Chumbawamba have mutated into a folk collective (not that there's anything wrong with that).
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