Interactive Poll #01/2021: Protest (+ Folk) Songs - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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Posted: January 04 2021 at 05:40

Nick, if you found another song (protest song or folk song) you would partecipate to the poll with your selection.

Amos Goldberg (professor of Genocide Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem): Yes, it's genocide. It's so difficult and painful to admit it, but we can no longer avoid this conclusion.

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Posted: January 04 2021 at 04:35

”Parihaka”, by Tim Finn & Herbs

Parihaka immediately comes to my mind. It’s something we learnt in history at school in New Zealand, but only if we chose to take history as a subject. And yet, so much of Aotearoa’s history should be taught to all New Zealanders. In recent years there has been a growing call for 5 November to be a day of remembrance for more local history, than that which occurred halfway around the world - and that is something I fully support.

What’s interesting in a way, is that for many Kiwis, their first knowledge of what happened at Parihaka will have been down to a Pakeha - Tim Finn. I see a lot of people at the moment saying if we share anything, it should be from a black source. While I understand the sentiment, if the message is the same, I don’t think it matters too much - and perhaps those who are more inclined to listen to a white voice, might learn something. If white privilege breaks through the barrier, and gets someone to recognise Black Lives Matter, then that is surely a good thing.

If you don’t know about Parihaka (and, chances are, if you’re not a Kiwi, you won’t), then Wikipedia is as good a place as any to get the gist. This link fast forwards to the conflict of November, but feel free to read more.

Remember, remember the 5th of November. The day 1600 armed troops murdered the peaceful Māori villagers of Parihaka just to claim land. When these soldiers marched in, the people of Parihaka sat quietly on their marae, as singing children greeted the force, this would be one of the worlds first recorded non-violent resistance from native people against colonization. Sadly this was a one-sided brutal fight from the English as the people of Parihaka were either arrested, raped or murdered by these soldiers as they destroyed the village, evicting its inhabitants.

[Full lyrics redacted, but you can find them easily by Googling]

My friend, My friend, I hate to see you suffer
Events conspire to bring us to our knees
My friend, my friend, you've taken this the wrong way
Rise up, defend yourself, never give in
Look to the sky, the spirit of Te Whiti
The endless tide is murmuring his name

I know Te Whiti will never be defeated
And even at the darkest hour
His presence will remain
I'll sing to you the song of Parihaka

[Snip]

Come to Parihaka
Weep for my lost brother
The spirit of nonviolence
Has come to fill the silence
Come to Parihaka

”French Letter”, by Herbs

After some thought, I decided to stick with Herbs for my second nomination. Tim Finn did well to duet with Herbs on Parihaka, as their Māori heritage and great renown for songs of protest no doubt added clout and credence. Herbs were one of New Zealand's first reggae bands to compose original songs, often political, exploring important New Zealand issues such as New Zealand's anti-nuclear stance, the Rainbow Warrior affair, and Māori land rights.

The 1982 single “French Letter” might have been upbeat and cherry sounding, but it was an overt and charged protest against French nuclear testing in the Pacific. It was successful in the charts, and remained so connected in the New Zealand consciousness, that when the French government announcing plans to resume nuclear testing in the Pacific, the song charted again when re-released in 1995. It’s not actually a song I particularly like, though I am onboard fully with its message. There are many Herbs songs I like more, but none had quite the impact in New Zealand as “French Letter” (even if they had greater impact in the charts).

[Full lyrics redacted, but you can find them easily by Googling]

[Snip]

Do you know what makes the ocean glow
Do you know what makes the ocean glow
When unwelcome guests, are making nuclear tests
Are making nuclear tests, are making nuclear tests
Are making nuclear tests

[Snip]

Let me be more specific, get out of the pacific
Ki te la pacific, get out of the pacific
Ki te la pacific

Edited by nick_h_nz - January 04 2021 at 13:07

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Posted: January 04 2021 at 04:14

My selection: two protest songs by "Les Anarchistes", taken from the album: "La Musica Nelle Strade".

Les Anarchistes is a musical project undertaken in 2001 by Nicola Toscano and Max Guerrero together with some musicians and singers from northern Tuscany and southern Liguria, in particular from the city of Carrara, the Italian anarchist city par excellence.

The group takes its name from the title of the song by Léo Ferré, explicitly states the fundamental theme of the song lyrics, that is anarchy, declined first and foremost through the reinterpretation of popular songs of the local and national anarchist tradition.

Since their recording debut, which took place in 2002 with the album "Figli di Origine Oscura" (Sons of dark origin), Les Anarchistes have established themselves among the best novelties of the Italian music scene, in particular by obtaining the Ciampi 2002 award for best debut album, and performing concerts in all Italy.

In 2005, however, the group's second album, "La Musica nelle Strade!" (Music in the streets!), made in part inside the Volterra prison with La Compagnia della Fortezza directed by Armando Punzo, accompanied by a libretto entitled "Music in the streets Canti di freedom in the era of biopolitics "written by Marco Rovelli, singer and author of the group, who exposes the conceptual path of the album in a non-fictional and philosophical key, or rather places of confinement as a metaphor for today's society.

Here's to you two songs taken from "La Musica Nelle Strade!"

1) Les Anarchistes (featuring Petra Magoni): The Ballad of Sacco & Vanzetti (written by Ennio Morricone and Joan Baez)

LYRICS:

"....The shameless lies that men have told

Will ever more be paid in gold
Against us is the power of the gold!
Against us is racial hatred
And the simple fact that we are poor

My father dear, I am a prisoner
Don't be ashamed to tell my crime
The crime of love and brotherhood
And only silence is shame

With me I have my love, my innocence
The workers, and the poor
For all of this I'm safe and strong
And hope is mine
Rebellion, revolution don't need dollars
They need this instead
Imagination, suffering, light and love"

You can find the lyrics here:

https://www.google.com/search?q=the+ballad+of+sacco+and+vanzetti+lyrics&rlz=1C1CHZL_itIT752IT752&oq=the+ba&aqs=chrome.0.69i59l3j69i57j46j69i60j69i61j69i60.1893j1j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

2) Les Anarchistes (featuring Moni Ovadia): Pishkù Li

Les Anarchistes entrust this heartbreaking song in Hebrew to the voice of Moni (Salomon) Ovadia. He himself explains: "It is a paraliturgical chant of the Khassidic repertoire. The iterated text is verse 19 of David's psalm 118, this type of chant was sung by the Khassidim as they led them to the gas chambers."

LYRICS:

"Pishkù li sharey tsedek. Avo vam": Open me the doors of justice. I will enter it.

EDIT

In my opinion these two songs are remarkable especially for the vocal performance of the singers:

Petra Magoni's singing lives up to Joan Baez's, while Moni Ovadia's Kletzmer-style singing I consider it simply exceptional.

Edited by jamesbaldwin - January 04 2021 at 13:59

Amos Goldberg (professor of Genocide Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem): Yes, it's genocide. It's so difficult and painful to admit it, but we can no longer avoid this conclusion.

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Posted: January 04 2021 at 04:06

And here's to you the poll on the Protest songs.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THIS POLL

- How many songs should I choose?

Please choose two songs with a maximum total length of 12 minutes. You can choose them from the same artist or from two different artists.

- How are these songs supposed to be?

If you can, the ideal would be to choose protest songs. With "protest songs" I mean songs with a social, political, ecological theme etc. You decide when a song can be considered a protest song. You can choose protest songs of any musical genre: folk, rock, jazz, electronic music etc. You can also choose them within Progarchives as long as they are taken from albums with less than 100 ratings.

- What if I can't find the protest songs?

You can participate anyway by inserting folk songs. By folk I mean American, Canadian, English, Irish folk but also the folk or ethnic music of every nation (Japanese, Turkish, Danish, German, Italian etc). This music can be played both with traditional acoustic instruments and with electric or electronic instruments, as long as it is folk. Peter Gabriel's world music is also good, that is songs that combine ethnic music or instruments from different countries (like Scottish bagpipes in a song played with African rhythms). You can also choose folk songs within Progarchives, in these categories: Prog folk, Proto-prog, Prog-related, as long as they are taken from albums with less than 100 ratings.

- Let's see if I understand: If I participate with U2's Sunday Bloody Sunday and Stormy Six's Stalingrado, featured here in PA in the album "Un biglietto del tram" is it okay?

That's fine! They are two protest songs, and the second is allowed because it is taken from a Progarchives album with less than 100 ratings.

- Wait, let me give you another example.

If I participate with Suzanne Vega's Luka and John Denver's Thank God I'm a Country Boy, Is it okay?

That's fine! The first is a protest song, because it is about violence against children, the second is an American folk song.

- Let me give you one more example.

If I participate with Have I Told You Lately That I love You, sung by Chieftans and Van Morrison, and with Monte Seris by Bitti's Tenores, featured in Peter Gabriel's World Music, is that okay?

That's fine, because they are two folk songs, the first Irish, the second Sardinian (from the Italian island of Sardinia). Well, the second (only vocals) is so hard... ardous... Confused

but it's ok!

(If there is any of my Sardinian compatriots in the forum: please, do not kidnap me, do not lock me in a cave of the Gennargentu montain, I am joking! Wink

)

- Do I have to write the lyrics of the two songs?

--------> EDITED:

Yes, very good, but it's better to insert a link to the original lyrics (there is the copyright). If the language is not English, you can write here the translation. Even if they are not protest songs. So instrumental songs are not allowed.

- Can I post other songs besides the two requests?

You can report another one, only one, specifying that it is out of the competition, for the pleasure of making it known to the participants, as long as it is a protest song with the text, and you can get it from wherever you want, even in Progarchives.

Thanks, now it's clear.

-----

Hope so!!!

Edited by jamesbaldwin - January 07 2021 at 18:43

Amos Goldberg (professor of Genocide Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem): Yes, it's genocide. It's so difficult and painful to admit it, but we can no longer avoid this conclusion.

Poll Question: Choose three selections
Poll Choice	Votes	Poll Statistics
The Ballad of Sacco & Vanzetti + Pishkù Li	5	[13.89%]
Parihaka + French Letter	1	[2.78%]
Solidaritätslied (Solidarity Song) + L'iditenté	3	[8.33%]
I Was Only 19 + Shipbuilding	5	[13.89%]
Vem kan man lita på? + Kom lad os brokke os	0	[0.00%]
How Miles Must We March + Money It's Pure Evil	0	[0.00%]
Fourth Day Of July + If It Were Up To Me	6	[16.67%]
Gods of War + Sacred Cowboys	3	[8.33%]
I Love The World + Cantic De Haiduc	0	[0.00%]
The Monster - For Everyman	1	[2.78%]
Dispossession + Got No Shotgun Hydrahead Octopus Blues	3	[8.33%]
Kein Ende + Racist Friend	4	[11.11%]
No One is Responsible + Plan (That's Not the Way...)	5	[13.89%]
M	0	[0.00%]
O	0	[0.00%]
R	0	[0.00%]
E	0	[0.00%]
Peace	0	[0.00%]
A	0	[0.00%]
N	0	[0.00%]
D	0	[0.00%]
L	0	[0.00%]
O	0	[0.00%]
V	0	[0.00%]
E	0	[0.00%]
You can not vote in this poll

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jamesbaldwin Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: September 25 2015 Location: Milano Status: Offline Points: 6052	Post Options Post Reply Quote jamesbaldwin Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: January 04 2021 at 05:40
	Nick, if you found another song (protest song or folk song) you would partecipate to the poll with your selection.
	Amos Goldberg (professor of Genocide Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem): Yes, it's genocide. It's so difficult and painful to admit it, but we can no longer avoid this conclusion.

nick_h_nz Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Collaborator Prog Metal / Heavy Prog Team Joined: March 01 2013 Location: Suffolk, UK Status: Offline Points: 6742	Post Options Post Reply Quote nick_h_nz Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: January 04 2021 at 04:35
	”Parihaka”, by Tim Finn & Herbs Parihaka immediately comes to my mind. It’s something we learnt in history at school in New Zealand, but only if we chose to take history as a subject. And yet, so much of Aotearoa’s history should be taught to all New Zealanders. In recent years there has been a growing call for 5 November to be a day of remembrance for more local history, than that which occurred halfway around the world - and that is something I fully support. What’s interesting in a way, is that for many Kiwis, their first knowledge of what happened at Parihaka will have been down to a Pakeha - Tim Finn. I see a lot of people at the moment saying if we share anything, it should be from a black source. While I understand the sentiment, if the message is the same, I don’t think it matters too much - and perhaps those who are more inclined to listen to a white voice, might learn something. If white privilege breaks through the barrier, and gets someone to recognise Black Lives Matter, then that is surely a good thing. If you don’t know about Parihaka (and, chances are, if you’re not a Kiwi, you won’t), then Wikipedia is as good a place as any to get the gist. This link fast forwards to the conflict of November, but feel free to read more. Remember, remember the 5th of November. The day 1600 armed troops murdered the peaceful Māori villagers of Parihaka just to claim land. When these soldiers marched in, the people of Parihaka sat quietly on their marae, as singing children greeted the force, this would be one of the worlds first recorded non-violent resistance from native people against colonization. Sadly this was a one-sided brutal fight from the English as the people of Parihaka were either arrested, raped or murdered by these soldiers as they destroyed the village, evicting its inhabitants. [Full lyrics redacted, but you can find them easily by Googling] My friend, My friend, I hate to see you suffer Events conspire to bring us to our knees My friend, my friend, you've taken this the wrong way Rise up, defend yourself, never give in Look to the sky, the spirit of Te Whiti The endless tide is murmuring his name I know Te Whiti will never be defeated And even at the darkest hour His presence will remain I'll sing to you the song of Parihaka [Snip] Come to Parihaka Weep for my lost brother The spirit of nonviolence Has come to fill the silence Come to Parihaka ”French Letter”, by Herbs After some thought, I decided to stick with Herbs for my second nomination. Tim Finn did well to duet with Herbs on Parihaka, as their Māori heritage and great renown for songs of protest no doubt added clout and credence. Herbs were one of New Zealand's first reggae bands to compose original songs, often political, exploring important New Zealand issues such as New Zealand's anti-nuclear stance, the Rainbow Warrior affair, and Māori land rights. The 1982 single “French Letter” might have been upbeat and cherry sounding, but it was an overt and charged protest against French nuclear testing in the Pacific. It was successful in the charts, and remained so connected in the New Zealand consciousness, that when the French government announcing plans to resume nuclear testing in the Pacific, the song charted again when re-released in 1995. It’s not actually a song I particularly like, though I am onboard fully with its message. There are many Herbs songs I like more, but none had quite the impact in New Zealand as “French Letter” (even if they had greater impact in the charts). [Full lyrics redacted, but you can find them easily by Googling] [Snip] Do you know what makes the ocean glow Do you know what makes the ocean glow When unwelcome guests, are making nuclear tests Are making nuclear tests, are making nuclear tests Are making nuclear tests [Snip] Let me be more specific, get out of the pacific Ki te la pacific, get out of the pacific Ki te la pacific Edited by nick_h_nz - January 04 2021 at 13:07
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jamesbaldwin Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: September 25 2015 Location: Milano Status: Offline Points: 6052	Post Options Post Reply Quote jamesbaldwin Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: January 04 2021 at 04:14
	My selection: two protest songs by "Les Anarchistes", taken from the album: "La Musica Nelle Strade". Les Anarchistes is a musical project undertaken in 2001 by Nicola Toscano and Max Guerrero together with some musicians and singers from northern Tuscany and southern Liguria, in particular from the city of Carrara, the Italian anarchist city par excellence. The group takes its name from the title of the song by Léo Ferré, explicitly states the fundamental theme of the song lyrics, that is anarchy, declined first and foremost through the reinterpretation of popular songs of the local and national anarchist tradition. Since their recording debut, which took place in 2002 with the album "Figli di Origine Oscura" (Sons of dark origin), Les Anarchistes have established themselves among the best novelties of the Italian music scene, in particular by obtaining the Ciampi 2002 award for best debut album, and performing concerts in all Italy. In 2005, however, the group's second album, "La Musica nelle Strade!" (Music in the streets!), made in part inside the Volterra prison with La Compagnia della Fortezza directed by Armando Punzo, accompanied by a libretto entitled "Music in the streets Canti di freedom in the era of biopolitics "written by Marco Rovelli, singer and author of the group, who exposes the conceptual path of the album in a non-fictional and philosophical key, or rather places of confinement as a metaphor for today's society. Here's to you two songs taken from "La Musica Nelle Strade!" 1) Les Anarchistes (featuring Petra Magoni): The Ballad of Sacco & Vanzetti (written by Ennio Morricone and Joan Baez) LYRICS: "....The shameless lies that men have told Will ever more be paid in gold Against us is the power of the gold! Against us is racial hatred And the simple fact that we are poor My father dear, I am a prisoner Don't be ashamed to tell my crime The crime of love and brotherhood And only silence is shame With me I have my love, my innocence The workers, and the poor For all of this I'm safe and strong And hope is mine Rebellion, revolution don't need dollars They need this instead Imagination, suffering, light and love" You can find the lyrics here: https://www.google.com/search?q=the+ballad+of+sacco+and+vanzetti+lyrics&rlz=1C1CHZL_itIT752IT752&oq=the+ba&aqs=chrome.0.69i59l3j69i57j46j69i60j69i61j69i60.1893j1j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 2) Les Anarchistes (featuring Moni Ovadia): Pishkù Li Les Anarchistes entrust this heartbreaking song in Hebrew to the voice of Moni (Salomon) Ovadia. He himself explains: "It is a paraliturgical chant of the Khassidic repertoire. The iterated text is verse 19 of David's psalm 118, this type of chant was sung by the Khassidim as they led them to the gas chambers." LYRICS: "Pishkù li sharey tsedek. Avo vam": Open me the doors of justice. I will enter it. EDIT In my opinion these two songs are remarkable especially for the vocal performance of the singers: Petra Magoni's singing lives up to Joan Baez's, while Moni Ovadia's Kletzmer-style singing I consider it simply exceptional. Edited by jamesbaldwin - January 04 2021 at 13:59
	Amos Goldberg (professor of Genocide Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem): Yes, it's genocide. It's so difficult and painful to admit it, but we can no longer avoid this conclusion.

jamesbaldwin Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: September 25 2015 Location: Milano Status: Offline Points: 6052	Post Options Post Reply Quote jamesbaldwin Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: January 04 2021 at 04:06
	And here's to you the poll on the Protest songs. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THIS POLL - How many songs should I choose? Please choose two songs with a maximum total length of 12 minutes. You can choose them from the same artist or from two different artists. - How are these songs supposed to be? If you can, the ideal would be to choose protest songs. With "protest songs" I mean songs with a social, political, ecological theme etc. You decide when a song can be considered a protest song. You can choose protest songs of any musical genre: folk, rock, jazz, electronic music etc. You can also choose them within Progarchives as long as they are taken from albums with less than 100 ratings. - What if I can't find the protest songs? You can participate anyway by inserting folk songs. By folk I mean American, Canadian, English, Irish folk but also the folk or ethnic music of every nation (Japanese, Turkish, Danish, German, Italian etc). This music can be played both with traditional acoustic instruments and with electric or electronic instruments, as long as it is folk. Peter Gabriel's world music is also good, that is songs that combine ethnic music or instruments from different countries (like Scottish bagpipes in a song played with African rhythms). You can also choose folk songs within Progarchives, in these categories: Prog folk, Proto-prog, Prog-related, as long as they are taken from albums with less than 100 ratings. - Let's see if I understand: If I participate with U2's Sunday Bloody Sunday and Stormy Six's Stalingrado, featured here in PA in the album "Un biglietto del tram" is it okay? That's fine! They are two protest songs, and the second is allowed because it is taken from a Progarchives album with less than 100 ratings. - Wait, let me give you another example. If I participate with Suzanne Vega's Luka and John Denver's Thank God I'm a Country Boy, Is it okay? That's fine! The first is a protest song, because it is about violence against children, the second is an American folk song. - Let me give you one more example. If I participate with Have I Told You Lately That I love You, sung by Chieftans and Van Morrison, and with Monte Seris by Bitti's Tenores, featured in Peter Gabriel's World Music, is that okay? That's fine, because they are two folk songs, the first Irish, the second Sardinian (from the Italian island of Sardinia). Well, the second (only vocals) is so hard... ardous... but it's ok! (If there is any of my Sardinian compatriots in the forum: please, do not kidnap me, do not lock me in a cave of the Gennargentu montain, I am joking! ) - Do I have to write the lyrics of the two songs? --------> EDITED: Yes, very good, but it's better to insert a link to the original lyrics (there is the copyright). If the language is not English, you can write here the translation. Even if they are not protest songs. So instrumental songs are not allowed. - Can I post other songs besides the two requests? You can report another one, only one, specifying that it is out of the competition, for the pleasure of making it known to the participants, as long as it is a protest song with the text, and you can get it from wherever you want, even in Progarchives. Thanks, now it's clear. ----- Hope so!!! Edited by jamesbaldwin - January 07 2021 at 18:43
	Amos Goldberg (professor of Genocide Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem): Yes, it's genocide. It's so difficult and painful to admit it, but we can no longer avoid this conclusion.