“In my book it’s pretty simple. If you work hard to PREVENT people from voting, you pretty much admit that your ideas aren’t popular and you fear the verdict of the people.” Dan Rather
“In my book it’s pretty simple. If you work hard to PREVENT people from voting, you pretty much admit that your ideas aren’t popular and you fear the verdict of the people.” Dan Rather
Oh my. Springsteen's rendition of Woody Guthrie's song and his love for our country choked me up. An old song, so relevant for how so many Americans feel about our Constitutional crises today. There is a growing list of songs that could become multiple anthems for the states of our democracies around our world today.
Wow... thanks for the quote and the video. I have wondered what has become of our great protest singers... when the 60’s were chock full of them, now we just hear crickets. I wish the movement could swell up again and help empower us.
I miss them too, Pamsy, but otherwise respectfully dissent. They are out there, though it's harder to spot them with YouTube and Twitter so cluttered. It's interesting that you say "protest singers" rather than folk singers. Hip hop is probably the genre most committed to overt political themes. I dislike its unmelodic style, but the political content is all we could wish for. From Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye, through Blaxploitation films, to rap and hip hop, the Civil Rights movement ended the (self) censorship imposed on R&B, jazz, and other Black artists. This is progress -- let's have more!
I'm not so sure we were braver - perhaps more terrified when the issues were go to Vietnam and die, or speak up and be assassinated. What was left? We had no choice. Today everything can look peachy keen while the RQC and Qanon and Proud Boy sheep plan their 2nd insurrection attempt for August under our happy, vaccinated, sunburned noses. I also think "The Media" in the 60's and 70's was pretty concentrated to 3 TV stations, plus the 3 radio ones (country, polka and the cool new FM one) so young Bruce Springsteen had one big audience (not the polka station) for young people. We ALL heard and sang the same protest songs. Now artists and athletes and heroes have so many multiplex forums, blogs, podcasts, sites, channels, uploads , substacks, tik toks, and smartspeakers (I listen to my daughter delivering morning news briefs for the Chicago Tribune and others - I'm putting in a plug here for "Spoken Layer", currently looking for more great audio talent!) that the message and the songs gets diluted and dispersed. Plus, how many rock or folk concerts have you been to in the past year. Like, NONE, Right?! That's where we got our communal energy and focus, and, well, bravery. We do need that movement again, that clear message, that unifying song, an anthem for oir new democracy. Fer Sure.
Thanks you for this, Ted. A deep truth, beautifully said, and a lovely song of our shared beliefs that nowadays seem buried under the deluge of propaganda that has muffled us (whether self-marketing on social media or the more institutional variety).
As far as voting rights, please read this LA Times analysis of how SCOTUS has been morphed in supporting the Republicans' concept re voting. (IMHO, the Federalist Society' efforts over the past 40 years have paid off (I use that term deliberately, since it has been taking dark money, per Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse's piece titled "The Third Federalist Society" that appeared in Medium 3/27/19.) Here's the LA Times analysis: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2021-06-04/how-supreme-court-tilted-election-law-favor-gop
“In my book it’s pretty simple. If you work hard to PREVENT people from voting, you pretty much admit that your ideas aren’t popular and you fear the verdict of the people.” Dan Rather
“Countries, just like with people, it’s easy, to let the best of yourself slip away”-Bruce Springsteen.
This is what has happened to Mitch McConnel and todays Republican Party.
https://youtu.be/1yuc4BI5NWU
Oh my. Springsteen's rendition of Woody Guthrie's song and his love for our country choked me up. An old song, so relevant for how so many Americans feel about our Constitutional crises today. There is a growing list of songs that could become multiple anthems for the states of our democracies around our world today.
“This machine kills fascists”
I prefer Pete Seeger's "This machine surrounds hate and forces it to surrender."
yeah, agree. That is better, but that wont fit on my Guitar.
https://www.amazon.com/My-Dusty-Road-4-CD/dp/B0025XV1LW/ref=asc_df_B0025XV1LW/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312149562874&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17548947961285987162&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029448&hvtargid=pla-583998803444&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=62466800336&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312149562874&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17548947961285987162&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029448&hvtargid=pla-583998803444
Penelope, this Spotify version is even better. For u:
https://open.spotify.com/track/4MvJlIpDpdZi4sCXvAhrym?si=AOxvzytaT-KG6feeI2sAqQ
Wow... thanks for the quote and the video. I have wondered what has become of our great protest singers... when the 60’s were chock full of them, now we just hear crickets. I wish the movement could swell up again and help empower us.
I miss them too, Pamsy, but otherwise respectfully dissent. They are out there, though it's harder to spot them with YouTube and Twitter so cluttered. It's interesting that you say "protest singers" rather than folk singers. Hip hop is probably the genre most committed to overt political themes. I dislike its unmelodic style, but the political content is all we could wish for. From Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye, through Blaxploitation films, to rap and hip hop, the Civil Rights movement ended the (self) censorship imposed on R&B, jazz, and other Black artists. This is progress -- let's have more!
I’m not able right as this moment TPJ, but I have a few things to say about music and the young people now. And it’s all good.
I love hip hop.
Worth waiting for, C. Take your time.
Yes please
Folk songs...I was raised on it. Still love it.
We were braver then. Not scared to speak out. Artists/Athletes/hero’s need to step it up.
I'm not so sure we were braver - perhaps more terrified when the issues were go to Vietnam and die, or speak up and be assassinated. What was left? We had no choice. Today everything can look peachy keen while the RQC and Qanon and Proud Boy sheep plan their 2nd insurrection attempt for August under our happy, vaccinated, sunburned noses. I also think "The Media" in the 60's and 70's was pretty concentrated to 3 TV stations, plus the 3 radio ones (country, polka and the cool new FM one) so young Bruce Springsteen had one big audience (not the polka station) for young people. We ALL heard and sang the same protest songs. Now artists and athletes and heroes have so many multiplex forums, blogs, podcasts, sites, channels, uploads , substacks, tik toks, and smartspeakers (I listen to my daughter delivering morning news briefs for the Chicago Tribune and others - I'm putting in a plug here for "Spoken Layer", currently looking for more great audio talent!) that the message and the songs gets diluted and dispersed. Plus, how many rock or folk concerts have you been to in the past year. Like, NONE, Right?! That's where we got our communal energy and focus, and, well, bravery. We do need that movement again, that clear message, that unifying song, an anthem for oir new democracy. Fer Sure.
But that is how many scared people at least offer a peep.... through music!!!!’
https://open.spotify.com/track/4MvJlIpDpdZi4sCXvAhrym?si=AOxvzytaT-KG6feeI2sAqQ
"...In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people,
By the relief office I seen my people;
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking
Is this land made for you and me?
Nobody living can ever stop me,
As I go walking that freedom highway;
Nobody living can ever make me turn back
This land was made for you and me."
Woody Guthrie, sigh . . . gone long before his time. Perhaps Pete Seeger living to 94 restored a semblance of cosmic balance.
Pete Seeger. Yes.
https://open.spotify.com/track/4MvJlIpDpdZi4sCXvAhrym?si=AOxvzytaT-KG6feeI2sAqQ
Thanks you for this, Ted. A deep truth, beautifully said, and a lovely song of our shared beliefs that nowadays seem buried under the deluge of propaganda that has muffled us (whether self-marketing on social media or the more institutional variety).
Enjoy this live from 1975 ...
https://open.spotify.com/track/4MvJlIpDpdZi4sCXvAhrym?si=AOxvzytaT-KG6feeI2sAqQ
As far as voting rights, please read this LA Times analysis of how SCOTUS has been morphed in supporting the Republicans' concept re voting. (IMHO, the Federalist Society' efforts over the past 40 years have paid off (I use that term deliberately, since it has been taking dark money, per Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse's piece titled "The Third Federalist Society" that appeared in Medium 3/27/19.) Here's the LA Times analysis: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2021-06-04/how-supreme-court-tilted-election-law-favor-gop
DE-PRESSING.
MaryPat, here’s a pick me up...
https://open.spotify.com/track/4MvJlIpDpdZi4sCXvAhrym?si=AOxvzytaT-KG6feeI2sAqQ
Spot on!