Folk music Music and politics

1 folk music

1.1 american folk revival
1.2 blues , black american music
1.3 contemporary western folk music
1.4 folk music around world

folk music
american folk revival

the song shall overcome perhaps best-known example of political folk music, in case rallying-cry civil rights movement. pete seeger involved in popularisation of song, joan baez. during part of 20th century, poor working conditions , class struggle lead growth of labour movement , numerous songs advocating social , political reform. famous songwriter of 20th century wobblies joe hill. later, 1940s through 1960s, groups almanac singers , weavers influential in reviving type of socio-political music. woody guthrie s land land 1 of famous american folk songs , lyrics exemplify guthrie s socialistic patriotism. pete seeger s have flowers gone? , popular anti-war protest song. many of these types of songs became popular during vietnam war era. blowin in wind, bob dylan, hit peter, paul , mary, , suggested younger generation becoming more aware of global problems many of older generation. in 1964, joan baez had top-ten hit in uk there fortune (by phil ochs); plea innocent victim of prejudice or inhumane policies. many topical songwriters social , political messages emerged folk music revival of 1960s, including bob dylan, joan baez, phil ochs, tom paxton, buffy sainte-marie, judy collins, arlo guthrie, , others.

the folk revival can considered political re-invention of traditional song, development encouraged left-leaning folk record labels , magazines such sing out! , broadside. revival began in 1930s , continued after world war ii. folk songs of time gained popularity using old hymns , songs adapting lyrics fit current social , political conditions. archivists , artists such alan lomax, lead belly , woody guthrie crucial in popularising folk music, , latter began known lomax singers. era of folk music in artists , songs expressed clear political messages intention of swaying public opinion , recruiting support. in uk, ewan maccoll , a. l. lloyd performed similar roles, lloyd folklorist , maccoll (often peggy seeger) releasing dozens of albums blended traditional songs newer political material influenced communist activism.

in later, post-war revival, folk music found new audience college students, partly since universities provided organisation necessary sustaining music trends , expanded, impressionable audience looking rebel against older generation. nevertheless, rhetoric of united states government during cold war era powerful , in ways overpowered message of folk artists, such in relation public opinion regarding communist-backed political causes. various gallup polls conducted during time suggest americans consistently saw communism threat; example, 1954 poll shows @ time 51% of americans said admitted communists should arrested, , in relation music 64% of respondents said if radio singer admitted communist should fired. leading figures in american folk revival such seeger, earl robinson , irwin silber or had been members of communist party, while others such guthrie (who had written column cpusa magazine new masses), lee hays , paul robeson considered fellow travellers. mccarthyism began dominate united states population , government, more difficult folk artists travel , perform since folk pushed out of mainstream music. artists blacklisted, denounced politicians , media, , in case of 1949 peekskill riots, subject mob attack.

in general, significance of lyrics within folk music reduced became influenced rock , roll. however, during popular folk revival s last phase in 1960s, new folk artists such bob dylan , phil ochs began writing own, original topical music, opposed adapting traditional folksong.

blues , black american music

blues songs have reputation of being resigned fate rather fighting against misfortune, there have been exceptions. bessie smith recorded protest song poor man blues in 1928. josh white recorded when going called man in 1936 - @ time common white men address black men boy - before releasing 2 albums of explicitly political material, 1940 s chain gang , 1941 s southern exposure - album of jim crow blues. lead belly s bourgeois blues , big bill broonzy s black, brown , white (aka ) protested racism. billie holiday recorded , popularised song strange fruit in 1939. written communist lewis allan, , recorded josh white , nina simone, addressed southern racism, lynching of african-americans, , performed protest song in new york venues, including madison square gardens. in post-war era, j.b. lenoir gained reputation political , social comment; record label pulled planned release of 1954 single eisenhower blues due title , later material protested civil rights, racism , vietnam war. john lee hooker sang don t wanna go vietnam on 1969 album truth.

paul robeson, singer, actor, athlete, , civil rights activist, investigated fbi , called before house un-american activities committee (huac) outspoken political views. state department denied robeson passport , issued stop notice @ ports, confining him united states. in symbolic act of defiance against travel ban, labour unions in u.s. , canada organised concert @ international peace arch on border between washington state , canadian province of british columbia on may 18, 1952. robeson stood on of flat bed truck on u.s. side of border , performed concert crowd on canadian side, variously estimated @ between 20,000 , 40,000 people. returned perform second concert @ peace arch in 1953, , on next 2 years 2 further concerts scheduled.

contemporary western folk music

although public attention shifted rock music mid 1960s, folk singers such joan baez , tom paxton continued address political concerns in music , activism. baez s 1974 gracias la vida album response events in chile , included versions of songs nueva canción chilena singer-songwriters violeta parra , victor jara. paxton albums such outward bound , morning again continued highlight political issues. joined other activist musicians such holly near, ray korona, charlie king, anne feeney, jim page, utah phillips , more david rovics.

in ireland, wolfe tones perhaps best known band in folk protest/rebel music tradition, recording political material since late 1960s including songs dominic behan on albums such let people sing , rifles of i.r.a. christy moore has recorded political material, including on debut solo album paddy on road, produced , featuring songs dominic behan, , on albums such ride on (including viva la quinta brigada ), ordinary man , various artists lp h block moore contributed ninety miles dublin , in response republican prisoners blanket protest of late 1970s. earlier in decade, barleycorn had held #1 spot on irish charts 5 weeks in 1972 first release men behind wire , internment, profits going families of internees; republican label r&o records likewise released several records around time fundraise same cause, including live album smash internment, recorded in long kesh, , wolfhounds recording of paddy mcguigan s boys of old brigade .

in uk, ewan maccoll tradition of political folk has been continued since 1960s singer-songwriters such roy bailey, leon rosselson , dick gaughan. since 1980s, number of artists have blended folk protest influences punk , elsewhere produce topical , political songs modern independent rock music audience, including billy bragg, attila stockbroker, robb johnson, alistair hulett, men couldn t hang, tv smith, chumbawamba , more chris t-t , grace petrie.

folk music around world

folk music had strong connection politics internationally. hungary, instance, experimented form of liberal communism in late cold war era, reflected in of folk music. during late twentieth century folk music crucial in hungary, romania, czechoslovakia , yugoslavia allowed ethnicities express national identity in time of political uncertainty , chaos.

in communist china, exclusively national music promoted. flautist named zhao songtim - member of zhejiang song-and-dance troupe - attended arts festival in 1957 in mexico punished international outlook being expelled troupe, , 1966 1970 underwent re-education . in 1973 returned troupe expelled again following accusations.

an example of folk music being used conservative, rather radical, political ends shown cultural activities of edward lansdale, cia chief dedicated part of career counter-insurgency in philippines , vietnam. lansdale believed government s best weapon against communist rebellion support , trust of population. in 1953 arranged release of campaign song credited helping elect philippine president ramon magsaysay, important anti-communist ally. in 1965, intrigued local vietnamese customs , traditions, , potential use of applied folklore technique of raising consciousness, began record , curate tapes of folk songs intelligence purposes. urged performers such phạm duy write , perform patriotic songs raise morale in south vietnam. duy had written topical songs popular during anti-french struggle broke communist-dominated viet minh.