Song Of The Day

Song of the day

(do you want the history of your favorite folk song? dm me or submit an ask, and I'll do a full rundown like here)

"Bread and Roses"

Judy Collins, 1976

since its labor day i thought we could talk about some good ol' IWW labor history

in 1911, Helen Todd gave a speech about women's suffrage and ended it

"Not at once; but woman is the mothering element in the world and her vote will go toward helping forward the time when life's Bread, which is home, shelter and security, and the Roses of life, music, education, nature and books, shall be the heritage of every child that is born in the country, in the government of which she has a voice."

James Oppenheim, inspired by this speech, created the poem "Bread and Roses" in 1911, whose words would later become the lyrics for the judy collins song.

in 1912, 30,000 immigrant textile workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts, went on strike due to poor working conditions and poor pay. this strike was led by the International Workers of the World and was comprised mostly of women. the phrase "bread and roses" was all over signs and became the slogan of the strike, with it even being called the "Bread and Roses Strike". like many strikes in the USA it was absolutely brutal for the strikers, and several people died, but they were able to win some of their demands.

in 1970, the James Oppenheim poem was put to music by mimi fariña, and then covered by judy collins. my favorite cover is by Utah Phillips in 1983 , where he explains the history of the textile strike and the meaning of the slogan

Hearts starve as well as bodies; give us bread, but give us roses 🌹

bruce Springsteen is so interesting to me, i really wanna put him on my folk revival master playlist but i simply cannot bring myself to as it sounds too different from everything else and he's clearly doing a difference thing but AGGHGHH I LOVE HIM I LOVE GHOST OF TOM JOAD

i guess i could put the album where he performs live with pete seeger, yknow, as a treat :3

Joan Baez & Bob Dylan "With God On Our Side" Newport Folk Festival, July 25, 1964.

people's songs newsletter 1947-8

A singing union is a winning union

hey party people i put together a rough survey for a project im hoping to work on this semester, if u like phil ochs and got the time i'd really appreciate checking it out! all questions are optional and anything helps :]

Google Docs

Survey for student documentary on Phil Ochs' fanbase & present day interest in the 60s Vietnam War protest movement

This survey assumes that the person taking it considers themself a fan of Phil Ochs. All questions are optional. Even if you only find yours

Paul Robeson in Big Fella 1937 (colorized)