Atheist/humanist songs
Pauline Lerner
a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an atheist/humanist
or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
Al Christians
That's a hard one. I hope that someone can give you more help than
me, but here are a few ideas crossing my mind:
1. "It's a Long Way from Amphioxus" by Sam Hinton. A humorous mothful
that tells how we got here.
2. There's an interesting semi-parody of the "The Mary Ellen Carter"
that uses the same tune but substitutes the words of "The Eentsy-Weentsy
Spider" and throws in some nice philosophizing about the upward drives
of all living things. IDK where to find the words, but probably someone
around here has them.
3. There's a nice old Carter family song "Give Me the Roses" with lines
like "Give me the roses while I live, trying to cheer me on, Useless
are flowers that we give after the soul is gone." Good sentiments
combined with stark contrasts of life to the finality of death.
4. Go to a Unitarian-Universalist church and browse through the hymnal.
Humaninsts and atheists are welcome in U-U congregations. There might
be something in there you like.
Let us know what you find.
Al
Al Christians
Al
Steven Alexander
Pauline Lerner <harm...@erols.com> wrote:
>Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play with
>a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
>is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an atheist/humanist
>or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
Robbie Fulks's CD "Let's Kill Saturday Night," out late
last year, includes a song (title forgotten) essentially
telling why he's an atheist. It's a deceptively pleasantly
tuneful country-style song.
It probably can be listened to over the Web as part of NPR's
"Fresh Air" program at
<http://www.freshair.com/cgi-bin/FAlookup.cgi?month=12&thedate=2&year=1998>
Also see that page for a quick write-up of Fulks himself.
Steven Alexander
ste...@teleport.com
<http://www.users.interport.net/~stevena/ff/>
Jeri Corlew
>Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play with
>a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
>is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an atheist/humanist
>or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
"Son of Man" by Dick Gaughan. Lyrics are at:
http://www.dickalba.demon.co.uk/songs/texts/sonofman.htm
And I second Al Christians recommendation of "When I'm Gone" by Phil Ochs.
--
Jeri Corlew
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Joe Felsenstein
Pauline Lerner <harm...@erols.com> wrote:
>Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play with
>a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
>is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an atheist/humanist
>or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
People have made the appropriate suggestion of Phil Ochs's "When I'm gone".
There are also some songs that explain why the singer is not a Christian.
These might, however, offend Christians.
But just in case ... (easily-offended Christians please stop reading here)
I used to hang out with some Unitarians who had several, including these:
1) A parody of "Charlie on the MTA" (itself a rewrite of H.C. Work's "The
Ship That Never Returned", BTW):
Let me tell you the story of a man called Jesus
On a tragic and fateful day
He put three nails in his pocket and a cross on his shoulder
And to Calvary marched away
But did he ever return? No he never returned!
And his fate is still unlearned
We will wait in vain for the second coming
Of the Man Who Never Returned
2) A rewrite of the Pepsi jingle that was universally known by everyone in
the 1950's ("Pepsi Cola hits the spot, twelve ounce bottle, that's a lot"):
Christianity hits the spot
Twelve apostles, that's a lot
Holy Ghost and the Virgin too
Christianity's the one for you
For a more bitter take on the message of Christianity, try Leon Rosselson's
"Stand Up For Judas", which I find fairly powerful.
And Mark Graham has (unrecorded as far as I know) a wonderful commentary
on the implications of the concept of Heaven, "No Democracy in Heaven".
--
Joe Felsenstein j...@genetics.washington.edu
Dept. of Genetics, Univ. of Washington, Box 357360, Seattle, WA 98195-7360 USA
Mike Regenstreif
Joe Felsenstein <j...@evolution.genetics.washington.edu> wrote in article
<77g2be$13c0$1...@nntp3.u.washington.edu>...
> And Mark Graham has (unrecorded as far as I know) a wonderful commentary
> on the implications of the concept of Heaven, "No Democracy in Heaven".
>
"No Democracy in Heaven" is on Mark Graham's self-released album INNER
LIFE.
--
Mike Regenstreif
Folk Roots/Folk Branches -- CKUT 90.3 FM -- Montreal
mre...@vax2.concordia.ca
http://www.dejanews.com/~ckutfolk/
Beverly Boling
has recorded several freethought (atheist) songs. The address for the
Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. is P. O. Box 750 Madison,
Wisconsin 53701. Their telephone numbers are: 1-608-256-8900; 1-608-
256-5800. Their email address is: ftt...@mailbag.com
His recordings can be purchased directly from the Freedom From
Religion Foundation, Inc.
Beverly Boling (bev_boling@prodigy.
com)
Abby Sale
<ach...@easystreet.com> wrote:
>Pauline Lerner wrote:
>>
>> Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play with
>> a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
>> is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an atheist/humanist
>> or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
>
>That's a hard one. I hope that someone can give you more help than
>me, but here are a few ideas crossing my mind:
>
>1. "It's a Long Way from Amphioxus" by Sam Hinton. A humorous mothful
>that tells how we got here.
Sam denies he wrote this masterpiece. Although he is the sole source
for its happy discovery & presentation to the world. Still deny it? I
won't tell anyone.
There are, if you mean to go in the more or less negative route, many
anti-church songs. I'm thinking right off Burns' "The Bonniest Lass"
bitter indictment from _The Merry Muses_. It's not in DigTrad but I'm
sending it to them today. And "The Vicar of Bray." I guess hypocracy
is the most common theme.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---
I am Abby Sale - abby...@orlinter.com (That's in Orlando)
Frank Hamilton
I recommend Bill Staine's song, "The Quiet Faith of Man". No religion
mentioned or I think intended in the song. It could be interpreted to
mean, the quiet faith in man. (No mention of woman, however, but man
means mankind).
Frank
".
jer...@delanet.com (Jeri Corlew) wrote:
>On Mon, 11 Jan 1999 22:05:25 -0500, Pauline Lerner <harm...@erols.com> wrote:
>>Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play with
>>a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
>>is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an atheist/humanist
>>or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
> "Son of Man" by Dick Gaughan. Lyrics are at:
Joseph C Fineman
>Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play
>with a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk
>on why he is an atheist?
"The Preacher and the Slave" by Joe Hill:
You will eat, bye and bye,
In that glorious land above the sky.
Work and pray, live on hay,
You'll get pie in the sky when you die (that's a lie!).
--- Joe Fineman j...@world.std.com
||: Most of the evil in the world comes from nature, and most :||
||: of the ugliness comes from art. :||
Simon van Dongen
>Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play with
>a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
>is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an atheist/humanist
>or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
Joe Hill, The Preacher and the Slave. Only recording of I ever came
across was on a Cisco Houston LP, but the text is in The Folksinger's
Wordbook. (Irwin! Any plans to reissue that?)
Long haired preachers come out every night
Try to tell you what's wrong and what's right
But when asked about something to eat
They will answer in voices so sweet:
Oh you will eat, bye and bye
In that glorious land above the sky
(Way up high!)
Work and pray, live on hay,
You'll get Pie In the Sky when you Die
(It's a lie!)
Holy Rollers and Jumpers come out
And they holler, they jump, and they shout
'Till they get all your coin on the drum
Then they'll tell you when you're on the bum
Oh you will eat, bye and bye...
(And so on and so forth)
I tend to play it after I've heard (or even played) too much
reli-folk.
--
Simon van Dongen <sg...@xs4all.nl> Rotterdam, The Netherlands
As he reclined there he sang ballads of ancient valour, from
time to time beating a hollow wooden duck in unison with his
voice, so that the charitable should have no excuse for
missing the entertainment. -Bramah, Kai Lung's Golden Hours
Adam Levenstein
wrote:
>
>Joe Hill, The Preacher and the Slave. Only recording of I ever came
>across was on a Cisco Houston LP, but the text is in The Folksinger's
>Wordbook. (Irwin! Any plans to reissue that?)
the IWW CD (whose name I can't remember) also has a recording...It's a
fun song to hear *and* sing. :)
I'm curious as to this "Folksinger's Wordbook." I'm trying to find as
many folk music books as I can; unfortunately, as a young guy in a
college town (State College, PA) they're few and far between. So far,
my collection is mainly stuff from Sing Out!: Carry It On, Rise Up
Singing (when I find the damn thing again - I set it down the other
day, haven't seen it since), and Reprints #2.
I also have the Mel Bay book of Country Blues, which I suppose counts.
It's just not as political. :)
Adam
----------------------------------------------
Adam Levenstein
Vice President, PSU Skeptics Club
http://www.clubs.psu.edu/skeptics/
"A government that robs Peter to pay Paul
can always depend upon the support of Paul."
- George Bernard Shaw
----------------------------------------------
Harold Groot
>Pauline Lerner wrote:
>>
>> Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play with
>> a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
>> is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an atheist/humanist
>> or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
Well, there's:
A THANKSGIVING SONG FOR A PLURALISTIC SOCIETY
by Chris Weber
Where the verses are ending along these lines:
So thank your God, wherever He is at (She/They)
And if you think that it happened all by luck, thanks to that.
Ken Davis
Jeri Corlew wrote in message <369c3dbc...@news.delanet.com>...
>On Mon, 11 Jan 1999 22:05:25 -0500, Pauline Lerner <harm...@erols.com>
wrote:
>
>>Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play with
>>a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
>>is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an atheist/humanist
>>or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
>
>http://www.dickalba.demon.co.uk/songs/texts/sonofman.htm
>
>And I second Al Christians recommendation of "When I'm Gone" by Phil Ochs.
I third it... - Ken
Ken Davis
Pauline Lerner wrote in message <369ABB...@erols.com>...
>Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play with
>a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
>is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an atheist/humanist
>or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
Along with Phil Ochs' "When I'm Gone" is, of course (depending on the
speaker's reasons for being an atheist)his song, "The Crucifixion". - Ken
Mary Creasey
>
> On or about Mon, 11 Jan 1999 22:05:25 -0500, Pauline Lerner wrote:
>
> >Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play with
> >a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
> >is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an atheist/humanist
> >or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
>
> across was on a Cisco Houston LP, but the text is in The Folksinger's
> Wordbook. (Irwin! Any plans to reissue that?)
>
> Try to tell you what's wrong and what's right
> But when asked about something to eat
> They will answer in voices so sweet:
>
> Oh you will eat, bye and bye
> In that glorious land above the sky
> (Way up high!)
> Work and pray, live on hay,
> You'll get Pie In the Sky when you Die
> (It's a lie!)
>
> Holy Rollers and Jumpers come out
> And they holler, they jump, and they shout
> 'Till they get all your coin on the drum
> Then they'll tell you when you're on the bum
>
> Oh you will eat, bye and bye...
>
> (And so on and so forth)
>
> I tend to play it after I've heard (or even played) too much
> reli-folk.
There was another recording: Leslie Fish and the Dehorn Crew
on _It's Sister Jenny's Turn To Throw The Bomb_, released twice--
once on Off Centaur and once on Firebird. Both versions, sadly, are
out of print and unavailable.
Mary the Filker
Ken Davis
Ken Davis wrote in message <77icl1$qfl$1...@winter.news.rcn.net>...
>>a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
>>is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an atheist/humanist
>>or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
>
>speaker's reasons for being an atheist)his song, "The Crucifixion". - Ken
>
>
On an even more cynical note... Randy Newman's "That's Why I Love Mankind" -
Ken
Bob Cimikowski
Dick Gaughan has a song of this nature on his 2nd last CD.
Something like "...but there are no gods, and there are
precious few heroes."
Lil Magill
> Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play with
> a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
> is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an atheist/humanist
> or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
Mark Graham's "Have a Nice Day", on his NATURAL SELECTIONS album, would
fill the bill.
Lil :-)
Irwin Silber
publishers) I am sure that The Folksingers' Wordbook is still in
print. I know they brought out a "deluxe" edition which is much too
expensive. Write them at Music Sales Corp., PO Box 572, 445 Bellvale
Rd., Chester, NY 10918. Phone: (914) 469-2271.
Irwin Silber
Stephen Suffet
>
> Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play
> with a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk
> on why he is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an
> atheist/humanist or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
Greetings:
Try "The Pracher and the Slave" (a/k/a "Pie in the Sky") by Joe
Hill.
Regards,
Steve
----------------------------------------------------------------------
THE PREACHER AND THE SLAVE
Tune : "In the Sweet Bye and Bye" (Salvation Army hymn)
New words: Joe Hill (Industrial Workers of the World)
Long haired preachers come out every night,
Try to tell you what's wrong and what's right;
But when asked about something to eat,
They will answer with voices so sweet:
Main chorus:
You will eat bye and bye,
In that glorious land above the sky;
Work and pray, live on hay,
You'll get pie in the sky when you die. (That's a lie!)
And the Starvation Army they play,
And they sing and they clap and they pray,.
'Til they get all your coin on their drum,
Then they tell you when you're on the bum.
You will eat bye and bye...
Holy Rollers and Jumpers come out,
Oh, they holler, the jump and they shout:
"Give your money to Jesus," they say,
"He will cure all your troubles today."
And you'll eat bye and bye...
If you work hard for children and wife,
Try to get something good in this life,
You're a sinner and bad man, they tell,
When you die you will sure go to hell.
But you'll eat bye and bye...
Workingmen of all nations unite,
Side by side we for freedom we will fight,
When the world and its wealth we have gained
To the grafters we'll sing this refrain:
Final chorus:
You will eat, bye and bye,
When you've learned how to cook and how to fry.
Chop some wood, it will do you good.
And you'll eat in the sweet bye and bye. (That ain't no lie!)
Joseph C Fineman
>I'm curious as to this "Folksinger's Wordbook."
Compiled & edited by Irwin & Fred Silber; published by Oak
Publications (of blessed memory), 1973. I bought my copy in 1981;
probably, like many good things, it's out of print.
--- Joe Fineman j...@world.std.com
||: We only of Creation (Oh, luckier bridge and rail!) :||
||: Abide the twin-damnation -- To fail and know we fail. :||
Howard L. Kaplan
> 2. There's an interesting semi-parody of the "The Mary Ellen Carter"
> that uses the same tune but substitutes the words of "The
> but probably someone around here has them.
The parody words are by Tom Smith and Bob Blue, and you can find the
words in the "Mister Blue Songbook", which has about 40 or so of Bob's
songs. There's a web site about the book at
http://world.std.com/~alf/blue/songbook.html, and there's one about Bob
at http://world.std.com/~alf/bobblue.html.
Howard Kaplan
Songwriter and occasional performer
Toronto, Ontario
Adchas
>
>Al
>
Eric Andersen recorded an especially stirring version of "When I'm Gone" on his
new CD, Memory of the Future. Beautiful!
Tom
Simon van Dongen
>On Wed, 13 Jan 1999 02:43:56 GMT, sg...@xs4all.nl (Simon van Dongen)
>wrote:
>
>>
>>Joe Hill, The Preacher and the Slave. Only recording of I ever came
>>across was on a Cisco Houston LP, but the text is in The Folksinger's
>>Wordbook. (Irwin! Any plans to reissue that?)
>
>the IWW CD (whose name I can't remember) also has a recording...It's a
>fun song to hear *and* sing. :)
>
>I'm curious as to this "Folksinger's Wordbook." I'm trying to find as
>many folk music books as I can; unfortunately, as a young guy in a
>college town (State College, PA) they're few and far between. So far,
>my collection is mainly stuff from Sing Out!: Carry It On, Rise Up
>Singing (when I find the damn thing again - I set it down the other
>day, haven't seen it since), and Reprints #2.
>
>I also have the Mel Bay book of Country Blues, which I suppose counts.
>It's just not as political. :)
>
>Adam
>
Folksinger's Wordbook, compiled and edited by Irwin and Fred Silber,
Oak Publications 1973 ISBN 0 8256 0140 1 (soft cover) 0 8256 0146 0
(hard cover). Lyrics and chords (no other music) of over a thousand
folk- and folkish songs.
Only drawback is that you can come across a wonderful set of lyrics
with no idea of the music. I did find 'Abdul the Bulbul Amir', but I'm
still looking for 'Pity the downtrodden landlord' and a few others.
--
Simon van Dongen <sg...@xs4all.nl> Rotterdam, The Netherlands
As he reclined there he sang ballads of ancient valour, from
Nigel & Nancy Sellars
>
<snipped>
>
> Dick Gaughan has a song of this nature on his 2nd last CD.
> Something like "...but there are no gods, and there are
> precious few heroes."
That's a Brian MacNeill song, btw, and actually it's about the sort of
mythologizing that passes for Scottish nationalism ( Bonnie Prince
Charlie, Braveheart, that sort of...stuff) Still, I think it also works
as a humanist song. If you really want to piss some people off, try
Leon Rosselson's "Stand Up For Judas," which Guaghan has also recorded.
Rosselson, incidentally, is himself another good source for
atheist/humanist/socialist/anarchist songs.
Nigel Sellars
Nigel & Nancy Sellars
>
<much snipped about The Preacher and the Slave>
>
> There was another recording: Leslie Fish and the Dehorn Crew
> on _It's Sister Jenny's Turn To Throw The Bomb_, released twice--
> once on Off Centaur and once on Firebird. Both versions, sadly, are
> out of print and unavailable.
>
> Mary the Filker
>
It can also be found on Utah Phillips' "We Have Fed You All for a
Thousand Years" on Philo, reissued on CD, and on the
Smithsonian/Folkways CD "Don't Mourn - Organize! Songs of Labor
SOngwriter Joe Hill," where it's sung by another Wobbly bard "Haywire
Mac" McClintock.
Nigel Sellars
Abby Sale
wrote:
>On Wed, 13 Jan 1999 02:43:56 GMT, sg...@xs4all.nl (Simon van Dongen)
>wrote:
>>
>>Joe Hill, The Preacher and the Slave. Only recording of I ever came
>>across was on a Cisco Houston LP, but the text is in The Folksinger's
>>Wordbook. (Irwin! Any plans to reissue that?)
>
>I'm curious as to this "Folksinger's Wordbook." I'm trying to find as
>many folk music books as I can; unfortunately, as a young guy in a
Happily, it's one of the Oak/Music Sales books still in print. In fact
I replaced my old too-worn copy just last July. $34.95 list, I paid
$27.96.
The new binding is a large spiral which is a Good idea.
Ton Maas
j...@world.std.com (Joseph C Fineman) wrote:
>Pauline Lerner <harm...@erols.com> writes:
>
>>Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play
>>with a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk
>>on why he is an atheist?
How about Ewan McColl's "Ballad of the Carpenter"? I seem to remember it
cost him free access to the US as late as the sixties, because of it's
"blasphemous" lyrics.
Ton
Rob Derrick SGI
> Only drawback is that you can come across a wonderful set of lyrics
> with no idea of the music. I did find 'Abdul the Bulbul Amir', but I'm
> still looking for 'Pity the downtrodden landlord' and a few others.
"Pity", along with "Preacher and the Slave", and many other
great songs, appear on Oscar Brand's... well, I can't remember
the title. It has a pic of Oscar on the front with an
apparently cut-out cowboy hat superimposed on his picture -- one
of the dorkiest covers I've ever seen.
It also has "Ninety Cent Butter", "Give My Regards to Mayor LaGuardia",
"The Mormon Engineer", "Down Down Down", "Tammany", "Arkansas", and
the one about the greenhorn who thought he'd see "how punchin' cows was
done".
I've always loved the Landlord song, and the Chords in Irwin's
book work well.
And by the way, thanks Irwin. Long before RUS, there was FSWB, and
they are each an extraordinary reference.
Maybe the title was "Songs of Men", but that's one of Sam Hinton's
titles, isn't it (and Sam's album by the way is GREAT -- Amphioxus,
Harry Herman, I Wanna Die Easy, and St. George, which is a great
tune with neat Mormon lyrics -- I stole that tune for a song, or
rather, the song, I wrote long ago).
rob
XmikeX
That's where I learned it.
Joseph C Fineman
>How about Ewan McColl's "Ballad of the Carpenter"? I seem to remember
>it cost him free access to the US as late as the sixties, because of
>it's "blasphemous" lyrics.
A bit of a stretch to call it blasphemous, IMO, but it is certainly
Communist propaganda:
He said, Come all you workingmen,
Farmers and weavers too:
I only you will organize,
The world belongs to you,...
It is one of the more stirring attempts to exploit the comparison
Marxism : capitalism :: Christianity : the Roman Empire
which has always been dear to Marxists. So also the poem by Genevieve
Taggard (I think it was):
Thanks to St Matthew, who had been
At mass meetings in Palestine,
We know whose side was spoken for
When Comrade Jesus had the floor.
The tradition was satirized by Trotskyists in a parody of "Jesse
James":
But that foe of the proletariat,
Judas Iscariot
Laid Jesus Christ in his grave.
--- Joe Fineman j...@world.std.com
||: Better to shut your mouth and be thought a fool than open it :||
||: and remove all doubt. :||
Stephen Suffet
>
>
> How about Ewan McColl's "Ballad of the Carpenter"? I seem to
> remember it cost him free access to the US as late as the sixties,
> because of it's "blasphemous" lyrics.
>
Greetings:
That song had nothing to do per se with Ewan MacColl's being
denied a vis to enter the USA. It was his connection with Communist
affiliated organizations and causes that landed him on the State
Department's list of "security risks" who were to be kept out.
Ironically, it was under the Nixon administration that the State
Department finally relented and issued MacColl a visa in 1970. I saw
him appear live in New York on, I believe, May Day that year.
Regards,
Steve
PAULSBANJO
Ewen and Peggy did a concert in N.Y.C. in 1966. I know 'cause I was there.
Yours Paul
PAULSBANJO
<<<<and
the one about the greenhorn who thought he'd see "how punchin' cows was
done".>>>>
Yours Paul
And I agree that the "Folksingers Wordbook" is great. Thanks Irwin
Pauline Lerner
>
> In article <F5H0B...@world.std.com>,
> j...@world.std.com (Joseph C Fineman) wrote:
>
> >Pauline Lerner <harm...@erols.com> writes:
> >
> >>Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play
> >>with a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk
> >>on why he is an atheist?
>
> cost him free access to the US as late as the sixties, because of it's
> "blasphemous" lyrics.
>
Ton,
As I recall, this song was about Jesus as a social activist. Can anyone
confirm or refute this?
Thanks to all for all your comments to date.
Pauline
Stephen Suffet
Greetings:
I stand corrected. 1966 makes more sense, as that would mean
first getting the visa when either Nicholas Katzenbach or Ramsey Clark
was Attorney-General. (I can't recall eactly when Clark replaced
Katzenbach, but it was around that time.)
I will reiterate that MacColl's visa problem had little to do
with "Ballad of a Carpenter" or any other song per se. It had to do
with his association with what were rightfully or wrongfully seen as
Communist causes.
Regards,
Steve
PAULSBANJO
<<<<It had to do
with his association with what were rightfully or wrongfully seen as
Communist causes.>>>
Ever since the mid 1800's when they wanted to keep labor down they've
been shouting "Anarchist, Comunist"
Yours Paul
Janet M. Ryan
>PAULSBANJO wrote:
>>
>> Hi Steve
>> Ewen and Peggy did a concert in N.Y.C. in 1966. I know 'cause I was there.
>> Yours Paul
>>
>> <<<Department finally relented and issued MacColl a visa in 1970.>>>
>Greetings:
> I stand corrected. 1966 makes more sense, as that would mean
>first getting the visa when either Nicholas Katzenbach or Ramsey Clark
>was Attorney-General. (I can't recall eactly when Clark replaced
>Katzenbach, but it was around that time.)
> I will reiterate that MacColl's visa problem had little to do
>with "Ballad of a Carpenter" or any other song per se. It had to do
>with his association with what were rightfully or wrongfully seen as
>Communist causes.
> Regards,
> Steve
As were Dick Gaughan's until fairly recently as well.
Janet Ryan
Janet M. Ryan
> Hi Steve
> <<<<It had to do
>with his association with what were rightfully or wrongfully seen as
>Communist causes.>>>
> Ever since the mid 1800's when they wanted to keep labor down they've
>been shouting "Anarchist, Comunist"
> Yours Paul
Just picked up my new IWW Labor History Calendar today. And did you
all know IWW songwriter Ralph Chaplin's song "Solidarity Forever" was
first sung at a hunger march in Chicago on January 17, 1915?
Well--"Solidarity Forever" is the name of the calendar, and at the
back it even lists sources for "Songs of the workers to fan the flames
of discontent"!
I was, in fact, just fired from me job yesterday for questioning
authority at the University of Minnesota--seems they have a policy of
not paying student workers for working eight-hour shifts with legal
breaks, and when I mentioned that to my supervisor, she canned me on
the spot. Talk about yer criminal syndicalism!
At least I'm heartened knowing the U of M grad students here have
organized, and are expected to approve a union contract in two more
weeks!
Janet Ryan
"As advocates and activists for justice know, loving involves
struggle, resistance, risk...making justice is not a warm, fuzzy
experience." quote by Carter Heyward from "Our Passion for Justice:
Images of Power, Sexuality and Liberation"
MKorki
>Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play with
>a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
>or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
>
Did you hear about the dyslexic insomniac agonostic who stayed up all night one
night wondering if there really was a dog?
_______________________________________________________________________
# Clarity and volume are much more important than
# tonal quality.
MKorki # What does that mean?
# It means that I'm authentic.
Jonathan Dresner
Pauline Lerner <harm...@erols.com> wrote:
>Ton Maas wrote:
>>
>> How about Ewan McColl's "Ballad of the Carpenter"? I seem to remember it
>> cost him free access to the US as late as the sixties, because of it's
>> "blasphemous" lyrics.
>>
>> Ton
>
>
>Ton,
>
>As I recall, this song was about Jesus as a social activist. Can anyone
>confirm or refute this?
Yes, that's the one. I always wanted to see it paired with Leon Rosselson's
"Stand Up For Judas" in which Jesus was the tool of the wealthy powers and
Judas' betrayal was real radicalism. The combination of the two are a good
argument for agnosticism, anyway....
Jonathan
Abby Sale
wrote:
>> <<<Department finally relented and issued MacColl a visa in 1970.>>>
>
>Greetings:
>
> I stand corrected. 1966 makes more sense, as that would mean
>first getting the visa when either Nicholas Katzenbach or Ramsey Clark
>was Attorney-General. (I can't recall eactly when Clark replaced
>Katzenbach, but it was around that time.)
>
Can tighten this down a little FWIW. I taped their concert at Penn in
1959 and the one for 1960 had to be Peggy only. She was quite miffed at
the State Department, I can tell you.
Ken Likins
atheistic but just pure Prine wit.
Not so much in the folk genre but XTC's "Dear God," Crowded House "There
Goes God" and Indigo Girls "Hey Jesus" also come to mind. Also "Black
Messiah" by the Kinks.
In article <369ABB...@erols.com>, harm...@erols.com wrote:
> Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play with
> a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
> is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an atheist/humanist
> or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
--
|||
ken...@accessone.com * Ken Likins * Seattle, WA * USA 0?0 zap!
------------------------------------------------------> \-/
http://www.accessone.com/~kennyl
BJORLING
John Tubbs
>
> Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play with
> a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
> is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an atheist/humanist
> or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
My personal favorite is "Thank God I'm an Atheist."
John
John Tubbs
>
> In article <369ABB...@erols.com>,
> Pauline Lerner <harm...@erols.com> wrote:
> >Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play with
> >a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
> >is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an atheist/humanist
> >or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
>
> There are also some songs that explain why the singer is not a Christian.
> These might, however, offend Christians.
>
> But just in case ... (easily-offended Christians please stop reading here)
>
> I used to hang out with some Unitarians who had several, including these:
>
> 1) A parody of "Charlie on the MTA" (itself a rewrite of H.C. Work's "The
> Ship That Never Returned", BTW):
>
> Let me tell you the story of a man called Jesus
> On a tragic and fateful day
> He put three nails in his pocket and a cross on his shoulder
> And to Calvary marched away
> But did he ever return? No he never returned!
> And his fate is still unlearned
> We will wait in vain for the second coming
> Of the Man Who Never Returned
>
> 2) A rewrite of the Pepsi jingle that was universally known by everyone in
> the 1950's ("Pepsi Cola hits the spot, twelve ounce bottle, that's a lot"):
>
> Christianity hits the spot
> Twelve apostles, that's a lot
> Holy Ghost and the Virgin too
> Christianity's the one for you
>
> For a more bitter take on the message of Christianity, try Leon Rosselson's
> "Stand Up For Judas", which I find fairly powerful.
Then there's the one to the tune of The Beatles' "I Saw Her Standin'
There": (Warning--this is BAD)
Well, He was just thirty-three
When they nailed Him to a tree
And the way He looked was way beyond compare
Oh, I'll never worship another
Since I saw Him hangin' there.
John
John Tubbs
>
> John Prine has a song title, "Jesus The Missing Years." Maybe not so much
> atheistic but just pure Prine wit.
Is that by any chance "Jesus: The Lost Years"?
John
Frank Hamilton
There's a football game in Heaven
In Heaven's own back yard
With Jesus as the quarterback
And Moses playing guard
The angels in the bandstand
All let out a yell
When Jesus the quarterback
Beats the boys from Hell.
chorus:
Stay with God, Stay with God
(Jesus on the five yeard line
Really doin' God-damn fine!)
Stay with God, stay with God
Rock 'em, sock 'em, block 'em Jesus
Stay with God...........................
Frank (who's not necesarily an atheist)
Mary Creasey
>
> Got to get into a little sacrilege here. To whit:
>
> There's a football game in Heaven
> In Heaven's own back yard
> With Jesus as the quarterback
> And Moses playing guard
> The angels in the bandstand
> All let out a yell
> When Jesus the quarterback
> Beats the boys from Hell.
>
> chorus:
>
> Stay with God, Stay with God
> (Jesus on the five yeard line
> Really doin' God-damn fine!)
> Stay with God, stay with God
> Rock 'em, sock 'em, block 'em Jesus
> Stay with God...........................
>
> Frank (who's not necesarily an atheist)
Well, if football's your thing, there's always
(in a similar vein)"Dropkick Me, Jesus, Through the Goalposts
Of Life"...(not sure who wrote it, but I think
John Denver [among others] sang it). Two religions
for the price of one...8-)
[If you don't think football is a religion, you don't
live in certain parts of the country...)
Mary the Filker
Janet M. Ryan
>Got to get into a little sacrilege here. To whit:
>There's a football game in Heaven
>In Heaven's own back yard
>With Jesus as the quarterback
>And Moses playing guard
>The angels in the bandstand
>All let out a yell
>When Jesus the quarterback
>Beats the boys from Hell.
>chorus:
>Stay with God, Stay with God
>(Jesus on the five yeard line
>Really doin' God-damn fine!)
>Stay with God, stay with God
>Rock 'em, sock 'em, block 'em Jesus
>Stay with God...........................
>Frank (who's not necesarily an atheist)
That's ok Frank--we don't necessarily believe you either. JOSH!
Sorry--I couldn't resist. ;-)
Your song, for some reason that remains totally nebulous, made me
think of the Prine song "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven
Anymore." But I can't remember the words because of those flashback
problems...
Janet Ryan
Ron Natalie
> Jesus on the five yard line.
Isn't this by Larry King (of Best Little Whorehouse fame)?
Jim Colletti
request seems to have gotten very few real responses. There just don't
seem to be very many songs with an atheist theme, probably because it is
a very sensitive subject. For whatever reason, it is okay to write very
religious songs, but non-, and especially, anti-religious, songs seem
to be tabu. Not immoral songs, mind you - there are plenty of those -
but I mean serious songs about humanism and atheism.
For the record, one song that I like that really isn't an atheist song,
and really not an anti-religious song either, but one that targets tv
evangelists is Mark Knoepfler's song Ticket to Heaven, which is on the
Dire Straits CD On Every Street.
Jon-Jon
Your flag decal won't get you into heaven anymore
They're already overcrowded from you dirty little war
And Jesus don't like killin'
No matter what the reason for
No your flag decal won't get you into heaven anymore
Peace,
Jon-Jon
Ken Likins
of "Lost Dogs and Missed Blessings," another wonderful Prine effort.
In article <36A8473E...@mbay.net>, jmt...@bYtEmEmbay.net wrote:
> Ken Likins wrote:
> >
> > John Prine has a song title, "Jesus The Missing Years." Maybe not so much
> > atheistic but just pure Prine wit.
>
> Is that by any chance "Jesus: The Lost Years"?
>
>
> John
--
Mike O'Connor
Paperback called "Songs of Peace, Freedom and Protest" Unfortunately, I lent
mine to a 'Friend'. If you can find a copy it will be a great addition to
your collection.
Mike
Adam Levenstein <c...@worker.com> wrote in message
news:369c4543....@news.psu.edu...
>On Wed, 13 Jan 1999 02:43:56 GMT, sg...@xs4all.nl (Simon van Dongen)
>wrote:
>
>>
>>Joe Hill, The Preacher and the Slave. Only recording of I ever came
>>across was on a Cisco Houston LP, but the text is in The Folksinger's
>>Wordbook. (Irwin! Any plans to reissue that?)
>
>the IWW CD (whose name I can't remember) also has a recording...It's a
>fun song to hear *and* sing. :)
>
>I'm curious as to this "Folksinger's Wordbook." I'm trying to find as
>many folk music books as I can; unfortunately, as a young guy in a
>college town (State College, PA) they're few and far between. So far,
>my collection is mainly stuff from Sing Out!: Carry It On, Rise Up
>Singing (when I find the damn thing again - I set it down the other
>day, haven't seen it since), and Reprints #2.
>
>I also have the Mel Bay book of Country Blues, which I suppose counts.
>It's just not as political. :)
>
>Adam
>
>----------------------------------------------
>Adam Levenstein
>Vice President, PSU Skeptics Club
>
>http://www.clubs.psu.edu/skeptics/
>
>"A government that robs Peter to pay Paul
>can always depend upon the support of Paul."
> - George Bernard Shaw
>----------------------------------------------
MSchm99999
>Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play with
>a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
>is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an atheist/humanist
>or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
>
song," but I'd vote for John Lennon's "Imagine."
Mary
"It's a small world, but I'd hate to have to paint it."
(Remove "haha" from address to reply.)
bsei...@earthlink.net
> a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
> is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an atheist/humanist
> or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
>
"Infamous Angel" album.
Unfortunately, all the songs that have been suggested really need *lyrics* to
get their message across, and you've indicated you're playing not singing.
Without the words, the audience will hear "Preacher and the Slave" as a hymn,
not an anthem to humanism, since its tune is "In the Sweet By and By."
Can one of you sing, or find a third party who can? Where do you live? I could
fill in if you're in reasonable traveling distance of upstate N.Y.
Bev Seinberg
"There is more in you of good than you know, child ... if more of us
valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier
world." -- J.R.R. Tolkien
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Al Christians
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/8666/x_hymnal.html
Al
realestate...@gmail.com
> Can anyone recommend an atheistic/humanistic song that I coul play with
> a friend as part of an event in which someone will give a talk on why he
> is an atheist? A song written, played, or liked by an atheist/humanist
> or one with atheist/humanist words would be useful.
John Floren
john