American Labor celebrated in some really good contemporary songs--by Anne Feeney, The Foremen, Mad Agnes, John McCutcheon, Utah Phillips, and David Rovics.
See "Credits" for annotated playlist.
David Rovics, "The Day the Minimum Wage Workers Went on Strike." An upbeat celebration of the working class and of strength in solidarity . . . with some very nice banjo picking.
Mad Agnes, "Katie." A witty and sharp critique of bourgeois life from the perspective of the long-suffering--and admirable--cleaning lady.
The Foremen, "Workin on an MBA." Comic satire of the cushy life & boundless self-pity of the men in the gray flannel suits--set to a tune that recalls a chain gang work-song. Yep, one of those voices is Roy Zimmermans.
Utah Phillips, "Moose Turd Pie." Spoken, w/ a little guitar. Utah recalls (with only the SLIGHTEST hint of exaggeration) the worst job he ever held.
Anne Feeney, "Business News / Hallelujah, Im a Bum!" A beautiful rendition of an 1890s song about unemployment. A fine homage to Simon & Garfunkels 1965 classic "Silent Night / 6 oClock News"; and a good song in its own right.
John McCutcheon, "Doing Our Job." McCutcheon applies Cal Ripken Jr.s modest remarks upon breaking a major-league record to working people generally. A long-overdue celebration of the BEST of American working-class values.
Previously broadcast (as NWN #131) in September 2010.
"New World Notes" is produced under the auspices (Latin for "long-suffering sighs") of WWUH-FM, a community service of that beacon of light in darkest Connecticut, the University of Hartford.
More details, photos, nice links, & other good stuff on the show's Web site: http://newworldnotes.blogspot.com
You can download this installment of New World Notes--in MP3 and other formats--also from The Internet Archive (www.archive.org). On that site, the Program Information page for this installment is here: https://archive.org/details/NewWorldNotes391-LaborDayMusicalSpecial
SERIES OVERVIEW -- Political and social commentary in a variety of genres. Exploring the gap between what we want ... and what they're trying to make us settle for. "Date recorded," below, = date of first scheduled broadcast.