Musical-Activists Write Songs in Support of Fiery Independent Socialist August 11, 2015 – The fiery independent socialist from Vermont, Bernie Sanders, continues to draw huge crowds to his 2016 Democratic primary campaign rallies. Bernie is making a west coast swing, and had crowds of 25,000 in Portland and LA, if you include the crowd outside the venues. […]
JAN 23, 2012 – Musician activist Ani DiFranco just released a new album, "Which Side Are You On?", and when asked in a NY Times interview who she admires among the people playing protest songs these days she said, "Pete Seeger for one…I had received two things in the mail from him, not only ideas for “Which Side Are You On?” and how we could do it but other new protest songs that he’s been working on. Beautiful songs. Amazing new vibrant sentiments from this man who is endlessly engaged. ” And when asked if she is bothered there is not much protest music these days she responded, “Hopefully that tide will be turning. There certainly is a reinvigorated energy in our society. ”
Read more on NY Times here.
(Photo credit: Erinc Salor/ Wiki)
JAN 11, 2012 – Kid Pan Alley, an organization founded on the principles that "kids make the greatest co-writers" of songs, has sparked a controversy over a song containing references to Occupy, but not by any of the kids parents. Kid Pan Alley is a group of musicians specializing in children's songs, and they travel to schools to get kids involved with the songwriting process, and urge them to be creators of their own music, not just consumers of popular cultures. In October of 2011 they visited the Woodbrook Elementary School in Charlottesville, Virginia, and they and the kids wrote and performed a song with the lyrics containing references to the Occupy movement. For instance one line went "Now I'm Part of the 99". Read more here.
The extremist conservative website "Big Government" eventually found out about it, and are now upset what they assert as kids being forced to sing a political song, and in their own words, "Marxist Rhetoric". The blog states, "Remember, these are third graders. The simplistic left wing economic nonsense of this ditty boggles the mind. But to an impressionistic third grader, it plants poisonous seeds at odds with long egalitarian American traditions that disdain class hatred. It mocks American traditions of industry, hard work and accomplishment. It teaches the young to distrust and dislike, which of course is a tactic employed by thug cultures and governments throughout history."
None of the parents of the children involved in the music program are complaining. Probably not wanting to get involved in too much controversy, the founder of Kid Pan Alley Paul Reisler, issued a statement apologizing. He told the local TV station WCAV, "This is a song about being satisfied with what you have, a song about how life has its ups and downs, as so many people in our country are experiencing now. It was my personal mistake to introduce these phrases and I take complete responsibility for it. I will not make a mistake like this again." Find out more about Kid Pan Alley at their website here.
Click Read More to read the lyrics.