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SONGSOur repertoire of songs balances a sense of history with a desire to sing and inspire the movements of today. We sing songs from past centuries to the present. We look around the world for inspiration. Usually we sing in English, but we also sing in French, Spanish, Yiddish, Arabic, Mandarin, Zulu and Tagalog. The following is a listing of some of our songs: Banks of Marble(Lea Rice; arr Earle Peach)
A long time labour standard. words La Batea (arr Karl Kobylansky) A satirical
Chilean song comparing right-wing attacks on the
Allende government to the washing of dirty
laundry. words Blues Union Maid (Woody Guthrie; arr Earle Peach) A classic labour song. Bread and Roses (music by Mimi &
Richard Farina, words James Oppenheim; arr Earle
Peach) This song has become a women's
anthem. words Burn Baby, Burn (Bruce Cockburn; arr Earle Peach) Comment on American opression. Canning Salmon (written by student Linda
Chobotuck, while working in a Vancouver cannery;
arr Earle Peach) This song depictes the inequity
and danger faced by women and men in the fishing
industry. words Casas de Carton (words & music Ali
Primera, arr Earle Peach) words
A Change is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke;
additional lyrics by Solomon Burke; arr Earle
Peach) Circle Chant (Linda Hirschhorn; arr David
Millard) Peace, freedom and the future of the
planet in a melodic participation-friendly round
words
Creo en la Paz (Electo Silva, words
Rafaela Chacoun) A haunting hymn of peace and
liberty. words Deportees (Woody Guthrie; arr Earle
Peach) words Le Deserteur (Boris Vian) Censored for
several years after its 1954 release, this tune
from the multi-talented Vian (novelist, musician,
inventor, among many achievements) decries
France’s conscription of soldiers to fight its
colonial war in Algeria.(arr. Earle
Peach) words Drink of the Death Squads (David Rovics)
Colombia in equatorial Sourth America has the
dubious distinction of being the country that
kills the most trade unionists. This song tells of
gun thugs trying to stop a union at a Coca Cola
plant words Dump the Bosses (Public Domain) From the IWW’s Little Red Song book comes this exhortation to the working class to get smart – there are more of you than of them. Classic satire from North America’s early industrial union, utilizing the familiar church tune “Take It To the Lord in Prayer” to counter the Salvation Army bands, and promote the union message in public sing-a-longs words El Pueblo Unido (Sergio Ortega; arr Searle
Friedman and Earle Peach) The marching anthem of
Chile's Popular Unity party after
Allende. words Fishfinger Song (Leon Rosselson) One of England’s best and wittiest songwriters condemns the assault on nature, and ultimately the human spirit, by crass market forces and militarism. words Gower Wassail (trad; arr Earle Peach)
Wassail with a pre-Christian reverance for human
connection to nature. words Hallelujah, I’m a Bum (words Harry
McLintock) Sung by the Wobblies at their founding
convention in Chicago in 1905, to the Christian
tune,'Revive Us
Again' words Her Name is Jean (Earle
Peach) words Hasta Siempre (Carlos Pueblo) It is hard
to pass a day in Cuba without hearing a version of
this song, a tribute to the legendary Latin
American revolutionary, Ernesto “Che”
Guevara. words Hold the Fort (Philip P. Bliss)
Ninteenth-Century British Transport Workers’ Union
Strike Song based on a Christian hymn by Philip
Bliss. words Hold Your Ground (James Keelaghan) In
other words, don’t give up the fight. A rousing
call to militancy from one of Alberta’s and
Canada’s finest
singer/songwriters.
words Homeless Wassail (Ian Robb; arr Earle
Peach) A wassail with a distinct
message. words I Send My Love words I Wish I Knew How (Billy Taylor; arr Earle Peach) Contribution to the American civil rights movement. Joe Hill (Alfred Hayes & Earl
Robinson; arr Earle Peach) Tribute to one of
labour's best known leaders. words The Internationale (Eugene
Pottier,translated by Charles Kerr, music Pierre
Desgeyter; arr Rudolph Lieblich & Earle Peach)
The classic international song of resistance,
written after the fall of the Paris Commune in
1871. words Oh Little Town of Bethlehem (words: Just
Peace UK, Morgan MacGuigan, Stephen Aberle; music
Lewis H. Redner; arr Earle Peach). words Man of God (Eliza Gilkyson) A comment on fundamentalist religion and how it’s used to mask the worst greed and justify the greatest atrocities Money Crop (Malvina Reynolds) Reynolds has
penned many famous songs, including “What Have
They Done to the Rain” and the anti-conformist
“Little Boxes”. This is her stirring condemnation
of war and war profiteers.(arr. Earle
Peach) words More Than a Paycheck (Ysaye Barnwell)
Workers also bring home disease, injury and
job-related stress Ysaye Barnwell is an actor and
longtime member of the progressive, gospel style
women’s a cappella group, Sweet Honey on the Rock,
which first recorded this
tune. words More Than
Promises words Never Turning Back (Pat Humphries, arr
Earle Peach) words N’kosi Sikelele Africa (Enoch Sontonga)
This hymn,'God Bless Africa', sung at
anti-apartheid demonstrations and marches, is now
the national anthem of South
Africa words No One is Illegal (David Rovics) No Sweat (Bev Grant and Pat Humphries; arr
Earle Peach) words O Canada probably our least-requested song O Flower of Scotland Ode to Peace (Ludwig Van Beethove, Paul
Robeson and I.L. Peretz) The famous and inspiring
melody which is part of Beethoven’s Ninth
Symphony. The English words were written and sung
by Paul Robeson at the second Peace Arch border
crossing concert in 1953; the Yiddish verse by a
renowned Jewish author and
poet. words Oh I Woke Up This MorningAfrican-American
spiritual and civil rights
song words Oh Morning words On Children (Ysaye Barnwell, words by
Kahlil
Gibran)
words Peace Is words People All Standing Together a political
round by Earle Peach
words Political Science (Randy
Newman) Classic irony from a
master of satiric songwriting, this presents the
viewpoint of a US patriot who is ignorant of the
world and why it seems to hate his country.
Written in 1968 and still very
relevant words Public Workers (music traditional, words
by Paul McKenna) One of many fine labour songs
written by McKenna, who works for the Service
Employees’ International Union. The tune, based on
an old hymn, is from the song 'A Miner’s Life'.
The words express the aims of public-sector
workers
organizing words Put It on the Ground (Ray Glaser &
Bill Wolff; arr Earle Peach) Suggestions for
compost material words
Roll the Union On (J. Hancox, arr Earle
Peach) A labour standard words The Sandstone Lady (Patrick Foley; arr Earle Peach) Written for the 100th anniversary of the Carnegie Centre, Vancouver. Sea Never Dry (Malcolm's Interview; arr
Earle Peach) A powerful protest song by American
labour activists words Siyahamba Traditional South African
Freedom Song words Solidarity Forever (Ralph Chapin) The
classic union anthem
words
Song of Unity Beautiful in
its simplicity, an unusual addition to our
repertoire words
Soon and Very Soon (trad; arr Earle Peach)
Traditional gospel song adapted by American labour
activists words To My Old Brown Earth (Pete Seeger, arr
Paul Halley) words The Times They Are
A-Changing words Torn Screen Door (David Francey)On
mortgages and the plight of Canadian
farmers
words Troublemaker
words Viva La Musica a round by Michael Praetorius Walk in the
Power words The Walmart Song The Oregon group Citizen Band taught us this song just in time for Vancouver to reject Walmart's developement plans The War (Earle Peach) An anti-war song Tu Cantar
words We Shall Not Give Up the Fight
An African Freedom Song to inspire audience
participation words We Shall Not Be
Moved words We Shall Overcome (Pete Seeger, Guy
Carawan and others) This gospel-like anthem of the
US Civil Rights movement is a true “folk” song,
with antecedents in the 19th century and many
versions since then. It is sung in many languages
for many struggles words Went Down to the Boss'
House words When Tear Gas Fills the Sky (Desert Rat;
arr Earle Peach) Written immediately following the
WTO Battle in Seattle words When You Were Born words White Collar Holler (Nigel Russell) A clerical workers' song popularized by Stan Rogers) With My Own Two Hands (Ben Harper; arr Earle Peach) An R&B song Wobbly Doxology (arr Earle Peach) AN IWW
classic, based on the Protestant Doxology with
topical verses written by choir
members words I Woke Up This
Morning words World Turned Upside Down (Leon Rosselson,
arr Earle Peach) words The Wran (arr Earle Peach) A seasonal
begging tune, in the line of the wassails, but far
more aggressive and demanding words Ya Meit Massa (Mustapha el Kurd). The
Intifada has been one of the few means
Palestinians have had to fight injustice. And
songs are a key part of the struggle. This is from
a renowned Palestinian composer. Its title in
English is “A Hundred Good Evenings” words Your Daughters
and Your Sons words |
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