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Springsteen Attacks Bankers in Berlin

June 5th, 2012 | Posted by John Powles in Anti Cuts & Financiers | Europe - (0 Comments)

Playing to a crowd of almost 60,000 at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Bruce Springsteen spoke out against bankers and fat cats before singing Jack of All Trades from his album Wrecking Ball. Springsteen told the crowd “In America a lot of people have lost their jobs. But also in Europe and in Berlin, times are tough. This song is for all those who are struggling.” The lyrics include a scathing attack on bankers and speculators, but also a note of hope for the future:

The banker man grows fatter, the working man grows thin
It’s all happened before and it’ll happen again
It’ll happen again, they’ll bet your life
I’m a Jack of all trades and, darling, we’ll be alright

Now sometimes tomorrow comes soaked in treasure and blood
Here we stood the drought, now we’ll stand the flood
There’s a new world coming, I can see the light
I’m a Jack of all trades, we’ll be alright

Anti-Capitalist Roadshow Gigs

April 19th, 2012 | Posted by John Powles in Anti Cuts & Financiers | England - (0 Comments)

The Anti-Capitalist Roadshow: Celebrating Subversion and Republicanism is touring various venues commencing 21st April. Each show features a host of top performers drawn from a pool of singer/songwriters renowned for their activism and campaigning – including Frankie Armstrong, Peggy Seeger, Leon Rosselson, Roy Bailey, Rob Johnson, Reem Kelani, Sandra Kerr, Ian Savile, Grace Petrie and Janet Russell.

By the way – Whilst checking out Reem Kelani’s website I came across what I think is one of the best summations of the power of song I have yet seen. Reem recalls a conversation she had with an Armenian man whose parents died in the Armenian Genocide. ‘He said: “You can burn a book, you can burn a piece of antique furniture, but our music, our songs, our poetry, you can’t burn; it travels, it goes everywhere”.’

The Workers Work Together

November 22nd, 2011 | Posted by John Powles in Anti Cuts & Financiers | UK News - (0 Comments)

By releasing their single, a rousing version of Let’s Work Together The Workers, a group of individuals working in different parts of the public services around the UK hope to promote the day of demonstrations taking place later this month. To quote from their website “the Workers came together to record this song in solidarity with colleagues taking part in the Day of Action for Pensions Justice on 30 November. The song was released yesterday (November 20th) on Nova Music, and is available for download for £0.99 on many online music stores.

Peggy Seeger, Billy Bragg and More Support Occupy London

November 13th, 2011 | Posted by John Powles in Anti Cuts & Financiers | Billy Bragg | England | Peggy Seeger - (0 Comments)

Inspired by here brother Pete’s marching and singing for Occupy Wall Street – as reported in an earlier news item – the wonderful Peggy Seeger organised a sing together as part of the Occupy London demonstrations on 9th November. Among others taking part were Chumbawamba, Billy Bragg, Leon Rosselson, Steve Knightly and Tom Morello. There seems to be no online coverage of Peggy singing at the event, but some of Peggy’s new songs dealing with the Occupy campaigns can be found on her website for free download. A couple of lines from Doggone, Occupation Is On captures the mood well:

The top one percent are feeling fine
We’re here to represent the other ninety nine.

Demotix does have images of the performers, whilst Billy Bragg’s performance is covered on Youtube.

Attila the Stockbroker on Radio 4!

November 9th, 2011 | Posted by John Powles in Anti Cuts & Financiers | Attila the Stockbroker | UK News - (0 Comments)

Talking about excess and gluttony, Attila the Stockbroker was featured on the BBC Radio 4 programme Off the Page yesterday. He quoted from a couple of his songs about bankers and the financial crisis, including from a new song Bye Bye Banker, a hard hitting critique of bankers’ greed as lyrics such as the following make clear:

They say we’ve got to keep a hold of all our bankers
Cos they’re so clever and so talented you know
And if we don’t give them their bonuses of millions
Then they’ll just pick up their briefcases and go …
And the government is frightened by their puny little threats
But the rest of us just wanna scream and shout

Chorus

Go, go, just sod off now and go
But you can all leave your passports at the door
And the same goes for your houses, your money, and your cars
Cos you’re not welcome in this country anymore …

The full lyrics can be found at http://www.reverbnation.com/artist/song_details/9816640, and the programme will be repeated on Monday 14th November at 23:00

Steve Bell’s Cartoon with Song on St. Paul’s

November 2nd, 2011 | Posted by John Powles in Anti Cuts & Financiers | England - (0 Comments)

Cartoonist Steve Bell’s excellent cartoon in the Guardian a couple of days ago, shows how song lyrics can be built in to cartoons for a double hit of the message, as well as disseminating his perceptive take on the Church of England’s stance vis a vis the protests at St Paul’s. Steve’s song adapts the old song Swanee to great effect, as he has assembled clergy singing:

Mammon!!
How I love ya’
How I love ya’
My dear ol’ Mammon

Billy Bragg Supports Occupy Dame Street Action

November 1st, 2011 | Posted by John Powles in Anti Cuts & Financiers | Billy Bragg | Europe - (0 Comments)

Singer activist Billy Bragg appeared at the Occupy Dame Street (Dublin) action to talk about the power of solidarity. He emphasised that activists today need to remember and take inspiration from the long history of the struggle for the rights of people against oppressive and exploitative forces. His message was strengthened by his rendition of There is Power in a Union, a rousing, inspiring song, written by the great Joe Hill.

Remy Parodies Dylan for Wall Street Song

October 13th, 2011 | Posted by John Powles in Anti Cuts & Financiers | North America | World News - (0 Comments)

Arab American stand-up comedian, parody musician and video artist, Remy Munasifi has teamed up with libertarian broadcasting station reason.tv to produce one of the many occupy Wall Street songs currently being used in the widespread protest sweeping the USA. Remy’s song, the Occupy Wall Street Protest Song, parodies Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are a Changin’. Remy’s message is clear;

Come gather round people
come and join your hands
we’re taking Wall Street
and we’re making demands
and we’re heeding the call
and we’re crying for help
only 1% of us have wealth

Attila, the Looters, and the Bankers

August 30th, 2011 | Posted by John Powles in Anti Cuts & Financiers | Attila the Stockbroker | UK News - (0 Comments)

As so he so frequently does, Attila the Stockbroker has perceptively, concisely, and accurately summed up a very topical issue. In Looters he sings about Dazza, “a looter in trainers and a hood”, and about Gazza, “a looter in pinstripe, brogues and tie”. Whilst Dazza wrecks the corner shop, Gazza makes millions on the sly by short selling in the city. Attila’s assessment of the situation comes in the chorus, which starts with that infamous quote from Maggie Thatcher

There’s no such things as society
So steal and cheat and loot
Just one thing to remember though –
Make sure you wear a suit.


By Workers’ Toil Alone. A Case of Then and Now!

July 4th, 2011 | Posted by John Powles in Anti Cuts & Financiers | UK News - (0 Comments)

The song By Workers’ Toil Alone is not news, but it was new to me, and I think that it demonstrates very well the idea of recurring themes for struggles and campaigns, some of which are very topical! For example, from the lyrics:

The general draws his pay check
The lawyer pockets fees
Corporations make their profits
And the banks put on the squeeze.

I received the song from a friend in the form of a (probably) 1950s or 60s postcard published by the TGWU.