Songs for Social Justice: The Nightwatchman – The Road I Must Travel

Alongside fellow musician Serj Tankian, Tom Morello founded ‘Axis of Justice’ in 2002 to bring together musicians, music fans and grassroots organisations to fight for global social justice. Recently Morello has played short sets at Occupy camps across the USA and Europe

Tom Morello is best known for his work with the politically charged Rage Against the Machine. He also played guitar with Audioslave and is currently guitarist and lyricist with Street Sweeper Social Club and The Nightwatchman.

It is a difficult task to choose just one single track from across Morello’s industrious output of songs about social justice. This song is from The Nightwatchman’s early days when Morello used this moniker to record and play as a solo acoustic artist. ‘The Road I Must Travel’ has an excellent accompanying video in which Morello is surrounded by pictures of his inspirations, the footage also includes quotes from a number of those figures.

The Nightwatchman – The Road I Must Travel

Songs for Social Justice Dance Night featuring guest DJ Jerry Dammers -

o      Thursday 26^th January

o      STUC Centre, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow

o      6.45pm – midnight

o      Tickets £8/£4 - Available direct from the STUC - 0141 337 8100

Songs for Social Justice: The Clash – 1977

36 years ago, there was a revolution in pop music. The popular protest songs of the 1960’s had faded. Young people growing up in multi-cultural working class neighbourhoods found the problems of society cut across ethnicities, that the root causes of unemployment, poverty and lack of progress could not and should not be blamed on BME and migrant communities. The Queen’s Silver Jubilee loomed. A referendum on Scottish devolution was on the horizon. Glam Rock, Prog Rock and Showaddaywadday ruled the charts – the bands had nothing to say.

The music and charts changed dramatically when a bunch of teenagers from London decided to over-throw their older peers and create a new sound which was influenced by the rebellious socio-political messages found in reggae. The new music came to be known as punk. It rejected conforming to the class structures, its ethos was D.I.Y. and the records they listened to were British and Jamaican reggae.

The Clash was the most obvious band to have had reggae influences in their music and they are credited as having brought the political edge to punk. Their music and songs were a reflection of their times and personal experiences, their messages connected with young people.

The Clash are often cited as being inspirations to countless other musicians, they gave many bands their first opportunity to tour and play in front of large audiences. The Clash broke down the superficial barrier between band and audience. Their music was innovative and changed with each album. Their song ‘1977’ railed against unemployment, the lack of opportunities for young working class people and the Jubilee.

Disastrously, 1977 sounds as relevant today as it was 35 years ago.

The Clash – 1977

Songs for Social Justice Dance Night featuring guest DJ Jerry Dammers -

o      Thursday 26^th January

o      STUC Centre, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow

o      6.45pm – midnight

o      Tickets £8/£4 - Available direct from the STUC - 0141 337 8100

Songs for Social Justice: The Impressions – We’re a winner

Any composition with Curtis Mayfield involved normally grabs the attention of all soul music lovers. Curtis Mayfield wrote this uplifting composition with lyrics to encourage the listener into action by accepting that the time for self-pity was over and that one should acknowledge his or her worth, even in the face of opposition. The song points people towards collective action as a self - improving and empowering route for both individuals and communities – it does this through amazing vocals from Curtis set at a gentle uplifting pace.

The Impressions – We’re a winner (ABC Records, 1967)

Songs for Social Justice Dance Night featuring guest DJ Jerry Dammers -

o      Thursday 26^th January

o      STUC Centre, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow

o      6.45pm – midnight

o      Tickets £8/£4 - Available direct from the STUC - 0141 337 8100

Songs for Social Justice: Tracy Chapman – Talking ‘bout a Revolution

Tracy Chapman came to global prominence when taking to the stage at the 1988 Nelson Mandela 70^th Birthday Tribute concert at Wembley Stadium, a concert which was broadcast live around the world. Three years after Live Aid, this concert had a more political stance and demanded an end to apartheid in South Africa and the release of Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners. The organisers, which included Jerry Dammers, staged this concert at a time when the Conservative government of the day regarded Mandela and the ANC as terrorists.

A second concert was organised in 1990 two months after his release. He regarded this as an official international reception, the concert was once again broadcast around the world. Mandela attended and took the stage for a total of 45 minutes, he did not meet the British government on this visit to the UK.

Tracy Chapman’s set at the first concert, and this song in particular, seemed to capture the mood of the day. It catapulted her from being a little known artist that sang about social activism to becoming an international artist that sang about social activism. She also performed at the ‘Nelson Mandela: An International Tribute for a Free South Africa’ concert in 1990.

Tracy Chapman - Talking 'bout a Revolution - live at the 'Nelson Mandela 70^th Birthday Tribute':

Further information:

http://www.about-tracy-chapman.net/1988-nelson-mandela-70th-tribute-concert/

Songs for Social Justice Dance Night featuring guest DJ Jerry Dammers -

o      Thursday 26^th January

o      STUC Centre, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow

o      6.45pm – midnight

o      Tickets £8/£4 - Available direct from the STUC - 0141 337 8100

Songs for Social Justice: Pop Will Eat Itself – Ich Bin Ein Auslander

Pop Will Eat Itself teamed up with Fun-Da-Mental for this driven anti-fascist song. It was from the album Dos Dedos Mis Amigos, which was the band’s most political output.

Released in 1994, it was written following the 1993 election of a BNP candidate to the Millwall council seat. This was the first time that a BNP candidate had been elected. After much local campaigning by anti-fascist and anti-racist organisations alongside local people and trade unions, the BNP lost the seat at the following year's election. It was not until 2002 that the BNP were once again able to get their members elected to local councils in England. 


The work undertaken in the area against the BNP demonstrates that local campaigning can and does successfully drive back the fascists. This song still resonates, as the BNP still have elected members and today Unite Against Fascism are holding a rally against the fascist EDL as they take to the streets of Barking in London.

The cover of the single had a clear focus on anti-nazi symbolism. The song got into the Top 30 and the album reached No. 11.

After Pop Will Eat Itslef split up in 1996, one of their singers – Clint Mansell – started writing film scores and has now written the scores for The Wrestler, Black Swan and Moon amongst many others.

Pop Will Eat Itself – Ich Bin Ein Auslander 

Songs for Social Justice Dance Night featuring guest DJ Jerry Dammers -

o      Thursday 26^th January

o      STUC Centre, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow

o      6.45pm – midnight

o      Tickets £8/£4 - Available direct from the STUC - 0141 337 8100

Songs for Social Justice: Gary Byrd and the GB Experience – “The Crown” on Motown records

An 1980’s Motown rap with Gary Byrd featuring Stevie Wonder – this song for me celebrates diversity and inspires you to explore your roots even if the status quo view in school, society or the media tells you to look the other way and believe in the same old line. Musically it moves along with a skip and proves the point that celebrating, smiling and making a political and social point can all be done at the same time – a gem of a song.

(Terry Anderson, STUC)

Gary Byrd and the GB Experience – “The Crown”

Lyrics: http://www.justsomelyrics.com/1884621/Gary-Byrd-And-The-G.B.-Experience-The-Crown-Lyrics

Songs for Social Justice dance night featuring guest DJ Jerry Dammers -

o      Thursday 26^th January

o      STUC Centre, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow

o      6.45pm – midnight

o      Tickets £8/£4 - Available direct from the STUC - 0141 337 8100

Disability Living Allowance - the perfect storm

As the coalition Government continues to impose draconian cuts on working class people in the United Kingdom, while at the same time attempting (and failing) to create the false illusion "we are all in this together" ; however the disabled movement is fighting back.

We have already witnessed the introduction of the flawed Workplace Capability Assessment where around 4 in 10 of those judged fit for work have the decision overturned on appeal.

Now proposed changes to Disability Living Allowance are currently in the House of Lords.  These cuts seek to reduce the cost to the Government of providing Disability Living Allowance by 20%, a conveniently round amount of savings, after which they attempt to claim that the lives of disabled people will be improved.

Not surprisingly the disabled movement is not standing back and accepting these cuts and a report on the proposals, Responsible Reform has been written researched and funded by disabled people, their friends and carers. This report clearly shows that the majority of those who responded were overwhlemingly against the proposals yet the Government is forging ahead with its attack on disabled people, apparently ignoring the views of individuals and organisations who took the time to respond.

Pat Onions, recognising the fact that many disabled people cannot attend public demonstrations such as the Hardest Hit Rally in Edinburgh on the 22nd October and the STUC's People First on October 1st  to fight for their rights has launched an e-petition on the UK Government's website to ensure their views are aired . The petition urges the Government to stop and review the cuts to benefits and services which are falling disproportionately on disabled people their carers and their families.

This petition currently has 14401 signatures and is open until the 1st December 2012. We would urge readers of this blog to sign Pat's Petition and help reach the 100000 required to secure a debate in the UK Parliament on this issue.

Ian Tasker
STUC

Songs for Social Justice: Primal Scream – Come Together

Jesse Jackson’s speech at Wattstax in 1972 is sampled at the start of this song. Wattstax was a music festival organised by Stax Records on the 7^th anniversary of the Watts Riots, which lasted for five days. The root cause of the riots is still discussed today, but racism; discrimination; high unemployment; poor schools and poor living conditions for African Americans living in the Watts area of Los Angeles are regarded as being factors.

The influence of politicised popular music and culture can be heard in many of Primal Scream’s songs and interviews. In the autumn, the band condemned the Tories when they were said to have used a Primal Scream song at their party conference.

On Primal Scream’s recent 20^th anniversary tour of Screamadelica, singer Bobby Gillespie added extra lyrics to Come Together relating to the economic and political climate of today, repeating the refrain ‘Agitate, Educate, Organise’ at some of the latter shows.

Primal Scream – Come Together (Live at T in the Park):

Jesse Jackson – Wattstax:

Songs for Social Justice dance night featuring guest DJ Jerry Dammers -

o      Thursday 26^th January

o      STUC Centre, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow

o      6.45pm – midnight

o      Tickets £8/£4 - Available direct from the STUC - 0141 337 8100

Songwriters and musicians support Songs for Social Justice

In previous decades, the pop charts have had an abundance of politically motivated songs which have provided a soundtrack to the everyday realities faced by young people. As part of the Songs for Social Justice, the STUC spoke to a number of artists that are renowned for their politicized songs.

Jerry Dammers is active with Love Music Hate Racism; he was a founding member of Artists Against Apartheid and was heavily involved in Rock Against Racism. He is probably best known for being the powerhouse behind The Specials and the 2Tone record label. His band The Special AKA wrote and performed ‘Free Nelson Mandela’ which reached number 9 in the singles chart in 1984.

Jerry Dammers (The Specials / The Spatial AKA Orchestra / The Special AKA / Founder of 2Tone)

“I personally would advise all musicians and artists of all ages to wake up to what is happening in the world and address it in their work. Record companies may tell artists it will damage their career, but I think in the big picture the opposite is true. If artists don’t try and address serious issues at all, we are all, including the record companies, in danger of becoming a bit redundant. Pop music at its best has always had at least a bit of a connection to the social revolution.”

In addition to the DJs and musicians performing on the 26^th of January, a number of other musicians renowned for their political music have supported the project.

Eddi Reader has also written and performed on a number of songs with a social message. Prior to singing with Fairground Attraction and embarking on a successful solo career, she was a backing singer with the post-punk band Gang of Four.

Eddi Reader

“In my experience, songs help describe hurt, loss, pain, love.  Sometimes a song will hit and soften the hardest heart even more effectively than someone shouting or debating.  I rely on song.  Patience of Angels was sung because single mothers were being demonised by the, then, Conservative Government, under John Major.  I wanted to redress that unfairness by supporting people who ended up bringing up kids alone due to circumstances and fate.  The words of that song supported me, and I hope others.”

Paul Simpson was a founding member of The Teardrop Explodes along with Julian Cope. After leaving the band, he formed The Wild Swans and released the classic ‘The Revolutionary Spirit’ in 1982. In 2011 The Wild Swans released a new album ‘The Coldest Winter for a Hundred Years’.

Paul Simpson (The Wild Swans)

“For some youngsters the lyrics in a song are of secondary importance to the music, but for me they are crucial. In 1977 I was an unemployed school leaver struggling to define myself in a difficult time of mass unemployment similar to the recession we are going through now, but through the words and music of the more politicised bands like The Clash and The Gang Of Four I discovered an alternative worldview to the one presented by my parents and the Evening News. If the words in a song are meaningless the song is rendered impotent, just aural chewing gum and as such will be valued the same and just as quickly discarded. Words can inspire, illuminate, beautify the world or spread dissent, they can be jewels or food or ammunition. Don’t undervalue or waste your words.”

In the build up to the Songs for Social Justice events, we will be publishing short blogs on popular songs that we feel are about social justice. Songs by the artists above that fit with this can be accessed at the links below:

Special AKA – Free Nelson Mandela

Eddi Reader – Patience of Angels

The Wild Swans - English Electric Lightning

Songs for Social Justice dance night featuring guest DJ Jerry Dammers -

o      Thursday 26^th January

o      STUC Centre, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow

o      6.45pm – midnight

o      Tickets £8/£4 - Available direct from the STUC - 0141 337 8100

STUC Unions into Schools and the Alistair Hulett Memorial Trust: Songs for Social Justice Festival

The STUC’s Unions into Schools project has worked in partnership with the Alistair Hulett Memorial Trust to organise a new piece of work on the subject of Songs for Social Justice. This work has seen schools write, perform and record songs about young people’s experience and understanding of social justice.

Later this month, the young people will come together alongside musicians and trade unionists to discuss the background to their songs and the historical and contemporary context of popular politicized music and the role that this type of music can have in raising awareness and encouraging activism.

The Songs for Social Justice project will then culminate at the STUC Centre on the evening of the 26^th of January with a DJ set headlined by Jerry Dammers and also featuring Northern Xposure, Mark Linton and Tam Coyle.

Grahame Smith, General Secretary, Scottish TUC

“Encouraging school students to write songs relevant to them on the theme of social justice is an exciting opportunity for the Scottish TUC.  For working people over the years, the arts have been a powerful means of articulating messages of protest, of hope and of demands for progressive change and a better way.  I am delighted that the STUC is helping continue this important tradition working with today’s young people.”

The Alistair Hulett Memorial Trust

 “The Alistair Hulett Memorial Trust (AHMT) is proud and delighted to be partnering the STUC Unions into Schools in the “Songs for Social Justice” Festival.  The AHMT, established in Scotland and Australia following the death of Alistair in January 2010, exists both to promote Alistair’s legacy and to advance his ideals of, and aspirations for, social justice for all.  The “New Songs for Social Justice” Festival will encourage and nurture the work of schools in considering and valuing principles of social justice through the creative medium of song, an initiative Alistair would wholeheartedly have supported.”

Sheena MacDonald, Regional Organiser, The Musicians’ Union

“There is a long history of songwriters and musicians contributing to struggles and campaigns for social justice.  Music and song has played a huge role in galvanising, sustaining and recording the struggles of ordinary people.  The Musicians’ Union is delighted to support this initiative to encourage young people to write songs about the issues of social justice which matter to them.”

Songs for Social Justice Dance Night featuring guest DJ Jerry Dammers -

o      Thursday 26^th January

o      STUC, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow

o     6.45pm – midnight

o      Tickets £8/£4 - Available direct from the STUC - 0141 337 8100

Some Songs for N30 (naked 80s nostalgia fest!)

Hardly the first person to say it I know, but it really is a crying shame that our There is a Better Way campaign lacks a decent soundtrack.  It seems popular music has become totally disconnected from lives lived and battles fought. Popular music in 2011 is a caterwauling, narcissistic freakshow.

So at the risk of coming across all fogeyish, I really do have to scream that it wasn’t always thus! The struggle against Thatcher was played out against a soundtrack of immense variety and occasional brilliance. Thought it might be fun to remind people of this as they prepare for N30.

I’ve also been desperate to write a musical list for a few weeks now - for therapeutic reasons really; to help me get over the fingernails-down-the-side-of-ship excruciating horrorshow that was Scotland’s Greatest Album.

So here we go with a mad 80s nostalgia fest. I've used a pretty liberal interpretation of 'political' here and all are from Britain and Ireland. Opening it up to the States would have been too problematic; a danger that Public Enemy would've scooped all 15 places. Still an awful lot has been missed out. In no particular order...my fave political songs of the Thatcher era:

Specials – Man at C&A

Yeah, tempted to go for something off the first LP but this track is of special sentimental value given that it was the first thing I taped after we bought a video recorder off my Dad’s winnings on the Celtic Pools. Played to death. My old boss was Terry Hall’s brother-in-law; something that cannot be said about Grahame Smith.

The Ruts – Jah War

Totally loved the Ruts and this is punk/reggae crossover at its devastating best; you can almost smell the terror invoked by an out of control Special Patrol Group. Magnificent.

Dexy’s - Dance Stance

Er, almost afraid to include this in the current climate. But it’s Dexy’s, it’s Dance Stance and it’s a song of towering brilliance. Just has to be in there. And yes I know Eugene O’Neill isn’t Irish. But a songs gotta scan...

Au Pairs – It’s Obvious

You’re in for a treat if coming across this for the first time. The sexual politics were I think lost on me at the time; too busy enjoying the signature post punk early eighties trebly guitar fest. Genuis.

The Clash – Know Your Rights

What to choose? Nearly went for personal face Charlie Don’t Surf but, having today listened to Gideon outline the next phase of his attack on workers‘ rights I thought it just had to be this. Incidentally, deeply regretting telling my eldest that by the time I was her age I'd seen the Clash at the Apollo. Further regretting my maw telling her that she didn't worry too much. You can see where this is leading #bulliedfather

Easterhouse – Whistling in the dark

‘I’m told that my homes on a nuclear free zone, that ain’t no help when there’s bills to be paid. Police accountability, non-nuclear defence strategy, it’s foolish ideology, it’s made the fight a mockery’

Excellent political songwriting, by the Mancunian band Easterhouse; not the band Scheme from Easterhouse, Glasgow (who were an interesting lot in many ways but, unfortunately their music was completely pish). A misconception that used to get me particularly riled back in ’85. And I had a temper on me back then. Their debut album, Contenders, was genuinely powerful but very few tracks appear to have found their way onto Youtube. Shame, I was looking forward to hearing Lenin in Zurich.

The Chords - Maybe Tomorrow

Even the Mods were angry back in the 1980s. One of only two bands I seen play East Kilbride as a teenager (other was Orange Juice), they were great live. By the way, for that scoot, my kids would be sleeping in the shed.

The Redskins – Lean on Me

A really, really silly band; the whole socialist (Red, geddit?) skinhead cultivated image and the SWP poster lyrics. But the tunes were fantastic and after a couple of decades of ridiculing them, I’m genuinely staggered at how amazingly fresh this sounds. Anyway, you’ve gotta love a band that releases a single called Go Get Organised!

The Style Council – A Stones Throw Away

Still remember reading the NME review of Our Favourite Shop arguing that Weller’s political voice had matured at the same time as the SC’s music. Quite. Having watched a number of horrible Occupy pepper spray and baton incidents over the past week this really does resonate.

Robert Wyatt – Shipbuilding

Had to be in there. And so it should, it’s awesome.

Everything but the Girl – Anytown

Remember feeling very sophisticated buying Eden; they had that sound. This is from the second, inferior, album but great nonetheless.

That Petrol Emotion – Big Decision

Always thought it was mightily impressive the way the Petrols scorned the Undertones legacy to make edgy, political and, in early use of sampling etc, really quite innovative music. For a band with a major contract they were overtly and heavily political, using record covers to bring attention to issues like the use of Diplock courts in Northern Ireland. Brave and strong. This track is awesome.

Billy Bragg – Which Side are you on?

I know this will get me into trouble but, much as I love him as a person, could never really take to his delivery. However, remember seeing him perform this at the Apollo supporting TSC during the miners’ strike. Powerful right enough. Guess the question will be posed more than once tomorrow.

Crass – Big A Little A

A fascinating bunch. It’s incredible to think just how big they were; totally uncompromising and yet sold a stack of records – probably more than Joe McJedward sell these days. I used to correspond with guitarist Penny Rimbaud, saying things like, ‘love your records but you shouldn’t be too hard on religion ‘cause my mum and dad are religious and they’re really ok’. Amazingly, he used send me lengthy patient replies and loads of stencils to ruin good t-shirts with. I was a wee anarchist soul as a 12 year old, I really was.

Linton Kwesi Johnson – The Great Insurrection

Got into reggae through this, the Ruts and the Clash. Forever grateful Linton!

So  go on then, what have I missed?

The IMF is never wrong...really?

I blogged a while back about the rapidly growing disconnect between IMF endorsements of its member states' economic strategies and the findings of its current research; the IMF World Economic Outlook published in October 2010 had included a long and serious demolition of the Coalition's 'contractionary fiscal policy is expansionary' (cuts are good for growth and jobs!) argument but, when asked directly, IMF representatives tended to strongly back the Government. And, as we all know to our cost, any endorsement by an international institution is repeated ad nausuem by Gideon and co.

Well, the IMF has just published the latest issue of its quarterly magazine Finance and Development which contains a number of articles (precis of research papers) which are, to say the least, challenging to the coalition's worldview.

Consider 'Painful Medicine' by Daniel Leigh, Laurence Ball and Prakash Loungani which has already been helpfully summarised by Paul Krugman. Building on previous IMF research this explodes the carefully cultivated myth that fiscal contraction (cutting public spending) is good for growth and jobs. It finds that:

1) cuts are bad for incomes and jobs

2) cuts increase long-term unemployment

3) cuts hit labour much harder than capital (an aside - snipping tool, I love you)

The paper repeats an argument that the STUC has made consistently over the past couple of years and which has never received a proper response for the Michael Moores and Danny Alexanders of this world: that the various mechanisms (currency depreciation, interest rate cuts, global boom) that have allowed countries to grow and create jobs while cutting spending in the past are not available to the UK in 2010/11-

"The reduction in incomes from fiscal consolidations is even larger if central banks do not or cannot blunt some of the pain through a monetary policy stimulus. The fall in interest rates associated with monetary stimulus supports investment and consumption, and the concomitant depreciation of the currency boosts net exports. Ireland in 1987 and Finland and Italy in 1992 are examples of countries that undertook fiscal consolidations, but where large depreciations of the currency helped provide a boost to net exports.

Unfortunately, these pain relievers are not easy to come by in today’s environment. In many economies, central banks can provide only a limited monetary stimulus because policy interest rates are already near zero. Moreover, if many countries carry out fiscal austerity at the same time, the reduction in incomes in each country is likely to be greater, since not all countries can reduce the value of their currency and increase net exports at the same time".

And it doesn't stop there...this issue of F&D also includes a short piece, 'Unequal = indebted', Kumhof & Ranciere, drawing attention to the association between high levels of income inequality and high domestic and foreign indebtedness. Inequality as a proximiate cause of financial crisis is an issue the STUC has consistently raised and one these IMF economists have published on before.

Tell me, how often have you heard a UK politician talk about rising income inequality as a contributory factor in the financial crisis?

So, if you ignore the endorsements of bad policy presented for purely political reasons, the IMF is sometimes actually worth listening to. After all, they're never wrong are they?

Stephen Boyd - STUC