musicology #126

socialcommentaryweek #6

(Phil Ochs - The Ringing Of Revolution)

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penultimate cut on the ’social’ and themusicologist is rolling with one from an artist who was brought to my attention by the man that kicked off this current theme Stephen William, (billy), Bragg who not only cites Ochs as an inspiration but also recorded a tribute to the man ‘I dreamt I Saw Phil Ochs Last Night’ on his 1990 LP ‘the Internationale’

being an admirer of Billy Bragg, (”I just couldn’t help myself guess I was born with a curious mind”), themusicologist headed off on a journey and tracked down some of the man in question’s work. there are many great online sources of Phil Ochs Info so i’ll leave it to them to fill you in on the full and very colourful picture of his bitter sweet life and, in musicology style, let the music do the talking.

this piece of revolutionary prose is taken from the Phil Ochs In Concert LP (1966) and is, for me, as good as the song as message gets.

“in a building of gold with riches untold,
live the families on which the country was founded,
and the merchants of style with their vain velvet smiles,
were there for they also were hounded,
and the soft middle class crowded in to the last,
for the building was fully surrounded,
and the noise outside was the ringing of revolution

sadly they stared and sank in their chairs,
and searched for a comforting notion,
and the rich silver walls looked ready to fall,
as they shook in doubtful devotion,
the ice cubes would clink as they freshened their drinks,
wet their mids in bitter emotion,
and they talked about the ringing of revolution

we were hardly aware of the hardships they beared,
for our times taken with treasure,
oh life was a game and work was a shame,
and pain was prevented by pleasure,
the world cold and grey was so far away,
in distance only money could measure,
but their thoughts were broken by the ringing of revolution

and the clouds filled the room in darkening doom,
as the crooked smoke rings were rising,
how long will it take how can we escape,
someone asked but no-ones advising,
and the quivering fllor responds to the roar,
in a shake no longer surprising,
as closer and closer comes the ringing of revolution

so softly they moan please leave us alone,
as back and forth they are pacing,
and they cover their ears and try not to hear,
with pillows of silk they’re embracing,
the crackling crowd is laughing out loud,
peeking in at the target they’re chasing,
now trembling inside the ringing of revolution

with compromise sway we gave it half away,
when we saw that rebellion was growing,
now everything’s lost as they kneel by the cross,
where the blood of christ is still flowing,
too late for their sorrow they’ve reached their tommorow,
and reaped the seed they were sowing,
now harvested by the ringing of revolution

in tattered tuxedos they faced the new heroes,
and crawled about in confusion,
and they sheepishly grinned for their memories were dim,
of the decades of dark execution.”

musicology #125

socialcommentaryweek #5

(Curtis Mayfield - Power To The People)

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yep it’s time for Curtis. one of the undisputed, hardest hitting social commentators to have graced us with his presence. as usual his lyrics are clear and concise and leave no room for interpretation.

regulars will know how much Curtis means to themusicologist and I could never sing his praises loud enough.

so i’ll leave it to the man himself to lay it on you…for me Curtis has always spoken for the oppressed whatever colour, race or creed and his message has always transcended those enforced divisions.

pucker tune that says it all.

musicology #124

socialcommentaryweek #4

(Bob Dylan - It’s Alright Ma I’m only bleeding)

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house full of kids today, (easter holidays), so it’s an evening post..

hardcore social commentary from the man who needs no introduction.

must confess that themusicologist’s relationship to Mr Dylan had two periods..the early, (as a young child via my dad), and the second time round as an experimental 21 year old on the ‘bottom lips’. during that part of the journey this one in particular expanded my mind.

a lyrical and emotional tour de force that almost transports me back to me days wandering in a ‘diamond sky’

taken from the 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home..

Darkness at the break of noon,
Shadows even the silver spoon
The handmade blade, the child’s balloon
Eclipses both the sun and moon
To understand you know too soon
There is no sense in trying.

Pointed threats, they bluff with scorn
Suicide remarks are torn
From the fool’s gold mouthpiece
The hollow horn plays wasted words
Proves to warn
That he not busy being born
Is busy dying.

Temptation’s page flies out the door
You follow, find yourself at war
Watch waterfalls of pity roar
You feel to moan but unlike before
You discover that you’d just be One more
person crying.

So don’t fear if you hear
A foreign sound to your ear
It’s alright, Ma, I’m only sighing.

As some warn victory some downfall
Private reasons great or small
Can be seen in the eyes of those that call
To make all that should be killed to crawl
While others say don’t hate nothing at all
Except hatred.

Disillusioned words like bullets bark
As human gods aim for their mark
Made everything from toy guns that spark
To flesh-coloured Christs that glow in the dark
It’s easy to see without looking too far
That not much Is really sacred.

While preachers preach of evil fates
Teachers teach that knowledge waits
Can lead to hundred-dollar plates
Goodness hides behind its gates
But even the president of the United States
Sometimes must have To stand naked.

An’ though the rules of the road have been lodged
It’s only people’s games that you got to dodge
And it’s alright, Ma, I can make it.

Advertising signs that con you
Into thinking you’re the one
That can do what’s never been done
That can win what’s never been won
Meantime life outside goes on
All around you.

You lose yourself, you reappear
You suddenly find you got nothing to fear
Alone you stand with nobody near
When a trembling distant voice, unclear
Startles your sleeping ears to hear
That somebody thinks
They really found you.

A question in your nerves is lit
Yet you know there is no answer fit to satisfy
Insure you not to quit
To keep it in your mind and not fergit
That it is not he or she or them or it
That you belong to.

Although the masters make the rules
For the wise men and the fools
I got nothing, Ma, to live up to.

For them that must obey authority
That they do not respect in any degree
Who despise their jobs, their destinies
Speak jealously of them that are free
Cultivate their flowers to be
Nothing more than something
They invest in.

While some on principles baptized
To strict party platform ties
Social clubs in drag disguise
Outsiders they can freely criticize
Tell nothing except who to idolize
And then say God bless him.

While one who sings with his tongue on fire
Gargles in the rat race choir
Bent out of shape from society’s pliers
Cares not to come up any higher
But rather get you down in the hole
That he’s in.

But I mean no harm nor put fault
On anyone that lives in a vault
But it’s alright, Ma, if I can’t please him.

Old lady judges watch people in pairs
Limited in sex, they dare
To push fake morals, insult and stare
While money doesn’t talk, it swears
Obscenity, who really cares
Propaganda, all is phony.

While them that defend what they cannot see
With a killer’s pride, security
It blows the minds most bitterly
For them that think death’s honesty
Won’t fall upon them naturally
Life sometimes Must get lonely.

My eyes collide head-on with stuffed graveyards
False gods, I scuff
At pettiness which plays so rough
Walk upside-down inside handcuffs
Kick my legs to crash it off
Say okay, I have had enough
What else can you show me?

And if my thought-dreams could be seen
They’d probably put my head in a guillotine
But it’s alright, Ma, it’s life, and life only.

Lyrics by Bob Dylan 1965 Warner Bros. Inc Renewed 1993 Special Rider Music

musicology #123

socialcommentaryweek #3

(Earl Sixteen - The System)

one of themusicologists favourite pieces of social commentary from 1994. a 45 on the appropriately titled Voice In Progress label

listen tune..

musicology #122

socialcommentaryweek #2

(Style Council - A Stones Throw Away) LISTEN

not easy to find tunes that criticise the establishment. no surprise really, (especially these days), at a time when most artists concern seems to be with achieving the two F’s, (fame&fortune)

not that I blame them as, in this age, success is measured by material wealth…big motors, large amounts of ‘tom’, houses in every town..you know what I mean. art as entertainment is todays message as the culture of pop dominates every corner of our society.

this 1985 piece taken from the Style Council’s most critical set ‘Our Favourite Shop’ shows that there was a time when some saw it as their duty to openly criticise without fear…read ‘em and weep.

“For liberty there is a cost, it’s broken skulls and leather cosh,
From the boys in uniform, now you know whose side their on,
With backing, with blessing, from earthly gods not heaven,
A stones throw away from it all.

Whatever pleasures those who get, from stripping skin with rhino whip,
Are the kind that must be stopped, before their kind take all we’ve got,
With loving, with caring, they take great pride in working,
The stones throw away from it all.

Whenever honesty persists, you’ll hear the snap of broken ribs,
Of anyone who’ll take no more, of the lying bastards roar,
In Chile, in Poland, Johannesburg, South Yorkshire,
A stones throw away…..now we’re there”

musicology #121

socialcommentaryweek #1

(Billy Bragg - Take Down The Union Jack) LISTEN

themusicologist has tried to keep politics off the menu but it's one of the subjects that infuriates me.
the deceipt, corruption, greed and unbeleivable hypocrisy is just too much for me to not have a musical say.

unfortunately the only politics left today is the politics of greed and the blame for that lies with those who shape society. ultimately responsibility lies with each of us but we all know that 'the law' restricts us from taking action in ever increasing ways and is in fact an establishment tool that has very little to do with justice.

the subjects that are, (for me), most important are Health and Education, essentially because I have two children and find myself at the 'sharp end of the stick' in both areas. of course economics are an issue but money has no place in my heart so holds little interest.

one of musics greatest attributes is delivering a message and themusicologist is often heard singing this one as I go about my life so I was especially pleased when my eldest asked for this one to be added to her I-Pod..this is what I call education. just as Curtis and Paul Weller, (among many others), helped shape my views so it may be with the next generation.

I'm starting the socialcommentaryweek with this one by one of themusicologists most respected artists who has always stood up to be counted and in my humble opinion is one of the finest songwriters to hail from these shores...taken from his 2002 Set 'England, Half English'
just like to add that I am very proud of the culture that is a part of me and it saddens me to see it fade away to be be replaced by the globalisation ideology that has been forced apoun us since the end of World War II. I believe whole heartedly in community but not in homogeny and brother Bragg articulates many of my my thoughts and feelings perfectly ... lyrics Bragg-La ... lyrics.

"take down the Union Jack, it clashes with the sunset,
and put it in the attic, with the emperors old clothes,
when did it fall apart? sometime in the 80's,
when the great and the good gave way to the greedy and the mean,

Britain isn't cool you know it's really not that great,
it's not a proper country, doesn't even have a patron saint,
it's just an economic union that's passed it's sell by date,

take down the Union Jack it clashes with the sunset,
and ask our Scottish neighbours if independence looks any good,
cos they just might understand how to take an abstract notion,
of personal identity and turn it into nationhood,

is this the 19th Century that I'm watching on T.V
the dear old queen of England handing out those M.B.E's
a member of the British Empire that doesn't sound too good to me

Gilbert & George are taking the piss aren't they
Gilbert & George you're taking the piss.
what could be more British than here's a picture of me bum
Gilbert & George YOU'RE TAKING THE PISS

take down the Union Jack it clashes with the sunset
and pile up all those history books but don't throw them away
they might just have some clues about what it really means
to be an Anglo hyphen Saxon in England.co.uk
to be an Anglo hyphen Saxon in England.co.uk"

(Billy Bragg 2002)

musicology #120

jamboree #7

(Derrick Harriott - No Man Is An Island)

tasty slice of the Jamboree pie from Mr 'One Stop'. Vocalist, producer and 'Reggae' pioneer whose contribution to the development of Jamaican musicology from the earliest days, (with the Jiving Juniors 1958-62), right through the Ska and Rocksteady periods and into the sound we know and love today deserves honouring.

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