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Which side are you on?
Nov. 8th, 2011 02:44 amWhich_side_are_you_on_?
You can pick your version. For relatively straight renditions, I especially like the Billy Bragg rewrite, but the Rebel Diaz rap brings tears to my eyes.
I was not raised in a union family; my introduction to this song was the Natalie Merchant track, on a folk album she cut.
Now, I'm not a great fan of this song. Given my upbringing, Woody Guthrie's "Jesus Christ" means a lot more to me as a song. But it has some power to it, and tonight I was thinking about reactions to #OWS and this came to mind. Maybe we need a new version for the present struggle. Some will say the labor organization themes are outdated, but maybe it's loss of belief in solidarity that's caused the present trouble.
I think we are living through another 1848. And I know that the 1848 revolutions failed, and this one may as well.
So I think we need something like this song. WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?
(ETA: It's pretty straight punk, but the bass riffs on the Die Commandantes cut are delicious.)
You can pick your version. For relatively straight renditions, I especially like the Billy Bragg rewrite, but the Rebel Diaz rap brings tears to my eyes.
I was not raised in a union family; my introduction to this song was the Natalie Merchant track, on a folk album she cut.
Now, I'm not a great fan of this song. Given my upbringing, Woody Guthrie's "Jesus Christ" means a lot more to me as a song. But it has some power to it, and tonight I was thinking about reactions to #OWS and this came to mind. Maybe we need a new version for the present struggle. Some will say the labor organization themes are outdated, but maybe it's loss of belief in solidarity that's caused the present trouble.
I think we are living through another 1848. And I know that the 1848 revolutions failed, and this one may as well.
So I think we need something like this song. WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?
(ETA: It's pretty straight punk, but the bass riffs on the Die Commandantes cut are delicious.)
