Songs Part 2 (10-6)

10. Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday (1939)
One of the ealy anti-racism songs and it did leave scary thougts running through my mind.
It was hard being an African American in the south during the early twentieth century with the massive dicrimination against them. Here, Holiday was pointing these truths in a really realistic but scary way. She sings about the violence in the south with blood and it was really interesting when she said, 'here are magnolias, sweet and fresh, then the smell of burning flesh. The strange fruit was supposed to represent the African Americans who were dubbed strange during the time that this song came out. She portrayed herself as a strange and bitter crop.
This song was to raise awareness of how the African Americans were being treated and how it needed to end.

9. Do Re Mi by Woody Guthrie (1940)
Interesting song that was written during the time of the Dust Bowl and talked about people in the East wanting to move to places like California. This was also written during a time of a recession after the depression and it was hard to move to another state and people were trying to find work or money. It would be hard to move to places without money. He summed it up when he said that 'but believe it or not, you won't find it so hot if you ain't got the do re mi.' Do Re Mi was a slang back then for money and without it, life just isn't as good, especially during a recession.

8. Jesus Christ by Woody Guthrie (1940)
How about that, another Woody Guthrie song! However, this song is totally different from Do Re Mi.
This is a religous song that compares today with the time of Jesus. Jesus spoke about giving to the poor and the rich disliked him, sending poor Jesus to the grave. The rich today are no different, they would be mad at Jesus if he taught the same thing. Christians today promise at church to follow Jesus, but would they really do it if he came here telling us so? The rich would argue that it wouldn't help them and would get mad at Jesus. America has become like that. I remember the rich getting upset when Obama came and said that money from the rich will help the poor and I have lots of friends against him for that. Ignorance has blinded us.

7. Paddy's Lament by Flogging Molly (2002)
Really good song with a kick of Irish to it.
This song talks about an Irish imigrant during the 1840s who escaped like many from the potato famine. However, he was taken advantage like most other immigrants and became a soldier during the most bloodies wars in American history, the Civil War. Though he must have been angry and terrified but he had to suck it up and move forward.
This song is represents the story of an Irish Immigrant who like other immigrants moved during the 19th century for a better life, only to be taken advantage of and abused. Flogging Molly tells the story of this immigrant over 150 years later. It was a good song for folk.

6. Hard Times Come Again No More by Stephen Foster (1854)
This was a very peaceful song that has a positive ring in all of us. It talks about the people who are suffering but are in hope that these hard times will come to pass. Growing up in a safe community, I tend to forget those living in the streets working to make ends meet and are singing this song. This song could be traced for today with the recession (especially in my hometown of Detroit) with people out of work and are dealing with the poverty line. I know that there are many who are singing this song for hope so they can pay off debts and live peacefully. This song should bring hope and I have heard new versions of this song, primarily sung to people who are suffering.