Daily Worker
August 6, 1941
UNION IDEA, FINE MUSIC IN 'ALMANAC' RECORDS by Lawrence Emery
The man who said he didn't care who wrote the laws for the people if he could write their songs was not altogether a dope. But he only coined an epigram. He died without ever setting a verse to music.
The Almanacs have done far better. They are writing people's songs; and they're still young.
Real troubadours, the Almanacs are currently wandering across the country singing their songs wherever they encounter an audience or can drum one up.
But through the happy and fortunate connivance of Keynote Recordings they have left behind them a new album of six songs which fit any phonograph and which can now be had for practically a pittance at the Music Room at 135 W. 44th St.
The title of the album is derived from the leading song, "Talking Union," This is done in "traditional talking blues form" which is a cross between a song and a recitation but is neither. It's a common sense sermon on organization with guitar accompaniment and all the punch lines in the right places.
"Now if you want higher wages let me tell you what to do. . ." is the way it starts, and it contains such homely bits of wisdom as this:
"You can always tell a stool, though, that's a fact.
"He's got a yellow streak running down his back.
"He doesn't have to stool. . .
"He'll always get along. . .
"On what he takes out of blind men's cups. . ."
With the stools properly taken care of, matters reach the point of a strike but the boss - he's mean and smokes big cigars - thinks he's got the union licked:
"Well, he looks out the window and what does he see
"But a thousand pickets, and they all agree. . .
"He's a bastard. . .
"Unfair. . .
"Slave driver. . .
"Bet he beats his wife. . ."
This is pretty serious stuff, of course, and Martin Dies will probably some day sing it into the Congressional Record. It ought to do pretty well at union meetings in the meantime, though.
"All I Want" is a little song by Jim Garland, old Kentucky miner, set to the tune of the favorite folk song known as "Greenback
Dollar."
It makes a simple, moderate plea. "I don't want your millions, mister," it goes, "All I want is the right to live, mister. Give me back my job again."
Members of the CIO agricultural union -the UCAPAWA- took the venerable hymn "The Old Ship of Zion," gave it new words, and called it "The Union Train."
"Yonder coming. . .Carry us to freedom."
It's in the album, too.
The Almanacs have dusted off another traditional blues tune and call it "Get Thee Behind Me." It tells of a union man beset by many a sinful temptation. The boss offers him whiskey, sends a red-headed woman after him (love me baby, leave your union behind) and tries to confound him with politicians and company unions. Sustained by the power of organization, he heads them all off:
"Get thee behind me Satan. . .
"Gonna leave you behind. . ."
"The Union Maid," to the tune of "Redwing," was written by the Almanacs with Woody Guthrie's help. Gals who want to be free are advised: "Get you a man who's a union man. And join the ladies' auxiliary."
The album is dedicated to the memory of Joe Hill, the great wandering bard of pre-World War days, and is inscribed with his immortal last words before he faced a firing squad for a murder he didn't commit: "Don't mourn for me - organize!"