Labor Music of the Past and Present

In the early 1900s, the United States experienced the height of the labor movement that brought thousands of men and women together in protest against jobs which enslaved workers more than benefited them.  Certain types of songs later known as “labor music” were written to raise awareness of the movement, unite the workers who protested and give them an identity that the United States could easily recognize through music.  The songs typically talked about the working conditions in most labor intensive jobs, especially coal mining but other aspects as well such as low wages, rich upper-class bosses who cared nothing of their employees, Christian hypocrites and even prostitution.  Labor music brought the stories of the people working such jobs to life, and united those who fought against the corrupt conditions of the jobs to fight against rich and powerful employers. 

            

One of the best examples of labor music are the songs written by Joe Hill, a man highly involved in the labor movement.  Hill was an immigrant from Sweden who immigrated to the United States in 1902.  After working various jobs and finding his experience in the workforce of the U.S. disheartening, he joined the Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W) and helped as an active organizer for the union.  The majority of his songs were written to already established tunes, therefore they were easy for the general population to learn similar to broadside ballads.  One of Joe Hill’s songs titled “The White Slave” was written in 19 12 and sung to the tune of “Meet Me Tonight In Dreamland.”  The song talks about young girls in the work force who make such low wages they live in extreme poverty.  Eventually the girls are tempted by prostitution as a better alternative for work, yet the result of their decisions lead to their lives ruined.  The song targets employers who refuse to pay a decent wage to their workers.  A song such as “The White Slave” is an example of what was typically written during the height of the labor movement.

One little girl, fair as a pearl,

Worked every day in a laundry;

All that she made for food she paid,

So she slept on a park bench so soundly;

An old procuress spied her there,

And whispered softly in her ear:

           

            CHORUS:

            Come with me now, my girl,

            Don’t sleep out in the cold;

            Your face and tresses curly

            Will bring you fame and gold,

            Automobiles to ride in, diamonds and silks to wear

Same little girl, no more a pearl,

Walks all alone ‘long the river,

Five years have flown, her health is gone,

She would look at the water and shiver,

Whene’er she’d stop to rest and sleep,

She’d hear a voice call from the deep.

-Joe Hill

Labor music didn't end in the United States after the 20^th century; in a way it was actually the beginning of it.  The songs written into the 20^th century did not necessarily reflect only the labor movement, but also challenges in the U.S. caused by the Cold War, lack of jobs and frustrations lower classes felt towards the privileged upper class.  An example of contemporary labor music is found in Creedence Clearwater Revivals “Fortunate Son” released in 1969.  Some of the lyrics include:

Some folks are born the silver spoon in hand

Lord, don’t they help themselves, oh

But when the taxman comes to the door

Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yes

Chorus:

It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no millionaire’s son, no

It ain’t me, it ain’t me; I ain’t no fortunate one, no

Some folks inherit start spangled eyes

Ooh, they send you down to war, Lord

And when you ask them, “How much should we give?”

Ooh they only answer More! More! More! Yoh

The song is an anti-war anthem written during the Vietnam War.  It criticized those who were able to skip the draft due to their wealth.  Lead singer John Cameron Fogerty was drafted into the U.S. military in 1966 but was put on reserves and a year later discharged.  Fortunate Song was written from his experiences with the draft and frustrations with the military system, just as the songs written by Joe Hill came from his frustrations with labor jobs.  Although Creedence Clearwater Revival did not write about the labor movement, they protested against the unfair privileges the rich possessed, criticizing them as false Americans by not having to pay the same costs most Americans did during the Vietnam War, simply due to wealth. 

Music of the labor music can easily be compared to broadside ballads.  Two men, Andrew Fletcher and John Seldon described broadside ballads and libels (protest music) as music that influenced change, and  brought awareness of social issues that might not have been noticed if the songs had not been written.  It seems as though they are correct in their beliefs.  Whether labor music, broadside ballads or political punk rock music, it all has the effect to change the minds of the people.  I wonder if history would be different if such music had not been written.