Broadside Ballad

Broadside ballads are songs that are intended to address current social or political issues. The broadside ballad came to live a bit shortly after the birth of the printing press were broadsheets about the size of handbills on which were printed the text of ballads. A simple woodcut often headed the sheet, and under the title it was specified that the ballad was to be sung to the tune of some popular song that the majority of the people knew. If not to a popular song, then the musical notations are usually included. From the 16th century until the end of the 19th century, broadsides were also known as street ballads, stall ballads or slip songs.
Broadside ballad is important because it is not just a typical song that is performed by a singer, but rather, it is mainly performed by a group of people, such as farmers, worker or any other group that is facing some issues and would like to raise their voices. It is also important as when they sing it as a group, they will be more motivated to take an action as these lyrics and the meanings that they revel is supposed to change their feelings.

                "Which side are you on?"  Is the song that stole my attention this time. This song was written in 1931 by Florence Reece when she was 12 years old. She is an American social activist, poet and folksong writer. She was married to a coal miner. She wrote that song during the strike by the United Mine Workers of America, where the miners faced a bitter time and struggle with the owners. Pete Seeger learned this song in 1940, and in the following year it was recorded by Almanac Singers in which it gained a wide audience.

This is a youtube link to Pete Seeger version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iAIM02kv0g

                In my opinion, I think that broadside ballad plays a big role in our societies. It does not have to be in one region or sung in a certain language. It could be performed at anytime and anywhere. The importance of it is that, it can express any issue the society is going through, no matter what it is. It could be as big as a political issue, or as small as changing a school policy. I also would like to mention what makes it different from a typical song, which is: it is sung by any group of people. And the purpose behind that is to move their emotions and get them motivated.

We Are Soldiers in the Army

Dear all,

This is my first post ever on a blog. It feels kind of exciting, as I will be posting weekly from now on in relating to Music of Resistance, Revolution & Liberation, which is the title of my music class here at Westminster College. I will touch and write about different social, political and religious issues inside the United Stats and the Globe as a whole. Furthermore, videos and links will be posted to illustrate and support the issue that we are dealing with. I chose this course because as a young person I don't have much knowledge about the suffrage that others, in the past- present,  from different cultures and ethnic groups have experienced and went through. So I joined this interesting course just to have broader perspective on how music could change someone's live or even a whole country. And I hope to leave this course with new views about music and bigger hopes to have a better world to live in.

One of the videos that drew my attention is "We Are Soldiers of the Army" by Freedom Singers. This is the link for the clip: http://www.folkways.si.edu/video/usa.aspx
The Freedom Singers is a band that was founded in 1962 by Cordell Reagon, Bernice Johnson, Matthew Jones, Charles Neblett and Rutha Mae Harris. This band helped through their songs to organize, shape and inspire the Civil Rights Movement.

The main purpose of "We Are Soldiers of the Army" and other freedom songs they performed is the African-American struggle for their civil rights and equality, as it is mentioned in the clip that colored people were not allowed to get on the buses, nor sit around  white peoples' fountain. And now it is time to change the peoples' hearts from racism to equality.

Here is an additional site about the history of the Freedom Singers and their mission: http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-3670

I would like to conclude this post by illustrating the reason that made me choose this clip. As I am from Iraq, this reminds me of the civil war that occurred in that region during 2006-2007 where thousands of people were left dead. During  these two years, songs were sang to unite people again, and they succeeded. And again, this is one instance that I lived through that was diminished by music. Which could be seen as a proof on how music could change a whole country.

Thank you,

Abdullah Al-Hadeethi