No single person contributed more to the development of the genre of political music in the American Labor Movement than Joe Hill. His story continues to be legendary among labor organizers and their followers, even after his death in 1915. Until now, one can still hear the influence of Joe Hill's music in contemporary works in this genre performed by groups and individuals as diverse as Billy Bragg and The Rolling Stones. After he joined the Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.) he was always leading many organizational efforts of that same labor movement. He then started to compose his songs that dealt with the labor inequality. He was such a prodigious composer of the motivational labor songs, and laborers and their organizers sang his songs during their activities. The song "I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night" is one of the great examples that show his influence even after his death. The main point of this song, which was composed by Alfred Hays, is to tell the people that even Joe Hill is dead, but he is still alive in the hearts of the labors.
The music during the American Labor Movement has emerged in virtually every setting in which there are industries. During the time of Joe Hill, the songs were passionate diatribes against the wealthy elite and their exploitive behavior. As for Joe, he pulled no punches in his lyrics, and his strong and graphic language remains a signature characteristic of his work. The songs were sung to melodies that were well-known during these days. Music was also described by Joe Glazer as a great extra weapon in the battles for freedom.
This is a link to what Joe Glazer has to say regarding Music in the American Labor Movement.
"The Preacher and the Slave" considered Hill's masterpiece, was initially printed in the 1911 edition of the LITTLE RED SONGBOOK; it was his first contribution to the collection. The song mocked organized religion and the Salvation Army, whose sidewalk brass bands broadcasting a message of heavenly redemption were the Wobblies' (I.W.W.) main competition for the hearts and minds of the down and out. Referring to it as the "Starvation Army," the song mocked their lack of compassion for the temporal needs of struggling laborers and their siding with the bosses. In its last verses, the song urged workers to stand together, organize, and, when the bosses were defeated and asked how they were going to eat, tell them to learn to chop wood and cook. Even though this song was written 100 years ago, but we still see the labor inequality around the world.
This is the link to the song.
Solidarity Forever! Joe Hill may be dead, but the movement lives on!
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