This song touches on key events in the history of the MUA, and direct action taken by that union in the interests of peace and justice. It was written by Walter Pritchard, Katie Newfield and Jonathon Snook, and is one of the songs featured in Walter’s musical play, “The Mayday Queen of the Scarlet Belt”. … Continue reading 1872: A Song About the Maritime Union of Australia
Tag: Union Songs
Put It On The Ground
This song, published in both “The Little Red Song Book” and “Sing Out” magazine, was closely associated with the Industrial Workers of the World, an international trade union movement. The song’s copyright is marked 1947. Recording’s are scarce. This arrangement uses the lead-sheet published in “The Little Red Song Book” as a starting point. One… Continue reading Put It On The Ground
Solidarity Forever: An Arrangement for the Illawarra Union Singers
“Solidarity Forever”, written by Ralph Chaplin in 1915, is a popular union anthem. It is sung to the tune of “John Brown’s Body” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic“. Although it was written as a song for the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), other union movements have adopted the song as their own. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solidarity_Forever This arrangement, is for… Continue reading Solidarity Forever: An Arrangement for the Illawarra Union Singers
Join Your Union: Simplified
Simplified Arrangement Click here for a more complex arrangement. The resources below are for an arrangement of John Warner’s song, with the Alto line the same as the Bass, except for the end of each phrase. The basses of course sing an octave lower. The tenor line is identical to the melody, except for a… Continue reading Join Your Union: Simplified
Ballad of 1891
This is a song about the 1891 Australian shearers’ strike. The song has been arranged in three parts: Words: Helen Palmer; Music: Doreen Jacobs; ©1950 Doreen Bridges Sheet Music Here is the definitive score, I’ve worked from, sourced from the Sydney Trade Union Choir, (STUC) in Cm. Sydney Trade Union Choir Score (.pdf) From this… Continue reading Ballad of 1891
Power In A Union
Here is an arrangement of Billy Bragg’s veritable anthem, “Power In A Union”, based on the American Civil War song, “The Battle Cry of Freedom”, which was written by the wonderfully named George F. Root. This arrangement by Christine Evans, with annotations including chords and the appropriate entry point for the bass voices. Aside from… Continue reading Power In A Union
Join Your Union: A Song
A song by John Warner ©John Warner 2006 Tune Hymn “Bread of Heaven” “Guide me oh thou great Jehovah/Redeemer” Welsh tune: Cwm Rhondda. Composed by John Hughes (1873-1932). Scroll down for lyrics, music and practice tracks. See also the simplified arrangement of this song! See John Warner’s website, http://www.folkjohnwarner.com/, where you can find John’s full… Continue reading Join Your Union: A Song
Joe Hill: The Song
Scroll down for lyrics, sheet music and practice tracks. Joe Hill, born Joel Emmanuel Hägglund in Gävle, Sweden, and also known as Joseph Hillström (October 7, 1879– November 19, 1915) was a songwriter, itinerant laborer, and union organizer, who became famous around the world after a Utah court (wrongly) convicted him of murder. Even before the international… Continue reading Joe Hill: The Song
The Internationale
Here is an arrangement of this truly revolutionary song, The Internationale, the original words by Eugene Pottier (1871), and music by Pierre De Geyter (1888). This arrangement in G major, for the Illawarra Union Singers, by Doug McPherson (2021) from earlier arrangements by Jerry Engelbach, (2001), and Alan Bush (1948). Sheet Music With Words; Click… Continue reading The Internationale
Tolpuddle Man: A Song Arrangement
Here is an arrangement of a song by Graham Moore, a commemoration of the Tolpuddle Martyrs. Scroll down for sheet music and practice tracks. The Tolpuddle Martyrs were a group of 19th century Dorset agricultural labourers who were arrested for and convicted of swearing a secret oath as members of the Friendly Society of Agricultural… Continue reading Tolpuddle Man: A Song Arrangement