[Marxism] Memories of Sectarian Songs

[Ian Angus <ecosocialism@xxxxxxxxx>]

I've been following the discussion of sectarian songs with great
delight. This is an aspect of left history that has still awaits a
historian. There is an journal article to be written on this, maybe
even an expensive hardcover book.

In 60s and early 70s, in the Canadian Trotskyist movement (League for
Socialist Action and Young Socialists) it was common to sing them, not
at official events -- but definitely at late night beer-fueled parties
and around the fire at Camp Poundmaker, scene of our summer schools.
We sang most of those that have been mentioned, and others we wrote
ourselves. They weren't politically correct, and many were downright
offensive, but they provided opportunities to blow off steam. I don't
believe they reflected or affected our real political activity,

One song, written by a musically talented comrade who is now a very
prominent business author/consultant, went to the tune of the tacky
Christan pop song Put your hand in the hand. I remember only some of
the words:

Put your hand in the hand of the man who built the red army
Put you hand in the hand of the man who fought the bourgeoisie ...

Every time I look into the Trotsky book I wanna tremble
When I read about the time when the Soviet Congress assembled ...

etc.

No one has mentioned a mimeographed, stapled booklet that I think was
published as a fundraiser by the Detroit Young Socialist Alliance. It
was called "A Dialectical Collection of United Front and Sectarian
Songs." Some hits from that anthology:

(to Goodnight Irene)
Goodbye, PL, PL
Goodbye PL.
Goodbye PL, you've clearly showed
You've left the Marxist road.

Last night I dreamed Milt Rosen
Came out with a brand new line
It was so deft, and ultraleft
It nearly blew my mind ...

(to Waltzing Matilda)
Courtin' the bourgeois
Courtin' the bourgeois
They've been a-courtin' the bourgeoisie
>From  the day that Papa Stalin
Ordered them to fall in
They've been a-courtin' the bourgeoisie. ....

There were many more. MIA should find it and post it as a contribution
to the history of left culture.

On a somewhat different tack, whatever happened to Bill Frederick, an
SWP member who wrote dozens of political/antiwar songs?  Someone put
out an LP of them, with a title along the lines of "Comes along Bill
Frederick, Declaring Peace on War." I had a copy, but it has long
since vanished. As I recall his singing voice was mediocre -- but the
lyrics were excellent. We sang his songs at demos, meetings, parties
and more.

Ian Angus

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