The British Labour Movement has a rich heritage of songs – songs that convey a sense of history, as well as imagery and emotion for present day industrial workers and their friends.
The force and tang of these songs proves irresistible to modern tastes, and many talented song-makers outside of industry as well as within it have been fired to imitate this kind of do-it-yourself workers’ song. Among the best of these is Ewan MacColl, who presents here a number of songs created by industrial workers, interspersed with songs on industrial themes made by himself.
1 The Wark of the Weavers
2 Droylsden Wakes
3 The Four Loom Weaver
4 The Calton Weaver
5 Oh, Dear Me
6 The Coal-Owner and the Pitman’s Wife
7 Fourpence a Day
8 The Gresford Disaster
9 Will Caird
10 The Iron Horse
11 Poor Paddy works on the Railway
12 Cannily Cannily
13 The Song of the Iron Road
14 The Blantyre Explosion
15 The Collier Laddie
16 Moses of the Mail
Recording by Bill Leader.
First issued by Topic Records 1964.
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