Well that’s it from us for this week dear reader. In September of 2022 an international folk supergroup consisting of 16 artists (including Bruce Cockburn, Ani DiFranco and Martin Simpson) from six countries on four continents released “Which Side Are You On?” Originally penned as a union song by Florence Reece in 1931, Artists for Action’s version took aim at the rise of far-right politics and the resurgence of fascism around the globe, the most glaring example of which was Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine.
With recent world events, including the implosion of American democracy and the resurgence of fascist groups such as Germany’s AfD, the message behind the song seems more important and more urgent, than ever, so Artists for Action is re-releasing the single, which aims to foster discussion, and asks people to choose which side they are on. When the single was first released it enjoyed airplay all over the world, although there were some stations that refused to play it, stating that it was too controversial. Well, it may be more controversial now than ever. Canada, Greenland, Denmark, Panama and Gaza are all being threatened with hostile takeovers from the most powerful nation in the world, not to mention Ukraine being royally screwed over, so it’s a fair point to say that now more than ever, each of us has to grapple not only with which side we are on, but what we are going to do about it. As the press release notes, “Will we boycott? Will we participate actively in politics? Will we vote, demonstrate, protest? Music has at times been a powerful catalyst for change, and the voices of musicians are needed now more than ever.” All proceeds from the track will be donated to a registered charity in aid of Ukraine.
We know which side we are on anyway but as always, other Americana sites are available if we’re not your bag. Don’t forget Gaza. Have a good one.
You seem to be pretty short on solutions when it comes to the ills of the world. Let’s hear what you would do. Tell us exactly how to fix things. Some general guidelines at least.