If we don’t have our dreams
What do we live for ?
If we don’t have our dreams,
What did James Connolly die for ?
Look up the sky is burning,
With blood that workers shed,
And we’ll carry on the battle,
For roses and bread.
Oh bread and roses,
Roses and bread,
We’ll carry on the battle,
For roses and bread.
He was born to organise,
That what James Larkin lived for,
For being a union man,
That’s what Joe Hill was killed for.
Look up the sky is burning,
With blood that workers shed,
And we’ll carry on the battle,
For roses and bread.
Oh bread and roses,
Roses and bread,
We’ll carry on the battle,
For roses and bread.rus
With dreams in solid steel,
That’s what Mandela lived for,
For dreaming of what might be,
That’s what Allende died for.
Look up the sky is burning,
With blood that workers shed,
And we’ll carry on the battle,
For roses and bread.
Oh bread and roses,
Roses and bread,
We’ll carry on the battle,
For roses and bread.
Let's dream that dream of dreams,
Of life without sorrow,
And maybe our dreams
Can build a new tomorrow.
What do we live for ?
If we don’t have our dreams,
What did James Connolly die for ?
Look up the sky is burning,
With blood that workers shed,
And we’ll carry on the battle,
For roses and bread.
Oh bread and roses,
Roses and bread,
We’ll carry on the battle,
For roses and bread.
He was born to organise,
That what James Larkin lived for,
For being a union man,
That’s what Joe Hill was killed for.
Look up the sky is burning,
With blood that workers shed,
And we’ll carry on the battle,
For roses and bread.
Oh bread and roses,
Roses and bread,
We’ll carry on the battle,
For roses and bread.rus
With dreams in solid steel,
That’s what Mandela lived for,
For dreaming of what might be,
That’s what Allende died for.
Look up the sky is burning,
With blood that workers shed,
And we’ll carry on the battle,
For roses and bread.
Oh bread and roses,
Roses and bread,
We’ll carry on the battle,
For roses and bread.
Let's dream that dream of dreams,
Of life without sorrow,
And maybe our dreams
Can build a new tomorrow.
inviata da DoNQuijote82 - 20/12/2012 - 16:59
Lingua: Inglese
I sing: ‘Jack Jones’ in place of James Larkin, in order to link the song to Britain. I don’t think it detracts from Martin’s song in any way – Martin references Republic of Ireland, S. Africa, Argentina and the USA - to which I’ve added Britain.
dal disco the Anti-Capitalistic Roadshow
dal disco the Anti-Capitalistic Roadshow
If we don’t have our dreams
What do we live for?
If we don’t have our dreams
What did James Connolly die for?
Look up the sky is burning
With blood that workers shed
We’ll carry on the battle
For roses and bread.
Bread and roses
Roses and bread
We’ll carry on the battle
For roses and bread.
He was born to organise
That’s what James Larkin* lived for
For being a union man
That’s what Joe Hill was killed for.
Look up the sky is burning
With blood that workers shed
We’ll carry on the battle
For roses and bread.
Bread and roses
Roses and bread
We’ll carry on the battle
For roses and bread.
With dreams in solid steel
That’s what Mandela lived for.
For dreaming of what might be
That’s what Allende died for.
Look up the sky is burning
With blood that workers shed
We’ll carry on the battle
For roses and bread.
Bread and roses
Roses and bread
We’ll carry on the battle
For roses and bread.
Let’s dream that dream of dreams
Of life without sorrow.
And maybe our dreams
Will build a new tomorrow.
*
What do we live for?
If we don’t have our dreams
What did James Connolly die for?
Look up the sky is burning
With blood that workers shed
We’ll carry on the battle
For roses and bread.
Bread and roses
Roses and bread
We’ll carry on the battle
For roses and bread.
He was born to organise
That’s what James Larkin* lived for
For being a union man
That’s what Joe Hill was killed for.
Look up the sky is burning
With blood that workers shed
We’ll carry on the battle
For roses and bread.
Bread and roses
Roses and bread
We’ll carry on the battle
For roses and bread.
With dreams in solid steel
That’s what Mandela lived for.
For dreaming of what might be
That’s what Allende died for.
Look up the sky is burning
With blood that workers shed
We’ll carry on the battle
For roses and bread.
Bread and roses
Roses and bread
We’ll carry on the battle
For roses and bread.
Let’s dream that dream of dreams
Of life without sorrow.
And maybe our dreams
Will build a new tomorrow.
*
inviata da DoNQuijote82 - 20/12/2012 - 17:01
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The imagery of bread and roses has been a recurring theme in the history of the labour movement. It was the slogan of women garment workers in New York in 1908 when 15,000 women marched after the death of 128 women in a factory fire. After the slogan appeared on the banner of textile workers during their 10 week strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts in 1912, James Oppenheim, an IWW man, wrote a song Bread and Roses which has been often sung and recorded.
Martin Whelan's song, written 10 years ago and sung at gatherings of Irish labour activists, was inspired by the reference to James Larkin as "a man who would put a flower in a vase on a table as well as a loaf on a plate" (Sean O'Casey)
Celebrating subversion
Si definiscono un “collettivo di cantanti e autori, più un mago, che si oppone al programma ideologico di austerità imposto dal governo britannico milionario”. Il Roadshow è composto da undici musicisti arrabbiati di età molto diverse.
C’è la notevole Grace Petrie, una versione femminile e più giovane di Billy Bragg, che propone canzoni sui ricchi che si arricchiscono e brani più rilessivi e personali come Protest singer blues. Ci sono Robb Johnson con la trascinante Be reasonable e Reem Kelani con un inno tunisino accompagnato dall’oud. Soprattutto ci sono due veterani della scena folk: Leon Rosselson, 78 anni, ancora impetuoso e arguto in Beneits and looters, e Peggy Seeger, che riscrive un brano swing degli anni trenta con l’appello “occupiamo St. Paul’s”.
Robin Denselow, The Guardian
traduzione di Internazionale