346: Various Artists // What Now, People? 2
What Now, People? 2 Various Artists 1977, Paredon
Paredon was an activist record label founded in 1969 that specialized in protest music, largely American acoustic folk with a good helping of releases by international leftist artists. Inspired by the Cuban Revolution and the model of “People’s Singers” like Joe Hill and Pete Seeger, Paredon put out about 50 releases over their 20ish years in operation. The mid-‘70s compilation series What Now, People? (three volumes between 1976 and 1977) was a musical magazine intended to stimulate development of new protest songs for marches, rallies, labour meetings, etc. by providing complete lyrics, chords, and commentary from contemporary folk singers.
The back of the included booklet asks the purchaser to mail back a “political record review” in the form of a questionnaire. It’s a little late for me to field questions 7 through 9, which concern suggesting record stores and radical organizations who might be interested in carrying Paredon stock, but I’ll do my best with the others.
1. HOW DID YOU FIRST HEAR ABOUT THIS RECORD?
I found a copy of it in the used section of Phonopolis Records, on Rue Bernard, Mile End, Montreal, Quebec in 2021.
2. WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO IT POLITICALLY?
I have always liked the “musical magazine” concept, and the notion of making a body of political songs accessible for people to not only listen to but learn how to play themselves (in the manner of The IWW Songbook) is very cool. On a level of pure politics, it’s hard to disagree with the lyrics’ notions that America must become more egalitarian or it will consume itself morally, environmentally, socially, and psychically. (Thankfully this is no longer a problem today.)
I’m not sure the emphasis on ‘60s-style folk was the strongest tact however. The late ‘70s was an era with no shortage of powerful protest music, but this collection largely eschews R&B and even rock (with apologies to Red Shadows’ limp Chuck Berry rewrite “Anything Good”). While the veteran Seeger’s “If a Revolution Comes to My Country” grapples with both the promise and challenge of political change in an immediate way, the efforts of the lesser-knowns mostly feel like they’re roleplaying as the firebrands of a prior era. The most genuinely “revolutionary” sounding pieces are those that come from outside the coffee shop scene, like Cuban Amaury Pérez Vidal’s ode to Puerto Rican independence “Siempre con Puerto Rico” and Dakota Sioux activist Floyd Westerman’s “B.I.A.” song—perhaps because these artists had much more direct connections with revolutionary political movements than most of the whites here.
3. WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE BOOKLET?
Fantastic. It’s a great and in some ways inspiring souvenir of the era, and I wish more artists would include the chords and lyrics to their songs.
4. HOW HAVE YOU USED THIS RECORD?
I don’t believe that What Now, People? 2 would be of much use at a contemporary organizing meeting or rally, so largely for scholarly interest; for enjoyment of some pretty folk numbers (Dee Werner, Dorie Ellzey); for yet another reminder of the circularity of political struggle.
5. WHAT OTHER RECORDS SHOULD BE MADE?
Paredon’s focus on bringing (at the time) difficult to find foreign artists to American audiences will stand as their greatest aesthetic achievement, and I wouldn’t have been upset if there were more. Perhaps some more overtures to Black activists and musicians might’ve led to a more dynamic result with this record in particular.
6. WHAT NOW, PEOPLE?
There is no shortage of protests to go to, letters to write, plans to make. Hopefully we’ll see each other out there, with songs in our hearts.
346/365
