Naomi Bedford’s A History Of Insolence was one of our recently Featured Albums of the Month (review here). In our interview with her she gave us an insight into the album as well as recollecting some of her own activist highlights. To tie it all nicely together we asked Naomi to put together a playlist of some of her favourite protest songs, this is the result:
TEN SONGS OF PROTEST
Ten Songs of Protest (A Guest Mix by Naomi Bedford) by Folk Radio Uk on Mixcloud
Naomi Bedford – Track by Track
1. The Colours by The Men They Couldn’t Hang from Waiting for Bonaparte. This song introduced me to Thomas Paine…As a teenager I was inspired to read The Rights of Man due to the lyrics in this song & it remains one of my favourite songs by Paul [Simmonds].
2. World Turned Upside Down by Dick Gaughan from A Different Kind of Love Song. I am a huge Dick Gaughan fan and have supported him a number of times – last year he curated a concert of political song in London and invited me and Paul to come and play and open for him I was so chuffed. He really is one of this island’s greats.
3. Know Your Rights by The Clash from Combat Rock. The Clash were a major influence on me as I was growing up. I Love them.
4. Hurricane by Bob Dylan from Desire – This song has caused some controversy in its time but it’s a fantastic song.. On an early meeting with Paul I impressed him by singing ALL the words to the song. On the same day he saw I had the Rights of Man on a shelf in my toilet…he said at that point he knew I was the girl for him!
5. The Davidson Wilder Blues by Hedy West from Old Times and Hard Times – She was a big favourite in my house.
6. Nothing Ever Happens by Del Amitri from Waking Hours – When it came out I bought it on every available format, 7inch, 12inch and tape – I think – and I bought extra copies to give to friends and family! I just loved it.
7. Scavengers by The Men They Couldn’t Hang from The Defiant. In my opinion the best Tmtch song for the last ten years…..’you scavengers, you jackles and you thieves, you slurry of the world you foul disease’….with those lyrics they can only be singing about the ruling class! My step son Billy came up with the title of the song too.
8. The Harvest Gypsies by Kris Drever (written by Boo Hewerdine) from Black Water – a brilliant song form my favourite Kris Drever album. In the classic tradition of Woody Guthrie a song about migrant workers.
9. Deportees by Joan Baez and Bob Dylan from Shelter from a Hard Rain (Live) (Rolling Thunder Revue – Hughes Stadium, Fort Collins Colorado 1976) I first heard it by Dolly Parton on the 9 to 5 album though obviously it’s one of Woody Guthrie’s greatest songs and this version from the Rolling Thunder Revue is the best I’ve seen.
10. Strange Fruit by Billie Holliday – listening to this gives you the true meaning of the word haunting – gives me goosebumps every time.
http://www.naomibedford.co.uk/