[Harp-L] harp player seeking political blues songs

["Dave R. Fertig" <drfertig@xxxxxxxxx>]

{Sam Blancato asks:   Does anybody know of blues songs with a decidedly 
political/social  commentary lyric that sounds cool }

That got me thinking, so I did a little bit of research,and now I'm into 
it.  (E.g., Broonzy's Black, Brown & White; Meeropol's Strange 
Fruit;  Simone's Mississippi Goddamn, and Backlash, etc.; Guthrie's Mean 
Talking Blues.)

I will not burden the list with my current findings, (I'll send them, just 
ask me off-list) as it ain't entirely harp- related, altho I do have 
harp-content asserted below.  I will say that there aren't many tunes that 
meet Sam's criteria:  Of 3500 blues songs on my laptop, only about 24 seem 
to qualify at first review.

I'm now working on a research piece,  Blues Songs With a Political 
Point.  That is, existing blues songs which take a stance or provocative 
approach in support of or against some policy or politics or 
person/institution.

This is a request for your suggestions of such songs.  I would really 
appreciate any info you have about the song, i.e., who played it, who wrote 
it, what album, what year, etc., but if you don't know all that, send what 
you have anyway.

To be included a song should be at least somewhat controversial when 
written, and have an element of challenge and risk in its words.    And 
they don't have to be "good" musically, just published.

HARP CONTENT:  This is to help me develop material for to play harp 
with.  This research will hopefully advance my effort to create effectively 
provocative political blues material,  with my harp playing, that's also 
entertaining.  Well, I can hope, can't I?

Please respond off-list,  to drfertig@xxxxxxxxx

Thanks!!

Dave Fertig