Episode 273. Paul Robeson (Listeners’ Favorites)
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I am here visiting my family in Milwaukee this week, a time which has proven to be a landmark in the downward spiral of our country into fascism. And all right here in our own backyard! It all struck way too close to home for me when the minister at my mother’s church delivered the benediction at the opening ceremonies of the RNC on Monday and suddenly became a darling of the nutcases. I don’t have a huge platform: all I have is my podcast, devoted first and foremost to great singers. There is little that I can do to counteract the evil, hatred, and heinousness that spewed forth from the city of my birth this week. But I have occasionally let my progressive flag fly here, never moreso than when, in the second season of the podcast, I posted an episode in honor of Paul Robeson on the 45th anniversary of his death. To this day Robeson remains one of the most celebrated, and controversial, of all artists. A man of fierce intelligence and convictions, he exhibited prodigious natural gifts as a sportsman, singer, actor, linguist, and, perhaps most importantly, as an activist. This episode focuses of course on his accomplishments as a singer, but especially within the context of his political activism and activities on behalf of oppressed people the world over. He was vilified and hunted down by some factions as much (if not more) as he was revered and venerated by others. In this episode I highlight some of his most famous performances, focusing on his live and studio performances of African American spirituals and protest songs, folk songs from around the world (including Russia and China), and works that celebrated the brand of left-wing populism that was in vogue in the 1930s and 1940s, in particular his recording of the hybrid work, Ballad for Americans, by composer Earl Robinson and lyricist John LaTouche. Robeson is a man who lost everything for the principals he believed in and who had more integrity and conviction and right-mindedness in his thumbnail than the entire conference of right-wing wackos who descended on Milwaukee this week combined. Let his example be a wakeup call for those of us who do not want to witness the death of our country as a democracy, however flawed it is and has been over the course of its history. There is no better figure to light the way for us in this struggle than Paul Robeson.
Previous episodes that included music by Paul Robeson:
Episode 37 (No More Slavery Chains). www.countermelodypodcast.com/episode-37-no-more-slavery-chains
Episode 55 (Season Two Teaser): www.countermelodypodcast.com/episode-55-season-two-teaser
Episode 65 (The Year 1935): www.countermelodypodcast.com/episode-65-1935-hb2u-mommie-dearest
Episode 122 (Auld Acquaintance II): www.countermelodypodcast.com/index.php/2021/12/30/episode-122-auld-acquaintance-ii/
RECORDINGS HEARD IN THIS EPISODE
Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein, Paul Robeson (revised words): Old Man River (Show Boat). Paul Robeson; Alan Booth [live Carnegie Hall 9 May 1958]
Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II: I Still Suits Me (Show Boat – 1936 film). Paul Robeson, Elisabeth Welch; Clifford Greenwood, New Mayfair Orchestra [1936]
Nathaniel Shilkret, Gene Austin: Lonesome Road (used in Show Boat – 1929 film). Paul Robeson; Ray Noble, New Mayfair Orchestra [1929]
Mischa Spoliansky, Arthur Wimperis: Congo Lullaby (Sanders of the River). Paul Robeson; Muir Matheson, New Mayfair Orchestra [1935]
George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward, Ira Gershwin: It Ain’t Necessarily So (Porgy and Bess). Paul Robeson [1939]
Roy Henderson, Buddy DeSylva, Lew Brown: Little Pal. Paul Robeson; Ray Noble, New Mayfair Orchestra [1929]
Duke Ellington, Barney Bigard, Irving Mills: Mood Indigo. Paul Robeson [1937]
Rezső Seress, Desmond Carter: Gloomy Sunday. Paul Robeson [1936]
Paul Robeson on the defintions of Fascism and Communism [Senate testimony, 31 May 1948]
Earl Robinson, John LaTouche: Ballad for Americans. Paul Robeson; Nathaniel Shilkret, Victor Symphony Orchestra, American Peoples Chorus [1940]
Earl Robinson, Allen Lewis: The House I Live In. Paul Robeson; Emanuel Balaban, Columbia Concert Orchestra [1947]
Marc Blitzstein: The Purest Kind of Guy (No for an Answer). Paul Robeson; Lawrence Brown [1942]
Yiddish Folk Song: Shlof, mein Kind. Paul Robeson; Alan Booth [1956]
Traditional Spiritual, arr. H.T. Burleigh: Scandalize My Name. Paul Robeson; Alan Booth [1957]
Traditional Spiritual: Weepin’ Mary. Paul Robeson; Lawrence Brown [1929]
Traditional Spiritual, arr. H.T. Burleigh: By an’ By. Paul Robeson; Lawrence Brown [1945]
Spiritual, arr Lawrence Brown: Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel. Paul Robeson; Alan Booth [live Carnegie Hall 9 May 1958]
Traditional American: Takin’ Names. Paul Robeson; Alan Booth [1957]
Traditional American, arr. H.T. Burleigh: John Henry. Paul Robeson; Lawrence Brown [1945]
Traditional American, arr. Avery Robinson: Water Boy. Paul Robeson; Lawrence Brown [1945]
Traditional American, John Newton: Amazing Grace. Paul Robeson; Alan Booth [1956]
Traditional Scottish, arr. Walter Goehr. Loch Lomond. Paul Robeson [1938]
Traditional Finnish, arr. Selim Palmgren: Wanderer. Paul Robeson; Alan Booth [1957]
Traditional Chinese: Riding the Dragon [Children’s Song]. Paul Robeson [1941]
Pierre-Jean Garat: Dans le printemps de mes annéees. Paul Robeson; Alan Booth [1958]
Alexander Alexandrov: O Thou Silent Night. Paul Robeson; Alan Booth [live Carnegie Hall 9 May 1958]
Traditional Russian: Volga Boat Song. Paul Robeson; Alan Booth [live Carnegie Hall 9 May 1958]
Alexander Gretchaninov: Cradle Song [sung in Russian]. Paul Robeson; Lawrence Brown [1942]
Modest Mussorgsky: Within Four Walls [sung in Russian] (Sunless, No. 1). Paul Robeson; Lawrence Brown [1942]
Modest Mussorgsky, Alexander Pushkin: Monologue (Boris Godunov). Paul Robeson; Alan Booth [live Carnegie Hall 9 May 1958]
London 1930s.
Traditional Chinese: Chinese Army Song. Paul Robeson [1941]
Traditional Irish: Kevin Barry. Paul Robeson; Alan Booth [1956]
Anonymous, arr. Hanns Eisler: The Peat Bog Soldiers [sung in English and German]. Paul Robeson; Lawrence Brown [1942]
Traditional Spanish: The Four Insurgent Generals [sung in English and Spanish]. Paul Robeson; Lawrence Brown [1942]
Hirsch Glick: Zot nit keynmol [Song of the Warsaw Ghetto]. Paul Robeson; Alan Booth [1956]
Earl Robinson, Alfred Hayes: Joe Hill. Paul Robeson; Alan Booth [live Carnegie Hall 9 May 1958]
William Shakespeare: A word or two before you go (Othello). Paul Robeson [live Carnegie Hall 9 May 1958]
Traditional Spiritual: No More Auction Block for Me. Paul Robeson; Alan Booth [1956]
