In September of 2009, the world lost a powerful voice in the form of
Mary Travers, best known as the female third of folk trio Peter, Paul
and Mary. I had the great fortune of seeing them perform together in
2006, and I’ve grown up with their music, but I haven’t come close to
listening to all of their albums. I mean to correct that as best I can
this year. My endeavor begins with 2003‘s In These Times, one of their last albums, and one that most demonstrates their commitment to activism.
Union
Medley: You Gotta Go Down And Join The Union / Put It On The Ground /
Union Maid / We Shall Not Be Moved / Which Side Are You On? - An
interesting, banjo-driven medley that sets the tone for this album,
which is even more concerned than usual with social justice. Paul reads a
caustic quote from Woody Guthrie to the accompaniment of the first
song, which seems to be an altered version of Lonesome Valley. Put It On the Ground has a sarcastic tone to it, while Union Maid is playfully defiant. We Shall Not Be Moved
is similarly upbeat, and its chorus is general enough that it applies
to multiple causes. Finally, the last song is a call to arms, with Mary
taking the lead in stirring up people’s passions.
Have You Been to Jail For Justice?
- A rousing song, particularly in concert as hundreds are encouraged to
belt out the chorus. The witty verses point out various unjust laws
throughout history and those who have been brave enough to defy them,
including Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Peter gives historical
context, Paul accentuates the absurdity of some especially unfair laws,
and Mary growls out her indignation. A powerful anthem for peaceful
civil disobedience. “Have you been to jail for justice? / I want to
shake your hand / 'Cause sitting in and laying down / Are ways to take a
stand. / Have you sung a song for freedom / Or marched that picket
line? / Have you been to jail for justice? / Then you're a friend of
mine.”
Jesus Is on the Wire - When I took this album
out of the library a couple of weeks ago, I didn’t know that one of the
tracks was about hate crime victim Matthew Shepard. Around the same
time, I’d rented The Laramie Project,
which deals with the aftermath of his murder and how it affected the
small Wyoming town where he died. Mary has lead vocals on this spooky
song whose evocative lyrics and eerie instrumentals seek to capture the
desolation of Matthew’s final hours and the horror of what happened to
him. “The earth is soft / This time of year; / Boots get caked / From
there to here. / Down the road / Route 25 / They found this boy; / He
was barely alive...”
Don't Laugh at Me - This gentle
tune is an anti-bullying theme song and a cornerstone of Operation
Respect, a foundation Peter formed to “assure each child and youth a
respectful, safe and compassionate climate of learning where their
academic, social and emotional development can take place free of
bullying, ridicule and violence.” The lyrics list many different
attributes that might spark discrimination, whether it has to do with
ethnicity, culture, religion, age, economic status or any number of
other factors. Peter has more lines to himself here than anyone else,
but for the most part it’s the three singing together, their seamless
harmony emphasizing the sense of cooperation they wish to see in the
world. “Don't laugh at me. / Don't call me names. / Don't get your
pleasure from my pain. / In God's eyes we're all the same. / Someday
we'll all have perfect wings. / Don't laugh at me.”
Wayfaring Stranger
- Paul Prestopino’s impressive, fast-paced banjo-playing forms an
undercurrent to this song to emphasize the theme of journey. Mary takes
the lead on this minor-toned song; the speaker is convinced that glory
awaits, but it has been an arduous journey. One of the oldest songs on
the album, this spiritual is an anthem of hope for those undergoing
tribulations. “I'm going there to see my mother. / I'm going there no
more to roam. / I'm just a-going over Jordan. / I'm just a-going over
home.”
How Can I Keep From Singing? / The Great Storm Is Over
- Paul gets the first song to himself, with such minimal accompaniment
that it’s nearly an a capella performance, and a very soulful one at
that. Peter and Mary join him for the more upbeat second song, and
Prestopino again adds a lot with his banjo strumming. An optimistic
medley perhaps most notable for the second-to-last chorus, which the
three turn into a wonderfully complex round. “Release for the captives,
an end to the wars / Now springs in the desert, new hope for the poor. /
The little lame children will dance as they sing / And play with the
bears and lions in the spring.”
Invisible People - A
soft, harmonica-tinged lament in which Peter, Paul and Mary mostly sing
together, taking on the voices of those who settled America with little
thought for those who were already here. Gently mournful, it
acknowledges the mistreatment of indigenous peoples throughout history.
“Shattered in spirit / Promises broken / Hunters and healers / Now
refugees. / Tell me who is the savage / And who is the savior / When a
people are ravaged / By hatred and greed.”
Of This World - Along the lines of If I Have a Hammer
but with a more subdued tone, it speaks of various ways to “ease the
suffering of this world / with my head, my heart and my hand.” The tone
shifts a tad toward the end, becoming more upbeat as the banjo joins in
and the three come together to announce their intention to make good on
all that potential.
Some Walls - A reflective song
about different types of walls that keep people separated from one
another. Mostly metaphorical, with guitar backing the lovely melody. “If
there’s any hope for love at all / Some walls must fall.”
All God's Critters
- One of my long-time Sunday school favorites, this is a fun,
kid-friendly song that celebrates the diversity of creation while
encouraging inclusion and acceptance for all. They seem to be having a
lot of fun with this one, especially Paul, whose sense of humor has
always come through particularly well on their recordings. Silly sound
effects abound, and the chorus is especially entertaining when Paul
takes up an alternate melody to sing alongside Mary and Peter. “All
God’s critters got a place in the choir. / Some sing low, some sing
higher. / Some sing out loud on the telephone wire / And some just clap
their hands or paws or anything they got now.”
It's Magic
- The one song on the album that doesn’t particularly follow the social
justice theme, but its emphasis on love makes it fit in pretty well
anyway. Paul has the lead on this song about a man reflecting on a life
full of “magic” moments, from attending his first magic show to falling
in love for the first time and eventually becoming a father. A tender
song with understated acoustic guitar backing, it has a very personal
feel to it, and one can certainly see how someone with this kind of
outlook on life might also be the kind of person who would wish such
experiences on as many people as possible. “It’s magic and you don’t
want to know / Just how it’s done, it would ruin the show. / You’ve just
got to believe / ‘Cause believing is what makes it happen. / Oh, it’s
nothing but magic.”
Oh, Had I a Golden Thread -
Delicate mandolin, always a welcome instrument, threads its way through
this hymnlike song that otherwise has an a capella feel to it. I’ve got LOST
on the brain, with the sixth and final season starting up in four days,
but then that trippy Island drama always seems to be lingering near the
forefront of my mind. Hearing this song, I can’t help thinking of
Jacob, the enigmatic figure who was finally formally introduced in the
season five finale. Unhurried, gentle Jacob has seemingly spent
centuries weaving a tapestry on the wall of the chamber where he lives
as well as subtly directing the courses of many individuals, and I can
imagine him doing just what this song suggests. A solemn but stirring
ending to the album. “Show my brothers and my sisters / My rainbow
design / And bind up this sorry world / With hand and heart and mind... O
had I a golden thread / And needle so fine / I‘d weave a tapestry / Of
rainbow design.”
Peter, Paul and Mary’s voices are like golden
thread, and they have certainly done their part to weave a beautiful
tapestry. If you concur, you’ll want to listen to In These Times.
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