Song of the Day 5/1: Ed Pickford, “The Workers’ Song”
It’s International Workers’ Day, something Americans don’t observe – socialism has never appealed to a nation full of millionaires-in-waiting. Well, too bad, capitalist scum. It’s unlikely the workers of the world will ever unite, but you can’t stop them from protesting their lot.
Ed Pickford, a protest singer from northeastern England, has written a lot of songs about the region’s coal mining legacy. He broadened his scope for this tune he wrote this back in the ’70s. It was popularized by a 1981 cover by Scottish folksinger Dick Gaughan; Pickford didn’t record it himself until years later.
It’s been covered by other socially-minded singers and groups. The Dropkick Murphys made it over for the mosh pit crew in 2003.
Here’s Dick Gaughan’s version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrdl4ijru8o
In addition to being one of the best folksingers to emerge from the Scottish folk music tradition, Gaughan is also an amazing guitarist. The album from which this song is taken, “Handful of Earth”, established Gaughan as a voice for social causes.
“Handful of Earth” was named by Melody Maker as the top folk album of 1981, and the readers of Folk Roots magazine nominated the album as best of the 1980s.
Dick Gaughan appeared a couple of times in Wilmington during the mid-1980s