Monday Morning Mess 15: Labor Day 2011

In honor of Labor Day 2011, in honor of the brothers and sisters who have fought and in too many cases died to secure a better standard of living for themselves and their children -- and in honor of the Wisconsin brothers and sisters who did the movement proud this year standing up to their thug governor -- here's an assortment of songs honoring those who work for a living, who don't have the luxury of watching investments mature as they look for ways to rob those who have less.

Here's what you'll hear today (right-click to download MP3 or to stream it in a new tab or window; some songs previously featured in past Labor Day shows):

1. Music box intro: "The Internationale"
2. Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros: "Johnny Appleseed"
3. United Steel Workers of Montreal: "Three Hard Knocks"
4. Farmertan: "General Strike"
5. Chicken on a Raft: "Which Side Are You On"
6. United Steel Workers of Montreal: "Jesus We Sweat"
7. Darkhorse: "Migrant Worker"
8. Michael Brett: "Union Man"
9. United Steel Workers of Montreal: "What a Riot"
10. Lipbone Redding: "Sixteen Tons"
11. Alistair Hulett: "The Internationale"

(Total play time: 36:59)

Darkhorse, Michael Brett, Farmertan, and Joe Strummer and the Mesceleros come to us courtesy of Music Alley. All other tracks -- save track 10 -- were found at the IODA Promonet and may be downloaded for free below as long as their links remain active. And the Alistair Hulett track was originally played by arrangement with the great man himself, a few months before his death. Joe Strummer, of course, is also no longer with us; both of their deaths left us the poorer.

Learn more about the history of the song "The Internationale" at Wikipedia; you can also hear other versions of this workers' anthem in a bunch of different languages and instrumental arrangements at the same site where I found the music box version.

Source Albums (as available): Alistair Hulett: Dance of the Underclass (Amazon | iTunes) Chicken on a Raft (self-titled) (Amazon | iTunes) Farmertan: Youth + Inexperience = Farmertan (Jamendo) Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros: Global Agogo (Amazon | iTunes) Lipbone Redding: Hop the Fence (Amazon | iTunes) Michael Brett: In the Basement (With Rosie) (CD Baby) United Steel Workers of Montreal: Three on the Tree (Amazon | iTunes) See also: Don't Mourn, Organize: Songs of Labor Songwriter Joe Hill (Amazon | iTunes)	Chicken on a Raft "Which Side Are You on?" (mp3) from "Chicken on a Raft" (Antenna Farm Records) Buy at Napster Buy at Rhapsody Stream from Rhapsody More On This Album	United Steel Workers of Montreal "Jesus We Sweat" (mp3) from "Three on the Tree" (Weewerk) Buy at Napster Buy at Rhapsody Stream from Rhapsody More On This Album
United Steel Workers of Montreal "Three Hard Knocks" (mp3) from "Three on the Tree" (Weewerk) Buy at Napster Buy at Rhapsody Stream from Rhapsody More On This Album	Lipbone Redding "Sixteen Tons" (mp3) from "Hop The Fence" (BePop Records) Buy at Napster Buy at eMusic Buy at Rhapsody Stream from Rhapsody Buy at mTraks More On This Album	United Steel Workers of Montreal "What a Riot" (mp3) from "Three on the Tree" (Weewerk) Buy at Napster Buy at Rhapsody Stream from Rhapsody More On This Album