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John McCutcheon – Three CD’s. A Record Review for Union Review.
Grammy nominee, good-humored union organizer and long-term social activist John McCutcheon has yet another couple of strings in his backpack, I guess in case one of the other ones wears out or something. Anyway, I’ve been clearing my shelves recently, coming across half-lost gems, and up turned three John McCutcheon CD’s I thought the readers of “Union Review” might be interested in, for the above and other reasons.
First is “Nothing to Lose” (Rounder CD 0358), a collection of oral histories of working folk, from a busy mother with a job outside the house in addition to all that goes on in the home, to a philosophical fisherman observing salmon fighting upstream, to a 92-year Old Jack, with memories of both Great Wars and a lost love, to an unnamed loafer inviting a busy passerby to sit down and take a load off, to… you name it, John’s got a song to go with the story, and a talented backup band (both Kennedys and Robin & Linda Williams sing harmony vocals). A completely absorbing collection, this is especially recommended for John’s ability to get into the skin of working folks, their dreams, despairs and small victories.
Next up is a duet recording, with Tom Chapin - brother of Harry, and himself a Grammy-nominated musician - “Doing Our Job” (Rounder 0411), less directly working-folks oriented, but with a series of good humored and energetic takes on 15 different songs, from a live recording of a concert they did together some years ago (I’ll get back to that issue, age and availability of these fine recordings). From the opener, Pete Seeger’s “Well May the World Go,” to the Woody Guthrie classic, “Pastures of Plenty,” to the title cut, to a sorrowful reading of the Death Row song, “Dead Man Walking,” based on having read St. Helen Prejean’s book by that title, to the nostalgic duet, “The Older I Get,” to the closing, “Welcome the Traveler Home,” written for the 25th Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas, the two stars and their two sidemen (Bobby Read, vocals, keyboard, clarinet & saxophones, and Michael Mark – vocals, bass and concertina) deliver a rollicking, at times somber, art other times giddy, concert experience for an appreciative audience.
Bringing along the little doggies on this particular roundup is John’s CD for kids – and maybe their parents too – “Bigger Than Yourself” (Rounder CD 8044). Actually his sixth album for this mixed audience, John sings about playing fair, loyalty, polling ideas and resources, sticking together and sticking to the job. With Tim O’Brien, Cheryl Wheeler, Pete & Maura Kennedy as backups, John is emphatic: “This album was made entirely using union labor.” But the fun is pre-eminent, with an opening celebration, co-written by Si Kahn, of how much you can get if you put your available cash – “I Got a Dime” – together with those of your friends. An ice-cream cone – a boombox – another zebra for the local zoo – you name it, he keeps it rolling along. How many dimes would you have if the whole world was your friend and you put em all together? Yeah!
Pulling lessons for living together from childhood wishes and dreams – as he and Si say in “Write it Down,” if you write down your bedtime, there’s no confusion (read: union contract, right?); understanding the strength there is in solidarity {“Stick Together” – also co-written with Si Kahn – I can feel another review getting itself together here!) – hearing the history not in the books, about working folks who should be heroes – Joe Hill, Mother Jones, Cesar Chavez, John L Lewis – the record could be a whole social studies and civics curriculum on its own.
But it’s fun, with lotsa singalongs and the typical tight writing by Si Kahn – as noted, we’ll get to him again! – and John McCutcheon. You’ll enjoy it, if you get hold of it.
How to do that? Well, for one thing, there’s the record company, Rounder Records (One Camp Street, Cambridge, MA, 02140)); they’re well-known for keeping these well-recorded, crisply attractive recordings, with informative booklets and clear, easy-to-read spines, always in print. Call ‘em up and ask them. Tell ‘em John McLaughlin sent you. Or Union Review – you know they’ve heard of Union Review!
[This was fun, folks. Can I do it again sometime? – John]
[John McLaughlin was born in Scotland, worked as a machine-boy in a papermill, served two years on trampships in the British Merchant Navy, and graduated from Harvard. For the last 32 years he has run a weekly folk music program, “Roots & Wings,” on various college radio stations, currently on WMUC, the FM outlet for the University of Maryland in College Park, MD. He can be contacted thro Union Review.]