Singalongs 1 Favorite 

Date: 

Dec 12 2015

Location: 

Everywhere

I have several theories about why song rewrites work well. Theory aside, people know the tunes and can learn the words. Scholars differ on whether you should make it as simple as possible or let the crowd be the artist by recognizing their ability to learn and perform something a bit tricky. Either way, it's great when songs are repurposed and people get to shout and sing instead of just chanting or listening to speeches.

People send me songs they've updated, warped, or fixed, and I blast them out at the appropriate rally, march, or party. Sometimes I have to re-fix them a bit to my taste. People can take home the song sheets and spread them around to their own networks. Sometimes I'm told I'm doing it wrong - they know the Right Version. But the folk process rolls on. Then there's the times people don't know the originals because they're too young or old to have been there or to keep up with the Gagas and Swifts. But everyone knows the Christmas carols and most folks know This Land is Your Land.

Take a look at the websites below to get the idea. Right here I'll limit myself to the last verse of "When We Stand Up For 15," one of my many rewrites of When the Saints Go Marching In - this one for the Fight for $15:

When we stand up, and when we shout
Respect is what it’s all about
Well, I want to be in that number,
Respect is what it’s all about

Posted by Lipp on