In 1977, Bragg formed the punk rock/pub rock band Riff Raff, and toured London's pubs and clubs. The band released a series of singles, which did not receive wide exposure. He also worked in Guy Norris Records in Barking. Bragg became disillusioned with his music career, and in May 1981 joined the British Army as a recruit destined for the Queen's Royal Irish Hussars of the Royal Armoured Corps. After three months, he bought his way out of the army for £175 and returned home, having attended basic training but having never served in a regiment as a soldier.
Bragg began performing frequent concerts and busking around London, playing solo with an electric guitar. His roadie at the time was Andy Kershaw, who became a BBC DJ (Bragg and Kershaw later, in 1989, appeared in an episode of the BBC TV programme, Great Journeys, in which they travelled the Silver Road from Potosí, Bolivia, to the Pacific coast at Arica, Chile). Bragg performing at South by Southwest in 2008.
Bragg's demo tape initially got no response from the record industry, but by pretending to be a television repair man, he got into the office of Charisma Records' A&R man Peter Jenner. Jenner liked the tape, but the company was near bankruptcy and had no budget to sign new artists. Bragg got an offer to record more demos for a music publisher, so Jenner agreed to release them as a record. Life's a Riot with Spy Vs. Spy was released in July 1983 by Charisma's new imprint, Utility. Hearing DJ John Peel mention on-air that he was hungry, Bragg rushed to the BBC with a mushroom biryani, so Peel played a song from Life's a Riot with Spy Vs. Spy although at the wrong speed (since the 12" LP was, unconventionally, cut to play at 45rpm). Peel insisted he would have played the song even without the biryani and later played it at the correct speed.
Within months, Charisma had been taken over by Virgin Records and Jenner, who had been laid off, became Bragg's manager. Stiff Records' press officer Andy Macdonald – who was setting up his own record label, Go! Discs – received a copy of Life's a Riot with Spy Vs. Spy. He made Virgin an offer and the album was re-released on Go! Discs in November 1983.[citation needed] In 1984, he released Brewing Up with Billy Bragg, a mixture of political songs (e.g., "It Says Here") and songs of unrequited love (e.g., "The Saturday Boy"). The following year he released Between the Wars, an EP of political songs that included a cover version of Leon Rosselson's "The World Turned Upside Down" – the EP made the top 20 of the UK Singles Chart and earned Bragg an appearance on Top of the Pops. Bragg later collaborated with Rosselson on the song, "Ballad of the Spycatcher". In 1985, his song "A New England", with an additional verse, became a Top 10 hit in the UK for Kirsty MacColl. After MacColl's early death, Bragg always sang the extra verse in her honour. In 1984–1985 he toured North America.
In 1986, Bragg released Talking with the Taxman about Poetry, which became his first Top 10 album. Its title is taken from a poem by Vladimir Mayakovsky and a translated version of the poem was printed on the record's inner sleeve. Back to Basics is a 1987 collection of his first three releases: Life's A Riot With Spy Vs. Spy, Brewing Up with Billy Bragg, and the Between The Wars EP. Bragg released his fourth album, Workers Playtime, in September 1988. With this album, Bragg added a backing band and accompaniment.
In May 1990, Bragg released the political mini-LP, The Internationale. The songs were, in part, a return to his solo guitar style, but some songs featured more complicated arrangements and included a brass band. The album paid tribute to one of Bragg's influences with the song, "I Dreamed I Saw Phil Ochs Last Night", which is an adapted version of Earl Robinson's song, "I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night", itself an adaptation of a poem by Alfred Hayes.
The album Don't Try This at Home was released in September 1991, and included the song, "Sexuality", which reached the UK Singles Chart. Bragg had been persuaded by Go! Discs' Andy and Juliet Macdonald to sign a four-album deal with a million pound advance, and a promise to promote the album with singles and videos.[citation needed] This gamble was not rewarded with extra sales, and the situation put the company in financial difficulty. In exchange for ending the contract early and repaying a large amount of the advance, Bragg regained all rights to his back catalogue.[citation needed] Bragg continued to promote the album with his backing band, The Red Stars, which included his Riff Raff colleague and long-time roadie, Wiggy.
Bragg released the album William Bloke in 1996 after taking time off to help raise his son. Around that time, Nora Guthrie (daughter of American folk artist Woody Guthrie) asked Bragg to set some of her father's unrecorded lyrics to music. The result was a collaboration with the band Wilco and Natalie Merchant (with whom Bragg had worked previously). They released the album Mermaid Avenue in 1998, and Mermaid Avenue Vol. II in 2000. A rift with Wilco over mixing and sequencing the album led to Bragg recruiting his own band, The Blokes, to promote the album. The Blokes included keyboardist Ian McLagan, who had been a member of Bragg's boyhood heroes The Faces. The documentary film Man in the Sand depicts the roles of Nora Guthrie, Bragg, and Wilco in the creation of the Mermaid Avenue albums.
In 2004, Bragg joined Florida ska-punk band Less Than Jake to perform a version of 'The Brightest Bulb Has Burned Out' for the Rock Against Bush compilation.
At the 2005 Beautiful Days Festival in Devon, Bragg teamed up with the Levellers to perform a short set of songs by or associated with The Clash in celebration of Joe Strummer's birthday. Bragg performed guitar and lead vocals on "Police and Thieves", and performed guitar and backing vocals on "English Civil War", and "Police on my Back".
In 2007, Bragg moved closer to his English folk music roots by joining the WOMAD-inspired collective The Imagined Village, who recorded an album of updated versions of traditional English songs and dances and toured through that autumn. Bragg released his album Mr. Love & Justice in March 2008. This was the second Bragg album to be named after a book by Colin MacInnes. In 2008, during the NME Awards ceremony, Bragg sang a duet with British solo act Kate Nash. They mixed up their two greatest hits, Nash playing "Foundations", and Bragg redoing his "A New England". Bragg also collaborated with the poet and playwright, Patrick Jones, who supported Bragg's Tour.
In 2008, Bragg played a small role in Stuart Bamforth's film "A13: Road Movie". Bragg is featured alongside union reps, vicars, burger van chefs and Members of Parliament in a film that explored "the overlooked, the hidden and the disregarded."
He was involved in the play Pressure Drop at the Wellcome Collection in London in April and May 2010. The production, written by Mick Gorden, and billed as "part play, part gig, part installation", featured new songs by Bragg. He performed during the play with his band, and acted as compere.
Bragg curated the Leftfield stage at Glastonbury Festival 2010.
He took part in the Bush Theatre's 2011 project Sixty Six where he has written a piece based upon a chapter of the King James Bible.
Bragg performed a set of the Guthrie songs that he had set to music for Mermaid Avenue during the Hay Literary Festival in June 2012. Mermaid Avenue Vol. III and Mermaid Avenue: The Complete Sessions were also released in early 2012.
On 18 March 2013, Bragg released his latest studio album, five years since Mr. Love & Justice, titled Tooth And Nail. It featured 11 original songs, including one written for the Bush Theatre, and a Woody Guthrie cover. Stylistically, it continues to explore genres of Americana (music) and Alternative country, both of which he has said he has been playing and writing regularly since Mermaid Avenue (1998).
In November 2017, he released all six tracks from the mini-album Bridges Not Walls as downloads and CD through the Billy Bragg website and other sellers, followed by the single Full English Brexit through Cooking Vinyl.
The Internationale
Billy Bragg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For the tyrants fear your might
Don't cling so hard to your possessions
For you have nothing if you have no rights
Let racist ignorance be ended
For respect makes the empires fall
Freedom is merely privilege extended
Unless enjoyed by one and all
[Chorus]
So come brothers and sisters
For the struggle carries on
The internationale
Unites the world in song
So comrades come rally
For this is the time and place
The international ideal
Unites the human race
Let no one build walls to divide us
Walls of hatred nor walls of stone
Come greet the dawn and stand beside us
We'll live together or we'll die alone
In our world poisoned by exploitation
Those who have taken now they must give
And end the vanity of nations
We've but one earth on which to live
And so begins the final drama
In the streets and in the fields
We stand unbowed before their armor
We defy their guns and shields
When we fight provoked by their aggression
Let us be inspired by like and love
For though they offer us concessions
Change will not come from above
Billy Bragg's song "The Internationale" is a rallying cry for oppressed people all over the world to rise up and fight against tyranny and injustice. The first verse is a call to action, urging those who have been victims of oppression to stand up and fight back. The second verse talks about the importance of unity, and the need to end racism and ignorance. The chorus is a call to all those who share this struggle to come together and fight for their rights. The third verse speaks to the need to tear down walls that divide people and to create a world built on cooperation and mutual respect. Finally, the fourth verse is a passionate plea for those who are fighting for change to be inspired by love and to never give up, even in the face of violence and oppression.
Overall, "The Internationale" is a powerful anthem that speaks to the universal struggle for freedom and justice. It has been adopted as the anthem of the international socialist movement, and has been translated into many different languages. The song continues to be an inspiration to people around the world who are fighting for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Stand up all victims of oppression
All those who have suffered from oppressive forces, rise up and take action.
For the tyrants fear your might
Oppressive tyrants are afraid of the power of the people.
Don't cling so hard to your possessions
Do not hold on to material things at the expense of your individual rights.
For you have nothing if you have no rights
Without personal rights, there is no individual benefit for material possessions.
Let racist ignorance be ended
Racist attitudes and prejudiced behaviors should be abolished.
For respect makes the empires fall
Respect has the power to break down empires that are built on oppression.
Freedom is merely privilege extended
Freedom is not just for a privileged few, but for everyone.
Unless enjoyed by one and all
Freedom is not truly achieved until everyone has access to it.
So come brothers and sisters
All those who believe in this message, come together to take action against oppression.
For the struggle carries on
The fight against oppression is ongoing and will continue through time.
The internationale
This unity and struggle against oppression is international.
Unites the world in song
This action against oppression will bring people together globally, in a show of solidarity and determination.
So comrades come rally
All those committed to this message should come together and support this action.
For this is the time and place
This is the moment for action against oppression and the place to begin.
The international ideal
This message is about unity across national boundaries and cultural differences.
Unites the human race
This message calls for humanity to come together in the face of oppression.
Let no one build walls to divide us
We should not allow any barriers, whether physical or ideological, to separate people.
Walls of hatred nor walls of stone
Both physical and emotional barriers should be eliminated in order to unite people.
Come greet the dawn and stand beside us
This is an invitation for anyone willing to take action towards this message - to join in the fight against oppression.
We'll live together or we'll die alone
We should either unite to overcome oppression or continue to be oppressed, alone.
In our world poisoned by exploitation
The current state of the world is tainted by unfair exploitation of people.
Those who have taken now they must give
Those who have wrongfully taken advantage of others must now make amends by giving back.
And end the vanity of nations
The focus should shift from nationalism to a more humanitarian, cooperative effort to combat oppression.
We've but one earth on which to live
Since we all share one planet, it is our responsibility to come together and make it a better place for all.
And so begins the final drama
This is the beginning of a crucial and necessary action to combat and overcome oppression.
In the streets and in the fields
This action will take place everywhere - in all areas where people are oppressed.
We stand unbowed before their armor
We stand strong and resolute in the face of oppressive forces.
We defy their guns and shields
We are not afraid of the weapons and tactics used by oppressors.
When we fight provoked by their aggression
When we are forced to fight back against the aggression of oppressive forces.
Let us be inspired by like and love
In the face of aggression, we should be motivated by unity and love for all people.
For though they offer us concessions
Although the oppressors may make offers in an attempt to pacify us,
Change will not come from above
Real change will not occur by those in power alone, but from the collective efforts of the people.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEPHEN WILLIAM BRAGG, PETRUS CHRISTIANUS DE GEYTER, EUGENE EDME POTTIER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind