Wilco's music has been inspired by a wide variety of artists and styles, including Bill Fay and Television, and has in turn influenced music by The National and Cherry Ghost. The band continued in the alternative country of Uncle Tupelo on its debut album A.M. (1995), but has since introduced more experimental aspects to their music.
Wilco garnered media attention for its fourth album, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002), and the controversy surrounding it. After the recording sessions were complete, Reprise Records rejected the album and dismissed Wilco from the label. As part of a buy-out deal, Reprise gave Wilco the rights to the album for free. After streaming Foxtrot on its website, Wilco sold the album to Nonesuch Records in 2002. Both record labels are subsidiaries of Warner Music Group, leading one critic to say that the album showed "how screwed up the music business [was] in the early twenty-first century." Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is Wilco's most successful release to date, selling over 590,000 copies. Wilco won two Grammy Awards for their fifth studio album, 2004's A Ghost Is Born, including Best Alternative Music Album.
The I Might Songfacts reports that Wilco's eighth album, The Whole Love (2011), marked the first ever release on the band's own label dBpm.
Formation
Wilco was formed following the breakup of the influential alternative country music group Uncle Tupelo. Singer Jay Farrar quit the band in 1994 supposedly because of a soured relationship with co-singer Jeff Tweedy. Both Tweedy and Farrar sought to form bands immediately after the breakup. Tweedy was able to keep the entire Uncle Tupelo lineup sans Farrar, including bassist John Stirratt, drummer Ken Coomer, and multi-instrumentalist Max Johnston. The band was tempted to keep the Uncle Tupelo name, but ultimately decided to rename the band. The group named itself "Wilco" after the CB radio voice procedure for "I Will Comply". [N.B. this term originates in World War 2 Battle of Britain Fighter pilot slang for will co-operate, if not earlier in the Royal Air Force]
A.M. and Being There
After collaborating with Syd Straw on a cover version of the Ernest Tubb song, "The T.B. is Whipping Me" (released in September 1994 on the Red Hot + Country compilation), Wilco began recording tracks for A.M., their first studio album, at Easley studio in June 1995. A demo tape from these recordings was sent to executives at Reprise Records, a subsidiary of Warner Brothers, and the label signed Tweedy to a contract. Although Tweedy stated that he wanted a more collaborative project than Uncle Tupelo, only his name appeared on the Reprise contract. Tweedy requested songwriting submissions from other members, but only one submission—John Stirratt's "It's Just That Simple"—appeared on A.M.. It was the last song Wilco ever released that was solely written by a member besides Tweedy.
Stylistically similar to Uncle Tupelo, the music on A.M. was considered to be straightforward alternative country rock in what Tweedy later described as "trying to tread some water with a perceived audience." A.M. peaked at number twenty-seven on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, considerably lower than the debut album of Jay Farrar's new band, Son Volt. The album was met with modest reviews though it would rank thirty-fourth in the Village Voice's 1995 Pazz & Jop critics poll. Critically and commercially paling in comparison to the reception of Son Volt's album, the Wilco members perceived A.M. to be a failure. Shortly after the release of the album, multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett joined the band, providing the band with a keyboardist and another guitarist.
Wilco made its live debut on November 17, 1994 to a capacity crowd at Cicero's Basement Bar in St. Louis, Missouri (the band was billed for the occasion as "Black Shampoo").
During the two hundred-date tour supporting A.M., Tweedy began to write songs for a second album. The lyrical theme of the songs reflected a relationship between musical artist and a listener; Tweedy chose this topic because he sought to eschew the alternative country fan base. Ken Coomer elaborated:
"The whole No Depression thing was funny to us because people seemed to forget that Jeff was a bigger punk-rock fan than a country fan. It led to things like us all switching instruments on 'Misunderstood,' where I'm playing guitar."
A number of songs were recorded with this theme, including "Sunken Treasure" and "Hotel Arizona", however, Wilco also recorded a number of songs in the style of A.M. Wilco named the album Being There after a Peter Sellers film of the same name. The band went through some personnel changes during the recording sessions. Max Johnston left the band because he felt that his role in the band had diminished in favor of Bennett; he had also been replaced by violinist Jesse Greene on one track because the band felt that Johnston was unable to play the part. Bob Egan of Freakwater briefly joined the band in the studio, playing pedal steel guitar on "Far, Far Away" and "Dreamer in My Dreams", and then became an official member in September 1996.
Unlike the A.M. recording sessions, the band had no vocation for producing a hit song from their second effort. The recording sessions produced nineteen songs, too many for a single album release. Tweedy was concerned about the high retail price that a double album would be sold for (at least $30), so he asked Reprise Records to release it as a double album at a single album price ($17.98 or less). Reprise agreed to this on the terms that they received Wilco's share of the album royalties. It was estimated in 2003 that the band lost almost $600,000 on the deal, but Tweedy was satisfied. Being There was well-received by critics from several major media outlets, including Rolling Stone. The album reached #73 on the Billboard album charts, a significant improvement from A.M., and placed fourteenth on the Pazz & Jop Critics Poll for 1996.
Summerteeth and the Mermaid Avenue sessions
In November 1997, Wilco entered Willie Nelson's recording studio in Spicewood, Texas to record a third studio album. The album was lyrically inspired by the marital problems of Tweedy and his wife, as well as by twentieth-century literature. Tweedy relied heavily on Bennett to provide music for the singer's "bold, but depressing" lyrics. Wilco recorded several songs, including "Via Chicago" and "She's a Jar," but began working on another project before assembling the tracks into an album.
Nora Guthrie contacted singer-songwriter Billy Bragg in spring 1995 about recording some unreleased songs by her father, folk singer Woody Guthrie. Most of the songs were written late in Guthrie's life when he was unable to record due to the motor impairments of Huntington's disease. By the 1990s, Woody Guthrie had become a "relic" to the MTV generation, and Nora sought to establish a different legacy for the musician. To Nora, Bragg was "the only singer I knew taking on the same issues as Woody." Bragg was concerned, however, that his fans would not realize that the songs were written by Guthrie when he performed them on tour, so he decided to record the album with another band.
Bragg contacted Tweedy and Bennett about co-recording the album while Wilco was on the European segment of their Being There tour. Bragg was particularly fond of Being There because their influences extended farther back than the 1950s. Although Tweedy was indifferent to the offer, Bennett was enthused about recording songs of one of his idols—Bennett's previous band Titanic Love Affair was named after a Billy Bragg lyric. A recording contract between Bragg and Wilco was signed after a show at Shepherd's Bush Empire. Bragg mostly recorded the politically-charged lyrics, while Tweedy preferred to record lyrics that showcased Guthrie as a "freak weirdo." The recording of Mermaid Avenue began on December 12, 1997, and was the topic of BBC's Man in the Sand documentary film.
Tempers flared between Bragg and Wilco after the album was completed. Bennett believed that Bragg was overproducing his songs, a sharp contrast to Wilco's sparser contributions. Bennett called Bragg about the possibility of remixing Bragg's songs, to which Bragg responded with "you make your record, and I'll make mine, fucker." Eventually Bragg sent copies of his recordings to Chicago for Bennett to remix, but Bragg refused to use the new mixes on the album. The two parties were unable to establish a promotional tour and quarreled over royalties and guest musician fees.
Despite these conflicts, the album was released on June 23, 1998, and sold over 277,000 copies. The album received rave reviews from Robert Christgau and Rolling Stone, and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. It also placed fourth on the Pazz & Jop critics poll for 1998. After the album was released, Bob Egan was replaced by multi-instrumentalist Leroy Bach.
After the completion of the Mermaid Avenue sessions, Wilco returned to Spicewood to complete their third studio album, Summerteeth. Unlike previous Wilco and Uncle Tupelo recordings, the album featured a lot of overdubbing with Pro Tools. Stirratt and Coomer were concerned with the production, since it reduced their involvement in the music. According to Stirratt:"The story of Summerteeth is Jay bought a Mellotron and he was going to use it, no matter what. It was lovely, but it was overdone. Once they got going on the overdubs, they didn't stop. And nobody in the band stepped up to stop the madness … It reminds me of Heart of Darkness, where you knowingly extend the creative process for the purpose of exploration or redemption, or whatever it is you're looking for."
During 1999, Warner Brothers was looking to help repay a $16 billion debt acquired during the recent merger of parent company Warner Communications with Time Inc.. As a result, Warner's imprints were under pressure to produce musical acts that would yield hit records. The head of Reprise, Howie Klein, who had previously authorized the release of Being There as a double album, was willing to let Wilco produce Summerteeth without label input. When Klein played the album for Reprise's A&R department, however, they demanded a radio single for the album. Wilco agreed to do this "once and once only" and recorded a radio-friendly version of "Can't Stand It" at the request of David Kahne, the head of the A&R department. The single version of "Can't Stand It" failed to cross over from Triple-A radio to alternative rock stations. Consequently, the album sold only 200,000 copies, significantly less than Being There. This was despite critical acclaim; the album placed eighth on the Pazz & Jop critics' poll for 1999.
After the release of Summerteeth, the band resumed the Mermaid Avenue sessions. Although they had recorded enough material for a second release in 1998, Wilco recorded a few new songs for Mermaid Avenue Vol. II. "Someday Some Morning Sometime," featuring a vibraphone filtered through a space echo, was identified by Tweedy as being the "piece to the puzzle" towards the creation of their fourth studio album. The album was released on May 30, 2000, and was the last release from the sessions.
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Shortly after the recording sessions for Mermaid Avenue Vol. II, Wilco purchased a studio in Irving Park, Chicago, which they named the Wilco Loft. The band recorded some tracks in the studio in early 2000 for a fourth studio album. In May 2000, Jeff Tweedy requested to perform with Jim O'Rourke at a festival in Chicago; Tweedy was a fan of O'Rourke's Bad Timing. O'Rourke introduced Tweedy to drummer Glenn Kotche, and the trio enjoyed working together so much that they decided to record an album as a side project named Loose Fur. Wilco had recorded an entire album of music at this point, but Tweedy was unhappy with the drum parts. He enjoyed Kotche's contributions to Loose Fur so much that Tweedy brought him into the studio to re-record some demos. Some believe that Tweedy sought to make Wilco sound like Loose Fur after officially replacing Ken Coomer with Kotche in January 2001.
Although Bennett sought to act as both mixer and engineer for Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Tweedy was unsure of Bennett's abilities against those of O'Rourke. Tweedy and Bennett frequently argued over whether the album should be accessible to a general listener, or attempt to cover new musical ground. Unbeknownst to Bennett, Tweedy invited O'Rourke to remix "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart", and the results impressed the other band members—even Bennett. Tensions grew between Bennett and O'Rourke because Bennett wanted to mix every song on the album. O'Rourke cut the contributions of other members on several of the songs; some songs, such as "Poor Places", only featured the Loose Fur trio. The album was completed in 2001, and Bennett left the band immediately afterwards. The recording of the album was documented by Sam Jones and released in 2002 as the film I Am Trying to Break Your Heart.
Time Warner, which owned Warner Brothers, merged with America Online in 2001, leading to more pressure on Warner's record labels to cut costs. Over 600 employees of Warner Music Group were fired, including Howie Klein, the president of Reprise Records. In absence of Klein, David Kahne became the interim head of Reprise. Kahne assigned Mio Vukovic to monitor the progress of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and to offer suggestions. Music journalist Greg Kot claims that Vukovic disdained the album and was unhappy that Wilco ignored his suggestions. He brought the album to Kahne, who felt that there was no single on the album. In June 2001, the album was rejected by Reprise and Wilco was asked to leave the label.
Wilco managed to negotiate terms to a buy-out from Reprise. Music journalist Greg Kot claims that instead of financial compensation, the band agreed to leave the label with the master tapes of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. The label was already receiving bad publicity for its treatment of the band and were willing to accommodate Wilco's request. However, Allmusic claims that Wilco "bought the finished studio tapes from Warner/Reprise for a reported $50,000 and left the label altogether" after Wilco was "unwilling to change the album to make it more 'commercially viable.'" To curb the negative publicity, Reprise began to invest more in bands such as The Flaming Lips. Lead singer Wayne Coyne once remarked: "We are benefiting from the label's regret over Wilco. We are living in the golden age of that being such a public mistake. The people on Warners said, 'we'll never have a band like Wilco feel we don't believe in them again.' They'd tell me that it would never happen to us. And what a great day for me!"
As the band searched for a new label to release the album, they decided to stream it at their official website to discourage illegal trading of low-quality MP3s. The band signed with Nonesuch Records, another Time Warner subsidiary, and the album was released in the spring of 2002. When it was released, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot reached number thirteen on the Billboard 200, Wilco's highest chart position to that date. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot sold over 590,000 copies, and to date remains Wilco's best selling album. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was met with wide critical acclaim: it topped 2002's Pazz & Jop critics' poll, was named one of the 100 greatest albums of all time by Q Magazine, and was named one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone.
Down with Wilco, A Ghost Is Born, and Kicking Television: Live in Chicago
While waiting for the commercial release of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Wilco agreed to support R.E.M. collaborator Scott McCaughey for an album release by The Minus 5. They scheduled a recording session for September 11, 2001, but were distraught about the 9/11 terrorist attacks that day. Later that day, Wilco and McCaughey agreed to "create something good in the world right now" and record some material. Influenced by Bill Fay's Time of the Last Persecution, The Minus 5's Down with Wilco was released in 2003.
In November 2003, Wilco traveled to New York City to record their fifth album. Unlike Summerteeth and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, A Ghost Is Born featured songs that were created with Pro Tools before ever performing them live. The album featured the song "Less Than You Think", which included a fifteen-minute track of electronic noises and synthesizers, which Tweedy called "the track that everyone will hate". Tweedy justified the inclusion of the song: "I know ninety-nine percent of our fans won't like that song, they'll say its a ridiculous indulgence. Even I don't want to listen to it every time I play through the album. But the times I do calm myself down and pay attention to it, I think it's valuable and moving and cathartic. I wouldn't have put it on the record if I didn't think it was great … I wanted to make an album about identity, and within that is the idea of a higher power, the idea of randomness, and that anything can happen, and that we can't control it."
Leroy Bach left the band immediately after the album's completion to join a music theatre operation in Chicago. Like Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Wilco streamed the album online before its commercial release. Instead of using their own web page, the band streamed it in MPEG-4 form on Apple's website. Wilco sought to substantially change their lineup after Bach's departure, and added Mikael Jorgensen, who had engineered Down with Wilco, Pat Sansone of The Autumn Defense, and avant-garde guitarist Nels Cline to the lineup. Just as the band was about to tour to promote the album, Tweedy checked himself in to a rehabilitation clinic in Chicago for an addiction to painkillers. As a result, tour plans for Europe were canceled, and the release date for the album was set back several weeks. A Ghost Is Born was released on June 22, 2004, and became Wilco's first top ten album in the U.S. The album earned Wilco Grammy Awards for Best Alternative Music Album and Best Recording Package in 2005. It also placed thirteenth on 2004's Pazz & Jop Critics Poll.
In 2004, the band released The Wilco Book, a picture book detailing the creation of A Ghost Is Born. The book also contains writings and drawings from band members, as well as a CD with demos from the A Ghost Is Born recording sessions. Also that year, Chicago Tribune music critic Greg Kot released a biography of the band entitled Wilco: Learning How to Die. The new six-piece Wilco lineup debuted on Kicking Television: Live in Chicago, a two disc live album recorded at The Vic Theater in Chicago. Released on November 15, 2005, the album received high accolades from Spin, Billboard, and Entertainment Weekly. As of 2007, it has sold over 114,000 copies.
Sky Blue Sky
Wilco returned to their loft in Chicago to record a sixth studio album in 2006. Influenced by The Byrds and Fairport Convention, the band considered Sky Blue Sky to be less experimental than previous releases. Also unlike previous albums, the songs were created as collaborations.
Wilco streamed the album online on March 3, 2007, and offered the song "What Light" as a free MP3 download. To further publicize the album, Wilco licensed several songs from the Sky Blue Sky recording sessions for use in a Volkswagen advertising campaign. The move was criticized by both critics and fans; Wilco responded by noting that they had previously done advertising campaigns with Apple Computers and Telefónica Móviles (Movistar). The album was released on May 15, 2007, and was a commercial success: it sold over 87,000 copies in its first week and peaked in the top five in the U.S. album charts. It also was a top forty hit in seven other countries.
Reviewer James Brubaker states that Wilco “shines on a handful of the songs” on Sky Blue Sky, such as the “light, and straightforward” songs. While he calls the album “great traditional rock and folk album at times”, he states that “once you get past the handful of masterful and lovely performances… the rest of the record comes off at times as dull, and forced”. The allaboutjazz review also had mixed comments. While praising the album as “deceptively insinuating, almost intoxicating to listen to” and noting its “impeccable sound quality”, the reviewer claimed that “Sky Blue Sky becomes the first Wilco album that sounds too careful for its own good.”
Pabs Hernandez, a reviewer for Lost at Sea praised the album’s “breezy atmosphere and pacing”, and noted that it is not “easily judged upon first listen.” Overall, Hernandez stated that it “may be no masterpiece, but at worst it's a more than worthy entry into Wilco's laudable catalogue.” Reviewer Greg Locke praised the record as “one of the best albums of the year”, calling it a “timeless record, full of sweet, hopeful sophistication and class” and “a lean, mean, soulful album.” Like Hernandez, Locke acknowledged that the album could not be properly judged just on the first listening. The NPR review also had a positive take on the record. While the NPR reviewer stated that the recording “isn't groundbreaking”, they praised its “coherent musical expression” and emphasis on “solid songcraft without pretense” which created a “satisfying and melodically sound albu[m].”
Musical style and influence
Wilco's music is typically categorized as alternative rock and alternative country. Despite their career long association with a major record label, they are generally associated with indie rock. Wilco draws influence from bands from a variety of musical genres, but primarily from music created between 1966 and 1974. John Cale's Paris 1919 was credited by the band as providing a musical parallel. According to Tweedy, "It was eye-opening that I wasn't the only person that felt like these worlds had a lot more in common than they'd been given credit for—that experimentation and avant-garde theory was not directly opposed to beauty, y'know?"
Other recording artists from that timespan appreciated by the band include John Lennon, Neil Young, and Brian Wilson. For his thirty-fourth birthday, Tweedy received a private guitar lesson from Richard Lloyd of Television; Tweedy was a big fan of the group and was particularly fond of the guitar work, which he wanted to incorporate into his music. Uncle Tupelo was inspired by bands such as Jason & the Scorchers and The Minutemen, influencing the recording of Wilco's A.M.. Tweedy and O'Rourke enjoyed free jazz artists such as Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler, and Derek Bailey; they also listen to mainstream jazz by artists such as Miles Davis and John Coltrane. The lyrical structure of Wilco's songs were dictated by classic literature and cadavre exquis—an exercise where band members take turns writing lines on a typewriter, but are only allowed to see the previously written line. Among the books that the band has cited as being stylistically influential include William H. Gass's In the Heart of the Heart of the Country, Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer, and Harold Bloom's The Anxiety of Influence: A Theory of Poetry.
Some critics have dubbed Wilco the "American Radiohead", due to their stylistically diverse catalog. A critic from the New York Times argues that Wilco has a "roots-rock...[sound which] reached back to proven materials: the twang of country, the steady chug of 1960s rock, the undulating sheen of the Beach Boys, the honky-tonk hymns of the Band and the melodic symmetries of pop."
Rolling Stone described Wilco as "one of America's most consistently interesting bands" and "America's foremost rock impressionists." Despite critical acclaim, Wilco's influence on modern rock has been limited. Bands that have been influenced by Wilco include Derek Webb (of Caedmon's Call), The National, and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. English indie rock band Cherry Ghost took its name from a lyric from the Wilco song "Theologians" (from A Ghost Is Born)—lead singer Simon Aldred is a self-proclaimed "massive Wilco fan". Pete Yorn's song "Crystal Village" was influenced by Wilco's "She's A Jar." On his 2004 album Live From New Jersey he introduces the song by saying, "Someone accused me of ripping off Cat Stevens. And I was like, 'That's bullshit, man. I would never rip off Cat Stevens.' I ripped off Wilco on that song."
http://www.wilcoworld.net
My Thirty Thousand
Wilco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That faced the Ku Klux Klan
On hollow grove's golfing ground
His words come sounding
And all around him there
To jump and clap and cheer
I sent the best I had, the best I had
The Klansman leader said
That Paul would lose his head
When thirty five thousand vets
Broke up that concert
But less than four thousand came
To side with the Klan
But around Paul's lonesome oak
My thirty thousand
A beersoaked brassy band
Did snortle round the grounds
Four hundred noblest souls
Westchester's manhood
And they looked exactly like
The fleas on a tiger's back
Lost fish in the waters of
My thirty thousand
When Paul had sung and gone
And the kids and babies home
Cops came with guns and clubs
And they clubbed and beat 'em
Well, I'd hate to be a cop
Caught with a bloody stick
'Cause you can't bash the brains
Out of thirty thousand
Each eye you tried to gouge
Each skull you tried to crack
Has a thousand, thousand friends
Around this green grass
If you furnish the skull someday
I'll pass out the clubs and guns
To the billion hands that love
My thirty thousand
Each wrinkle on your face
I know it at a glance
You cannot run and hide
Nor duck nor dodge them
And your carcass and your deeds
Will fertilize the seeds
Of the men that stood to guard
My thirty thousand
Of the men that stood to guard
My thirty thousand
The song My Thirty Thousand by Wilco is a tribute to Paul Robeson, an African-American actor, singer, athlete, and civil rights activist who faced the Ku Klux Klan in 1949 during a concert performance in Peekskill, New York. The first verse of the song refers to this incident, where Robeson stood up to the Klan and delivered a powerful performance in the face of racism and brutality. The lyrics paint a picture of Robeson as a hero, with his words ringing out and inspiring all those around him to jump, clap, and cheer.
The second verse tells the story of the Klan's failed attempt to disrupt Robeson's concert by bringing in a group of 35,000 veterans. In reality, only a fraction of that number showed up to support the Klan, while Robeson's supporters - who he calls "my thirty thousand" - remained steadfast in their defense of his music and message. The verse also mentions a "beersoaked brassy band" and "four hundred noblest souls," who were likely part of Robeson's entourage or simply there to enjoy the music. Despite their small numbers, these supporters stood their ground against the Klan and showed that love and solidarity can triumph over hate and violence.
The final verse of the song is a warning to those who use violence and force to try and silence voices of dissent. The police, who attacked the peaceful concertgoers after Robeson had left, are portrayed as brutal oppressors who can never truly defeat a movement that is built on love and community. The lyrics suggest that the legacy of Robeson and his supporters will live on, inspiring future generations to stand up against injustice and fight for a better world.
Line by Line Meaning
Paul Robeson, he's the man
The song starts with a mention of Paul Robeson, a civil rights activist and singer, who faced the Ku Klux Klan to fight for the rights of African Americans.
That faced the Ku Klux Klan
Paul Robeson faced the Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist group known for its violence against black people, to stand up for his beliefs.
On hollow grove's golfing ground
The confrontation between Paul Robeson and the Ku Klux Klan took place on a golf course in Hollow Grove, with the Klan members outnumbering Robeson's supporters.
His words come sounding
Despite the odds, Paul Robeson's words were powerful and resonated with those who were there to support him.
And all around him there
The scene surrounding Paul Robeson was lively and full of energy as people cheered and encouraged him.
To jump and clap and cheer
The crowd that gathered around Paul Robeson was enthusiastic, dancing and cheering to show their support.
I sent the best I had, the best I had
The singer of the song, presumably someone who supported Paul Robeson, sent their best supporters to stand with him in the face of the Klan's threat.
My thirty thousand
The artist refers to their supporters as 'my thirty thousand', indicating that they had a large group of people who were willing to stand up for what was right.
The Klansman leader said
The leader of the Ku Klux Klan made a threat against Paul Robeson, claiming that he would be harmed if he went through with his concert.
That Paul would lose his head
The Klan leader made a violent threat against Paul Robeson, indicating that they were willing to resort to violence to stop him from performing.
When thirty five thousand vets
The Klan members claimed that they would have an overwhelming number of people on their side, with 35,000 veterans supporting their cause.
Broke up that concert
The Klan members wanted to disrupt Paul Robeson's concert so that he couldn't perform.
But less than four thousand came
Despite the Klan's threats, only a small number of people showed up to actually support them, with less than 4,000 people present.
To side with the Klan
The majority of the people who were present were there to support Paul Robeson and his cause, rather than the Ku Klux Klan.
But around Paul's lonesome oak
Despite the small numbers of people who actually came to support Paul Robeson, he still had a group of dedicated supporters who stood by his side.
My thirty thousand
The artist again refers to their supporters as 'my thirty thousand', highlighting the strength of their movement even in the face of opposition.
A beersoaked brassy band
The scene at Paul Robeson's concert was lively, with a band playing music and people drinking beer.
Did snortle round the grounds
The people attending the concert were having a good time, enjoying themselves despite the potential danger.
Four hundred noblest souls
A group of 400 noble men were present to support Paul Robeson's cause, standing up against racism and discrimination.
Westchester's manhood
The artist is referring to people from Westchester County, New York, who were known for their bravery and moral fortitude.
And they looked exactly like
The men who were present to support Paul Robeson looked just like the rest of the crowd, a diverse group of people united by their support for his cause.
The fleas on a tiger's back
The group of supporters were a small but significant part of a greater movement against racism and discrimination.
Lost fish in the waters of
The group of supporters were a small but significant part of a greater movement against racism and discrimination.
My thirty thousand
The artist once again emphasizes the strength and unity of their movement.
When Paul had sung and gone
After Paul Robeson finished his concert, people began to disperse and go home.
And the kids and babies home
Families who had brought their kids and infants to the concert left to go home after the event was over.
Cops came with guns and clubs
Law enforcement officers arrived at the scene, armed with guns and clubs.
And they clubbed and beat 'em
The police began to use violence against the people who were present, beating and clubbing them for no apparent reason.
Well, I'd hate to be a cop
The artist is critical of the police officers who used violence against innocent people at the concert.
Caught with a bloody stick
If a police officer was caught using violence against innocent people, they would be held accountable for their actions.
'Cause you can't bash the brains
The singer believes that violence is not an effective way to solve problems or exert power over people who disagree with you.
Out of thirty thousand
The artist again emphasizes the strength of their movement, highlighting the fact that they had a large group of people behind them.
Each eye you tried to gouge
The artist is saying that no matter how hard the police officers tried to use violence against innocent people, they would not succeed in breaking the spirit of the movement.
Each skull you tried to crack
The police officers' attempts to use violence against people would be met with resistance and defiance, rather than fear or submission.
Has a thousand, thousand friends
Each person who was present at the concert had friends and family members who supported them and their cause, making their movement even stronger.
Around this green grass
The scene around the concert venue, where people were supporting Paul Robeson's cause and resisting police violence, was one of unity and strength.
If you furnish the skull someday
The singer is issuing a challenge to those who use violence against innocent people, saying that if they tried to use violence against someone from the movement in the future, they would be met with even greater resistance and strength.
I'll pass out the clubs and guns
The singer is suggesting that the movement has become strong enough to fight back against those who use violence against them.
To the billion hands that love
If necessary, the singer believes that the movement could mobilize a billion people to fight for their cause.
My thirty thousand
The artist once again emphasizes the strength and unity of their movement, highlighting the fact that they have a large number of supporters who are dedicated to their cause.
Each wrinkle on your face
No matter how old or experienced someone is, they will not be able to stop the movement from growing and gaining strength.
I know it at a glance
The singer is confident in the strength and resilience of their movement.
You cannot run and hide
Those who oppose the movement will not be able to avoid it or suppress it, as it will continue to grow and gain strength over time.
Nor duck nor dodge them
Those who oppose the movement will not be able to avoid it or suppress it, as it will continue to grow and gain strength over time.
And your carcass and your deeds
The actions and attitudes of those who oppose the movement will be used to fuel its growth and strength.
Will fertilize the seeds
The movement will continue to grow and gain strength, even as those who oppose it are defeated or give up.
Of the men that stood to guard
The singer is acknowledging the bravery and strength of the men who stood up against the Ku Klux Klan and the police officers who used violence against them.
My thirty thousand
The artist ends the song by once again highlighting the strength and unity of their movement, and the dedication of their supporters to their cause.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILLY BRAGG, WOODY GUTHRIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stevensimoneschi9029
You should be proud of this cover. Also anyone who likes the message of this song is kin of mine. Cheers pal.
@robkunkel8833
Paul Robeson ... not Robinson. Nice job. Cool that you care about this song.🛶🌴