Songs We Play
Songs we’re Learning
First, a quick note. When you think of marching band music in the US, you’re probably thinking of high school or college bands playing at football games, patriotic bands playing in parades, or military bands. The music is mostly big fanfares written a long time ago by people like John Phillip Sousa or covers of pop songs that somehow all sound the same. This is fine, many of us were in bands like this and they were fun and had their place. This is not what we are playing. Out music comes from other traditions: the local town bands of Europe, especially the Balkans, the walking jazz bands of New Orleans, the street music of samba bands in Brasil, and the revolutionary role music has played throughout the ages. At the same time, we’re not above playing a remix of some great modern dance tunes. Here’s a small sample of what we’re working on:
Bella Ciao, trad., Italy
A partisan song of the CNL, the Italian resistance to Mussolini and the fascists during WWII. Many versions in many languages exist across the world.
Bubamara, Goran Bregovic, Yugoslavia
A modern popular Balkan tune. Saban Bajramovic sang the original version for the film Black Cat, White Cat. It was composed by the hugely popular Goran Bregovic, who, due to his popularity in the Balkans, was often able to speak out through his music against the authoritarian rule of the Soviets. “Bubamara” means “ladybug” in the Romani language, and ladybugs are an important symbol of good luck in Roma culture.
We Shall Overcome, trad. US
A gospel classic adopted as an anthem by the civil rights movement of the 50’s and 60’s. Our arrangement is adapted from San Fransisco’s Brass Liberation Orchestra, which vamps on an Argentinian “Murga” beat.
Kosice, phil not bombs, US
An original by our trombone player Phil, it fuses Balkan melodies and rhythm with the sensibilities of American hardcore punk.
Ederlezi- trad., Balkans
A beautiful traditional om-pah song from the Balkan, a standard amongst Balkan and Balkan-inspired US brass bands. It has been recorded in many languages. The song is named for the annual Roma spring festival. The lyrics declare, “We are all Roma.”
St. James Infirmary, trad., US
A New Orleans standard jazz dirge of unknown origin, it embodies New Orleans to many. The modern definitive version was recorded by Louis Armstrong, but dozens of version exist in one form or another.
Push It, Salt n’ Pepa, US
The classic 80’s dance tune by the hip hop duo, one of the original female rap groups to hit big. Quickly becoming a standard amongst US radical marching bands. Our version includes a surprise segueway into another 80’s classic.
Brasilovic, phil not bombs, US
Another original by Phil, this song fuses samba rhythms with balkan scales and bass lines.
Down by the Riverside, trad., US
A spiritual popularized with new words by Pete Seeger and an anthem of every anti-war movement since Vietnam.
Zombie, Fela Kuti, Nigeria
Kuti, the “Black President,” was a Nigerian bandleader and revolutionary who invented the genre of Afrobeat. He was often beaten and arrested by agents of the military in Nigeria until his death of AIDS-related disease in 1997, he was the first African music superstar. This song is critical of the Nigerian military and resulted in his imprisonment for many months. Upon his release, he encited a riot against the military by performing this song at his return concert.
Bombs Over Baghdad, US
By the Atlanta supergroup Outkast. Andre 3000 says that while the verses are classic hip hop battle raps, the chorus is meant to be an anti-war statement.
Dead End Town, phil not bombs, US
Another balkan-influenced original from our trombone player. The name refers to that charming habit of Atlanta’s streets, usually due to the superhighways that rip through this town.
Ay Carmela, trad., Spanish
A classic partisan song from the Spanish Civil War in the 1930’s, it was the anthem of the left and specifically the anarchists against the fascists.
*Special thanks to the Brass Liberation Orchestra, whose research we borrowed for several of these tunes.