Joe Hill (song)
| "Joe Hill" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| Released | 1936 |
| Genre | Folk |
| Composer(s) | Earl Robinson |
| Lyricist(s) | Alfred Hayes |
"Joe Hill", also known as "I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night",[1] is a folk song eponymously named after labor activist Joe Hill, which was originally written in poem by Alfred Hayes in 1925 and composed into music by Earl Robinson in 1936.[2]
Reception[]
In 2014, the Paul Robeson version of the song was the third-most requested song by British Labour politicians on Desert Island Discs, behind "Jerusalem" and "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika", with the song also chosen by then-party leader Ed Miliband.[3]
Covers and adaptations[]
- Joan Baez performed the song at the Woodstock music festival in 1969 and later included it in her album, One Day at a Time[4][5]
- In his 1990 album The Internationale, Billy Bragg adapted the song into "I Dreamed I Saw Phil Ochs Last Night"[6]
- On International Workers' Day in 2014, at Tampa, Florida, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band opened their show with a cover of the song.[7]
References[]
- ^ Adler, William M. (2011). The Man Who Never Died: The Life, Times, and Legacy of Joe Hill, American Labor Icon. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN 978-1-60819-285-4.
- ^ "Joe Hill". Song of America. Archived from the original on 26 July 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ Weaver, Matthew; Arnett, George (21 November 2014). "Will Theresa May toe party line on Desert Island Discs?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ Bledsoe, Wayne (16 March 2017). "Shelby Bottom keeps the Joe Hill story alive". Knoxville News Sentinel. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ "One Day at a Time". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 19 November 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ Bragg, Billy. "The Internationale". Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ Daly, Sean (1 May 2014). "Review: Bruce Springsteen still rocking for all he's worth at 64". Tampa: Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
Categories:
- 1936 songs
- American folk songs
- Bruce Springsteen songs
- Joan Baez songs
- Joe Hill (activist)
- Paul Robeson songs
- Protest songs
- Songs about activists
- Songs about celebrities
- Songs about dreams
- Songs in memory of deceased persons
- Trade union songs