''The Internationale'' is a 1990 album by Billy Bragg. Originally released on Bragg's short-lived record label, Utility Records, it is a deliberately political album, consisting mainly of

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

s and rewrites of left-wing

protest song A protest song is a song that is associated with a movement for social change and hence part of the broader category of ''topical'' songs (or songs connected to current events). It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre. Among social mov ...

s. Although Bragg is known for his association with left-wing causes, this release is unusual; most of Bragg's recordings balance overtly political songs with social observation and love songs.

Versions

The album was originally released as a seven-track EP in 1990. In 2006, as part of a planned series of reissues of albums in his back catalogue, ''The Internationale'' was remastered and reissued along with the seven tracks from 1988's ''Live & Dubious'' EP and five bonus tracks. Also included is a bonus DVD titled ''Here and There'' containing live concerts from East Berlin,

Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the countr ...

and the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

Track listing

Disc one

:;Original album #"

The Internationale "The Internationale" (french: "L'Internationale", italic=no, ) is an international anthem used by various communist and socialist groups; currently, it serves as the official anthem of the Communist Party of China. It has been a standard of t ...

" ( Pierre De Geyter, Billy Bragg) – 3:45 #" I Dreamed I Saw Phil Ochs Last Night" (

Earl Robinson Earl Hawley Robinson (July 2, 1910 – July 20, 1991) was a composer, arranger and folk music singer-songwriter from Seattle, Washington. Robinson is remembered for his music, including the cantata "Ballad for Americans" and songs such as " J ...

, Bragg) – 1:27 #"The Marching Song of the Covert Battalions" (Bragg) – 3:59 #" Blake's

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

" (

William Blake William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his life, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of the poetry and visual art of the Romantic Age. ...

Hubert Parry Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, 1st Baronet (27 February 18487 October 1918) was an English composer, teacher and historian of music. Born in Richmond Hill in Bournemouth, Parry's first major works appeared in 1880. As a composer he is be ...

) – 2:30 #"Nicaragua Nicaraguita" (

Carlos Mejía Godoy Carlos Mejía Godoy (born June 27, 1943) is a Nicaraguan musician (accordion), composer and singer. He was born in Somoto, Madriz. Son of Carlos Mejía Fajardo and María Elsa Godoy, his brother Luis Enrique Mejía Godoy, three years younger tha ...

) – 1:06 #"

The Red Flag "The Red Flag" () is a socialist song, emphasising the sacrifices and solidarity of the international labour movement. It is the anthem of the British Labour Party, the Northern Irish Social Democratic and Labour Party and the Irish Labour ...

" (

Jim Connell Jim Connell (27 March 1852 – 8 February 1929) was an Irish political activist of the late 19th century and early 20th century, best known as the writer of the anthem " The Red Flag" in December 1889. Life Connell was born in the townland of R ...

, traditional) – 3:12 #"My Youngest Son Came Home Today" (

Eric Bogle Eric Bogle (born 23 September 1944) is a Scottish-born Australian folk singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Scotland, he emigrated to Australia at the age of 25, to settle near Adelaide, South Australia. Bogle's songs have covered a variety of ...

) – 3:04 ''Live & Dubious'' EP #"Introduction" (live) – 0:57 #"Help Save the Youth of America" (live) (Bragg) – 2:36 #"Think Again" (live) (

Dick Gaughan Richard Peter Gaughan (born 17 May 1948) is a Scottish musician, singer and songwriter, particularly of folk and social protest songs. He is regarded as one of Scotland's leading singer-songwriters. Early years Gaughan was born in Glasgow's Roy ...

) – 4:21 #"Chile Your Waters Run Red Through Soweto" (

Bernice Johnson Reagon Bernice Johnson Reagon (born Bernice Johnson on October 4, 1942) is a song leader, composer, scholar, and social activist, who in the early 1960s was a founding member of the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee's (SNCC) Freedom Singers in t ...

) – 3:09 #"Days Like These" (DC remix) (Bragg) – 2:40 #"To Have and to Have Not" (live) (Bragg) – 2:47 #"There Is Power in a Union" (with The Pattersons) (Bragg, George F. Root, traditional) – 3:27 Bonus tracks #"Joe Hill" ( Phil Ochs) – 8:23 #"

This Land Is Your Land "This Land Is Your Land" is one of the United States' most famous folk songs. Its lyrics were written by American folk singer Woody Guthrie in 1940 in critical response to Irving Berlin's "God Bless America", with melody based on a Carter Fam ...

" (

Woody Guthrie Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (; July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967) was an American singer-songwriter, one of the most significant figures in American folk music. His work focused on themes of American socialism and anti-fascism. He has inspired ...

) – 4:35 #"Never Cross a Picket Line" (Bragg) – 3:38 #" A Change Is Gonna Come" ( Sam Cooke) – 3:58 #"A Miner's Life" (traditional) – 3:01

Bonus DVD

East Berlin DDR – February 1986 #"There Is Power in a Union" (live) (Bragg, Root, traditional) – 2:35 #"Between the Wars" (live) (Bragg) – 2:31 Nicaragua – July 1987 #"Nicaragua Nicaraguita" (live) (Godoy) – 1:07 Lithuania USSR – May 1988 #"

I Heard It Through the Grapevine "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for Motown Records in 1966. The first recording of the song to be released was produced by Whitfield for Gladys Knight & the Pips and released as a ...

" (live) (

Norman Whitfield Norman Jesse Whitfield (May 12, 1940 – September 16, 2008) was an American songwriter and producer, who worked with Berry Gordy's Motown labels during the 1960s. allmusic Biography/ref> He has been credited as one of the creators of the Mo ...

Barrett Strong Barrett Strong (born February 5, 1941) is an American singer and songwriter. Strong was the first artist to record a hit for Motown, although he is best known for his work as a songwriter, particularly in association with producer Norman Whitfi ...

) – 2:07 #"To Have and to Have Not" (live) (Bragg) – 2:21 #"The Milkman of Human Kindness" (live) (Bragg) – 2:29 #"Island of No Return" (live) (Bragg) – 3:24 #"Introduction to Between the Wars" (live) – 3:15 #"Between the Wars" (live) (Bragg) – 2:21 #"The World Turned Upside Down" (live) (

Leon Rosselson Leon Rosselson (born 22 June 1934, Harrow, Middlesex, England) is an English songwriter and writer of children's books. After his early involvement in the folk music revival in Britain, he came to prominence, singing his own satirical songs, i ...

) – 3:02 #"Levi Stubbs' Tears" (live) (Bragg) – 3:15 #"Help Save the Youth of America" (live) (Bragg) – 2:36 #"

A New England "A New England" is a song written and recorded by Billy Bragg, included on his album ''Life's a Riot with Spy Vs Spy'', released in 1983. It remains a signature song from the early years of Bragg's recording career. In 1985, a cover version b ...

" (Bragg) – 2:04 #"Wishing the Days Away" (Bragg) – 4:15 #"

People Get Ready "People Get Ready" is a 1965 single by the Impressions, and the title track from the '' People Get Ready'' album. The single is the group's best-known hit, reaching number-three on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart and number 14 on the ''Billboard'' ...

" (

Curtis Mayfield Curtis Lee Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer, and one of the most influential musicians behind soul and politically conscious African-American music.

) / "

Tupelo Honey ''Tupelo Honey'' is the fifth studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released in October 1971 by Warner Bros. Records. Morrison had written all of the songs on the album in Woodstock, New York, before his move ...

" (

Van Morrison Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards. As a teenager in t ...

) – 3:02 #" Star" (

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

) – 1:56 #" A13, Trunk Road to The Sea" (

Bobby Troup Robert William Troup Jr. (October 18, 1918 – February 7, 1999) was an American actor, jazz pianist, singer, and songwriter. He wrote the song " Route 66" and acted in the role of Dr. Joe Early with his wife Julie London in the television prog ...

) – 2:17

Personnel

Musicians

*Billy Bragg – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, vocals *

Cara Tivey Cara Tivey is an English pianist/keyboardist and vocalist who has mainly worked as a side musician. She is best known for her collaborations with Billy Bragg. Tivey is also the cousin of Stephen and Nick Duffy of The Lilac Time. Biography Ca ...

– piano, vocals, shakuhachi * Lorraine Bowen – clarinet, soprano recorder, piano, accordion, organ *The Christie Tyler Cory Band –

brass Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other wit ...

*Côr Cochion Caerdydd – vocals *Marc Duff –

whistle A whistle is an instrument which produces sound from a stream of gas, most commonly air. It may be mouth-operated, or powered by air pressure, steam, or other means. Whistles vary in size from a small slide whistle or nose flute type to a lar ...

s *Jim Sutherland – bodhran, percussion *

– vocals *Wiggy – bass guitar, vocals *Charlie Llewellin – drum, cymbal *

Grant Showbiz Grant Showbiz (real name Grant Cunliffe) is a British record producer principally known for his work with The Fall, The Smiths, and Billy Bragg plus as an artist in his own right with Moodswings. He has worked on more albums by both The Fall (1 ...

– vocals *

David Bedford David Vickerman Bedford (4 August 1937 – 1 October 2011) was an English composer and musician. He wrote and played both popular and classical music. He was the brother of the conductor Steuart Bedford, the grandson of the composer, painter ...

– arrangement and conducting

Production

– producer, reissue producer *Wiggy – producer, compiled by *Kenny Jones – producer *Charlie Llewellin –

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the limit ...

*Derek Bolland – engineer *Peter Haigh – engineer *Step Parikian – engineer *Tim Young – remastered by *Duncan Cowell – remastered by

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Internationale, The Billy Bragg albums 1990 albums Covers albums Albums produced by Grant Showbiz Political music albums by English artists Cooking Vinyl albums