I've been thinking long and hard about Tom Morello's remarks in this article in the NY Times, about the lack of an anthem for the Occupy Movement. (One of the best things to happen in this country, in my opinion, since the Anti-Vietnam War protests – see my blog here.)

Have you listened to many of the songs written for, or inspired by, the Occupy Movement? Lots of Hip-Hop, Rap, and singer-songwriter offerings. But very little that you can actually sing along with. (Joan Baez issued a compilation album of mostly recycled protest songs from the 60s, but that doesn't seem right either.) People need songs they can sing together, since singing together helps promote unity and solidarity in any cause or movement.

Seems obvious to me. So I'm trying to do it. My efforts may be small potatoes off in a corner of the iworld somewhere, but this is also my world, and I'm going to try anyhow.

If you have a great singable song, send me an email and I'll consider posting it here. (And I'll consider it mostly on the basis of is it singable. At some point, I intend to post a page of links to all the Occupy songs that are out there. But that's a big job, and it may take a while for me to get to it.)

We Shall Occupy

I've long been aware of the history of "We Shall Overcome", first as a Union song from the mineworkers in the Appalachians fighting for better pay and working conditions, to it's use in the tobacco workers strike in South Carolina, and it's later reuse (with some changed words) as an important rallying song in the Civil Rights Movement (see sidebar). I thought it appropriate to reuse it once again.

Here are my updated lyrics: