Dave's Music #122 Immigrant Stories

As I work in the garden, listen to the news and hear of immigrants dying being smuggled across the border, and see all the NOW Hiring signs; I'm always brought back to all of us are immigrants to the great nation of United States of America except the Indigenous people who most times we give so little respect.  I had a few new more songs I wanted to add to this playlist; but not warranted to have a whole new post.  I'll add them here and then the remainder of the post will be the original post.

1) Deportee (Plane wreck at Las Gatos) 

Woody's protest song shows we haven't made much progress being Christ like in this country.  1948 true story, click here to read about it.  Nanci Griffith brought together an all star group to record this song. 

Electric Guitar: Doug Lancio Accordion: Fats Kaplin Acoustic Guitar: Frank Christian Synthesiser: James Hooker Producer: Jim Rooney Vocals: John Stewart Mandolin, Vocals: Lee Satterfield Acoustic Guitar: Lucinda Williams Vocals: Lucinda Williams Producer, Vocals: Nanci Griffith Vocals: Odetta Drums: Pat Mc Inerney Vocals: Steve Earle Vocals: Susan Cowsill Vocals: Tish Hinjosa

2) Crosby Block - Martin Devaney

Here's a story from a recent backlog catalog from Martin the Unofficial St. Paul Mayor.  This is the type of immigrant story I love, it's a story of growth and settling into life as part of the America that I'm proud of.

PLUS we get a live recording of Martin and the background to the story:

Happy Father’s Day. Here’s a tune that started out for and about my dad and became for and about my family. It took a few years to get it right and ended up on the House of Rust record. Over the course of several years, he and his folks and eight siblings all came from Ireland to St. Paul. Most of them ended up living in an apartment at one time or another in a building called Crosby Block. It’s still there on the corner of Feronia and Prior, just south of University. And as it would happen, some 25 years back, my cousins would open their small engine repair shop and auto repair shop right across the street. Which was also where I had my first job in high school. In any case, here’s a look back at the ol’ Crosby Block.

Since these stories just don't pop up on a word search, I'll keep adding to this playlist as I find them.

NOW Back to the original post.

A recent purchase, news and conversation lead me to putting together a list of songs around the immigrant theme.  First Mike Ward put out a tasteful 3 song EP that I bought on Bandcamp Friday that he made sure was released before the election and described it as:

This 3 song EP is being released ahead of the 2022 election period and is dedicated to those who raise their voice, chase freedom, make their way from other lands to seek refuge and to all those who support basic human ideals.

“Wishing Well” shines a light on protecting individual rights and free speech.
“Immigration Nation” focuses on the fact that we are all immigrants (or descendants thereof) and it is how this country was built.
“WWTFS” takes on the idea that standing by our flag is not partisan but we all share responsibility to question wrongs and to fight to make them right.

Next the absolute craziness of the FL Governor faking refugees to get on a plane in TX to fly to Martha's Vineyard is both absolutely heartless and such a waste of money.  Don't get me wrong, if we had a government that worked with each other northern states should share in relocation costs and locations, but come on act like adults and not 7 year olds who flunked kindergarten.  Finally I had a conversation with a fellow church member who agreed that we need to be welcoming again like we were to the Italians and Irish, and our unemployment issues would start to go away and our lives would be enriched.  I'm a conservative socialist, open the borders, document everyone, and help them get to cities in most dire need of workers.  If they stay productive citizens for seven years, let them be Americans.  Too many times I hear business people lament there are a lot of lazy people in this world, you know who isn't lazy... immigrants working for a better life.

Well I might have lost some readers, so let's get the music that I found both on my vinyl and in the digital library.

1) All Ye Refugees - Sandra McCracken

Let's remember all the self righteous people against open borders would not be following the ways of the Bible, how they reconcile their beliefs to the good word is beyond my understanding.  Does Ron DeSantis call himself a Christian?

Oh refugee, I did not cast you out In death and broken ground,Salvation springsMy body and my blood, the healing that you needCome and receive
Welcome home, gather round all ye refugees, come in.


2) Main Title : The Immigrant (Godfather Part II)

Ok one more slap at big old friendly Ron, his great-great Grandmother was an Italian immigrant, meditate on that of a moment while you remember your Godfather. (Yes I found this song with a search of my vinyl collection in Discogs, love that platform)


3) Immigrant Eyes - Guy Clark

Guy takes us to Ellis Island and a remembrance of grandfather's eyes.  Why are we allowed to have these memories but are silencing our new immigrants?


So nice to have YouTube available to keep memories of our favorite artists alive.


4) Immigration Nation - Mike Ward

Here's the song that was the inspiration.

Immigration built this nation
For those who dared to dream
Intoleration will tear it down
Rip it apart at the seams

Today ICE agents ate at Rosa’s café
walked in the kitchen and took the cook away
Done nothing wrong …still has no rights
Some days we wonder if it’s really worth the fight


Here's Mike and a stripped down version.


5) Across the Border - Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris 

Let's not forget that Linda's parents were children of immigrants from Mexico.


6) When I get to the Border - Linda & Richard Thompson

Of course I'm listening to the studio version but it's so fun to see the master at work.


7) I Crossed the Border - Rick Thompson

A friend who is now leading the Dan Berger Songwriters Corner after Dan passed away in 2021.  He told me this is a true story of a documented worker of his that lost his baby in Mexico while he couldn't get back in time.


8) Refugee - Luke Callen

Dang Luke is good on that slide guitar, and reminds us refugees are real people, moms, doctors & brothers.  

Now They used to call ya mama back where your from
Get the kids off to school get em back when they’re done
Try and raise em right feed em well
Teach em how to see between heaven and hell
Oh but things are different out at sea
Now all they will call you is refugee



9) Refugee - David Wirsig

A 2020 Bandcamp purchase.


10) Joaquin - Tish Hinojosa

Oh this is such a great vinyl in my collection, and yes most people just want to get to a better place to work and have a strong faith in the God that so many right wing people claim as their own.


11) Immigrant Song - Led Zepplin

Ok after I found this song existed in my vinyl library, I imported it.


12) I Pity the Poor Immigrant - Bob Dylan

I also have a great cover of this by Joan Baez.


Bonus and one not released, just a cover by me of Michael Smith's "Ancient Words" with all the Bible verses I could find loving immigrants.


Here is your one click YouTube playlist of the songs above except Rick Thompson's.




Next steps:

- Stop over to the Review page to my other most spinned and loved albums.
- Browse the rest of the blogs by stopping at this "Theme Page."
- Enjoy Tune Tuesday which brings you one song from a past blog post.
- See what other post have been most popular recently with our Stats Page.
- Find out who in the world thinks he has the authority to write this blog in the About.
- Let me answer why you won't find the playlists on Spotify here.
- Finally, the Mission page explains why there is no advertising cluttering the page.

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