Great Depression Songs Just as Poignant Today

Sometimes music goes beyond just head-bopping entertainment and can stir emotions you never knew you had. One such goose-bump-inducing moment happened to me during this past week’s South by Southwest Music Festival here in Austin.  

The sun was setting behind the downtown skyline and I (along with a few thousand other music fans) was camped out in what usually is just a vacant lot, but had been transformed into a free outdoor music venue for a couple of days.

Outspoken British rocker Billy Bragg had taken the stage, alone and with a guitar.

A few songs into his set, Bragg introduced “I Ain’t Got No Home in this World Anymore,” one of Woody Guthrie’s classic songs about The Great Depression. Bragg quickly pointed out, the lyrics easily relate to what’s going on in the world today. Guthrie’s lyrics are just as poignant today as they were more than 75 years ago. He wrote songs about people losing their homes to the banks, families being split apart as they look for work, or bankers making millions while regular folk barely can afford to eat.

Sound familiar? Bragg (who has a history of performing and recording Woody Guthrie tunes) thinks so.

“As the economic situation worsens we will become more and more familiar with the songs of Woody Guthrie,” Bragg said.

A hush fell over the rather rambunctious crowd for the quick two or three minutes during the song. It was a rare somber moment in the middle of a festival known for its late night parties, corporate sponsorships, and trend-setting new music. For just a moment Bragg tried to remind everyone that music can transcend generations, genres, and class and deliver a message to even the most unexpected audience.

Now as I look around, it’s mighty plain to see
This world is such a great and a funny place to be;
Oh, the gamblin’ man is rich an’ the workin’ man is poor,
And I ain’t got no home in this world anymore. – Woody Guthrie

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Photo by Roland Tanglao, used under a Creative Commons licence