The May Day Singers - a 1980s communist funk band

The socialist and workers movements have given birth to a wellspring of creativity over the years – from literature to art to music.  Recently the editors of the Northwoods Worker came upon a former band called the May Day Singers.  They were a multi-racial band made up of members of the Communist Workers Party in the 1980s.  Their preferred musical style was funk, but some of their stuff is more folk.  Fortunately at least a few of their songs made it onto vinyl.  Here is a sample of some of their material that is currently available on youtube:

-Five Alive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox9WNtXNOps 

-The 80s/Whatchu Gonna Do: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTZjm3DgFxg

-Union Coal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9uSLfEhF0U

Five Alive is a song about the 1979 massacre of 5 communists by the KKK in Greensboro.  The 80s is a funky call to action.  And Union Coal is more of a folk song that talks about the class struggle in coal country.

We'll be sure to post more of the May Day Singers, and any similar project, whenever we come across it.