Montaigne - Bread and Roses, for the podcast Working Class History

Bread and Roses originated in a speech given by American women's suffrage activist Helen Todd; a line in that speech about "bread for all, and roses too". The demand is for the right not just to survive as workers, but thrive as people bearing witness to the beautiful world.

After reaching out to Working Class History as a fan of their work, they asked me to make a recording of Bread and Roses to use as a theme.

This rendition is based on the Utah Phillips version off the record "We've Fed You All A Thousand Years".

This is a one take record in very lofi conditions with my partner playing the guitar - it's got some flaws but I hope it conveys a sense of aliveness :)

Thank you to Nick & Tom for giving up their time & skill for free to bring this recording to life!

All proceeds from Bandcamp sales will be donated to Medical Aid for Palestinians www.map.org.uk.

montaigne.bandcamp.com

Vocals: Montaigne
Guitar & whistling: Nick Harriott
Mixing: Thomas Purcell (Wave Racer)

Image from the Digital Public Library of America.

Lyrics:
As we come marching, marching‚ in the beauty of the day
A million darkened kitchens‚ a thousand mill-lofts gray
Are brightened by the beauty a sudden sun discloses
And the people hear us singing‚ "Bread and Roses, Bread and Roses."

As we come marching, marching‚ we battle, too, for men—
For they are in this struggle and together we can win
Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes—
Hearts can starve as well as bodies: Give us Bread‚ but give us Roses

As we come marching, marching, a hundred million dead
Go crying through our singing their ancient cry for Bread;
Small art and love and beauty their grudging spirits knew—
It's Bread we fight for—but we fight for Roses, too

As we come marching, marching, we stand proud and tall—
The rising of the women is the rising of us all
No more the drudge and idler—ten that toil where one reposes—
But a sharing of life's glories: Bread and Roses, Bread and Roses
Bread and Roses