video

Melanie Clarin -- Follow the Drinking Gourd

The 'Drinking Gourd' refers to the stars of the Big Dipper constellation, pointing the North Star (Polaris). The song was reportedly used as a kind of Underground Railroad map guiding the route of escaped slaves to freedom. It was first published in 1928. Lee Hayes published the song in 1947 in something like its current form in the People's Songs Bulletin. In the following decades the song featured prominently in the civil rights movement and in the folk song movement. For more Songs of Immigration, Deportation and Identity, go here.
 

video

Freddy Fender -- Across the Borderline

Across the Borderline, written by Ry Cooder, John Hiatt, and Jim Dickinson, highlights the pain and uncertainty of emigration. Freddy Fender (Baldemar Garza Huerta) was a Texas son of a Mexican immigrant. The song was featured in the soundtrack of the movie The Border.  For more Songs of Immigration, Deportation and Identity, go here.

video

Harry Belafonte -- Jamaica Farewell

Jamaica Farewell is a nostalgic song about the beautiful women of Jamaica. It was written by Brooklyn native Lord Burgess, son of a U.S. father and Barbadian immigrant mother. Belafonte's 1957 version brought the song to world attention; it has been translated into many languages and covered by such singers as Sam Cooke, Carly Simon and Sting. For more Songs of Immigration, Deportation and Identity, go here.
 

video

La Santa Cecilia -- Ice El Hielo

The Latin-Grammy nominated group La Santa Cecilia is composed of immigrants, children of immigrants and dreamers. Ice El Hielo is a play on the acronym of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which deported over 400,000 people last year, and the Spanish words for ice. This video was produced with the National Day Laborer Organizing Network and noted filmmaker Alex Rivera. NotOneMoreDeportation.com is a project of NDLON meant to foster collaboration between individuals, organizations, artists, and allies to expose, confront, and overcome unjust immigration laws.
Sign to stop deportations. For more Songs of Immigration, Deportation and Identity, go here.

video

Bruce Springsteen -- Deportee

These lyrics were written by folk trailblazer Woody Guthrie, and set to music by Martin Hoffman. Guthrie wrote these words on reading the story of 28 Mexican nationals who died in a plane crash while being flown back to Mexico. They were buried in an unmarked grave, their names unknown until 65 years later, when a remarkable piece of detective work brought them to light. The song is available on the album "til we outnumber 'em -- songs of Woody Guthrie," conceived by Ani DiFranco and featuring, among others, DiFranco, Tim Robbins, Country Joe McDonald, Arlo Guthrie, Ramblin' Jack Elliot and Billy Bragg. (Google Play, iTunes, Amazon, eMusic). For more Songs of Immigration, Deportation and Identity, go here.

Subscribe to Friday nite video