On November 25, 1960, CBS TV broadcast “The Harvest of Shame.”
Millions have come to the United States in search of the American Dream. Some got here and stayed; some got here and went back. Some of those who stayed found the whole Dream; others found a nightmare.
During the Great Depression, John Steinbeck wrote, The Grapes of Wrath, a story about an American family forced off their farm by large business. They tried to find a living again by driving to California. It doesn’t turn out well. A harvest of shame.
Farm in South Dakota after dust storm.
CBS News Harvests Shame
Woody
In 1940, Woody Guthrie a song of that story. The story of a harvest of shame.
CBS News Harvests Shame
César Chávez
In 1942, American-born César Chávez was forced to leave school, after completing the eighth grade, in order to help support the family. He did that by picking crops. In August of that same year, with a shortage of workers due to the US entry into World War II, the US and Mexico made a series of laws and agreements, known as the Bracero Program (“strong arm” in Spanish), for the importation of temporary contract laborers from Mexico to the United States. Between 1946 and 1948, Chávez was in the Navy. At the time Mexican-Americans could only work as deckhands or painters.
CBS News Harvests Shame
“Plane Wreck At Los Gatos”
In 1948, Guthrie again wrote about farm workers. This time the words were to the song, “Deportees” or “Plane Wreck At Los Gatos” in response to an airplane crash which resulted in the deaths of 32 people: 4 Americans and 28 migrant farm workers who were being deported to Mexico from California. That the news media reference to the workers as simply deportees, never mentioning their names, outraged Guthrie. The Mexican victims were placed in a mass grave at Holy Cross Cemetery in Fresno, California. There were 27 men and one woman. Only 12 of the victims were ever identified. Another harvest of shame. Here’s son Arlo and Hoyt Axton cover of the song.
CBS News Harvests Shame
Bracero Program
The Bracero Program continued after the war and in the 1950s Chávez and Dolores Huerta attempted to organize the migrant workers. Organize those whose lives reflected a harvest of shame. (see National Farm Workers Association)
Chávez and Huerta’s story becomes another thread in the fabric that made up the cultural revolution of the 1960s–and beyond.
CBS News Harvests Shame
Edward R Morrow
But on that November 25, 1960, people watched Edward R Morrow stand in an American field and describe the lives of others that Americans thought only happened somewhere else. Not the United States. Appropriately, it was the day after Thanksgiving.
From the NYT: “THE shocking degradation and exploitation of millions of human beings who pick the fruits and vegetables that are served on America’s richly laden dinner table were shown last night on “C.B.S. Reports” over Channel 2.”
Morrow said, “This is not taking place in the Congo. It has nothing to do with Johnannesburg or Cape Town. It is not Nyasaland or Nigeria. This is Florida. These are citizens of the United States, 1960. This is a shape-up for migrant workers. The hawkers are chanting the going piece rate at the various fields. This is the way the humans who harvest the food for the best-fed people in the world get hired. One farmer looked at this and said, ‘We used to own our slaves. Now we just rent them.’ ” The hour-long telecast, shocking to many viewers, immediately leads to a greater public and political awareness of the workers’ lives.
CBS News Harvests Shame
Legacy
The story, of course, sadly continues in its many horrible racist and xenophobic hues. It is a headline everyday and sometimes the news media actually points out that fact. Sometimes artists have to remind us of the plight of the American Nightmare. And jeez, can Tom Morello play the guitar?
Who is Robin Williamson? He is best known being in the Incredible String Band. The band enjoyed international popularity mainly in the mid-60s. That popularity was sufficiently strong to merit an invitation to the Woodstock Music and Art Fair. The apocryphal tale is that though scheduled to play on Friday with other folk-type artists, they refused to play in that night’s rain and their performance was pushed to Saturday between the much louder electric blues of the Keef Hartley Band and Canned Heat. Not the best spot for a group of tranquil and introspective musicians using acoustic instruments.
They also did not make it into the movie or the album the following year.
Robin Williamson, Incredible String Band, far right
Listening to their set today [rather than looking at a crowd of 400,000 young people some of whom were wondering, perhaps, “Who were these people?”], dedicated fans hear the songs that made the band popular, but not famous. The crowd gave them warm applause following the set.
Incredible Robin Williamson
Hippie zeitgeist
An interesting thing is that ISB reflected the hippie zeitgeist as loved by those whose ears wiggled a bit when someone said, “Hobbit” or “Lord of the Rings.” The sense of a simpler past, yet still with the shadow of evil not far away. Even Bilbo Baggins didn’t start out with a sense of adventure.
Incredible Robin Williamson
Site info
From Robin Williams’s site today: founder in the 1960’s of the Incredible String Band and of the Merry Band in the 70’s Robin has been at the forefront of the storytelling revival in Britain and America since the 1980’s.
He was the first to focus on the restoration of Celtic Harp to it’s ancient role as spontaneous accompaniment to spoken word.
He continues to tour internationally solo and as a duo with his wife ,singer multi -instrumentalist , Bina Williamson.
A most prolific and diverse songwriter ,Robin has made numerous records over his 50 year career ,most recently for ECM and Quadrant as well as on his own label Pigs Whisker Music.Twice nominated for a Grammy he is cited as an influence by Paul McCartney, Led Zeppelin and many contemporary acoustic and new folk artists.
Incredible Robin Williamson
Today
Robin and Bina Williamson
Robin Williamson and his wife Bina continue to perform regularly through out the United Kingdom. A recent news piece describing them for an upcoming concert stated:
They will perform a programme of original and traditional, magical and mystical songs, stories and music, garnered over Robin’s varied 50-year musical career.
In that time he has gained a worldwide reputation, while Bina is a gifted singer-songwriter,and multi-instrumentalist in her own right.
Their music has been described by Robert Plant as “pure beauty through simplicity” and features east-west harmonies with harp, bowed psaltery and various other instruments. (click for site: Robin and Bina Williamson article)
Incredible Robin Williamson
Storyteller
And if you have a little time, perhaps you’d like to roll up and listen to Robin tell “A Tale of the Deeds of the Tuatha Dé Danann.” It is “a bardic account of the two battles of Moytura, the sacred megalithic complex in Sligo. From the magical lore of ancient Ireland, this tale recounts conflicts of the ancestors at the dawn of the world. Stark, strange, beautiful, violent and hinting always at hidden truths, this of all ancient Celtic stories presents an insight into Druidic allegorical teachings.”
Delightful.
Incredible Robin Williamson
Painter
He had his first international exhibition in 2013 in the Catalonian town of Olot, renowned for its key role in early 20th century art.
If you have an enquiry please ring
Pigs Whisker Music 0044(0)2920231739
Or write to
Pigs Whisker Music
P O box 309
Cardiff CF11 9HH
South Wales UK
Auditions were a regular part of the Beatles in 1962. And 1962 will be the year the Beatles move from obscurity to popularity, though certainly not to Beatlemania. Not yet.
Decca
On New Year’s Day 1962 The Beatles conducted their first audition for a major record company, Decca. In its London studio which was and less than 2 miles from EMI’s Abbey Road studios, The Beatles taped 15 songs that had been carefully selected by Brian Epstein to show off their versatility: “Like Dreamers Do”, “Money”, “Till There Was You”, “The Sheik of Araby”, “To Know Her Is to Love Her”, “Take Good Care of My Baby”, “Memphis”, “Sure to Fall (In Love With You)”, “Hello Little Girl”, “Three Cool Cats”, “Crying, Waiting, Hoping”, “The Love of the Loved”, “September In the Rain”, “Besame Mucho”, and “Searchin'”.
It took about an hour to record all the songs and Decca’s Mike Smith (who had arrived late, irritating Brian Epstein) promised to get back to Brian with Decca’s decision; then Smith hurried the Beatles out of the studio because he was running late for a second audition – with Brian Poole and the Tremeloes.
Decca declined to give the Beatles a recording contract. (Independent article)
Beatles 1962 Auditions
More Auditions
February 12, 1962: The Beatles traveled to Broadcasting House, Manchester, Lancashire. Brian Epstein had arranged an audition to perform on radio.
Producer Peter Pilbeam listened to The Beatles perform four songs: Paul McCartney sang “Till There Was You” and his composition “Like Dreamers Do”; John Lennon sang “Memphis” and his composition “Hello Little Girl.”
Pilbeam voted “No” on Paul’s performance, but voted “Yes” on John’s. His final answer was “Yes” and the Beatles were booked to record an appearance on the radio program “Teenager’s Turn” on March 7.
March 7, 1962 The Beatles recorded their first radio appearance, at the Playhouse Theatre, Hulme, Manchester, for the BBC radio program “Teenager’s Turn – Here We Go”.
After a rehearsal, the Beatles put on suits for the first time and, along with the other artists appearing on the program, recorded the show in front of a teenage audience.
The Beatles performed three songs, all cover versions: “Dream Baby”, “Memphis”, and “Please Mr. Postman”. The broadcast was the following afternoon, March 8.
Beatles 1962 Auditions
EMI/Parlophone
June 6, 1962: The Beatles’ first recording session at Abbey Road Studios. George Martin got along well with John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison, but not so with the taciturn Pete Best.
Worse, he considered Pete’s drumming ability to be not up to professional standards and pointed that out to Brian Epstein.
Beatles 1962 Auditions
“Here We Go”
June 11, The Beatles taped for the BBC radio program, “Here We Go.” This is the last Beatle recording on which Pete Best played.
Beatles 1962 Auditions
Summer gigs
During June, July, August, and September, The Beatles had many gigs and their popularity continued to increase, but mainly around their hometown of Liverpool with The Cavern being their mainstay venue. A change was about happen…
An early 1960’s photo of The Beatle at The Cavern Club. The Beatles last performance at The Cavern Club was 3 August 1963
Beatles 1962 Auditions
Pete Best out
August 16, 1962: Brian Epstein told Pete Best that the he was out of the band, but, amazingly, Epstein asked Best to perform with the band that night. Though at first agreeing, Best later decided against appearing, and he did not show up.
Many Beatles’ fans were partial to Pete. For a few days, Brian Epstein needed protection to walk down Mathew Street, and his new Best fans scratched Epstein’s car.
Ringo, having already agreed to leave Rory Storm and the Hurricanes (that band will, at one point, use Keef Hartley as their drummer. Keef will leave later to form his own band. It will play at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair!) will play with the Beatles as we now know them for the first time on August 18.
Beatles 1962 Auditions
Beatles @ EMI
September 4, 1962 The Beatles’ first formal recording session at EMI’s Abbey Road studios. George Martin did not consider any of the recordings from June 6 to be good enough for commercial release, so he called the Beatles back into the studio to try again.
They rehearsed six songs, including “Love Me Do” and “Please Please Me”, and two of the songs were picked for recording: “Love Me Do” and Mitch Murray’s song “How Do You Do It.”
The Beatles were unhappy with recording Murray’s song, which they had rearranged from the original demo that George Martin had sent them. However, Martin is insistent and they do record the song. They recorded an unknown number of takes of “How Do You Do It” and over 15 takes of “Love Me Do” with Ringo drumming.
Though Mitch Murray was notified that the Beatles would release his song , the decision was reversed when they chose “Love Me Do” and then “Please Please Me” instead.
Gerry & the Pacemakers later recorded it using the Beatles’ arrangement. the song reached #1 on the charts.
Beatles 1962 Auditions
Beatles back @ EMI
September 11: The Beatles returned to EMI Studios in London for a third attempt at recording their first single. George Martin insisted that studio drummer Allan White take Ringo Starr’s place during the session. Ringo was left to play maracas on “P.S. I Love You” and tambourine on “Love Me Do”.
The band recorded ten takes of “P.S. I Love You” and 18 takes of “Love Me Do,” along with an unknown number of takes of “Please Please Me”.
George Martin suggested that they could improve “Please Please Me” with increased tempo and tight vocal harmonies. They selected “Love Me Do” to be their first A-side, with “P.S. I Love You” on the flip side (a reversal of the original plan).
Beatles 1962 Auditions
Release of Love Me Do
October 5: the UK release of Beatles single “Love Me Do/P.S. I Love You” (Parlophone). It reached #17 and was on the charts for 6 weeks. The featured a September. 4 version of “Love Me Do” (Version I) that had Ringo on drums. The album “Please Please Me”, however, will includes Version II, with Andy White on drums.
Beatles 1962 Auditions
Studio Four, Granada TV Centre
October 17: in between their lunchtime and night shows at the Cavern Club, the Beatles traveled to Studio Four, Granada TV Centre, Manchester, Lancashire, to make their television debut. They appeared live on a local magazine program called “People and Places”, which was broadcast across north and northwest England. After two rehearsals lasting nearly three hours, The Beatles performed two songs for the live transmission, “Some Other Guy” and “Love Me Do”.
Empire Theatre
Oct 28: The Beatles performed at the Empire Theatre, Liverpool. This was a major performance for The Beatles, their first at Liverpool’s top theatre.
The Beatles had hit the big time…at least locally.
Beatles 1962 Auditions
BBC TV
November 23: The Beatles traveled to St. James’ Church Hall, London, for a 10-minute audition with BBC Television. The audition came about when a Beatles fan, David Smith of Preston, wrote to the BBC and asked that BBC feature the band on television.
BBC assumed that Smith managed The Beatles and wrote back offering him a November 6 audition. Smith brought the letter to NEMS Enterprises and Clive Epstein (Brian’s brother) arranged for the November 23 audition.
After the audition, the Beatles hurried home for that night’s scheduled performance.
Beatles 1962 Auditions
Record second single
November 26, 1962, The Beatles were in the recording studio (Studio Two, EMI Studios, London), recording their second single. They recorded “Please Please Me” in 18 takes. Epstein, Martin, and the band select it for the A-side of the band’s new single. Then they recorded in 6 takes of “Ask Me Why” for the flip side.
The Beatles also played a third Lennon-McCartney number, “Tip of My Tongue”, for producer George Martin. Martin did not care for the arrangement, and the song will never be recorded by The Beatles. However, “Tip of My Tongue” will be recorded in July 1963 by Tommy Quickly, another artist managed by Brian Epstein.
EMI will issue The Beatles’ second single, “Please Please Me/Ask Me Why” on January 11, 1963. George Martin confidently and accurately predicted that the single will hit #1.
Beatles 1962 Auditions
BBC
TV thumbs down
November 27: Brian Epstein received a polite “thumbs-down” letter from the BBC and he realized that The Beatles would need to score a #1 hit before they had a real chance of making their BBC television debut.
BBC Paris Studio
November 27, 1962: The Beatles go to BBC Paris Studio, Regent Street, London, to record their first BBC radio session in London. They perform three songs before a live studio audience: “Love Me Do”, “P.S. I Love You”, and “Twist and Shout”.
Beatles 1962 Auditions
Others
TWW Television
December 3: The Beatles appeared in a live television broadcast from TWW Television Centre, Bristol, Somerset, on the program “Discs a Gogo”, which was broadcast to that and nearby regions. The Beatles performed live, but lip-sync to “Love Me Do”.
Wembley Studios
December 4: The Beatles appeared in a live television broadcast from Wembley Studios, Wembley, Middlesex. This was their London-area debut on television on a children’s program called “Tuesday Rendezvous.” The Beatles performed live, doing lip-sync performances of “Love Me Do” and 45 seconds of “P.S. I Love You”.
Studio Four, Granada TV
December 17: The Beatles appeared live television from Studio Four, Granada TV Centre, Manchester, for the TV program “People and Places”. They performed “Love Me Do” and “Twist and Shout.”
Back in the Hamburg
With increasing home popularity, The Beatles reluctantly found themselves back in Hamburg for the rest of 1962. It would be their last visit and 1963 will be their best year yet.
Until 1964.
Beatles 1962 Auditions
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