The First of May is known as Labor Day, Workers' Day or May Day. Over the past few years, I have written here about the importance of this day, but I have decided not to do so anymore, as the idea of solidarity and cohesion in society seems to be becoming obsolete.
It's more important to me to feature a song on this day that has May in the title but has nothing to do with the month that is beginning. The first song that came to my mind is a song by an artist is love for ages. John Martyn released May You Never in 1973 on his legendary album Solid Air.
May You Never is a gentle folk song that expresses a heartfelt wish for a friend’s well-being and happiness. The lyrics convey a sense of warmth, care, and friendship. Martyn's soothing vocals and delicate guitar work create an intimate and comforting atmosphere. The song's gentle melody and heartfelt message of support and protection have never sounded more sincere.
Today is May Day again and as mostly anywhere the day is off. A few days ago I asked an old friend of mine who's going to speak in front of the town hall on May Day. He told me no one will speak this year. No union event in our town and I asked for the reason. He told me too less people will be ready to support the presentation so they decided to add their forces to a bigger activity in a bigger city. Not that I am a regular visitor to this events I see that more and more people lost their will to support the union. Maybe it is because the union isn't attractive for people any more or most of the people are not willing any more to stand together for their rights any more. I don't know and it is really not necessary but for me this day is about to think for the reasons why this day started. For me this is a synonym about solidarity for equal aims.
As in most other European countries this day is a public holiday here in Germany as well since the Nazi regime installed it as the 'Day of the National Workers'. A lot of years gone by since I joined the local socialists to celebrate this day. There are many reasons why I stopped. One of them is that I don't believe in their words any more. It doesn't mean that I declaim the unions justified aims because I was raised with them. Anyway, I finished 'GB 84', John Pearce book about one year in Great Britain. He described in a novel week by week the strike of the miners back then from some different points / characters. It's a pity to read those stories of friendship turned into hate when your neighbor joins the scabs, family broke away because they had no money at all and kids died while they were grabbing coals to heat the house. And I still respect the miners staying close together following Arthur Scargill and blast by the Iron Lady.
Welcome to May Day 2013. The May Day and the associated non-working day is mainly celebrated in the UK and Germany. In rural regions of Germany, especially the Harz Mountains, Walpurgisnacht celebrations of pagan origin are traditionally held on the night before May Day, including bonfires and the wrapping of a Maibaum (maypole). Young people use this opportunity to party, while the day itself is used by many families to get some fresh air.
In the Rhineland, May 1 is also celebrated by the delivery of a maypole, a tree covered in streamers to the house of a girl the night before. The tree is typically from a love interest, though a tree wrapped only in white streamers is a sign of dislike. Females usually place roses or rice in form of a heart at the house of their beloved one. It is common to stick the heart to a window or place it in front of the doormat. On leap years, it is the responsibility of the females to place the maypole. All the action is usually done secretly and it is an individual's choice whether to give a hint of their identity or stay anonymous. May Day was not established as a public holiday until 1933.
As Labour Day, many political parties and unions host activities related to work and employment. It's also featured as the International Workers Day. In my younger days we started the evening before May Day standing aside the bonfire and made our plans to what party we should go. Mostly came home early in the morning. But it was natural that we went to the socialist party rally on May Day. These rallies were completed with some musicians playing critical songs. A few years later, in England, a musician with exactly that style of music has become very popular - one of my all time favorites: Billy Bragg
There was a big tradition in singer/songwriter in Germany. Established in the early 60s and influenced by Bob Dylan, Pete Seegar, Woody Guthrie, Joan Baez and many more political singer like Franz Josef Degenhardt, Hanns Dieter Hüsch, Dieter Süverkrüpp and others met once a year to a festival on Burg Waldeck. I did't agree to all what they said and sung but there was one voice that I enjoy even nowadays. Hannes Wader has a deep and smooth voice and there is one song I love by its words - Heute hier - morgen dort. This are the words in English:
Here today, gone tomorrow, I'm hardly there, I must go, I've never complained about it.
Did it even chosen to never counted the years, never asked about yesterday and tomorrow. Sometimes I dream hard and then I think, it would be time to stay and have to do something quite different. Thus passes year after year and it's long been clear to me, that nothing remains that nothing is as it was. That one hardly missed me, forget it after days, if I'm already back elsewhere, interfere and do not care. Remains perhaps my face but the one 'or other in mind Sometimes I dream hard ... One asks me why I'm so, I remain silent, because the answer to it is difficult for me. After all, what is new is old and what was still yesterday already today 'or tomorrow is no longer true.
Some time ago, a television station has the pictures of football coaches dismissed shown and highlighted with this song - and that makes sense too. In this video the songs starts classic as we know it and turns into a past-punk version like it is the style of the Toten Hosen.
