"Part of the Union" | ||||||||||
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Single by Strawbs | ||||||||||
from the album Bursting at the Seams | ||||||||||
B-side | "Will you Go" | |||||||||
Released | October 13, 1972 | |||||||||
Format | 7" | |||||||||
Genre | progressive folk, progressive rock | |||||||||
Label | A&M | |||||||||
Writer(s) | Richard Hudson, John Ford | |||||||||
Producer | Strawbs | |||||||||
Strawbs singles chronology | ||||||||||
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"Part of the Union" is a song by English band Strawbs featured on their 1973 album Bursting at the Seams and was the band's most successful single, peaking at number 2 in the UK Singles Chart. The writing credits are given to Richard Hudson and John Ford, but the song may be an adaptation of the Woody Guthrie/Almanac Singers' song "Union Maid". The lyrical resemblance is striking although it is set to different music.
The song was included on the album Bursting at the Seams but is not considered typical of the songs on that album. Indeed, the track was originally recorded without a contribution by band leader Dave Cousins and was to be released under the name of "The Brothers". It demonstrates the different, more commercial direction the writing partnership of Hudson and Ford was taking within the band.
The song was unofficially adopted by the trade union movement, and it is widely considered to be a proud folk anthem for the working man. Although the lyrics may be read as somewhat sarcastically anti-trade union,[1] the members of the band have stated many times that it wasn't meant to be sarcastic or parodic.
The song resurfaced on the UK television advertisement for insurance company Norwich Union in 1998. The song is also currently being played in the stadium at the conclusion of Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union games.
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The B-side track "Will You Go" is an arrangement of the Scottish folk song "Wild Mountain Thyme" dating back to the repertoire of The Strawberry Hill Boys (the original name of Strawbs).
The original "Brothers" recording can be found on the box set A Taste of Strawbs. Cockerel Chorus (of "Nice One Cyril" fame) also recorded the song for inclusion on their Party Sing-a-long album.