links for 2009-04-02

Over 400 different artists have recorded this song since the first recording in 1923. Margaret Walker and James Baldwin wrote poems from the song. It’s been refashioned as a musical, two novels, a short story, an award-winning graphic novel, Ph.D. dissertations and, in 2008, a pornographic feature film. The song has lived as Ragtime, a Broadway showtune, Blues, Jazz, Honky Tonk, Country, 50s Rock and Roll, Ska, Folk, Surf, 70s punk, Heavy Metal, 90s punk, Rap. Even Hawaiian. The song's character lives large in Gangsta Rap. Listen to it and we hear the evolution of modern music.

During these times when the Anti-immigrant sentiment is dividing the country over the human rights of millions of undocumented immigrants,

Raices is making sure that we don’t forget the History of America.

Like the pilgrims and other people from Eroupe who Fled from political and religious persecussion left their homeland and their families for a better life and for freedom. America started under this premise.

Some people say that America is “Full” and are not sympathetic to the need of these new comers. They are even organizing and rallying against them. America was Full when their ancestors came 500 years ago. They did everything and anything to get rid of the indigenous people to make room for European colonization.

Track wrong predictions by well-known pundits.