Subliminal Message In Rose Bowl Parade

[lame54]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/01/03/1051043/-Pulaski-WI-Marching-Band-Sticking-to-the-Union-in-Rose-Bowl-Parade

The Pulaski High Marching Band, of Pulaski Wisconsin, made an awesome statement in yesterday's Rose Bowl Parade.

It was quite an honor for the Red Raiders from this small town (pop. approx. 3000) northwest of Green Bay to be marching in 80-degree weather in Pasadena, while their proud community looked on from windy 18-degree Wisconsin.

The TV coverage started as they marched along playing "On Wisconsin," looking properly Badger-like in their red uniforms.

And then they got to the grandstand, at about 1:15 in the YouTube ... listen to what happened.

Union Maid by Woodie Guthrie

There once was a union maid, She never was afraid
Of goons and ginks and company finks
And the deputy sheriffs who made the raid
She went to the union hall, When a meeting it was called
And when the company boys came round
She always stood her ground

Oh, you can't scare me,
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union
Oh, you can't scare me,
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
till the day I die

[TheMightyFavog]

1. From Green Bay Paper - No political meaning to Pulaski marching band's song choice, school says

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012120103177

PULASKI — School leaders say the high school marching band had no hidden agenda when it chose to perform a song that could be seen as supporting unions during the Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena, Calif., on Monday.

The left-leaning Daily Kos website praised the Red Raider marching band for performing “Union Maid,” a song written by folk singer Woody Guthrie that includes the lyrics “I’m sticking to the union till the day I die.”

District Superintendent Mel Lightner said Tuesday that band director Tom Busch, who chose the music, didn’t intend to send a message.

“He wasn’t aware there were any lyrics to it,” Lightner said. “We thought it was the ‘Red Wing Polka,’ and I believe that’s how it was listed on the itinerary. The reason he selected it was it was his grandmother’s favorite polka. I don’t know when they added the lyrics to it

[Richardo]

2. "I thought it was the "Bleaugh made Polka"

[CanSocDem]

3. Hmmm....

...not noticing the "subliminal".

A marching band stops and does a 'union' song for a group of spectators. Audacious perhaps, but not subliminal.

.

[SpiralHawk]

4. On Wisconsin - stand your ground against the RepubliGoons

Throw the !% SuckerPuppets (R) out on their eeleete keesters.

[Blacksheep214]

5. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Don't pick on Grandma!

[yellowcanine]

6. They didn't play "Union Maid". They played the music "Union Maid" was set to. Big difference.

There is no statement, awesome or otherwise, in playing a tune which someone somewhere may have set to particular lyrics.

"Maryland, My Maryland" has some reprehensible pro-Confederacy lyrics. It happens to be set to the same tune of "Oh Christmas Tree". No one suggests that when an instrumental version of "Oh Christmas Tree" is being played during the Christmas season that some kind of pro-Confederacy "statement" is being made.

[Saving Hawaii]

8. And if I play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, I'm sure that next you'll be telling me it was the ABC So

If the same song has two different names and two different versions but one is obviously a bit better recognized... whoever picked that knew what he was doing. I don't usually call that melody "Red Wing Polka" and neither does anybody else. Well done Pulaski!

[yellowcanine]

9. Well the school superintendent and the band director (who selected the song) say otherwise.

http://wtaq.com/news/articles/2012/jan/03/pulaski-supt-no-political-statement-in-bands-rose-parade-performance/

PULASKI, WI (WTAQ) - The Pulaski Red Raider marching band's performance during Monday's Rose Parade has drawn some controversy.

A post on the liberal blog Daily Kos suggests the band performed the song "Union Maid" by Woody Guthrie during their TV appearance as a nod to public workers.

But Pulaski Superintendent Mel Lightner says that's not what they did.

"There was no political statement at any time," Lightner says. "It's unfortunate that an outstanding performance and tribute to our community gets a little bit jaded and marred by someone trying to make a political spin on it."

Lightner says Pulaski's band director Tom Bush told him it's part of their normal set as the song "Red Wing Polka."

"If you watch the parade, it was the selection done when we had some airtime," Lightner says. "So that song, the Red Wing Polka, was basically to accentuate a very, very important part of the Pulaski area, which is our Polish heritage and polka."

Lightner says Bush claims to not even know that Woody Guthrie put lyrics to the song and re-release it as "Union Maid."

It is a Polish town. The high school band plays the "Red Wing Polka" as part of their standard set. Sounds feasible to me. Sometimes a tune is just a tune. By the way I googled "Red Wing Polka" and found a lot of discussion of the history of the tune - it does seem to be a well known tune - and lyrics which have been set to it - oddly, I could find no mention of "Union Maid", other than the Daily Kos story. So I am not sure that your experience is all that instructive.

[hootinholler]

10. Here's a performance with history of the tune

No references to Union Maid

[WillyT]

11. HUGE K & R !!!

[unapatriciated]

12. big k&R

Were they making a statement of Solidarity with the teachers and the union? Hell Yes!
Of course it will be denied. You really think they are going to admit to making a political statement and risk the fallout.

They could have chosen any song Out of thousands. Instead they chose a song that is strongly associated with union solidarity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Maid

They also stopped, turned at the Grand Stand and played directly for the cameras at home.