If Wisconsin governor Scott Walker wants to defeat collective bargaining, he’d better hope teachers, police and firefighters aren’t listening to these inspiring tunes. They chronicle the challenges, and sometimes the deaths, of workers in the mines, factories and mills, birthplace of the unions Walker seeks to sideline. Those who remember what it cost to get unions may work that much harder to keep them. 

1. Come All You Coal Miners Sarah Ogan Gunning; Harlan County USA-Songs Of The Coal Miner’s Struggle (Rounder)
2. Death Of Harry Simms Pete Seeger; American Industrial Ballads (Smithsonian Folkways)
3. Death Of Mother Jones Gene Autry; Freedom: Songs From Heart Of America-C (Columbia/Legacy)
4. It Goes Like It Goes (Theme From “Norma Rae”) Jennifer Warnes; Best Of Jennifer Warnes (Arista)
5. Joe Hill Paul Robeson; Don’t Mourn-Organize! Songs Of Labor Songwriter Joe Hill (Smithsonian Folkways)
6. Join The C.I.O. New Lost City Ramblers; Songs From The Depression (Folkways)
7. Shuttin’ Detroit Down John Rich; Son Of a Preacher Man (Warner Bros. Nashville)
8. There Is Power In A Union Billy Bragg; Talking With The Taxman About Poetry (Yep Roc)
9. They’ll Never Keep Us Down Hazel Dickens; Hard Hitting Songs For Hard Hit People (Rounder)
10. Union Burying Ground Woody Guthrie; My Dusty Road (Rounder)

For more songs on this topic, see GreenBookofSongs.com® category Work: Unions.

A recent tweet by The Gateway to 21^st Century Skills, an NEA-supported site that gathers educational resources online, asked a question that intrigued us: “Anyone have ways to incorporate events in Egypt and Middle East into different subject areas?”

Naturally, we thought about using songs! Freedom and protest songs have a rich history, and GreenBookofSongs.com® has catalogued hundreds of songs from Civil Rights, peace and other political movements that are relevant to Egypt’s fight for democracy. And of course, music is a great way to get students involved and bring subject matter to life.

We compiled the following list from a variety of Green Book categories, among them Freedom; Protest; Politics: Political Classics; and Politics: Social Injustice. Whether you’re using music as a background to discussion, connecting American history with the Middle East, or helping students learn to put their own thoughts into words, you’ll find something useful here.

1. Eyes On The Prize Mavis Staples; We’ll Never Turn Back (Anti/Epitaph)
2. (For God’s Sake) Give More Power To The People Chi-Lites; Greatest Hits (Epic)
3. Get Up, Stand Up Bob Marley & The Wailers; Songs Of Freedom (Tuff Gong)
4. Power To The People John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band; Shaved Fish (Capitol)
5. Revolution Beatles; Hey Jude (Capitol)
6. Rhythm Nation Janet Jackson: Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814 (A&M)
7. Something In The Air Thunderclap Newman; ST/The Strawberry Statement (MCA)
8. Stand! Sly & The Family Stone; Greatest Hits (Epic)
9. Takin’ It To The Streets Doobie Brothers; Takin’ It To The Streets (Warner Bros.)
10. We Didn’t Start The Fire Billy Joel; Storm Front (Columbia)

If you’re teaching about Presidents Day, here are five songs that may help bring history alive. What student will forget James K. Polk after listening to They Might Be Giants?

1. All Across The Land [Abraham Lincoln] Jonathan Sprout; American Heroes (Sprout)
2. James K. Polk They Might Be Giants; Factory Showroom (Elektra)
3. Obama Song Michael Franti & Spearhead featuring SoliLLaquists Of Sound, Cherine Anderson & Anthony B; Single-Obama Song (Anti/Epitaph)
4. Roosevelt The Cry [Theodore Roosevelt] Oscar Brand; Presidential Campaign Songs-1789-1996 (Smithsonian Collection)
5. We Remember You, George Washington Children From N.Y.P.S. 24; Twelve Songs for All Year Long (Folkways)

Find more songs on this topic in the GreenBookofSongs.com® category Presidents.

Here are songs about love you can believe in! Happy Valentine’s Day.

1. As Stevie Wonder; Songs In The Key Of Life (Motown)
2. Breathe In Breathe Out Mat Kearney; Nothing Left To Lose (Aware/Columbia)
3. I Keep On Loving You Reba McEntire; Keep On Loving You (Starstruck/Valory)
4. I’m In Keith Urban; Defying Gravity (Capitol Nashville) Little Green Apples O.C. Smith; Pop Classics Of The ’60s (Columbia)
5. Share My Life Kem; Intimacy (Universal Motown/UMRG)
6. Trust Keyshia Cole duet with Monica; A Different Me (Amaru/Imani/Geffen/Interscope)

For more songs on this topic, see GreenBookOfSongs.com® category Love: Devotion.

Last month, we featured songs about civil rights leaders. This month, we honor Black History Month with this brief selection of songs from the Civil Rights movement itself. Each one helped strengthen and motivate those in the fight.

1. Keep Your Eyes On The Prize Pete Seeger; We Shall Overcome-Complete Carnegie Hall Concert (Columbia)
2. Move On Up Curtis Mayfield; Curtis (Rhino)
3. Oh, Freedom Joan Baez; How Sweet The Sound (Razor & Tie)
4. Say It Loud-I’m Black And I’m Proud-Pt. 1 James Brown; 20 All-Time Greatest Hits! (Universal Motown)
5. We Shall Not Be Moved Mavis Staples; We’ll Never Turn Back (Anti/Epitaph)
6. Woke Up This Morning With My Mind Stayed On Freedom Sweet Honey In The Rock and James Horner; Freedom Song (Sony Classical)

For more songs on this subject, see GreenBookofSongs.com® category Politics: Civil Rights.