Occuponics Perform at #NatGat (Occupy National Gathering)

Posted on July 7, 2012 by chieftain

The Occuponics had the pleasure of providing music for Occupy’s first National Gathering, AKA #NatGat, which happened this past week in Philadelphia.

Thanks to vidographer kgosztola for recording this free form performance of the song called “#Natgat: In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love.” This performance was recorded the night of July 3rd, in Franklin Square. Featuring Stephen C. Baldwin on guitar and vocal, Paul Stein on melodica, and Carlos Mandelbaum (AKA David Intrator) on saxophone.

#NATGAT (City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love)

They call it NatGat
In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
NatGat
In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
Down at Franklin Square
In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
We’re gathering there
In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love

You need a good spot
In the Quaker Friends parking lot
Down at NatGat
Is in the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
Cause every hep cat
Is in the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
Down at NatGat
In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love

It’s a vision thing
In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
It’s imagining
In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
Another world’s way
In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
And a better day
In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love

It’s not for fat cats
In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
But it’s where it’s at
In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
National gathering, it’s a happening
In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
Weird weather, all together
In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love

Yeah, it’s NatGat
In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
It’s where it’s at, in the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love

City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love
City of Love/City of Love
City of Love/City of Love

Lyrics c. 2012 Stephen C. Baldwin

Occuponics Perform “NYPD: Why Don’t You Party With Me” at Zuccotti Park (AKA LIberty Square)

Posted on May 3, 2012 by chieftain

This video from CocoAndBrownie captures the Occuponics, at Zuccotti Park/AKA LIberty Square, back in March 2012 (a time the mainstream media continues to insist Occupy Wall Street had completely disappeared). As you can see, there were demonstrators there that cold March day.

As I’ve written elsewhere, Occupy never “faded away” at all: it was the media that “faded away” and I’m sure they’re already fading away again, now that May Day is behind us and Snooki’s PR agent is calling them complaining that they’re not paying enough attention to her travails.

“NYPD, Why Don’t You Party With Me” was written by Stephen Carl Baldwin in late 2011 during one of the Occuponics’ freeform jams in Zuccotti Park. The chord progression in this song (G-Em-C-D) is identical to Pete Seeger’s “Where Have All The Flowers Gone” and “If I Had a Hammer,” as well as about a thousand Doo-Wop songs of the late 1950s. The song is intended to serve as a genuinely friendly ode to New York’s Finest, many of whom the songwriter believes sympathize with OWS while being forbidden by departmental protocol to share this opinion. In fact, on at least one occasion this song was greeted with shout-outs from a couple of police officers to “play it again!” At the same time, this song criticizes Mayor Michael Bloomberg for his heavy-handed treatment of Occupy Wall Street, characterizing the Mayor as having “a heart of stone.”

Lyrics to “NYPD, Why Don’t You Party With Me”

Hey Mayor Bloomberg
You saw us camping alone
And so you ruined our home
You’ve got a heart of stone

Hey Mayor Bloomberg
I used to think you were nice
You ain’t fooling us twice
You’ve got a heart of ice

So NYPD
Why don’t you party with me
We all know you’re the best
You’re New York’s finest

Yes, NYPD
Why don’t you party with me
We all know you’re the best
You’re New York’s finest

(repeat entire song once and face out with chorus (NYPD, why don’t you party with me…)

Tax Dodgers on Amy Goodman’s “Democracy Now”

Posted on May 3, 2012 by chieftain

The Occuponics’ Paul Stein was on hand this past Tuesday to provide musical accompaniment for The Tax Dodgers as they strolled around town in support of the May Day protests in New York City. At Union Square, the Dodgers were approached by Amy Goodman, of Democracy Now, and had a chance to be interviewed and perform their original song, “Take Me Out to the Tax Game.” This is the complete (slightly edited) interview of the Tax Dodgers (and of The Occuponics briefly at the end) with a transcript. Part of this interview and the complete “Take Me Out to the Tax Game” found here was a segment of the national broadcast of Democracy Now on May 2, 2012.

Also, you can find the complete May 2nd Democracy Now news broadcast on Democracy Now’s servers, along with a transcript:
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/5/2/may_day_legacy_of_labor_immigrant

With Guest Dave Lippman: “All We Are Saying Is End Corporate Crime”

Posted on April 13, 2012 by chieftain

The Occuponics perform with master parodist Dave Lippman at Zuccotti Park (AKA Liberty Plaza), April, 2011. The work performed is Dave’s parody of John Lennon’s classic “All We Are Saying Is Give Peace a Chance,” a song that became a bona fide anthem of the anti-war movement of the late 1960s that Dave has updated for today’s era.

Carlos Mandelbaum on Occupy Wall Street and Harvard Men For Economic Justice

Posted on March 29, 2012 by chieftain

Our friend and fellow musician Carlos Mandelbaum expounds on Occupy Wall Street in this video, recorded by Allegra Culpepper, at Union Square on Saturday, March 24. You can avail yourself of more of Carlos’ thought-provoking views at his site, http://www.carnivalofideas.com.

Occuponics Occupy Fort Greene, Brooklyn, 3/25/2012

Posted on March 27, 2012 by chieftain

The Occuponics greatly enjoyed providing musical entertainment for Occupy Town Square’s “pop up” Occupation, which occurred on Sunday, March 25th, 2012. Although it rained a bit, the inclement weather could not damp the spirit of the peaceful demonstrators, and a fine time was had by all.

The band performed many songs at Occupy Fort Greene, both original, parodies, and traditional folk songs. Other musicians were also on hand, including Dave Lippman, and the irrepressible Rude Mechanical Orchestra.

Occuponics: “This Park Is Your Park!”: American Spring Concert, 3/22/2012

Posted on March 26, 2012 by chieftain

The Occuponics jam with the renowned Carlos Mandelbaum at Union Square Park, NY, playing “This Park Is Your Mark,” a slightly modified version of Woody Guthrie’s classic “This Land Is Your Land.”

One of the great joys of playing folk music is that this kind of music, by definition, is subject to modification as times change. Like the United States Constitution, folk songs are “living documents” which belong to the people and can be modified to their current needs.

Occuponics Jam With Carlos Mandelbaum, Union Square, 3/21/2012