An incomplete, semi-alphabetical list of songs we currently play, or have played in the past:
Baraat (Michal Dynna, Canada)
Alto Sax, Bari Sax, Flute, Snare, Trombone, Trumpet, Tuba
[audio:baraat.mp3]
“Baraat” is Hindi for a marriage procession. In north Indian communities it is customary for the bridegroom to travel to the bride's house on a horse, accompanied by his family members. This often becomes a huge procession, with its own band, dancers, and budget. The song Baraat was composed by Canadian Mychael Danna, who is known for combining music from cultures around the world with symphonic soundtracks, as the title track to the 2001 film Monsoon Wedding.
Baraat is one of the first songs the RMO learned and has become something of a trademark. Our arrangement is based on a version by Titubanda from Rome, Italy.
Bella Ciao (traditional, Italy)
Bb, Bass in C, Eb, Snare Solo, Trumpet
[audio:bellaciao.mp3]
The song Bella Ciao was sung by the left anti-fascist resistance movement in Italy against Mussolini during WWII, comprised of anarchists, communists, socialists and other anti-facist partisans. The author of the lyrics is unknown, and the music seems to come from an earlier folk song sung by riceweeders in the Po Valley. It is sung by leftists in many languages around the world and is a standard of radical marching bands in the US and Europe. Check out the lyrics.
Brasilovic (phil not bombs)
Flute, Clarinet, Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, Bari Sax, Trumpet, Tbone, Tuba, Cymbals, Snare, Toms, Bass Drum, Whistle
An original by Phil, this song fuses samba rhythms and whistle blasts with Balkan scales and bass lines. Samba has a long history as a music of resistance, having been developed from a type of dance that originated in Angola and the Congo, finding its way to Brasil through the slave trade. In Brasil, slaves were allowed to keep and play drums, which was forbidden in the US, and thus were able to keep this vibrant tradition alive.
Brass Beatdown (phil not bombs)
Alto Sax, Bari Sax, Bb, Bass Drum, Clarinet, Flute, Snare, Tenor Sax, Trombone 1, Trombone 2, Trombone 3, Trumpet, Tuba
An original tune that is also played by the Atlanta Sedition Orchestra, the RMO of the South. This song evokes the gentle strains of a variety of sub-genres of metal: speed metal, hardcore, grindcore and even operatic heavy metal.
Crazy In Love (Beyonce Knowles, Rich Harrison, US)
Snare
[audio:crazyinlove_recordingreject.mp3]
"Crazy in Love" was a hit song by Beyoncé. RMO’s rearrangement preserves the infectious horn line (originally sampled from the The Chi-Lites' 1970 "Are You My Woman (Tell Me So),” while replacing the verses’ repeated “uh oh uh oh uh oh” with “uh oh George Bush has got to go,” or more recently, "uh oh this war has got to go." This chant often changes to fit the cause of a particular protest or event. Our version also features choreography by both musicians and Team Awesome.
Deceptacon (Le Tigre, US, arr. by phil not bombs)
Alto Sax, Banjo, Bari Sax, Clarinet, Flute, Tenor Sax, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba
[audio:deceptacon_recordingreject.mp3]
This song was a hit for the feminist punk-dance band Le Tigre, started by Kathleen Hanna, formerly of the riot grrl band Bikini Kill. The band’s lyrics and shows often address political issues, including feminism, queer rights, police brutality and the anti-war movement.
The RMO’s version changes the chorus lyrics from “Who took the bomp from the bompalompalomp? Who took the ram from the ramalamadingdong?” to “Here’s to the Man and his bombs his bombs his bombs, here’s to the man and his mother______ war games” while the band and audience collectively raise the one-fingered salute. Occasionally, “neverending war games” is substituted at kid-friendly events.
Le Tigre held a fan contest to design and perform a dance for the video of the song, which was won by Miguel Gutierrez and Howie Rigberg with the dance "Aerobicon." Team Awesome based their choreography on this version.
Coincidentally, Kathleen Hanna can often be found teaching music at the Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls alongside a number of RMO members.
Don't Phunk with the RMO (Black Eyed Peas, US, arr. by phil not bombs)
Banjo, Bari Sax, Tenor Sax, Trombone, Trumpet
[audio:dontphunk.mp3]
This song (originally “Don’t Phunk with My Heart”) was released in 2005 by the L.A. hip hop group Black Eyed Peas and became a huge hit. While the group’s early material addressed social and political themes, those topics have sadly been left behind as the group found success.
Kosice (phil not bombs)
Flute, Clarinet, Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, Bari Sax, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba, Banjo
[audio:kosice.mp3]
Another original by our trombone player Phil, it fuses Balkan melodies and rhythm with the sensibilities of American hardcore punk.
Lebedik Un Freylekh (Abe Schwartz, Romania/US)
Banjo, Bari Sax, Bb
[audio:lebedik.mp3]
A classic klezmer song, originally composed by Romanian musician Abe Schwartz and performed by Abe Schwartz's Orchestra and definitively recorded by the Klezmer Conservatory Band. The name means “Lively and Happy,” which also accurately describes Team Awesome’s show-stopping choreography that accompanies that song.
Klezmer is a musical tradition which parallels Hasidic and Ashkenazic Judaism. The repertoire is largely dance songs for weddings and other celebrations.
Matador (Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Argentina, arr. by Bruno)
Alto Sax, Bari Sax, Bass Drum, Clarinet, Flute, Percussion, Snare Drum, Tenor Sax, Tbone, Trumpet (melody), Trumpet (backbeat), Tuba, Whistle/Cymbals
[audio:matador.mp3]
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs was one of the first Argentinian bands that started fusing rock and pop music with traditional South American rhythms back in the mid-80s. Their song "Matador", released in the early 90s, is about police repression and the people who "are fighting for a better world" that become its victims, portraying them as martyrs of resistance. The protagonist in the lyrics has decided to take his fight for truth, peace, and justice to the bitter end; he is waiting in a rented room, rifle in hand, for the police to come and take his life. "Matador" also makes a reference to Victor Jara, a revolutionary Chilean singer/songwriter who was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by Pinochet's goverment after the coup in 1973 ("Victor Jara no calla", meaning, "Victor Jara will not be silent").
The rather confusing video of "Matador" won the MTV Latino Video Music Award in 1994 and increased the band's popularity, making the song their trademark hit.
Merry Blues (Manu Chao, arr. by phil not bombs)
Alto Sax, Bari Sax, Flute, Tenor Sax, Tbone, Trumpet, Tuba
[audio:merryblues_recordingreject.mp3]
By Manu Chao, the French/Moroccan/Spanish performer who sings in English, French, Spanish and Basque. His politics have been profoundly influenced by the anti-capitalist movement in Europe and the Zapatista rebellion of southern Mexico.
Mesecina (Goran Bregovic, Serbia, arr. by Maurice)
Bb (backbeat), Bb (solo), Bass in C (backbeat), Bass in C (solo), Bass in C, Eb (backbeat), Eb (solo), Eb, Melody (backbeat), Melody in C, Melody in Eb, Trombone (backbeat), Trumpet
[audio:mesecina_recordingreject.mp3]
Balkan superstar Goran Bregovic wrote Mesecina (“Moonlight”) as the title track to Podzemlje (“Underground”) 1995 award-winning film directed by Emir Kusturica. The film, which follows two friends from WWII to the Yugoslav wars in 1992, is a bizarre satire of communism, war, and the history of Yugoslavia. Bregovic is credited with popularizing Balkan and Romani music through his work on various film soundtracks and with his Weddings and Funerals Orchestra.
The Message (Cymande, UK, arr. by Jonathan a.k.a. Trumpet Monkey)
Bb, C, Eb
[audio:themessage_recordingreject.mp3]
This song was originally recorded by Cymande, a 70’s funk band formed in 1971 in London by musicians from Guyana and Jamaica. The name Cymande is derived from a Calypso word for Dove, which symbolizes peace and love. They have been heavily sampled by hip hop and R&B groups.
[Naming Rights Available] (Jonathan Bari)
Melody in C, Alto Sax, Trumpet, Bass
Written by our baritone saxophone player, Jonathan, this song doesn't have a title. Instead, we will be auctioning off the naming rights (in the spirit of Bloomberg, who wants to sell naming rights for city parks, and the MTA who may do the same for subway stations)--only non-monetary bids are accepted.
Party At Ground Zero
Pharoahs/Rude Mos Love Y'all (The Pharaohs, US, arr. by Jonathan Bari)
All parts
[audio:pharoahs.mp3]
Another of RMO’s anthems, the song “Pharaohs Love Y’all” was recorded by The Pharaohs, a seminal early 70’s Afro-funk band from Chicago. The group, comprised of musicians from Chicago's Afrocentric arts scene and Black Nationalist activists, went on to form the legendary Earth, Wind and Fire.
El Pueblo Unido (phil not bombs)
Alto Sax, Banjo, Bari Sax, Flute, Piccolo, Snare, Tenor Sax, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba
[audio:elpueblo.mp3]
This original is built around the words and cadence of the Spanish phrase “El pueblo unido jamas sera vencido,” or “the people united will never be defeated.” This chant is staple of demonstrations around the world and was originally a song written by Sergio Ortega and later recorded by the Chilean group Quilapayún, and was used during the Unidad Popular campaign in Chile. Then, after Pinochet's September 1973 coup, the group Inti-Illimani (also from Chile) popularized the chant internationally. The song’s beat is a nod to the popular form of Caribbean hip hop / dance music, Reggaeton.
Push It (Salt n’ Pepa, US, arr. by Becca)
Alto Sax, Bari Sax, Flute, Snare, Tenor Sax, Tbone, Trumpet, Tuba
[audio:pushit_recordingreject.mp3]
The classic 80’s dance tune by the hip hop duo, one of the original female rap groups to hit big. Quickly becoming a standard amongst US radical marching bands.
Saint James Infirmary (traditional, US)
Banjo, Bb, Bass in C, Eb, Trumpet
[audio:stjames_recordingreject.mp3]
A standard jazz tune of unknown origin, it embodies New Orleans to many. The modern definitive version was recorded by Louis Armstrong, but dozens of versions exist in one form or another.
Sweet Tater Pie (Mongo Santamaria, arr. by Martin Wallace)
Banjo, Bari sax, Bass drum, Bb, Eb, Clarinet, Cowbell, Flute, Snare, Tenor Sax, Tri-tom, Trombone, Tuba
[audio:sweettater.mp3]
This tune was first recorded by the Afro-Cuban Latin jazz percussionist Mongo Santamaria.
We're Not Gonna Take It (Twisted Sister, arranged by riley and becca)
Alto Sax, Bari Sax, Clarinet, Flute, Tbone 1, Tbone 2, Tbone 3, Trumpet, Tuba
This was written by the rock band Twisted Sister in 1984. It was arranged for the RMO in preparation for the 2008 RNC in St. Paul. In our hands, it has been danced to by black bloc kids and screamed along with by occupying students.
Hey! We have a CD with 8 of these songs on it. Buy it from us at shows, or at Bluestockings.
If you're looking for more sheet music, check back soon...
* Special thanks to the Brass Liberation Orchestra, whose research we borrowed for several of these tunes.
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