The Worksong Revival

Hmmm, this is fascinating stuff. Check it out.

Peter


Ben Miller
Associated Press
12/22/2005

CLEVELAND OHIO-

Located in a corporate park near Cleveland, SUPRATEC is a prime example of the rapid transition this country's economy has been making to the service sector industry.

In the corner of an enormous open hall filled with row upon row of cubicles, lies the desk of Bill Henderson, an employee of SUPRATEC since the late eighties, and manager of TEAM 4, which includes all of the employees who work in the first ten rows of this corporate megalopolis. Even Henderson, who says he likes his job, admits finding his workplace a bit monotonous from time to time. "You know, it's nothing big, I mean, it's a job, right? It's supposed to be a little monotonous, from time to time. But I kind of liked that regularity, you know? That's why I wasn't sure what was going on when this started," he says, gesturing to his sector of the floor, where throaty voices rise up in unison. "I thought it was somebody's birthday or something like that, at first, but the words sounded a little too melancholy for that."

As if on cue, a voice suddenly rises up to a thunderous throaty yell: "I'M GONNA TELL GOD ALL MY TROUBLES WHEN I GET HOME, I'M GONNA TELL HIM THE ROAD WAS ROCKY WHEN I GET HOME".

"I researched it to find out what was going on," Henderson continues, "and it turns out they're singing old, African American work songs, just like the slaves used to. The article I read said work songs were dead, but..." he leaves the rest of sentence unfinished, gesturing to the rows of cubicles where the song continues.

When asked where this new tradition was started, SUPRATEC employees refer to Skip Severson, and cubicle #267, where he plies his trade. Most of the songs, which are largely sung in call and response form, originate from this cubicle. Severson has been an employee at SUPRATEC for two years, and is quick to explain how he was inspired, "I was down at my local library, since I can't afford to buy books or CDs on my crappy paycheck, and I came across this album of old worksongs. I mean, sure, I'm a college educated Caucasian guy from Ohio, but they really spoke to me. One day I was just singing under my breath while I was working at the copy machine, and lo and behold, Jack, who works over there, picked up the verse and started singing it back. It was inspiring. It just snowballed from there. Soon, our whole section was singing."

Asked about how these songs, many of which were written in the 19th century, ring true with young, college educated workers in the 21st century, Skip says, "It's not surprising at all, really. I mean, the slaves that sang these songs had been torn away from to the lush beauty of Africa to be brought to America and worked to death under the hot sun on plantations. I'm from Lancaster County, and was ripped away from my home by the promise of a great job in the city, only to find myself stamping reports all day under the ungodly glow of these fluorescent lights. What the hell was I thinking? We're the same, those slaves and me. They sang these songs with the hope of liberation and... excuse me... DON'T KNOW WHAT MY MOTHER WANTS TO STAY HERE FUH, DIS OLD WORLD AIN'T NO FRIEND TO HUH," Skip sings, passing on the next verse to the rest of the office, where it's loudly repeated. "Sorry, what was I saying? Oh, yeah... they sang these songs with hope for liberation and freedom, just like us.

Though clearly feeling oppressed and vexed, Skip expresses hope for the future, citing a book that was recently written entitled "Uncle Tom's Cubicle", that has raised awareness across American concerning the plight of corporate workers. Until liberation comes, Skip intends on continuing the work song revival, "As long as there is tyranny and slavery, there will be worksongs. All that we can hope is that our own great emancipator is being raised up as we speak," he says, pointing to a portrait of Abraham Lincoln hanging on his cubicle wall.

"OUR FATHER, WHO IS IN HEAVEN, WHITE MAN OWE ME ELEVEN PAY ME SEVEN, THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE, IF I HADN'T TOOK THAT, I WOULDN'T HAD NONE".

Ben Miller reporting