Just about every significant movement for social change in U.S. history has had a body of participatory music – music known and sung by activists and supporters alike. Singing together, besides being fun, had the effect of welding the movement together. Indeed, Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul and Mary fame, said, “You will be a movement when you sing like a movement.” This presentation, by lifelong social change activist and song leader Peter Bergel, takes its title and inspiration from Yarrow’s comment. You can book it for a church, class, fundraiser or other event by calling Peter at 503-428-4280.
Bergel is devoted to re-energizing today’s social change movements by offering readily sing-able songs – songs that have the potential to weld crowds into movements through shared participation in singing.
In “Sing Like a Movement,” he traces the use of participatory music from the abolition movement through the labor movement, the civil rights movement and the anti-nuclear power and weapons movements to the present day in a fast-moving presentation during which he gets us singing these old songs, as well as some newer ones he has written.
Bergel’s recent CD, “Peace is Where You Make It,” featuring a dozen original participatory songs, can be available for purchase as well.