(Photo above – Liverpool Socialist Singers singing at an event to welcome the Zapatista delegation to Liverpool in 2021)
Phil Hargreaves of Liverpool Socialist Singers introduces the choir and invites you to join them in singing for better world.
If you’re politically engaged, this might seem a slightly depressing time. We have a government of incompetents and vindictive spivs, put in power by an electoral system more suited to the eighteenth century. It might seem that all you have is your voice, hurled uselessly at the unforgiving screen of your television.
Well, hold that thought. Certainly, one voice might not count for much in this day and age, especially if you’re not a billionaire (you aren’t, are you?). But how many voices could make a difference? Allow us to introduce ourselves – the Liverpool Socialist Singers. Since 2010 we have been making a noticeable difference on demos, protests, and even in concerts. Joining our voices together, to make ourselves heard in song. If you’ve been on a public protest in that time, you might even have heard us already. We call for peace and justice, promote racial equality, protection of the environment and support workers’ rights.
Singing at a protest outside Barclays calling for the bank to drop investments in Drax power station which burns trees to make electricity and is the UK’s single biggest carbon emitter
Our philosophy is quite simple – we believe that the world could be better, and we try and support those people who feel the same. How do you want to get your voice heard? Joining others to raise your voice in peaceful, powerful protest? Unity is strength and you can make a difference.
“Since 2010 we have been making a noticeable difference on demos, protests, and even in concerts. Joining our voices together, to make ourselves heard in song.”
Socialist choirs have a long and bejewelled history. Birmingham Clarion Choir reach back to the 1940’s, for instance, though many of the current political choirs date back to the 1980’s and the expansion of street politics that went with the anti-nuclear and anti-apartheid movements at that time. It’s a simple idea – that joining our voices together could make the world a better place than we found it. We’re a non-party political group who share socialist values.
Singing at the birthday of our friend the wonderful Tayo Aluko who is also President of Birmingham’s Clarion Choir
Although we rehearse on a weekly basis, that doesn’t mean that we are demanding of our members, in that you don’t have to have the most beautiful voice to join, and we don’t do auditions – we’re doing our best, and we’re rehearsing to improve, but we’re not judging anyone’s contribution. I often say that the English attitude to singing is like the English attitude to nudity – you should only do it if you can do it particularly well. But there’s an African proverb that says “if you can walk, you can dance – if you can talk you can sing”. You know you can do it, and you’re amongst friends. It’s also great fun!
Liverpool Socialist Singers rehearse every Wednesday, at St Brides’ Church on Catherine St, from 7-8.30. If you’d care to join in, contact us via the website at www.liverpoolsocialistsingers.net
See you soon!!
Singing at Liverpool’s May Day celebrations