PODCAST · music
Freedom Highway
by Nick Panken
Freedom Highway follows the long tradition of music as an expression of struggle and solidarity. In all movements for justice, from the enslaved struggling for emancipation, to the employed struggling against exploitation, songs emerge as a means of building strength in the face of power. Each week we follow these songs across borders of race, class, gender and geography with an hour of politically potent music and conversation exploring connections between these histories and the present day.
Episodes
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Neither Just Nor Wise
A playlist of politically meaningful songs from throughout the past 70 years Black Power | The Peace | Black Power | 1975 All Is One | Mighty Sparrow | Calypso A La King | 1970 To The White People Of America | New York Ensemble | Songs of Slavery and Emancipation | 2022 We Will Overcome | “Texas”...
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Strike Sweet Freedom’s Song
Songs Of Slavery and Emancipation is a multimedia project presenting recently discovered songs composed by enslaved people and explicitly calling for resistance to slavery. The book, CD and documentary film come out Friday June 17, and we hear from Mat Callahan who spearheaded the project. He…
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The Poor Shall Wear The Crown
A playlist of politically meaningful songs performed mostly a cappella by vocal ensembles. The Workers Song | The Longest Johns, Seth Lakeman | Smoke & Oakum | 2022 The Song of the Lower Classes | Martin Carthy | Out of the Cut | 1982 Poverty Knock | Chumbawamba | English Rebel Songs 1381-1984 |...
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This Kind of Thing Still Lives Today
For his 81st birthday, we listen to politically meaningful songs written by Bob Dylan, as performed by other artists. Blowin’ In The Wind | Bettina Jonic | The Bitter Mirror: Songs By Bob Dylan & Bertolt Brech | 1975 The Death of Emmett Till | Isaac Taylor | Peace In The Valley | 2018 Only A Pawn...
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Much Concerned But Not Involved
A playlist of politically meaningful songs, including several from Stevie Wonder who turned 72 last week. I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free | Mavis Staples, Levon Helm | Carry Me Home | 2022 You Haven’t Done Nothin’ | Stevie Wonder | Fulfillingness’ First Finale | 1974 Black Man | Stevie...
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Class War, Last War
We listen to a playlist of songs exploring themes of freedom and class war. "There’s class warfare, all right, but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning." - Warren Buffett Who’s Free | Super Sounds Namba | 1981 Rich Get Richer | The O’Jays | Survival | 1975 None Of…
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It Has Always Been Around
Rakel Stammer joins to discuss the egregious breach of freedom that would be the outlawing of an individuals choice whether or not to carry a pregnancy to term, in the wake of the newly leaked Supreme Court document indicating an imminent decision as such. In between conversation we listen to...
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I Wonder About This Freedom
To mark his centennial we spend the hour listening to the politically engaged music of Charles Mingus, the seminal jazz composer and bass player born April 22, 1922. Never shy to express his convictions, Mingus would often speak to contemporary political issues including war and racism, with...
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Many Thousand Gone
Coming off last week's episode where we heard Paul Robeson's first commercial recording from 1947 of the song No More Auction Block, we trace the evolution of this song from it's likely 19th century composition by black workers held in slavery, to it's many interpretations in the mid and late…
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Alive As You or Me
Paul Robeson was a widely celebrated singer (among many other vocations) and a fiercely outspoken revolutionary. Born April 9, 1898 in Princeton, NJ, the son of a formerly enslaved man, Robeson understood the connections between racial discrimination and labor exploitation. His commitment to…
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Til We're Dealing With The Fact
In 1973 Lavender Country crowdsourced funding to make the first known openly gay country music album. Now nearly 50 years later Lavender Country is bringing their brand new follow-up record on tour, with a nearby show Friday April 9 at the Egremont Barn. We listen to selections from an interview...
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No Freedom Without Peace
We begin with Gil Scott-Heron's musical reference to President Eisenhower's 1961 warning about the formation of a military industrial complex, then we go back and explore the history and ongoing relevance of wartime era songs of the past, in particular the first commercially successful anti-war...
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Trouble You Can't Hide
Following up last week's four year anniversary show, we hear more songs from more artists who we have previously featured in depth on Freedom Highway for their commitment to voicing radical political perspectives through music, and their impactful contribution to this longstanding and ongoing...
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People You Know It's True
For the four year anniversary show, we listen to an eclectic playlist of songs from some of the luminaries of Freedom Highway - politically engaged artists who we've previously devoted full hourlong episodes to throughout the past four years of broadcasting. When Will We Be Paid | The Staple...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Freedom Highway follows the long tradition of music as an expression of struggle and solidarity. In all movements for justice, from the enslaved struggling for emancipation, to the employed struggling against exploitation, songs emerge as a means of building strength in the face of power. Each week we follow these songs across borders of race, class, gender and geography with an hour of politically potent music and conversation exploring connections between these histories and the present day.
HOSTED BY
Nick Panken
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Freedom Highway have?
Freedom Highway currently has 14 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Freedom Highway about?
Freedom Highway follows the long tradition of music as an expression of struggle and solidarity. In all movements for justice, from the enslaved struggling for emancipation, to the employed struggling against exploitation, songs emerge as a means of building strength in the face of power. Each week...
How often does Freedom Highway release new episodes?
Freedom Highway has 14 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Freedom Highway?
You can listen to Freedom Highway on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Freedom Highway?
Freedom Highway is created and hosted by Nick Panken.
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