| Main Performers | Mr George Dallas,
Rt. Hon. C R Attlee,
Mrs Barbara Ayrton Gould,
Rt. Hon. A V Alexander,
Ellen Wilkinson MP,
Sir Stafford Cripps,
Mr James Walker,
Mr Philip Noel-Baker,
Rt. Hon. Herbert Morrison - speakers,
Paul Robeson - vocal,
Arnold Goldsbrough - organ |
| Set List | 'May Day Song', Arthur Hurley (London Labour Choral Union),
'Song for Spanish Democracy', Peter Baker (London Labour Choral Union),
'Spanish Government's Song' (London Labour Choral Union),
'The Spanish People' (London Labour Choral Union),
'Around the Workers' Flag', Alan Bush (London Labour Choral Union),
'The Red Flag' (London Labour Choral Union)
Slave songs (Paul Robeson),
'Ol' Man River' (Paul Robeson) |
| Performance Notes | 'Over £3,000 was collected in the Albert Hall last night at a crowded meeting organized by the Labour Party as part of its national campaign for 'food, freedom and justice for Democratic Spain.'
The greater part of the collection was made up of cheques for £10 or over, but among the many gifts handed in were a gold wedding ring, a wrist watch, a number of Belgian notes, and a traveller's cheque from the representative in this country of the Labour Union of China.
Mr G Dallas was in the chair.
Mr Attlee MP said that he cared nothing for the criticism of his visit to Spain, where he expressed sympathy for the people of the country. He told them that he would try to tell the people here the truth about Spain.
"I have been criticised for going to Spain, but I care nothing for the criticism of the other side. No one need be ashamed for standing for those ideals of freedom, democracy and justice for which our forefathers fought."
Paul Robeson amended the lyrics for the song 'Ol Man River at this event for the first time.
"The version from Show Boat - the rendition with which the audience was familiar began like this:-
Theres an ol' man called de Mississippi
Dat's de ol man dat I'd like to be
What does he care if de world's got troubles?
What does he care if de land ain't free?
At the Spanish rally, Paul changed the second line to 'I don't like to be'. He wouldn't like to be indifferent to the world's troubles, he announced - and everyone grasped that the tiny alteration meant a condemnation of the British Government and it's policy of neutrality. The next lyrical change - 'I must keep fightin'/until I'm dying' - brought the house down."
('No Way But This, In search of Paul Robeson', Jeff Sparrow, Scribe Books, 2017)
Over 9,000 people attended a Labour Party demonstartion in the Albert Hall last night in supoort of the "democratic Governmant of Spain" while an overflow meeting was held at Hammersmith Town Hall.
Warwick University Modern Records Centre hold an extensive collection of records relating to this meeting. |
| Related Archival Material | Programme (RAHE/1/1937/80) |