As labor unions in remain in a deadlock with Wisconsin state governments over collective bargaining rights, John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats posted a video of himself performing “There Is Power in a Union”, a folk song by labor activist and late-19th/early-20th century songwriter Joe Hill. Writes Darnielle, “Everybody knows I don’t generally do the acoustic guitar guy rocking political jams deal but as a former member of SEIU 660 & the California Association of Psychiatric Technicians & a kid who benefitted from great teachers I wanted to spend tonight saying WE ARE ON YOUR SIDE.”
This isn’t the first time Darnielle has gotten political recently: last week, he performed a couple acoustic songs from The Mountain Goats’ 2002 album All Hail West Texas at Foley Square in New York City, at Planned Parenthood’s Stand Up For Women’s Health Rally. During his set he claimed to be none-too-good at making political speeches, and managed to make a few convincing ones anyway.
