Broadside Ballads, Vol. 7

Featuring a collection of ripped-from-the-headlines compositions, Broadside Ballads, Vol. 7 offers a snapshot of America in the mid-1970s. In folk ballad tradition, several of the album’s songs revolve around the lesser known figures of some of the decade’s biggest stories: “Ballad of Frank Willis” is sung from the perspective of the security guard who discovered Nixon’s burglars at the Watergate Complex, and “Ballad of Mrs. Martha Mitchell” tells the tale of the outspoken wife of Nixon’s attorney general, John Mitchell. “Ballad of Frank Clearwater” relays the tragedy of the Wounded Knee protester who was killed by a U.S. federal marshal during the standoff of 1973. Other tracks address the war in Vietnam and the struggle for farmworkers rights. Liner notes contain lyrics and a collage of relevant press clippings. As a whole, Broadside Ballads, Vol. 7 not only allows us a glimpse into the zeitgeist of the seventies, but also offers proof that social struggle didn’t end with the 1960s.

Track Listing

101	Let It Roar Like a Flood Larry Estridge	06:22
102	Spirits of the Revolution Larry Estridge	05:12
103	Aviary Song Larry Estridge	02:53
104	It's Outrageous Larry Estridge	03:13
105	Troubleshooter Larry Estridge	04:09
106	The Ballad of Mrs. Martha Mitchell Gary Paris	03:26
201	Vietnam Paul Kaplan	05:46
202	White Blossom Rose-Redwoods	03:10
203	La Lucha Continuará (The Struggle Goes On) Rose-Redwoods	05:24
204	The Ballad of Frank Clearwater Ron Turner	07:05
205	The Ballad of Frank Wills Ron Turner	03:40