Stalin Wasn't Stallin'
Encyclopedia
"Stalin Wasn't Stallin' (A Modern Spiritual)" was an American
patriotic
song
written in 1943 by Willie Johnson
and originally recorded by the a cappella
gospel
group Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet (of which Johnson was a member) in 1943. Robert Wyatt
recorded a cover
of the song in 1980.
, and praises the efforts of Joseph Stalin
in his stand against Adolf Hitler
's invasion of the Soviet Union
. United States president
Franklin D. Roosevelt
had declared in a July 28, 1943 speech that:
The United States and the Soviet Union were allies during the war and many decisive battles occurred between the Soviets and Germany
that changed the direction of the war.
covered the song in 1980, emulating an a cappella group by singing in four-part harmony (achieved by multi-tracking
). Wyatt's interest in the song was that he wanted to remind the West
of the selective memory they had during the Cold War
about this earlier alliance. The cover was released as a single
in 1981 with "Stalingrad", a poem about the Battle of Stalingrad
, written and read by Peter Blackman, on the "B" side. "Stalin Wasn't Stallin and "Stalingrad" also appeared on Wyatt's 1982 album Nothing Can Stop Us
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
patriotic
Patriotism
Patriotism is a devotion to one's country, excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's meaning upon context, geography and philosophy...
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
written in 1943 by Willie Johnson
Willie Johnson
Willie Johnson was an American blues guitarist. He is best known as the principal guitarist in Howlin' Wolf's band from 1948 to 1953. His raucous, distorted guitar playing features on Howlin' Wolf's Memphis recordings of 1951-3, including the 1951 hit "How Many More Years"...
and originally recorded by the a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
group Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet (of which Johnson was a member) in 1943. Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt is an English musician, and founding member of the influential Canterbury scene band Soft Machine, with a long and distinguished solo career...
recorded a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the song in 1980.
Background
"Stalin Wasn't Stallin was written during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and praises the efforts of Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
in his stand against Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's invasion of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. United States president
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
had declared in a July 28, 1943 speech that:
The United States and the Soviet Union were allies during the war and many decisive battles occurred between the Soviets and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
that changed the direction of the war.
Original recording
The Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet spoke (or sermonized) the lyrics of the song against a rhythm of back-up vocals. It was a moderate hit in 1943. It has since appeared on several compilation records, including Gospel Greats: 60 Legendary Performances (The Soho Collection, 2005).Covers
Robert WyattRobert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt is an English musician, and founding member of the influential Canterbury scene band Soft Machine, with a long and distinguished solo career...
covered the song in 1980, emulating an a cappella group by singing in four-part harmony (achieved by multi-tracking
Multitrack recording
Multitrack recording is a method of sound recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole...
). Wyatt's interest in the song was that he wanted to remind the West
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
of the selective memory they had during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
about this earlier alliance. The cover was released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in 1981 with "Stalingrad", a poem about the Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
, written and read by Peter Blackman, on the "B" side. "Stalin Wasn't Stallin and "Stalingrad" also appeared on Wyatt's 1982 album Nothing Can Stop Us
Nothing Can Stop Us
Nothing Can Stop Us is a compilation album by Robert Wyatt released in 1982.-Concept:Consisting primarily of tracks released as singles and B-sides during the late 1970s and early '80s, it only contains one Wyatt composition...
.
External links
- Song lyrics The Authentic History Center archive at the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.
- Gospel Greats: 60 Legendary Performances Union Square Music.
- Wyatt's solo recordings Robert Wyatt solo discography.