Stalin Wasn't Stallin'

Song infobox
Name = Stalin Wasn't Stallin'


Artist = Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet
Album =
Released = 1943 (US)
track_no =
Recorded = 1943
Genre = A cappella
Length =
Label =
Writer = Willie Johnson
Producer =
prev =
prev_no =
next =
next_no =Infobox Single
Name = Stalin Wasn't Stallin'


Artist = Robert Wyatt
from Album = Nothing Can Stop Us
B-side = "Stalingrad"
Released = 1981
Format = 7" single
Recorded = 1981
Genre = A cappella
Length =
Label = Rough Trade
Writer = Willie Johnson
Producer = Robert Wyatt
Chart position =
Last single = "At Last I'm Free"
(1980)
This single = "Stalin Wasn't Stallin' "
(1981)
Next single = "Grass"
(1981)

"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.

Background

"Stalin Wasn't Stallin' " was written during World War II, 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.

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 Wyatt 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".

References

External links

* [http://web.archive.org/web/20051219072035/http://www.authentichistory.com/audio/ww2/stalinstallin.html Song lyrics] "The Authentic History Center" archive at the "Internet Archive Wayback Machine".
* [http://www.unionsquaremusic.co.uk/title.php?ALBUM_ID=641&LABEL_ID=5 "Gospel Greats: 60 Legendary Performances"] "Union Square Music".
* [http://www.disco-robertwyatt.com/images/RW_solo Wyatt's solo recordings] "Robert Wyatt solo discography".