Customer Reviews

Give US Your Poor

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Give Us Your Poor is an album which proceeds go to the direct benefit of the homeless. That noble cause alone could be reason enough to reason enough to but this wonderful CD. If that's not enough than the music on this CD will be. Jim Musselman from the folk label Appleseed has managed to interest some legendary blues men and folkies for this project and got them to team up with some impressive names. Most notably Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen. The first teams up with the Migty Sam McClain on the first Bon Jovi recording that really touched me, the second does a duet with the legendary activist and musician Peete Seeger on Hobo's Lullaby. Bonnie Rait and Keb' Mo' are among the other notable contributers.

Intersected with the songs are the stories of the homeless. Real people explaining how they became homeless or the stories of homeless told by famous actors as Tim Robbins, painting a picture of the dilemma that is as complex as the reality out there. Shocking stories of families, working men and children who live out on the streets of America were set to music. These stories are as captivating as the songs duets on this album.
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Sure, I have been homeless. Oh, not the desperate, day in, day out, year in, year old homelessness that drives the stories in this compilation of musical and storytelling artistic efforts to get people who are not homeless, have never been homeless, and hope never to be homeless to pay attention. And not just walk away, around, or over the problem. I have been homeless enough though , and in dire enough straits at times to have a pretty good sense that the streets are not for dreaming, or for living in, and are definitely to be avoided at all costs. Those are mean streets out there, brothers and sisters. And asking for the occasional spare change, spare cigarette, spare anything is just the tip of the iceberg.

But, hell, let some real folks tell the story. And that is what they do here, interspersed with some celebrity performances, by some people that Appleseed Records (and U/Mass-Boston) has been fortunate enough to garner in and who, in their own ways, give a damn. Especially give a listen to "Land of 10,000 Homeless" -Minnesota" and the story that brother has to tell and Danny Glover's recitation of "My Name Is Not "Those People"'. For those who are moved by celebrity, listen to Bonnie Raitt and Weepin' Willie Robinson on "Walking The Dog" and Sweet Honey In The Rock on "Stranger Blues". And for those who want to get mist eyed about the romance of the road- hobo style, at least vicariously, give a listen to Bruce Springsteen and Pete Seeger on a song made famous (although not written by) Woody Guthrie, "Hobo's Lullaby".

Let me finish with this little thought. I grew up dirt-poor and it was a long time before I knew, for real, that there was some other condition. One of the virtues, and maybe the only one, of being poor is that the vicissitudes, the ups and downs, of the world economy kind of pass me by, personally. However, I have elected, and rightly so, to fight so that poor is a word that is placed in the archives of human history through the struggle for our communist future where being homeless will be merely a relic of a barbaric age. But just in case, I will keep myself in shape. Brother (sister), can you spare a dime?

Since most Americans consider themselves only two paychecks from sharing the plight of these people , you would think that the problem would garner more attention from local and state offices. This album makes the homeless real, attaching faces and voices to a reality too often ignored. The music is also very well done.

Give us Your Poor CD is well worth buying.The singers are all well known.You will love Mario Frangoulis an international artist with a beautiful tenor voice.Music is taken from a comcert held in Boston Bay area which was a smashing success.

I got this CD both for the social justice and artistry of music aspects. A lot of social justice CDs are painful to listen to. Looking at the list of artists involved with this one gave me confidence, however, and it was well rewarded. I have only listened to it once so far, and the song that stood out the most was the Bonnie Raitt tune, "Walkin the Dog." But some of the spoken pieces are really moving, especially "My Name is not Those People."

This is not one of those CDs that I will keep two songs from and ditch the CD. This is one that I will listen to for a long time to come, sometimes more just for the music, other times for the spoken pieces. I think it is both well done in the timeless sense, and also timely.

This is an outstanding recording of a live Boston concert featuring some of music's most notable stars who've generously donated the proceeds of this CD to the homeless. We've got the Usual Suspects, folks like Bruce Springsteen and Pete Seeger (Hobo's Lullaby) to notable bluesman Keb Mo (Baby, Don't Let me Go Homeless), jazz singer Madeline Peyroux (I Think It's Going to Rain Today), and African womens ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock (Stranger Blues).

"Give US Your Poor" is a generational collection which will have something to appeal to just about everyone in the family. The engineering is above par for a live collection--you don't get a lot of audience feedback which can just sound like static after a while. The cause is definitely worthy. This various artists collection is an overlooked gem that I'd strongly recommend you check out.

Rebecca Kyle, May 2008