Billy Bragg: The Internationale (1990)

The Internationale is probably Bragg's most revolutionary release, and I mean that in terms of subject matter, not music. Apart from The Marching Song of the Covert Battalions, the songs are all cover version (some with Bragg re-writes and edits), with the highlight for me being Blake's Jerusalem. Unusually, for a Bragg release, there are tracks that I dislike. These are: I Dreamed I Saw Phil Ochs Last Night and Nicaragua, Nicaragüita. Since I also dislike Bragg's Chile Your Waters Run Red Through Soweto (from the Help Save the Youth of America EP), and Tender Comrade (from Workers Playtime - where is the apostrophe, Billy?), all this makes sense. A cappella Bragg has never worked for me. The Internationale is an interesting record. It sees Bragg at his most fervent. Parts of it work, but at times, it's a bit ridiculous. There's no denying the jaunty quality of The Red Flag, but it all seems a little naive or hopelessly idealistic and probably outdated.