RIP Dave Cousins of the Strawbs- still Part of the Union
Dave Cousins of the Strawbs died aged 85 on July 13th.
Ironically the song the group are best known for, Part of the Union, which was not written or originally performed by Cousins, was not typical of the band’s repertoire.
Debate at the time focused on whether the song was a celebration of trade union power (in February 1974 Tory PM Heath called a General Election on the theme of who governs Britain, Westminster or the Unions. He lost the electorate expressing in favour of the latter and a Labour Government) or a send up of it.
The Strawbs subsequently claimed it was a pro-union song although at 50 plus years distance, while its expression of collective solidarity still rings true, the labour movement it describes now look very different in terms of gender, ethnicity and occupation.
Mark Crail of the Society for the Study of Labour History has written a useful summary of the songs place in history
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