Excerpt from Max Parker’s Al Tocar Diana: Songs From A Franco Prison
Today marks the 75th anniversary of the Spanish Civil War. On the radio show I’m currently doing a two special on the music of the spanish civil war, chief amongst the many things that I was able to track down was this album. Max Parker fought in Spain as a member of the Abraham Lincoln brigade, the US contingent of the International Brigades, some 40,000 men and women from over 50 countries who left their own countries to fight in Spain against the rising tide of Fascism. Parker’s LP is one of the most hearfelt things I’ve ever heard, a first person account of a truly “Good” fight. Many thanks to Henry Slucki to letting me borrow his copy of this album in order to play it during my special and consequently to be able to share it with you here on Melting Pot.
Max Parker recorded this album in the last year of his life. Several of the songs were written by other brigadistas and not recorded elsewhere. They are only remembered here.
Thanks for the comment, perhaps this is precisely what makes this such a fascinating document. A record I wish were not nearly as rare as it is…
Max and Mary Parker, close friends of my parents in Brooklyn and in Los Angeles during the 1940's, were two very special people who committed themselves to fighting for freedom and justice to the dispossessed. I feel fortunate to have known them and have recently had an opportunity to introduce El Tocar to a university discussion.
Thank you Sheila for sharing your story. There's such deep emotion in their stories and songs.