Diggers' Song
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The Diggers' Song (also known as "Levellers and Diggers") is a 17th century ballad, in terms of content a protest song concerned with land rights, inspired by the Diggers movement, composed by Gerrard Winstanley. The lyrics were published in 1894 by the Camden Society. It is sung to a version of the family of tunes later used for Jack Hall, Captain Kidd and Admiral John Benbow, which according to Palmer was first printed in 1714.
A modernized version of the song called "The World Turned Upside Down" (not to be confused with the 17th century ballad of the same title) was composed by Leon Rosselson in 1975, taken into the charts in 1985 by Billy Bragg and also performed by John McCutcheon, Oysterband, Dick Gaughan, Karan Casey, Chumbawamba (the version on the EP Timebomb - the song by the same name on English Rebel Songs is not the 'In 1649' one), Attila the Stockbroker, Maggie Holland and The Bradleys among others.
[edit] References
- Roy Palmer, A Ballad History of England
