A local Pagan band with mainstream appeal, Murphey’s Midnight Rounders, just finished recording a song in support of the Occupy Wall Street movement. The band performs the song, “Hard Times, Come Again No More,” for the first time live tonight at 5pm for the OccupyMN demonstration at Government Plaza in downtown Minneapolis. The song was written by Stephen Foster in 1854.
Paul Ferrise, studio producer for MMR, said the band is busy recording for their new CD release coming up this spring, but wanted to support the Occupy movement, “So far we have recorded 11 songs towards the new Twin CD release. [Monday], MMR came into the studio wanting to record, edit, master and publish a song in honor of OccupyMN and all the Occupy organizations across the country.”
Bonnie Hanna-Powers, Teresa Frank, and Brad Murphy
Teresa Frank, vocals and percussion for the band, encourages others to get involved in the Occupy movement, “The revolution has started and we need you at the government center.” MMR has a history of supporting political, religious rights, and social justice movements. They most recently marched in the Hemp Fest Walk for Freedom, assisted several Pagan groups in fundraising, and joined the pro-union protests in Wisconsin.
Hard Times, Come Again No More was written by Stephen Foster in 1854, but feels relevant today as Americans endure the difficult economic times sparked by the recession began in 2007. A recession that may technically be over, but is still felt in the high unemployment numbers and high food and gas prices. It has a depression-era sound and the word choices in the lyrics, especially in the chorus, likewise give a strong nod to that time period.
It’s the song, it’s the sigh of the weary
Hard times, hard times come again no more
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door
Hard times come again no more
The song is available for free download along with samples of other songs from their upcoming CDs.
*Editor’s note: The original version of this article incorrectly stated that the song was written by Murphey’s Midnight Rounders.
Pagan Newswire Collective - Minnesota Bureau 
what a great song! heartfelt vocals.
Jeremiah one of the 99%
“Hard Times Come Again No More” was written by Stephen Foster in 1854. And it’s still relevant today! Our very good friends, Shelly Willowsong and Singing Bear of Folk Magic introduced me to this song at the Summerland Festival last July.
Thank you, Teresa. The article has been corrected.
Hi Teresa, I was introduced to, and helped perform this song, by Penny Goody who gathered a group of past Pagan Spirit Gathering folks and musicians together to sing it at the 30th anniversary of PSG at Camp Zoe in 2010. I thought you were there. Great song!