History Music / BillyBragg

However, he's best known for his [[ProtestSong political material and grassroots left-wing activism,]] and his involvement with labour unionism and organized opposition to overreaching corporatism, racism, homophobia and misogyny. In the late '90s he collaborated with Music/{{Wilco}} on the ''Mermaid Avenue'' project, three albums of Music/WoodyGuthrie lyrics never before set to music.

!!with Music/{{Wilco}}:

Bragg earned his first Top 40 in 1985 with the acoustic folk tune "Between the Wars", which he performed - live in the studio as opposed to lip synching - on ''Series/TopOfThePops''. That song was followed by several more hits in both the UK and on American alternative rock radio. His cover of Music/TheBeatles' "[[Music/SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand She's Leaving Home]]" made it all the way to #1 in the UK in 1988, albeit as a double A-side with Wet Wet Wet's more popular take on "With a Little Help from My Friends".

Bragg earned his first Top 40 in 1985 with the acoustic folk tune "Between the Wars", which he performed - live in the studio as opposed to lip synching - on ''Series/TopOfThePops''. That song was followed by several more hits in both the UK and on American alternative rock radio. His cover of Music/TheBeatles' "[[Music/SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand She's Leaving Home]]" made it all the way to #1 in the UK in 1988, albeit as a double A-side with Wet Wet Wet's more popular take on "With A Little Help From My Friends".

However, he's best known for his [[ProtestSong political material and grassroots leftwing activism,]] and his involvement with labour unionism and organized opposition to overreaching corporatism, racism, homophobia and misogyny. In the late '90s he collaborated with Music/{{Wilco}} on the ''Mermaid Avenue'' project, three albums of Music/WoodyGuthrie lyrics never before set to music.

[[TheRedBaron The Bard of Barking]].

Spending some time busking solo electric in UsefulNotes/{{London}} led to his first EP, ''Life's A Riot With Spy Vs Spy''. His song "A New England" was later CoveredUp by the late Kirsty [=MacColl=], whose extra verse he now always adds InMemoriam when he plays it. His love songs are known for their wistfulness and their focus on very mundane and grounded working-class relationships.

Stephen William Bragg (born 20 December 1957) is an English singer-songwriter and political activist. He started out in a pub band called Riff Raff, with a sound inspired by bands like Music/TheRollingStones and Music/TheSmallFaces. But it was Music/TheClash, whom he saw on the White Riot Tour and Rock Against Racism, that would change his life and align him with PunkRock, TwoTone and the Red Wedge.

Stephen William Bragg (born 20 December 1957) is an English singer-songwriter and political activist. He started out in a pub band called Riff Raff, with a sound inspired by bands like Music/TheRollingStones and Music/TheSmallFaces. But it was Music/TheClash, who he saw on the White Riot Tour and Rock Against Racism, that would change his life, aligning him with PunkRock, TwoTone and the Red Wedge.

In 1983, Bragg received his big breakthrough by happenstance. Legendary [[Creator/TheBBC BBC]] DJ Creator/JohnPeel had mentioned on air that he'd really love to have some Indian food right now, and Bragg responded by buying him a mushroom biryani, rushing it to the BBC and hand-delivering it to Peel...along with a copy ''Life's a Riot''. Luckily for Billy, Peel absolutely loved the EP and played it on the air immediately. Bragg became a regular fixture and listener favorite on Peel's show for the remainder of the DJ's life, taped 11 Peel Sessions for the program and was even one of Peel's very few regular in-the-studio guests.

[[caption-width-right:350:Waiting for that Great Leap Forward.]]

The Bard of Barking.

** "I Dreamed I Saw Music/PhilOchs Last Night" is a double dose: the song is about Ochs, while the title references Alfred Hayes' poem-turned-song "I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night", a tribute to the famous labor activist/songwriter/martyr.

* ''Brewing Up With Billy Bragg' (1984)

Bragg earned his first Top 40 in 1985 with the acoustic folk tune "Between the Wars", which he performed - live in the studio as opposed to lip synching - on ''Series/TopOfThePops''. That song was followed by several more hits in both the UK and on American alternative rock radio. His cover of Music/TheBeatles' "She's Leaving Home" made it all the way to #1 in the UK in 1988, albeit as a double A-side with Wet Wet Wet's more popular take on "With A Little Help From My Friends".

** ''Life's a Riot Withe Spy vs. Spy'' refers to [[ComicStrip/SpyVsSpy the satirical comic strip]] from ''Magazine/{Mad}}''.

Spending some time busking solo electric in UsefulNotes/{{London}} led to his first EP, ''Life's A Riot With Spy Vs Spy''. His song "A New England" was later CoveredUp by Kirsty [=MacColl=], whose extra verse he now always adds [[AuthorExistenceFailure in tribute]] when he plays it. His love songs are known for their wistfulness and their focus on very mundane and grounded working-class relationships.

However, he's best known for his [[ProtestSong political material and grassroots leftwing activism,]] and his involvement with labour unionism and organized opposition to overreaching corporatism, racism, homophobia and misogyny. In the late '90s he collaborated with Music/{{Wilco}} on ''Mermaid Avenue'' Vols. 1 and 2, two albums of Music/WoodyGuthrie lyrics never before set to music.

** "I was 21 years when I wrote this song/I"m 22 now but I won't be for long" is a shoutout to an identical lyric in Music/SimonAndGarfunkel's "Leaves That Are Green".
** His album "William Bloke" is (obviously) a reference to Creator/WilliamBlake.

Stephen William Bragg (born 20 December 1957) is an English singer-songwriter and political activist. He started out in a pub band called Riff Raff, with a sound inspired by bands like Music/TheRollingStones and Music/TheSmallFaces. But it was Music/TheClash, who he saw on the White Riot Tour and Rock Against Racism, that would change his life, aligning him with punk, Music/TwoTone and the Red Wedge.

Spending some time busking solo electric in London led to his first EP, ''Life's A Riot With Spy Vs Spy''. "A New England" was later CoveredUp by Kirsty [=MacColl=], whose extra verse he now always adds [[AuthorExistenceFailure in tribute]] when he plays it. His love songs are known for their wistfulness and their focus on very mundane and grounded working-class relationships.

In 1983, Bragg received his big breakthrough by happenstance. Legendary BBC DJ Creator/JohnPeel had mentioned on air that he'd really love to have some Indian food right now, and Bragg responded by buying him a mushroom biryani, rushing it to the BBC and hand-delivering it to Peel...along with a copy ''Life's a Riot''. Luckily for Billy, Peel absolutely loved the EP and played it on the air immediately. Bragg became a regular fixture and listener favorite on Peel's show for the remainder of the DJ's life, taped 11 Peel Sessions for the program and was even one of Peel's very few regular in-the-studio guests.

!!Tropes in his work

** "I was 21 years when I wrote this song/ I"m 22 now but I won't be for long" is a shoutout to an identical lyric in Music/SimonAndGarfunkel's "Leaves That Are Green".

** "Scousers Never Buy The Sun": In the wake of the ''News Of The World'' phone-hacking scandal, the song reminds people why Liverpudlians [[UsefulNotes/BritishNewspapers still don't buy]] ''The Sun'', 20+ years after Hillsborough.
** "Thatcherites" is an early-90s TakeThat at the Thatcher era as a whole, including privatization, scabs and "Little Johnny" Major.
* ThreeChordsAndTheTruth

In 1983, Bragg received his big breakthrough by happenstance. Legendary BBC DJ Creator/JohnPeel had mentioned on air that he'd really love to have some Indian food right now, and Bragg responded by buying him a mushroom biryani, rushing it to the BBC and hand delivering it to Peel...along with a copy ''Life's a Riot''. Luckily for Billy, Peel absolutely loved the EP and played it on the air immediately. Bragg became a regular fixture and listener favorite on Peel's show for the remainder of the DJ's life, taped 11 Peel Sessions for the program and was even one of Peel's very few regular in-the-studio guests.