Episode 38 does a deep dive into the back-story of American environmentalism, tracing the roots of the movement back two centuries to the emergence of industrialization in the early 1800s. Warren Senders interviews historian Chad Montrie (University of Massachusetts, Lowell) about his work linking labor and environmental causes, with a huge list of song selections dating back to 1837.
Music & Video
“Woodman, Spare That Tree!”
Daniel P. Smith, Jr — Voice & Guitar Lyrics by George Pope Morris Music by Henry Russell 
/ @danielpsmithjr Chad Montrie interview recorded March 13, 2026
“D.D.T. Blues” George Brunis — Trombone & Voice Commodore CB-13
“Pay Day At Coal Creek” Pete Steele — Banjo & Voice Library Of Congress Archive of American Folk Song AAFS 68
“The Factory Girls’ Come-All-Ye” Diane Taraz — voice from “A Silver Dagger – Exploring Women’s History Through Folk Songs” https://www.dianetaraz.com/
“Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming” Composed by Stephen Foster Losey’s Instrumental Quartet Edison 80679-L
“Friends, think not…” Anonymous, from “The Voice Of Industry” October 23, 1946 Read by Sharada Sundaram-Senders
“Po’ Black Sheep” Nathan Frazier — Banjo & Voice Frank Patterson — Fiddle from “Altamont: Black Stringband Music from the Library of Congress” (Rounder 0238)
“Tim Moore’s Farm” Lightnin’ Hopkins — Guitar & Voice Gold Star Records 640-A
“Bull Frog Blues” (1928) William Harris Gennett 6661
“Barndomshemmet (My Childhood Home)” Henry Corsell — Voice Wallin Records WR 109 (1923)
“Jolietcke Deklice (Joliet Girls) Polka” Daichman Brata in Perush Dance Orchestra RCA Victor – V-23004-A
“Chicago Buzz” Junie Cobb & Johnny Dodds Century 3006/Paramount 12382
“Slievenamon/Dublin Hornpipe” Johnny McGreevy — Fiddle Eleanor Kane — Piano Decca 12062
“The Land of The Noonday Night” Music by Eleanor Smith Lyrics by Ernst Howard Crosby Jocelyn Zelasko — Voice Amanda Sabelhaus — Piano from
“Eleanor Smith’s Hull House Songs: The Music of Protest and Hope in Jane Addams’ Chicago” (Haymarket, 2020) https://hullhousesongs.org/
“Happy Days are Here Again” The All-Star Troubadours Van Dyke 81829 Franklin Delano Roosevelt First Inaugural Speech March 4, 1933 Found Footage of California CCC Camp (1935) Courtesy YouTube user MutantKitty
“Wood Tick” William Jamerson — Guitar & Voice Hedberg Public Library, Janesville, WI, September 22, 2013 (http://www.billjamerson.com/)
“Cadillac Assembly Line” Lurrie Bell — Guitar & Voice JSP Records CD 2134
“We’ve Gotta Fight Pollution Now” Joe Lisi — Guitar & Voice from “It’s The UAW All The Way” LEM Productions ESS-1185
“El Picket Sign” El Teatro Campesino from “Rolas de Aztlan: Songs of the Chicano Movement” Smithsonian Folkways SFW CD 40616
“Silent Spring” Lena Horne — Voice Music by Harold Arlen Lyrics by Yip Harburg Stateside Records SS 246
“Silent Spring” Carmen McRae — Voice Atlantic 45-2807
“Silent Spring” Gary Burton Ensemble Carla Bley — Composer from “A Genuine Tong Funeral” RCA Victor LSP-3988
“Rent Strike Blues” Jimmy Collier — Guitar & Voice from “We Won’t Move: Songs of the Tenants’ Movement” Folkways Records FS 5287
“Ecology Man” Danny Boyd and the Sounds of Young Los Angeles Soyla 1372, Courtesty SoulMarcosa
“Smog Gets In Your Eyes” Allan Sherman — Voice The Ed Sullivan Show, October 16, 1966
“Mother Earth” Memphis Slim & The Houserockers Premium PR-867 Every attempt has been made to secure permission from copyright holders of audio and video content used in this program. The use of copyrighted material is for non-commercial, educational purposes, and is intended to provide benefit to the public. Copyrighted material used is supplementary and illustrative, and does not detract from the commercial value of the original content.
“Cool Tunes For A Hot Planet” uses only the minimum amount of copyrighted material to fulfill its educational purpose. We believe our use constitutes “Fair Use” of this material as provided for in the US Copyright Act of 1976, Sections 106A-117. If you feel any content in this episode violates your copyright, please contact us immediately and we will address your concern appropriately.