I wrote this song for a 10th year memorial for the 14 vibrant, talented and much-loved women who were murdered in Montreal, Canada on December 6, 1989: 

Anne-Marie Edward
Anne-Marie Lemay
Annie St. Arneault
Annie Turcotte
Barbara Daigneault
Barbara Klucznick-Widajewicz
Genevieve Bergeron
Helene Colgan
Nathalie Croteau
Michele Richard
Maud Haviernick
Maryse Leclair
Maryse Laganiere
Sonia Pelletier

Lyrics at: https://www.mariadunn.com/music/the-peddler/youcanttakethataway/

05 You Can't Take That Away

A wonderful collection of new songs from one of our most important and vital songwriters…If it doesn’t bring a lump to your throat, you’re already beyond help. Essential listening, then, this Gathering. – Penguin Eggs Magazine (March 2016)

On her sixth album, Gathering, past Juno-nominated songwriter Maria Dunn highlights stories of love—not songs of romantic love, but songs of family, community, humanity and the love that fires our actions to make the world a better place. 

In keeping with Pete Seeger’s words (1994), “The key to the future of the world is finding the optimistic stories and letting them be known”, the songs range from historical and narrative to personal and immediate, inspired by social justice stories both global and local.

A storyteller through song, Maria writes about the resilience and grace of “ordinary” people. Her earlier albums anchor these tales in music that melds North American roots with her Scottish-Irish heritage. With Gathering, Maria continues to expand her musical palate with contributions from Sufi singer Karim Gillani and jazz saxophonist Jeremiah McDade.

Recorded at DanLyn Studios in Sherwood Park, Gathering was produced by Shannon Johnson (Juno award winner with The McDades for 2007’s Bloom). Guest musicians: Eric Breton (percussion), Karim Gillani (guest vocal), Shannon Johnson (violin), Ojas Joshi (tabla, percussion), Jeremiah McDade (saxophone, bansuri, whistles, guitar), Solon McDade (upright bass) and Asani (singers Debbie Houle,  Sarah Pocklington and Terry Morrison).

The 11 songs on Gathering range from “Malala”, a buoyant call to action inspired by Malala Yousafzai, to “When I Was Young”, a flowing old-time ballad inspired by Alberta indigenous leader Dorothy McDonald-Hyde. “How I Live” shares the quiet courage of families supporting their children with disabilities, while “When The Grandmothers Meet” celebrates women across the globe, with its exuberant vocals and joyful horn lines. The recording finishes with “Music In The Meadow”, a bluesy bow-driven wordplay on the wonder of the Rocky Mountains.


07 Flora

03 When I Was Young

01 Malala

Take It Easy On Me

Track 5 from my 2004 album, We Were Good People.

How Do You Do, 1935

When The Grandmothers Meet
© Maria Dunn, 2015
Horns arranged by Jeremiah McDade

Inspired by: The Stephen Lewis Foundation’s “Grandmothers to Grandmothers” campaign in solidarity with African grandmothers caring for millions of children orphaned by AIDS; 19th century bard Mairi Mhor Nan Oran (“Big Mary of the Songs”) who fought for crofters’ land rights on Skye; Six Nations women who initiated the protests in 2006 in Caledonia, Ontario to protect unceded Six Nations land from private development; women singing to comfort their families and community after the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti.


Old woman don't you know your thoughts should ramble
Old woman don't you know your voice should tremble
Just wait until they see you--dancing in the street
Just wait until they hear you--singing to your heartbeat
When the grandmothers meet (x2)
O be in that number
When the grandmothers meet

In 1882 on Skye the Laird's men came
To shift the crofters once again, their bloody aim
But armed with only songs, their birthright and their sticks
The women of the Braes barred the police from their midst
When the grandmothers sing (x2)
Will you add your voice?
When the grandmothers sing

Hi ri o ho ro bho
Hi ri o ho ro bho
Hi ri o ho ro hu o

In another Caledonia, grandmothers stand
Once more they are defending their native land
A peaceful occupation to remind those who forgot
Six Nations never sold it, it should never have been bought
When the grandmothers speak (x2)
Will your heart be open?
When the grandmothers speak

They see their children die of AIDS, their grandchildren mourn
Family in tatters, village fabric torn
They’ve already laboured years to till and to sow
Now they're holding up the sky over death's relentless toll
When the grandmothers dance (x2)
Will you move in time?
When the grandmothers dance 

The earth heaved a sigh under Haiti’s feet
Too many hearts crushed in dust and concrete
While the news chews its violence too rabidly to hear
The sound of women singing to drive away the fear
When the grandmothers sing (x2)
Will you add your voice?
When the grandmothers sing

Maria Dunn vocal, guitar, accordion
Shannon Johnson violin
Ojas Joshi tabla
Eric Breton cajon, broom, rattle
Jeremiah McDade soprano sax
Solon McDade upright bass
Chorus: Shannon Johnson, Debbie Houle, Sarah Pocklington



08 When The Grandmothers Meet

Troublemaker

© Maria Dunn, 2004 SOCAN
Released on 2004 CD: We Were Good People

Inspired by more recent struggles in the lives of people working for social justice in Alberta and Canada. I tend to change up the words depending on the occasion and the issue of protest at hand. Get in touch with your inner troublemaker!

***

They call me troublemaker ’cause I’m finally saying “no”
I’ve been working hard and yet my pay is still so low
But when I spoke my mind they said:
“Troublemaker’s gotta go”
Troublemaker, Troublemaker

They call me greedy worker ’cause I want my rollback back
In my employer’s time of need I tried to help them get on track
But when I asked to share the profits they said:
“Troublemaker’s gotta go”
Troublemaker, Troublemaker

They call me troublemaker ’cause I walk that picket line
Telling this new contractor they’ve taken what is mine
But when I walked where I’d be seen they said:
“Troublemaker’s gotta go”
Troublemaker, Troublemaker

They call me scaremonger 'cause I won’t agree
To someone making profits from the healthcare that we need
But when I asked who’s making money they said:
“Troublemaker’s gotta go”
Troublemaker, Troublemaker

They call me troublemaker ’cause I’m gonna demonstrate
And make sure human rights don’t take a back seat to world trade
But as I blocked their logging road they said:
“Troublemaker’s gotta go”
Troublemaker, Troublemaker

They call me an idealist because I want to close the gap
The poor are getting poorer in Alberta’s ample lap
So next time I cast my vote I’ll say:
“Troublemaker’s gotta go”
Troublemaker, Troublemaker

Maria Dunn vocal · Shannon Johnson harmony vocal ·
Dawn Anderson harmony vocal · David Ward harmony vocal

We Were Good People

Troublemaker

A true preserver of the spirit of folk music, twice Juno nominated Maria Dunn is often compared to Woody Guthrie for her keen social awareness and unvarnished melodic songs about ordinary people. 

In January 2021, Maria releases her seventh album, Joyful Banner Blazing, produced by Shannon Johnson (of Juno-winning band The McDades). In keeping with Pete Seeger’s words (1994), “The key to the future of the world is finding the optimistic stories and letting them be known”,  Joyful Banner Blazing highlights stories of family, community and the love that fires our actions to make the world a better place. 

Maria performs (solo, ensemble) at theatres, folk clubs, conferences and festivals across Canada and internationally. She has been featured on Canadian TV, CBC National Radio, CKUA Alberta Radio, BBC Radio Scotland, and her original songs published in Sing Out! and Penguin Eggs magazines and the Rise Again songbook (2015). Other artists, including Niamh Parsons, The Outside Track and Bob Bossin, have recorded her original songs.

Please see Maria's website for upcoming shows and most recent touring highlights.

She’s assured, strong, and her versatile voice carries her songs straight to the head and heart. - Sing Out!

An arrestingly powerful singer-songwriter who writes great historical and social commentary. -  WFMT Chicago

Maria Dunn

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