The Power of Song shows how the people of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania confronted a military superpower and achieved independence in the Baltic "Singing Revolution." When attacked by Soviet soldiers in public displays of violent force, singing Balts maintained faith in nonviolent political action. More than 110 choral, rock, and folk songs are translated and interpreted in poetic, cultural, and historical context. Watch the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh7vFFjK0rc

"The Power of Song" shows how the people of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania confronted a military superpower and achieved independence in the Baltic "singing revolution." When attacked by Soviet soldiers in public displays of violent force, singing Balts maintained faith in nonviolent political action. More than 110 choral, rock, and folk songs are translated and interpreted in poetic, cultural, and historical context.

Guntis Smidchens is the Kazickas Family Endowed Professor in Baltic Studies in the Scandinavian studies department at the University of Washington.

"An excellent and thorough work and a significant and important addition to our understanding of the role that folklore and popular culture play in shaping political events." --Timothy Tangherlini, UCLA

"A monumental study addressing a sorely neglected aspect of one of the last century's most dramatic geopolitical upheavals. This book will stand, for years and even decades to come, as the standard, authoritative source on its topic." -Kevin C. Karnes, Emory University

This book shows how the people of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania confronted a military superpower and achieved independence in the Baltic "Singing Revolution". When attacked by Soviet soldiers in public displays of violent force, singing Balts maintained faith in non-violent political action. As an inspiration to all nations, the non-violent Baltic independence movement revolutionised each country through singing and smiling. The "Singing Revolution" is indeed the essence of the Baltic way, and began in 1987 as a public revolt against Soviet restrictions on free speech and assembly. The revolutions and following elections in 1990 resulted in three separate governments and a declaration of independence from the Soviet Union. The book seeks to answer questions such as why the struggle for Baltic independence came to be called the Singing Revolution? What did they sing? And what role did singing play in the Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian campaigns of political mobilisation and non-violent action? Furthermore, and uniquely for this publication, it explores, in great depth, the songs that gave the revolution its name, translating and interpreting over 110 choral, rock, and folk songs in their poetic, cultural, and historical context.