Malvina Reynolds (nee Milder) (b. 8/23/1900 – d. 3/17/1978) was an American folk/blues singer-songwriter and political activist, best known for her songwriting, particularly the songs “Little Boxes”, “What Have They Done to the Rain” and “Morningtown Ride.”
Early Life:
Malvina was born on on Folsom Street in San Francisco, California, United States. Her parents were David and Abagail Milder, Jewish immigrants. Her mother was born in Russia and her father was born in Hungary. They became socialists when Reynolds “was a little girl”, to which she attributes her lifetime proximity to the Socialist movement in the United States. They opposed involvement in World War I.
Musical Beginnings:
As a child, she took violin lessons and “fooled around” with pianos, writing music occasionally.
Though she played violin in a dance band in her twenties, Reynolds began her songwriting career later in life. Reynolds claims that as soon as folk music came to the forefront, she knew it was for her.
She was in her late forties when she met Earl Robinson, Pete Seeger, and other folk singers and songwriters.
Discography:
from Malvina’s website, “Though Malvina is still better known as a songwriter than as a performer, up to 2006 eleven full-length recordings of her performances had been released. In 2007 and 2008, two further retrospective collections were released.”
To see more details of those recordings, go here.
Some things to share:
Reynolds earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English from the University of California, Berkeley, where she remarked that she got “all the degrees possible.” She earned a doctorate there, finishing her dissertation in 1938.
In 1977, Reynolds became an associate of the Women’s Institute for Freedom of the Press (WIFP.) WIFP is an American non-profit publishing organization. The organization works to increase communication between women and connect the public with forms of women-based media.
Reynolds’ career was subject to a biographical short film, Love It Like a Fool, released in 1977 and directed by Susan Wengraf.
Harvard Square Library has a fairly detailed biography, with quotes, on Malvina.
Official website: here
Sources: wikipedia, official website
Tao Talk 
Malvina Reynolds was my inspiration for my wedding. She sang “If you love me, if you love me, if you love, love, love me/Plant a rose for me./But if you’re gonna love me for a long, long time/Plant an apple tree.”
I was eating an apple. I plucked a seed and planted it in a peat pot. I transplanted the seedling into a 3″ pot and gave it to my wife at our wedding. Thirty years later, that tree dominates our back yard.
We were married not far from the “Little Boxes” of Daly City which inspired that song.
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<3 Steve I think I remember you mentioning the apple seedling and how it grows on in your back yard. How wonderful to know it was Malvina's song inspired the act. A truly cherished memory. Appreciate you sharing your personal connection to Malvina. What's the name of that song, I want to have a listen :)
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“If you love me” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN1YkaRfYnQ
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<3
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Very interesting – Malvina Reynolds is another artist who is entirely new to me. With her political convictions and outspoken lyrics, I bet she didn’t win popularity contests!
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I’m sure you’re right, Christian. The truth is a dangerous light for those who operate in the shadows.
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She was a very smart woman who wrote some very meaningful songs. Its always good to remind people she wrote little boxes, I’ve often heard it referred to as a Pete Seeger song though he’s made sure people knew he didn’t write it. I certainly knew of her but not a lot about her so I enjoyed learning a bit more, particularly her activism efforts.
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Writing this up taught me a lot about her, and glad you’re familiar with who she is and what she stands for. Glad you learned some from this post, Randy.
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Two lovely songs indeed
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:)
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I can’t believe I never heard of her…sounds good…I like some of that era with Woody Guthrie and Seeger.
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She definitely falls into that era. Glad you like her music.
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She’s a woman I wasn’t familiar with, now thanks to you featuring her music, I will be abe to check out more of hers!
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Happy to make introductions :)
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I knew she wrote “Little Boxes” but not “What Have They Done to the Rain” which of course I know as a Searchers song. I think Joan Baez recorded it too. “Little Boxes” I remember from Pete Seeger. A formidable woman. (K)
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Your know the threads that network around her. I admire her fight and advocacy to keep us human.
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Yes. We are in great need of such people.
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I did not know of this artist, nor that she wrote “Little Boxes.” A great statement on our society.
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Glad to introduce you, Steve.
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Thank you, Lisa.
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You’re welcome. I’m on break from posting and reading for the most part except for WMM. You’ll be seeing me at your blog more starting in April.
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I look forward to seeing you, and understand completely. Those posts take time to research, write and publish.
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I was quite expecting you to share “Little Boxes” ;-) The only tune I knew! Lovely share.
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Dale, I have purposely not included the hits they were known for just to coerce you into listening to some others ;) Yes, I can be naughty that way.
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I was sure of it 😁
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You’re on to me :)
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You know it!
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Nice!
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:)
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