[Peace-discuss] Some Phil Ochs songs fromthe 60's that haverelevance today

Mon Jan 17 21:15:52 CST 2011

Thanks Laurie--the three students who signed up for the course indeed enjoyed 
it--we basically just listened to the music, really. I'm very much looking 
forward to seeing the recently released movie about Ochs. He was a remarakble 
figure whose work lends itself to a better political understanding of the era 
than Dylan's.

________________________________
From: Laurie Solomon <ls1000 at live.com>
To: David Green <davegreen84 at yahoo.com>; peace-discuss 
<peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
Sent: Mon, January 17, 2011 4:25:12 PM
Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Some Phil Ochs songs fromthe 60's that 
haverelevance today

David, 

Nice syllabus; how did the short course go and what were the responses and 
reactions of the students?

There are a few Phil Ochs songs that I would have included.  One in particular 
that was an anti-war song that I thought was quite powerful, which I heard on a 
Philly station when Michael Cuscuna interviewed Ochs and had him sing it live 
but which I never heard again until I recently rediscovered it on You Tube and 
found out that it had been released on a Phil Ochs album called,  Phil Ochs:The 
Early Years, and is now available on CD.  This tune is entitled, “What are You 
Fighting For?”  It has a very striking line that reads, “I know you’re set for 
fighting; but what are you fighting for?”  However, Ochs was no one-note Johnny; 
he did not focus on merely anti-war protests but wrote and sang songs about 
immigration, civil rights, union issues and history, religion, social apathy, 
politics and political policy, the AMA and health care, hypocrisy, and much 
more.

Among those I would have included dealing with change, hypocrisy, and activism 
would be:
1. “That’s What I Want To Hear” which addresses activists who are always 
complaining but do nothing to organize and take action.
2. “Love Me, I’m a Liberal” which is about hypocrisy and wishy-washy plastic 
people

Among those dealing with apathy and indifference, I would include:
1. “Flower Lady”  a song about indifference to the plight of the poor and 
self-indulgence of people
2. “Outside Of A Small Circle of Friends” a song based on the story of a woman 
in NYC who was killed in front of several witnesses who stood by and did nothing 
to help her because they did not want to get involved.

On Imperialism, I would have included ”White Boots Marching in a Yellow Land” 
and “Santo Domingo.”

On civil rights and bigotry, I would include:  “Too Many Martyrs” and “Here’s To 
The State Of Mississippi.”

I should note that groups such as Mason Proffit – an Illinois country rock band 
– also were singing protest songs during this same period about Native American 
rights and discrimination as well as the emphasis on conformity and the 
repression of freedom of expression by the mainstream establishment.

At any rate David, it does look like it would have been an interesting course 
and a different approach to the study of history and civics, social science 
studies, policy analysis and politics, and participatory democracy. 

From: David Green 
Sent: Monday, January 17, 2011 1:57 PM
To: Peace Discuss 
Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Some Phil Ochs songs fromthe 60's that 
haverelevance today
I've attached a "syllabus" of 1960s folk-protest music that I developed for a 
short course at Uni High a few years back; it concludes with an article by 
Howard Zinn.

DG

________________________________
From: Laurie Solomon <ls1000 at live.com>
To: peace-discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
Sent: Mon, January 17, 2011 11:08:22 AM
Subject: [Peace-discuss] Some Phil Ochs songs fromthe 60's that have relevance 
today

Here are links to three Phil Ochs tunes that are as relevant today as they were 
in the 1960s.  The first can be applied to many of the current batch of 
so-called progressives, leftists, and social activists along with the Liberals 
of today and the not so distant past.  The second tune represents a commentary 
on the immigration issues and policies of  60s but is relevant top the topic of 
immigration in the current atmosphere where use and abuse exploitation of 
immigrants for the benefits of the mostly white establishment when expedient and 
discrimination and racism when no longer needed continues only in a more 
paranoid form.  The thirds song speaks to the manufacturing of consent and 
control of the boundaries of acceptable dissent and debate by the establishment 
and its minions.

Phil Ochs was and still is a troubadour/political activist of the highest order 
from the sixties who wrote insightful songs of critical social commentary on the 
topics of the day back in the the 60s and up until his death of the first order 
and on a par with Bob Dylan’s best work.  Most of these songs are relevant 
today.  He should not be forgotten, which is why I am calling attention to him 
and his work.

Enjoy!

Love me, I'm a Liberal:
http://www.myspace.com/philochs-45781725/music/songs/love-me-i-m-a-liberal-28443234

Brasero:
http://s0.ilike.com/play#Phil+Ochs:Bracero:780058:s28443226.9491884.14059234.0.2.118%2Cstd_30949a3e505d41c597b8fb4f1f06bcc5

I'm Going to Say it now:
http://s0.ilike.com/play#Phil+Ochs:I%27m+Going+To+Say+It+Now:645270:s19610031.9491884.14059234.0.2.45%2Cstd_2d5fb734a3e14ca29594204cac17b9a7

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I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way. So I stole a bike 
and asked for forgiveness.
Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says "If an emergency, 
notify:" I put "DOCTOR". 

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but 
check when you say the paint is wet? 

Why do Americans choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for 
Miss America ? 

Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage 
makes you a car. 

Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you 
hear them speak. 

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