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

Mon Jan 17 23:27:34 CST 2011

Too bad there was only three students in the course.  It might be interesting to design a course for the high schools, universities, community centers/churches that deals with the roles of topical folk and protest songs play in socio-political history (or even broader, the role all kinds of music play in socio-political history).

Ochs knew, interacted with, and even held in esteem Bob Dylan.  There is a funny story about Ochs riding with Dylan in a car in NYC until Dylan stopped the car and threw Ochs out.  The reasons ands details have never been disclosed; but that event put an end to their interactions although not Och’s esteem for Dylan.  Nevertheless, Ochs certainly was the more politically aware and active of the two both musically and politically.  Yes, I too am interested in seeing the movie; it would be nice if the university or an organization in the university would bring it  here and show it.

From: David Green 
Sent: Monday, January 17, 2011 9:15 PM
To: Laurie Solomon 
Cc: Peace Discuss 
Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Some Phil Ochs songs fromthe 60's thathaverelevance today

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.

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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

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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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