Phil Ochs left us on April 9, 1978.

[ConsAreLiars]

But his voice is as true and his insight as penetrating today. For any who know his work, this is a good time too listen again. For any who don't, well, now is a good time to listen, and hear.

For lyrics:
http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~trent/ochs/lyrics.html

For Youtube videos:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22Phil+Ochs%22&search=Search

For a collection of quotes, from his songs and interviews:
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Phil_Ochs

A couple of bios, the first by someone who heard Ochs only after his suicide:
http://www.furious.com/perfect/philochs.html
http://www.zmag.org/ZMag/articles/nov97carter.htm


From: http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~trent/ochs/lyrics/power-and-the-glory.html

Come and take a walk with me through this green and growing land
Walk through the meadows and the mountains and the sand
Walk through the valleys and the rivers and the plains
Walk through the sun and walk through the rain

This is a land full of power and glory
Beauty that words cannot recall
Oh her power shall rest on the strength of her freedom
Her glory shall rest on us all

From Colorado, Kansas, and the Carolinas too
Virginia and Alaska, from the old to the new
Texas and Ohio and the California shore
Tell me, who could ask for more

Yet she's only as rich as the poorest of her poor
Only as free as the padlocked prison door
Only as strong as our love for this land
Only as tall as we stand

< extra verse supplied by Sonny Ochs >

But our land is still troubled by men who have to hate
They twist away our freedom & they twist away our fate
Fear is their weapon and treason is their cry
We can stop them if we try

[givemebackmycountry]

1. Wow...

I have some of Phil's music but I forgot about this line...

But our land is still troubled by men who have to hate
They twist away our freedom & they twist away our fate
Fear is their weapon and treason is their cry
We can stop them if we try


Indeed we can stop them...if we try...

[ConsAreLiars]

11. He often added or changed lines in concerts so recorded versions

may not on recordings. That lyrics site is especially good because it includes notes on those variations.

(edit typo)

[babylonsister]

2. Prescient! But could he sing? nt

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

6. Phil could sing.

Yes, he could. He could also drink. Inside of a lot of those Village folk singers lurked a need to be the next Brendan Behan. They even drank at The Old Sazerac House to satisfy that need. Sit there, get merdefaced and stare at Behan's booth and dream. Get maudlin.

That scene, as it was winding down, was my real start in the music business.

[babylonsister]

7. I know one day I would like to meet you, T_S . Brendan Behan?

I've never heard of him, grew up in NY, but got the typical education music-wise. My first album was "Hair" so you might figure where I come from. I'm older than most here, but you're all educating me now.

[ConsAreLiars]

10. He could sing like no one else.

And he still can bring tears of compassion or hope or outrage.

He sure won no prizes for range or power, but his voice was very effective at carrying the meaning behind his words.

You can find 'better than Youtube' quality in clips at the store sites like Amazon, but in my hearing the voice and the lyrics and the sentiments are mutually

[Jcrowley]

3. Cocacolonization- Phil knew

http://www.podsafeaudio.com/jamroom/image.php?band_id=22&mode=band_image

Our boots are needing a shine, boys
Boots are needing a shine
But our Coca-cola is fine, boys
Coca-cola is fine
We've got to protect all our citizens fair
So we'll send a battalion for everyone there
And maybe we'll leave in a couple of years
'Cause we're the Cops of the World, boys
We're the Cops of the World

Dump the reds in a pile, boys
Dump the reds in a pile
You'd better wipe of that smile, boys
Better wipe off that smile
We'll spit through the streets of the cities we wreck
We'll find you a leader that you can't elect
Those treaties we sighned were a pain in the neck
'Cause we're the Cops of the World, boys
We're the Cops of the World

Clean the johns with a rag, boys
Clean the johns with a rag
If you like you can use your flag, boys
If you like you can use your flag
We've got too much money we're looking for toys
And guns will be guns and boys will be boys
But we'll gladly pay for all we destroy
'Cause we're the Cops of the World, boys
We're the Cops of the World

[Gregorian]

4. Thanks.

I'm familiar with his voice. But I had not seen him on stage. Honestly, I thought he was a contemporary musician. That's testament to what I don't know, and to how current his music is.

[lordsummerisle]

5. Did Not Know the Anniversary...

...but just today I was going through my CDs and found I Ain't Marchin Anymore and played it for the first time in years. For those who don't know him he's one of the most honest voices you'll ever hear. Draft Dodger Rag and Here's to the State of Mississippi are among my personal favorites.

[silverlib]

8. When I'm Gone

I love all of his music. Such a sad life. When I'm Gone is one of my favorites - I prefer his earlier music but also appreciate his later transition music.

Thanks for the memories...

When I'm Gone

There's no place in this world where I'll belong when I'm gone
And I won't know the right from the wrong when I'm gone
And you won't find me singin' on this song when I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here

And I won't feel the flowing of the time when I'm gone
All the pleasures of love will not be mine when I'm gone
My pen won't pour out a lyric line when I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here

And I won't breathe the bracing air when I'm gone
And I can't even worry 'bout my cares when I'm gone
Won't be asked to do my share when I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here

And I won't be running from the rain when I'm gone
And I can't even suffer from the pain when I'm gone
Can't say who's to praise and who's to blame when I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here

Won't see the golden of the sun when I'm gone
And the evenings and the mornings will be one when I'm gone
Can't be singing louder than the guns when I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here

All my days won't be dances of delight when I'm gone
And the sands will be shifting from my sight when I'm gone
Can't add my name into the fight while I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here

And I won't be laughing at the lies when I'm gone
And I can't question how or when or why when I'm gone
Can't live proud enough to die when I'm gone
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here

[likesmountains 52]

9. His music inspired me to get out and protest during Viet Nam...perhaps

he can inspire a new generation since (sadly) his lyrics are still right on...

[petgoat]

12. Power and Glory still shivers my spine just to read the lyrics.

Here's another some may have heard.

There but for Fortune
by Phil Ochs

Show me a prison, show me a jail,
Show me a prison man whose face has gone pale
And I'll show you a young man with so many reasons why
And there but for fortune, may go you or I

Show me the alley, show me the train,
Show me a hobo who sleeps out in the rain,
And I'll show you a young man with so many reasons why
There but for fortune, may go you or go I -- you and I.

Show me the whiskey stains on the floor,
Show me the dunken man as he stumbles out the door,
And I'll show you a young man with so many reasons why
There but for fortune, may go you or go I -- you and I.

{Extra verse... written by Noel Paul Stookey}
Show me the famine, show me the frail
Eyes with no future that show how we failed
And I'll show you the children with so many reasons why
There but for fortune, go you or I.

{Extra verse written by me}
Show me Fred Hampton with a bullet in his head
Show me the room where they shot him in his bed
And I'll show you a young man with so many reasons why
There but for fortune, go you or I.

Show me the country where bombs had to fall,
Show me the ruins of buildings once so tall,
And I'll show you a young land with so many reasons why
There but for fortune, go you or go I -- you and I.
You and I,
There but for fortune, go you or go I -- you and I.


RIP Phil Ochs 1940--1976
RIP Fred Hampton 1948--1969

We miss your eloquence.

[Blue_In_AK]

19. That's such a wonderful song.

Thanks for reminding me.

[Bozita]

13. Peter Werbe talked about Ochs and this date on his radio show an hour ago

[Reverend_Smitty]

14. Ochs is great...

I have a whole bunch of his stuff on my Mp3 player. I might have to play some tonight in his honor

[raccoon]

15. Phil Ochs kicks butt! I first got into him in the '80's. I fell in love with

his voice and his songs. He wrote so many great songs!

[mhatrw]

16. Love me. I'm a liberal!

I cried when they shot Medgar Evers
Tears ran down my spine
I cried when they shot Mr. Kennedy
As though I'd lost a father of mine
But Malcolm X got what was coming
He got what he asked for this time
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I go to civil rights rallies
And I put down the old D.A.R.
I love Harry and Sidney and Sammy
I hope every coloured boy becomes a star
But don't talk about revolution
That's going a little bit too far
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I cheered when Humphrey was chosen
My faith in the system restored
I'm glad the commies were thrown out
of the AFL-CIO board
I love Puerto Ricans and Negros
as long as they don't move next door
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

The people of old Mississippi
Should all hang their heads in shame
I can't understand how their minds work
What's the matter don't they watch Les Crain?
But if you ask me to bus my children
I hope the cops take down your name
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I read New Republic and Nation
I've learned to take every view
You know, I've memorized Lerner and Golden
I feel like I'm almost a Jew
But when it comes to times like Korea
There's no one more red, white and blue
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I vote for the Democratic Party.
They want the U.N. to be strong
I go to all the Pete Seeger concerts
He sure gets me singing those songs
I'll send all the money you ask for
But don't ask me to come on along
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

Once I was young and impulsive
I wore every conceivable pin
Even went to the socialist meetings
Learned all the old union hymns
But I've grown older and wiser
And that's why I'm turning you in
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

[bunkerbuster1]

18. Just yesterday, I referred back to this wonderful tune

We were discussing media reaction to Pelosi's visit to Syria; my brother was telling me that the WaPo was a "liberal" paper, and I retorted, "yeah, they're 'liberal' in the Phil Ochs sense of the word."

[Blue_Tires]

17. ttt nt

[ConsAreLiars]

20. a kick (nt)