Woody is one of my heroes. He stood for fairness and justice. He stood against racism and supported the poor and exploited. Woody exemplified the Protest song that gave rise to Bob Dylan and the sixties rebellion against the establishment.
Some men rob you with a six-gun — others rob you with a fountain pen.
The bankers and the politicians who support them have robbed the whole world. The people who hold power and pull the strings, who control the inequality and war in order to create profit, rob everyone. The system is corrupt. For someone to earn in 45 minutes more than an average man can earn from all the hard work of a full year is simply wrong.
The world is filled with people who are no longer needed — and who try to make slaves of all of us — and they have their music and we have ours.
Those people who hold the power have created a system that takes from the bottom and gives to the top. The inequality is obscene. There has to be more fairness and justice.
The best way to get to know any bunch of people is to go and listen to their music.
Music is a universal language. It transcends words.
There’s several ways of saying what’s on your mind. And in states and counties where it ain’t too healthy to talk too loud, speak your mind, or even vote like you want to, folks have found other ways of getting the word around. One of the mainest ways is by singing.
Woody sung his truth – about justice and freedom – on picket lines – to the unions and people being exploited.
I hate a song that makes you think that you are not any good. I hate a song that makes you think that you are just born to lose. Bound to lose. No good to nobody. No good for nothing. Because you are too old or too young or too fat or too slim too ugly or too this or too that.
We are all human and should be treated with compassion. Racism, sexism and inequality need addressing.
Love is the only medicine I believe in.
He sound like Jose Mujica the Uruguayan President who said that the only good addiction is love.
A folk song is what’s wrong and how to fix it or it could be
who’s hungry and where their mouth is or
who’s out of work and where the job is or
who’s broke and where the money is or
who’s carrying a gun and where the peace is.
These are the songs we need more of. We need songs about real issues – there’s enough soppy love songs.
You can’t write a good song about a whorehouse unless you’ve been in one.
Woody had not only been in the whorehouses, he’d been on the road, he’d been down and out. He knew what it was like.
The words are the important thing. Don’t worry about tunes. Take a tune, sing high when they sing low, sing fast when they sing slow, and you’ve got a new tune.
The words are the important thing.
Excellent post. Hurray for Woody and hurray for folk music and honesty.
We need more of it right now, I reckon.
The best way to get to know any bunch of people is to go and listen to their music… Or look at the books on their shelves.
Right on!
Reblogged this on Opher's World and commented:
It is time all good people spoke out against the evil that is raising its head. When fascists take to the streets it requires bloggers speaking out, people taking to the streets in peaceful protest and a solid wall of opposition condemning their actions. It is not alright. It will never be alright.
Reblogged this on lifesfinewhine.
Thank you Pooj.
You’re welcome!!
For a Woodie fan, I highly recommend the book This Land is Your Land. Kathy Jacobsen beautifully illustrates the song in folk art style. It includes all six verses (most people think there are only three). It is more, though, much like an I Spy of America at the time of the song. The illustrations are incredible and perfect for the song. My copy is well worn. I read/sing the book all the time in my classroom at school. Children love it, and so do I.
I have that book Jennie. It is as wonderful as you say. I also think those other verses of This Land is Your Land are the best. I don’t know why he left them out so often.
I’m heartened to hear that kids love Woody’s words and songs.
I’m so glad you have the book! The intricate drawings of America are important, and we play I Spy. It’s an introduction to a history lesson. I even have a book bag I send home on weekends with I Spy challenges. Can you find 21 flying American flags? As to the verses, as soon as I turn the page to the fourth verse, with the church and the dump illustrations, I stop. Stop. I say, “Oh dear. This is a sad page, so we need to sing the verse in a sad voice.” And we do. Then when we get to the sixth verse I stop again. We compare the illustration to the fourth verse. “See what happens when people work together”, I say. Then we ‘belt out’ singing that last verse. Always gets me a little choked up.
Jennie that sounds just wonderful. What a great way to teach kids. I wish I had you as a teacher when I was that age.
Great quotes – and excellent commentary, Opher!
Thanks John.