I first heard this song sung by Donovan. He produced a brilliant EP of anti-war songs with this, Buffy St Marie’s Universal Soldier, Mick Softley’s The War Drags On and his own Ballad of A Crystal Man. Quite a brilliant EP.
This was the mid-sixties and I was very much into lyrics and a complete pacifist. The Vietnam War was raging so this was one of my favourites. I had a girlfriend who was into Donovan in a big way and I remember putting that EP on my Dansette and playing it on repeat.
I had another friend who was into contemporary Folk by the name of Neil Ferby (he nicked one of my girlfriends off me). He introduced me to Bert Jansch and John Renbourn who I considered to be more authentic and less commercial than Donovan so that was good.
That first Bert Jansch album was more political than his later stuff and I liked social/political songs so it was right up my street.
This was a very powerful song and I loved both Donovan’s and Bert’s versions.
“Do You Hear Me Now”
My mama told me, papa said it too
Son, the world’s divided and you know your cause is through
Do you hear me now? Do you hear me now?
There’s snow-men in the winter, blossoms in the spring
If they drop the bomb in the summertime, it won’t mean a doggone thing
Do you hear me now? Do you hear me now?
Freedom fighters, speak with your tongues
Sing with the might of the wind in your lungs
Do you hear me now? Do you hear me now?