So we finish August off with a short introduction (more like a sneak preview) to a man whom I regard as having the largest testicular fortitude amongst ALL protest/topical singers.
Keep your eyes peeled for the first post of September featuring.... Phil Ochs!
For now...
Power and Glory
****************************
Come and take a walk with me thru this green and growing land
Walk thru the meadows and the mountains and the sand
Walk thru the valleys and the rivers and the plains
Walk thru the sun and walk thru the rain
Here 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 (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
***********************
"Power and Glory" became popular in 1963 when it's composer and performer, Phil Ochs, was starting to get known in the folk music community.
Like many other folk songs, the lyrics of this song was relevant 40 years ago and remains so today. Though it contains one verse that speaks specifically of America's beauty, I chose it as a sneak preview of next week's post on Phil Ochs for a very simple reason -
Ochs wrote "Power and Glory" at a time when his country was becoming increasingly wealthy, materialistic and apathetic towards the growing disregard for basic human rights and values...
...is it not time to think of what our nation is (or should be) like?
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