That's a good one. In the same vein I've always liked "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" and "Abraham, Martin and John." But I think Peter, Paul and Mary's "If I Had a Hammer" might just be the most powerful statement-type popular song of them all.
Darn, I met to also mention Peter, Paul and Mary's "Blowing in the Wind," which runs "Hammer" a very close second. Brilliant lyrics, unforgettable melodies and knock-'em-dead performances of both because, aside from making music splendidly, PP&M they believed in the songs' message.
Wouldn't it be great if someone or some group would do that kind of thing now?
@K: Oh, I think we have a lot of deaf folks these days but I guess we always have had, just maybe not to this extent.
@Bee: I liked the mutton chops, too, along with the fros and longer hair. There's something about these semi-shaved heads that I find unappealing and really very unsexy.
SW: I thought I had featured PP&M in my on-again, off-again 1960s musical series but I haven't - nor "He Ain't Heavy." Thanks for the ideas. But I did "Abraham, Martin and John." Since I put it up, the video has been blocked due to copyright. Too bad because it featured excellent footage from those days but there's some interesting stuff about Dion.
Such a good choice today, Les! We have the same struggles today that Sly addressed then: we actually believe we're not all the same, and thus we justify climbing on top of each other to reach whatever high ground helps us feel safe.
I would even dare to submit that the rich are not different; they are just buffered from knowing it.
Sometimes I think we're still suffering from the philosophical divide of the sixties. Those who found their home in the protest movements, the communes, the peace initiative, the Peace Corp--they still pull left because it still resonates with them. Those who watched all those bad crazy hippies, kept their hair short and their ties knotted, went to war and to work and to church--they still pull right because it feels right to them.
Now, that's grossly exaggerated, but do you think at some level most of us still line up today as we did then? And, yet, we seek the same outcomes, albeit by different means.
@Nance: And those who pull right keep breeding dumber and dumber generations? I don't really know but I do remember years ago reading about a survey that found children of hippies were actually more conservative than their parents. I was horrified. Of my two girls, one thinks she's conservative, in memory of her dad most likely, but I have hopes that she will see the error of her ways as she matures.
We are the same whatever we do! If you don't think this is an all-timer, you must be deaf.
ReplyDeleteThe chops are one male fashion thing that I actually am glad have come back.
ReplyDeleteCool vid :)
That's a good one. In the same vein I've always liked "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" and "Abraham, Martin and John." But I think Peter, Paul and Mary's "If I Had a Hammer" might just be the most powerful statement-type popular song of them all.
ReplyDeleteDarn, I met to also mention Peter, Paul and Mary's "Blowing in the Wind," which runs "Hammer" a very close second. Brilliant lyrics, unforgettable melodies and knock-'em-dead performances of both because, aside from making music splendidly, PP&M they believed in the songs' message.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be great if someone or some group would do that kind of thing now?
@K: Oh, I think we have a lot of deaf folks these days but I guess we always have had, just maybe not to this extent.
ReplyDelete@Bee: I liked the mutton chops, too, along with the fros and longer hair. There's something about these semi-shaved heads that I find unappealing and really very unsexy.
SW: I thought I had featured PP&M in my on-again, off-again 1960s musical series but I haven't - nor "He Ain't Heavy." Thanks for the ideas. But I did "Abraham, Martin and John." Since I put it up, the video has been blocked due to copyright. Too bad because it featured excellent footage from those days but there's some interesting stuff about Dion.
http://parsleyspics.blogspot.com/2010/01/1960s-dion-dimucci-abraham-martin-and.html
Such a good choice today, Les! We have the same struggles today that Sly addressed then: we actually believe we're not all the same, and thus we justify climbing on top of each other to reach whatever high ground helps us feel safe.
ReplyDeleteI would even dare to submit that the rich are not different; they are just buffered from knowing it.
Sometimes I think we're still suffering from the philosophical divide of the sixties. Those who found their home in the protest movements, the communes, the peace initiative, the Peace Corp--they still pull left because it still resonates with them. Those who watched all those bad crazy hippies, kept their hair short and their ties knotted, went to war and to work and to church--they still pull right because it feels right to them.
Now, that's grossly exaggerated, but do you think at some level most of us still line up today as we did then? And, yet, we seek the same outcomes, albeit by different means.
@Nance: And those who pull right keep breeding dumber and dumber generations? I don't really know but I do remember years ago reading about a survey that found children of hippies were actually more conservative than their parents. I was horrified. Of my two girls, one thinks she's conservative, in memory of her dad most likely, but I have hopes that she will see the error of her ways as she matures.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing Sly and his group play that song on some sort of early music video rocking out in suitable era costumes.
ReplyDeleteI'm a proud social and political liberal but when it comes to 1970's glittering bell bottom pants I'm a rock hard conservative against those things.
Awww, BB: I liked bell bottoms then and like them even more now. A hell of a lot better than these droopy drawers we see today.
ReplyDelete