…we shall overcome, some day
This morning I heard Moira Stuart announce the death of Pete Seeger [at the ripe old age of 94] and felt amazingly sad. His music has been there all my life. My Dad wasn’t particularly ‘into’ folk music- but the music of this man struck a chord with him – particularly because of Seeger’s pacifism, and support for Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement. As well as ‘We Shall Overcome’ [which was adapted from an earlier, old Baptist hymn] Seeger wrote ‘Turn, turn, turn’ – an adaptation of Ecclesiastes 3
To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to be born, a time to die.
A time to plant, a time to reap.
A time to kill, a time to heal.
A time to laugh, a time to weep.
To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to build up, a time to break down.
A time to dance, a time to mourn.
A time to cast away stones.
A time to gather stones together.
To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time of love, a time of hate.
A time of war, a time of peace.
A time you may embrace.
A time to refrain from embracing.
To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to gain, a time to lose.
A time to rend, a time to sow.
A time for love, a time for hate.
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late.
I learned these songs at home, and in my teens I sang them enthusiastically with my friends- at church youth events, at BMS Summer Schools, at the back of the coach when we went out on school trips, and sitting round campfires on the beach [did anyone else have ‘Sausage Sizzles’ back in the sixties?]
Pete wrote The Hammer Song [If I had a hammer] and the poignant anti-war anthem “Where have all the flowers gone?” I have vivid memories of rocking my newborn baby Liz to sleep with this, as I watched the reports coming back from the Falklands War in 1982
Where have all the flowers gone? Long time passing
Where have all the flowers gone?Long time ago
Where have all the flowers gone? Young girls picked them everyone - when will they ever learn? when will they ever learn?
Where have all the young girls gone? Gone for husbands everyone. Oh, when will they ever learn?
Where have all the husbands gone? Gone for soldiers everyone. Oh, when will they ever learn?
Where have all the soldiers gone? Gone to graveyards, everyone. Oh, when will they ever learn?
Where have all the graveyards gone? Gone to flowers, everyone. Oh, when will they ever learn?
Where have all the flowers gone? Young girls picked them everyone - when will they ever learn?
When will WE ever learn?
Pete Seeger- may your music, and the sentiments behind it, live on. RIP
Hello Angela
ReplyDeleteI have been shedding tears each and every time they have played one of his songs today....what a lovely thing to leave to us all
Best wishes
Jenny
Oh how sad! I love 'where have all the flowers home' - I taught it to KS2 last year x
ReplyDeleteAngela I too have been deeply saddened by the death of Pete Seeger. Little Boxes was the first song I knew by heart all the way through at three. At 94 it has been a life well lived and he was loved by so many.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful ,meaningful songs.
ReplyDeleteJane x
I was brought up listening to his songs as well and still play them. It was sad news.
ReplyDelete