I've Never heard of Phil Ochs till last night when I stopped on PBS while channel surfing and watched a Documentory about his music and standing up for what he believed in. I am now a Phil Ochs Fan.
I was a kid when I listened to the rehesal for retirement. I think this was Phils finer moments,What a shame to loose history and a giver of the truth of what our country had become. If he was alive to see the outcome and the damage that has been inflicted upon our society today, he may have change the tune for a alot more love and stopping hate. I love America, I hate foreiners
People who think that the CIA can do anything are paranoid. They didn't care about Phil Ochs. Ochs had serious psychiatric problems which went untreated. This was a tragedy.
Sadly they stared & sank in their chairs and searched for a comforting notion.
And the rich silver walls looked ready to fall As they shook in doubtful devotion.
The ice cubes would clink as they freshened their drinks, wet their minds in bitter emotion. And they talked about the ringing of revolution!
Down on our knees we're begging u please, sorry for the way you were driven. There's no need to taunt just take what you want, & we'll make amends, if we're living.. BUT ONLY THE DEAD R FORGIVEN.
Phil Ochs ran out of time. His bipolar disorder was getting worse as he got older at a time when treatment options were few. He appears to have experienced his first psychotic manic episode in 1974 after which he was plunged into a bone-crushing suicidal depression typical of bipolar 1 disorder. That bipolar depression killed him. Had he been forced into hospital and monitored around the clock the depression would have eventually lifted and he would have had a chance to sing again.
@3ETERNALNOW -I understand why you might feel this way but it does not help those of us with mental illnesses to blame the CIA for our condition. The tragedy of Phil Och's was not that the US government thought ill of him. It was that his friends abandoned him when he fell into a manic episode in 1974 and began acting in a way that his friends did not understand. They found him offensive when they should have been more understanding. They left him to die of depression, then mourned his death.
I HAVE KNOWN AND MISSED HIS VOICE AS WELL. No exaggeration that his skills could have saved the country from much of these dark days by rally-ing and educating Americans who are apathetic and victims of FOX and other dis-information campaigns. THE MOVIE, "THERE BUT FOR FORTUNE," WILL BE OUT 1-5-11.
I would like to express my thanks to all of you who have commented here - Phil is my hero and the modern world really needs someone like him - though could there be another Phil?
Yeah, Phil was surely a proto-punk, not just in the style of music he later developed, but in his overall in-your-face, no nonsense attitude. Never mind the bollocks, it's Phil Ochs... And it's really no surprise that a band like the Clash would give him a direct nod on an album like Sandinista. Sad that he died in 1976, just minutes before punk formally arrivied. I think the kids might have given him some much needed hope.
Yeah, "pretty smart on my part" is a great pre-punk song. Sort of like Neil Young's Mr Soul anticipated Rap. But hell mr soul is a great song and I hate Rap so Rap wasn't listening to the direction Neil showed them...
@11xzxzxz yea your right pretty smart on my part is a good makeing fun of cops song that bass line makes it sound like country rock like the buffalo springfield
I've Never heard of Phil Ochs till last night when I stopped on PBS while channel surfing and watched a Documentory about his music and standing up for what he believed in. I am now a Phil Ochs Fan.
comotevue1 1 month ago
@comotevue1 That's awesome, Phil is amazingly great!
Krutponken 1 month ago
I was a kid when I listened to the rehesal for retirement. I think this was Phils finer moments,What a shame to loose history and a giver of the truth of what our country had become. If he was alive to see the outcome and the damage that has been inflicted upon our society today, he may have change the tune for a alot more love and stopping hate. I love America, I hate foreiners
FogBoz 1 month ago
People who think that the CIA can do anything are paranoid. They didn't care about Phil Ochs. Ochs had serious psychiatric problems which went untreated. This was a tragedy.
RossM3838 1 month ago
Always my hero, Phil. God bless you.
paullavan2011 4 months ago 2
Wow, such interesting music... Phil was so misunderstood, a one of a kind musical genius with such powerful messages. - RIP
OMGDeBest 9 months ago 4
Sadly they stared & sank in their chairs and searched for a comforting notion.
And the rich silver walls looked ready to fall As they shook in doubtful devotion.
The ice cubes would clink as they freshened their drinks, wet their minds in bitter emotion. And they talked about the ringing of revolution!
Down on our knees we're begging u please, sorry for the way you were driven. There's no need to taunt just take what you want, & we'll make amends, if we're living.. BUT ONLY THE DEAD R FORGIVEN.
11xzxzxz 9 months ago
All my life I was looking for a singer/song writer, who I finally decided did not exist, then a friend intoduced me to Phil Ochs.
VJ254 10 months ago 3
@C130C5a
Doesn't mean the CIA didn't mess him up. Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean no one is after you.
superhoga 11 months ago 2
Phil Ochs ran out of time. His bipolar disorder was getting worse as he got older at a time when treatment options were few. He appears to have experienced his first psychotic manic episode in 1974 after which he was plunged into a bone-crushing suicidal depression typical of bipolar 1 disorder. That bipolar depression killed him. Had he been forced into hospital and monitored around the clock the depression would have eventually lifted and he would have had a chance to sing again.
C130C5a 1 year ago
@C130C5a the CIA fucked his head up with one of many techniques
3ETERNALNOW 1 year ago
@3ETERNALNOW -I understand why you might feel this way but it does not help those of us with mental illnesses to blame the CIA for our condition. The tragedy of Phil Och's was not that the US government thought ill of him. It was that his friends abandoned him when he fell into a manic episode in 1974 and began acting in a way that his friends did not understand. They found him offensive when they should have been more understanding. They left him to die of depression, then mourned his death.
C130C5a 11 months ago 7
@C130C5a exactly, unfortunately precise.
11xzxzxz 9 months ago
@3ETERNALNOW Please be realistic.
jorisewout 11 months ago
love phil but can't remember this song
will play it again....
there but for fortune
paschal421 1 year ago
I HAVE KNOWN AND MISSED HIS VOICE AS WELL. No exaggeration that his skills could have saved the country from much of these dark days by rally-ing and educating Americans who are apathetic and victims of FOX and other dis-information campaigns. THE MOVIE, "THERE BUT FOR FORTUNE," WILL BE OUT 1-5-11.
villamondo 1 year ago
@villamondo -saw it last night and haven't stopped crying. He was one of my heroes.
C130C5a 1 year ago
Phil's the most underrated song writer that I know about..
62grossman 1 year ago
I would like to express my thanks to all of you who have commented here - Phil is my hero and the modern world really needs someone like him - though could there be another Phil?
amimillie 1 year ago 4
Yeah, Phil was surely a proto-punk, not just in the style of music he later developed, but in his overall in-your-face, no nonsense attitude. Never mind the bollocks, it's Phil Ochs... And it's really no surprise that a band like the Clash would give him a direct nod on an album like Sandinista. Sad that he died in 1976, just minutes before punk formally arrivied. I think the kids might have given him some much needed hope.
juliejazz 1 year ago 3
Thanks for uploading this song, never heard it before and I love Phil.
mrmarks65 2 years ago
Awesome, awesome song. Between this song and "Pretty Smart On My Part," Phil was anticipating punk.
elusiverobertdenby 2 years ago 11
Yeah, "pretty smart on my part" is a great pre-punk song. Sort of like Neil Young's Mr Soul anticipated Rap. But hell mr soul is a great song and I hate Rap so Rap wasn't listening to the direction Neil showed them...
11xzxzxz 2 years ago 2
@11xzxzxz yea your right pretty smart on my part is a good makeing fun of cops song that bass line makes it sound like country rock like the buffalo springfield
spacepatrolman 1 year ago