Phil Ochs : Chords Of Fame

[Sheerkat7]

Just noticed that Phil Ochs died on Paul Robeson's birthday. Paul died in January of the same year.

[ultimategamer789]

@ grossmann It's called taxes. Every gov't has them, and could not function without them. The Constitution clearly addresses taxes & it's duty to it's "makers & takers".

[G58]

The tempo is so at odds with the lyrics it's hard to believe Ochs was the author. His total detachment from its meaning is a huge disappointment for me, having learned to appreciate what a great song/story this is, listening to Melanie Safka's amazingly touching & heart-felt rendition. Reminiscent of Hobo's Lullaby & criticizing Dylan et al it's about the death of a troubadour & by implication, in allegory: their musical soul. You get absolutely no sense of that from Ochs' upbeat hick version.

[AMr7002]

@G58 Perhaps that was purposeful. Phil Ochs was often savagely satirical. Maybe this is a mocking touch to the music.

[todd11561]

Phil's story is a tragic one.... he took his own life.

He succumbed to mental illness.

[singray7]

and the more things change, the more they remain the same... Evolve please.

[pitbull103]

John Doe used to regularly sing this one at his McCabe's Guitar Shop gigs. Good memories.

[lisaj62]

Last night I had the strangest dream, thought i was back there at H/A,, woke today and it's veterans's day...maybe tomorrow I will wake up and the world will be at peace, at least until the news comes on.

[rttugger2000]

i still miss him every day and try to live up to his truths.

[rttugger2000]

i still miss him every day and try to live up to his truths

[AnarchistOpposition]

Thanks so much for posting this. I had never even heard this song before I happened to stumbled upon it here. Great stuff.

[11xzxzxz]

Cool country-sounding song with Phils stamp all over it.

[MsSapphire87]

his music is inspirational, i am 23 and have always been a fan of bob dylan, arlo guthri and the like as i was raised on folk music. but i have only recently discovered phil ochs music and i am really thrilled he is everything ive always looked for, prophetic lyrics and an amazing voice!!

[sleakitweasel]

Love the brittle Telecaster lines and the sudden minor chords. I've loved this for ages and the fact that it's so short just makes me want to play it over & over. It was harder when I had it on vinyl but with the lovely innernet, well...

lol

[pitbull103]

Phil could always see the contradictions in the leftist mindset. "Love Me I'm a Liberal" is a great example.

Would Phil have had the guts to evolve away from the republicans and democrats? I suspect he would have. Perhaps a libertarian he would have been.

Whatever his philosophy, it would have been interesting to hear his take. But then again, someone said he could never have survived the 1970s -- at least the mid 70s, though I suspect he would have liked punk rock.

[lonsumtravlr]

@pitbull103 had he lived, yes, I think phil would have dug punk

[spacepatrolman]

@lonsumtravlr dylan was a punk comparerd to phil

[yankee321x]

he was so great - I was at that famed Carnegie Hall concert. Sad, brilliant, he had so much more to give.

[paragtime]

although a genius in regards to his songwriting it's a shame he used his talents as a red doper useful idiot... thankfully he didn't have the self control nor strength to remain in the real world.

[CopenhagenRayne]

@paragtime thankfully you refer to him as useful instead of uselesss

you gun frantric facist, now that we are calling names

[paragtime]

actually only useful to communists which would make him useless to real Americans who believed in their country as a model for the future but that's such a minor point.

Communists and facists end up on the same side, destroying liberty and freedom...just as Phil and Woody worked for.(and guns are the only way to stay alive until until reds and pinks are put down)

[JoeyZazza]

@paragtime you are truly uninformed and absolutely ignorant of the '60s music scene. Your comments reveal you as a flag waving, fake patriot, un-American teabagger.

[paragtime]

@JoeyZazza

actually I'm quite informed on the 60's and 70's protest scene..I've already said he was a songwriting genius but, unlike most during this period, he was a proud and outspoken socialist, meaning he despised the Constitution and the nation of his birth. Thankfully his weaknesses had him end his life on foreign soil and his red blood no longer polluted America.

[SplashPix]

@paragtime

I had not realized that Far Rockaway, New York, was foreign soil!

That is where Phil Ochs died on April 9, 1976.

[62grossman]

@paragtime Even though he was a socialist, he believed in the Constitution.I think his views were too far left,but I also believe he loved America. If you truly believe in the Constitution,then you also believe in his right to his own point of view and his right to express it.

[paragtime]

@62grossman I believe in his right to believe as he did but he did NOT believe in the Constitution because he believed the govt had both a duty and a righjt to steaL from the makers to give to the takers..there is no way that is an American view.

[Wahoofuck]

@paragtime you sir are a nationalist idiot, this guy was a true patriot.

[paragtime]

@Wahoofuck

I see nothing wrong with believing in my country but I find a lot wrong with those who want to alter the very basis of what made America great. (Phil and the racist Obama would probably have been great friends.)

[bobbylight422]

@paragtime

[BobTheRecordGuy]

@paragtime :

1) You are right that "Communists and fascists end up the same", they are both enemies of freedom, equally.

2) Some people who support far-left politics are enemies of freedom = tools. That's true.

3) Not Phil Ochs, who was too smart for that; too smart to be used. he was no liberal either. He was a patriot.

4) Ochs was an artist. While I don't agree with a lot of his politics I admire his courage in pursuing the truth as he saw it. But moreso, he created art.

[RobRogers1968]

I was eight when Phil died. found His music as a teenager.I have a varied taste in music from classical to heavy rock but Phil is My all time favourite,his beautifull tunes and heart felt lyrics always give Me shivers. We love You Phil.

[hangeygirl]

he reminds me the actor Christian Bale a bit. similiar looks. Phil was/ is timeless. we should love him always.

[maida1982a]

I have always been amazed at how easily Phil adapted to any style of music he chose to attempt and he did each style with amazing success. The range from the early Elektra recordings to Tape from Caliornia to this song show an incredible breadth of skill and commitment, and through all of it, his genuineness and sincerity shine through.

[edithhughes]

60s was all about madness. we were the first generation not trained for war but had returned soldiers for fathers, a war 'won' by dropping a bomb. we were sane enough to that war was an industrial madness and preventable. so before you go off quoting phil ochs' 'mental illness', consider he was burnt out, be glad he was here and that he wrote good songs about the mad war machine we all endure, over and over again. the songs give us hope and feel great to sing out loud, and always will.

[domthiry]

I don't think that Phil would be thrilled that there is an ad for McCain for Prez on the upper right of this screen. As to his early exit from this world - maybe he was ust tired.

[cdadave83814]

I always found it ironic that Phil ended his life before the Bicentennial came around on July 4th of that year. He was, after all, a modern-day Patriot. Check out his biography, "Death of a Rebel"; he had some severe paranoia-depression happening later in his life.

[nancyzeetoo]

Phil was one guy who was simply not going to survive the 1970's.  There was just no possibility of it happening. Pity, though, he was so close to hearing the Clash. How he would have loved them.

[cdadave83814]

Can't you just imagine how Phil would've viewed the George W. Bush Prezzidency? Phil is definitely needed in Days Like These.

[nancyzeetoo]

One great thing about Phil Ochs is that, although he has been gone for over 30 years, we do not need to imagine how we would have viewed things. We know. The songs may be old, but the themes are universal. Just plug in the new names and play.

His songs have done what he most hoped they would - transcend both the times and songwriter himself. He'll never be a household name, but it's amazing how an audience still seems to find him. Any teenagers out here?

[ForMontreal]

Right here! (Raises hand clutching guitar pick)

[forgottenthought]

me too! i'm a teenager! i love his songs!

[cdadave83814]

@nancyzeetoo...Phil might've enjoyed the Sex Pistols, too. Anarchy!!! I think Phil had a superb sense of melody, and I really do love his voice. I have that African-Swahili single he made towards the end, and he sounds good on that, too. (The song is "Bwatue".)

[XxMaggeexX]

@nancyzeetoo I'm 16, my boss mentioned him and now I hope to be just like Phil some day.

Well as far as the inspiring protest songs go.

[Stannage17]

@XxMaggeexX

@XxMaggeexX

God willing, you will be. God bless you for having the courage to say so. In a world which is increasingly ultranationalist (eg. fascist), with a war on, to which there is no foreseeable end, surrounded by the Power and the Greed, your young voice gives this old lefty some real hope, where hope was nearly dead. You and your generation must expose the stupid abuses of power, of mine, and those a immediately before and after. You are fresh air in a gas chamber.

[XxMaggeexX]

@Stannage17 Wow thank you. I've been playing guitar and writing songs for some years now, my dream is to be on stage. I do keep in touch with politics and me and my friend go on about why so many things are so wrong and why the world is looking so fascist. I can't sit around listening to all of these horrible mistakes that are being made and do nothing so I imagine I'll keep the protests going one day. I've written one protest song so far and I hope to write many more.

[spacepatrolman]

@nancyzeetoo OBHMA listens to rap imagine if phil wrote a song about him he would call it SPEARCHUCKERS AND GANGSTER RAPPERS

[DarrylWThomas]

@spacepatrolman You are so ignorant, it isn't even fair to insult your intelligence. 

[mavilunA]

@nancyzeetoo "he songs may be old, but the themes are universal" nothing more to say!

[Marthio]

@nancyzeetoo Yep, going to be 18 tomorrow. And I must say, the messages in his songs are quite heavy. I understand them as well. Great artist and my personal inspiration for guitar. I can only hope to be like him one day.

[paragtime]

@cdadave83814

at least he had the grace to end it in Canada.

[dadangel51]

Imagine if you were the one who found Phil dead and the impact it would have on your mind for the rest of your life. Phil sang the truth, but he destroyed the lives of others with his death by suicde.

[petey1892]

His name was David and he was 14 years old. And it was a sucky, sucky thing for Phil to do, because he knew the boy would be the one to find him. But I think it possible that Phil was giving himself a chance of surviving; knowing his nephew would be home shortly, maybe it would not be the final act. He was an open-ended, non-decisive kind of guy and it may have been the only way he could do it. Selfish and heartbreaking at the same time.

[hangeygirl]

Sounds like u know alot about all this. Phil should be remembered mainly thru his brave, and intelligent music. I wish I could've known him. Makes me sad no one could help pull him thru his problems. He must've had bad luck with women too. He still shouldn't have bailed tho. Thanks.

[pete7356]

Phil is the forgotten genius of the 60s music scene

[doviejames]

obviously, you've never felt the world slip out of your hands like that. "destroyed" is hyperbole and ingratitude if you have respect for what he was about. if you can't go on you quit and there's not much those left behind can say. it's sad, that's all.

[snatmann]

of course its not at all popssible that our fine govt had any thing to do with his "suicide"...

[petey1892]

Perhaps not directly, but they tormented him which inpacted his work and they harrased him endlessly which did not help his mental state.

[rhge1973]

No artists today have the balls to say what Phil did. Screw the status quo

[mfarchive]

One of his best songs, though he had many, but why does it cut off so abruptly?

[kevirwin]

Really wouldn't matter much to anyone,

outside of a small circle of friends...

K e v

[GoblinGirl]

This is one of Phil's best songs. I think if he continued, he would stayed in this country/rock mode, which really worked well for him. His later albums are his best.

[MrsSuratt]

Totally agree. He had such a natural knack for country stuff. I love "Greatest Hits".

[GoblinGirl]

"Greatest Hits" is a great album. I really like Chords of Fame and Gas Station Women. Phil had a great feel for country music.

His later stuff wasn't as political as the early stuff, and it helped the music in my opinion.

[earlo2004]

I think that if Phil could answer that, he would have to disagree. I believe he had a hard time finding out who he really was and had an even harder time letting it out in his music in the end. His final days were indeed a very sad time of his life

[DustinKoffman]

Why why why ?

[Galizur7]

aye it is sad and i agree this is a brill song

[elusiverobertdenby]

Yes, it's sad that Ochs is gone -- but damn, this is a great song.

[treehugger4u2]

..phil ochs was so ahead of us all; thanks for the gifts. best wishes to his family..

[Bullettube]

I always though Phil would be the next "big thing" as well, but he just never seemed to get over the top.

[languagedancer]

RIP Phil