Phil Ochs - The Sound Is Now (2 songs)

[OMGDeBest]

Phil was an incredibly beautiful person. If Listening to his incredible music doesn't move you then check your pulse... his words, melody... heart and soul.... what more else could one ask? btw, Phil was born jewish.... his father was a doctor and severe depression ran in his family. Wish he were here today.... with all that's going on he'd sure have alot to write and sing about.

[BarbaryAllen]

Its PHIL OCHS!! a man who sung what nobody else could said... Stop calling names or comparing him with other who had others cares in music!

Phil ochs was a musician of the 60's and 70's, but didn't belong to any time, that any era could handle.

Because he had a long time of advantage in music, when people was hearing at the same, he made great songs as "Cross my heart"... but nobody realize it ... neither himself.

[SoulQuest7]

He's a genius. Period.



[zaitesushion]

Great to hear these songs live and they are of course beautiful, but it's hard to concentrate on them because the way Phil is gazing into the camera is distractingly flirtatious. :D

Gorgeous man, gorgeous songs.

[manyamanya123]

A BRAVE song indeed....I'd like to hear a new artist cover this song. It's an important song...if there is such a thing

[juliejazz]

Cannons of Christianity is such a brave song. Phil knew the score about the hypocritical religious right 45 years ago. The man was a prophet (as I think even an Episcopal priest referred to him later in this very same show.) Hoping to see the new documentary about him soon....

[Artzner]

This was a great performance. He was at his peak here.

[andyclaire]

they just don't make 'em like they used to.

[halibutpie]

@andyclaire

So true. I wish people would listen to music like this nowadays. I'm sick of hearing Lady GaGa and the like. When did it become OK to dress like a prostitute and sing songs sexualising teenagers. It's disgusting.

[cornucopiaethiopia]

@halibutpie Maybe 'Someone' decided that sexualizing them was better(more useful)than politicizing them?

[TheFilthyRags]

@halibutpie Amen to that. No class at all these days.

[TheFilthyRags]

@halibutpie Amen to that. No class/subtelty at all these days.

[RobRogers1968]

hear hear Mike. We need a guy like Phil today to sing some sense into the war crazed.

[miketocci]

Listen to Harry CHAPIN's "The Parade's Still Passing By" and you'll get chills. I think that this is a testament to the greatness of this type of music. It transcends age and time and is relevant to all of us. I've turned on Many friends who are my age (32) and even younger to this music. I strongly encourage you to do the same. Now more than ever, we need to hear songs like these. We all need to take it upon ourselves to do something to make this world a better place to be. -Mike Tocci

[Phantarch]

^As they were in Phil's day, few and far between, now further bound with the notion of 'Political correctness'. When it comes to politics, everything is being made more and more ambiguous with countless euphemisms and whatnot, trying to convince people that things aren't as bad as they actually are. Freedom of speech is essentially a myth.

[VJ254]

Phil Ochs wasn't afraid to take on anyone. The military industrial complex, State governments, Nixon and the Federal gov't., the social issues of the day; Poverty, racism, imperialism, and he did it all with his song writing abilities, his voice and his guitar. He could cut through the human conscience like a knife. Even organized Christianity wasn't safe from him. Where are men like that today ??

[REVELONRAY]

Damn,this guy could sing.

I saw him in '68 in Central Park.Really charismatic.Amazing voice and sort of Jim Morrison handsome.He held an audence of 5,000 completely rapt with just his voice and guitar.

[VonSchnutze]

Can't thank you enough.

[hangeygirl]

one amazing man. so intelligent. he is timeless. and beautiful.

[Silvermac27]

I hope there will be changes in America with your new president Mr Barrack Obama cause since Phil wrote that last song "I aint marching anymore" all those boys are in Iraq,bring em ome

[fuckedsociety]

obama just approved sending 16 to 19 thousand troops to afgahnistan

he will not change anything, neither will any other president, they cant, it is the whole system not just one man.

wat i think we need to do is start over and star a real direct democracy, for there is a difference between words and actions and this whole country was based on greed and lies

[slowpokecat]

Phil we need your words more today than ever.RIP

[nancyzeetoo]

Ever notice how fans tend to refer to Dylan by his last name and Phil by his first?

[wmbrown6]

Probably to avoid confusion with Adolph S. Ochs who acquired The New York Times in 1896? . . .

[peanutfoot]

Two of my favorite songs of his.

[abbienormals21]

He totally just played cannons of Christianity to piss off Christians on National TV. I love him so much.

[trampp12]

WOW

[atw58]

Beautiful, Phil's live performance is even more moving than the recordings. It's a shame the public didn't show the appreciation his talent and patriotism deserved.

[bluebellrock]

(Love the lyrics flipping on the screen!) He was so funny and serious at the same time, my favourite type of man. Talented and intelligent in equal measure, and way ahead of his time.

[dirtyrottenimb]

he would have shat his pants today if he saw what the dominionists are doing and how far theyve gotten in the US and the middle east since the time he wrote this

[bommeldebommel]

comparing these two men is like comparing Bob Ros with Andy Warhol

[bommeldebommel]

Phil Ochs is an nice man, maybe a nicer man than Dylan, but he didn't have half of the expressionitic power that Dylan had en still has. N

[petey1892]

Expressionistic power? I suppose that is up to the individual listener to decide. Phil was about as blunt as one can be. Dylan, not blunt at all. But Phil was not on the same road as Dylan. He truly wanted to change the course this country was on. He did his best. He did not succeed.

Bob Dylan is a rock star.

They knew each other when they were young. They were a part of the same scene.  But the comparisons have to end there. I'm a Dylan fan. But I'm an Ochs devotee.

[phdecora]

good comment petey1892...

Mr Zimmerman pretended to be the next Woody Guthrie... Mr Ochs almost was the next Woody Guthrie...

[dasilvaec]

I see Phil as being more like Pete Seeger

[Artzner]

@petey1892 Phil was a master of "expressionistic power." If you dismiss him as "blunt" you haven't listened to anything he wrote beyond the politically themed material from the early and mid-sixties. Go back and listen to his later material and then tell me he was not a poet. If you are, as you said, an Ochs devotee, you owe it to him to listen to his later material.

[petey1892]

@Artzner Of course I know his later stuff. I prefer it. But are you seriously trying to argue that Phil wasn't far, far more direct than Dylan? Even when he was trying to be circumspect, the listener could very easily discern exactly what he was trying to communicate. Case in point - Crucifixion.

I think the only song of Phil's I truly can't puzzle out is The Doll House. And, of naturally, he does a Dylan imitation right in the middle of it.

[Artzner]

@petey1892 But what does this mean? "Far, far more direct than Dylan?" So is cloaking meaning in indecipherable twists of phrase and allegory the principle criteria for a poet-lyricist? How about "Rainy Day Women"? Now there is Dylan the god-poet at his best! LOL The Ochs song you mention, "Crucifixion" is great poetry and great song. I refuse to accept that Phil Ochs was NOT a consummate poet-lyricist, and as a composer of melody, he did not take second place to Dylan. He was a great tune-smith

[petey1892]

@Artzner Where the hell did I say he wasn't a great poet lyricist? I believe he was greater than Dylan. You are the one who used the word "dismiss" and you used it inappropriately. I'm not dismissing anything.

You are imagining some offense because I stated - quite accurately - that Phil was far more blunt and direct in his messaging than Dylan. He was. But it's a hell of a lot more difficult to do what Phil did - write great poetic, melodic songs AND get a message out at the same time

[Artzner]

@petey1892 My apologies. It is clear I misconstrued what you were saying. I absolutely agree with you about everything here with the possible exception of the general comment regarding "bluntness." It depends on the song you're referring to. Yes, Dylan engaged in the use of symbols, metaphors and allegory, but he also wrote songs that did not and were rather "blunt", such as "The TImes They Are a Changin'". It's true that Ochs was, as Dylan himself said, rather "journalistic"

[petey1892]

@Artzner Thanks, I'm glad we got that straightened out. After his early period, (Masters of War comes to mind as well), Dylan moved on from that style. Phil changed his style too, becoming less journalistic (Dylan's cruel comment to him may have played a role in that), but Phil never compromised his political identity, except perhaps to write those very personal songs that expressed the depression he felt about what was around him. Dylan, on the other hand, never got too personal.

[TheFrozenLads]

that's not saying much seeing as dylan, as great a songwriter as dylan is, is a complete dick as a person

[deerpark1]

Because you personally know him so well . . .

[TheFrozenLads]

no, but it's not exactly a secret.

[dadangel51]

Bob had better promotion. Phil was, sadly, a bit on the mad side. Talentwise and as a wordsmith Phil was far superior to Dylan, but back in the day they were in competition. I have most of Phil'a records, which are in mint condition by the way.

[iggydave2]

Thanks for this video it shows what a great talent he was. Bob Dylan eat your heart out.

[kalhas22]

He was so ahead of his time we see what is happening in America today with conservative christians condeming anyone who doesn't agree with them or follow their doctrine. He is such a great artist I wish he were still around today to see what is going on in the World. His music is so amazing!

[GentlemanTony]

There is a lot more archival footage of Phil Ochs than I had thought. Now, who out there is ready to do a Phil Ochs documentary?

[petey1892]

I don't understand why Phil's brother Michael doesn't do it. God knows the man has the archive to end all archives....

[padraiggillon]

search youtube for ochs and chords of fame and you will find the 1984 documentary about Phil. Not too much archival footage, but plenty of great songs and interviews from family and friends like Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin and Pete Seeger.

[GentlemanTony]

Thank you for this reference. I've looked it up, and I appreciate it.

[singalonginesperanto]

Wow. Thank you so much for posting this.