Phil Ochs - The Ringing of Revolution

*I am in no way affiliated with the content in this video nor am I trying to take credit for it*

Phil wrote this song in 1st person, telling the story of the last of the bourgeois during a revolution, very creative and inspiring song.

Phil Ochs - "The Ringing of Revolution"

In a building of gold, with riches untold,
lived the families on which the country was founded.
And the merchants of style, with their red velvet smiles,
were there, for they also were hounded.
And the soft middle class crowded in to the last,
for the building was fully surrounded.
And the noise outside was the ringing of revolution.

Sadly they stared and 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.

We were hardly aware of the hardships they beared,
for our time was taken with treasure.
Oh, life was a game, and work was a shame,
And pain was prevented by pleasure.
The world, cold and grey, was so far away
In the distance only money could measure.
But their thoughts were broken by the ringing of revolution.

The clouds filled the room in darkening doom
as the crooked smoke rings were rising.
How long will it take, how can we escape
Someone asks, but no one's advising.
And the quivering floor responds to the roar,
In a shake no longer surprising.
As closer and closer comes the ringing of revolution.

Softly they moan, please leave us alone
As back and forth they are pacing.
And they cover their ears and try not to hear
With pillows of silk they're embracing.
And the crackling crowd is laughing out loud,
peeking in at the target they're chasing.
Now trembling inside the ringing of revolution.
With compromise sway we give in half way

When we saw that rebellion was growing.
Now everything's lost as they kneel by the cross
Where the blood of christ is still flowing.
To late for their sorrow they've reached their tomorrow
and reaped the seed they were sowing.
Now harvested by the ringing of revolution.

In tattered tuxedos they faced the new heroes
and crawled about in confusion.
And they sheepishly grinned for their memoroes were dim
of the decades of dark execution.
Hollow hands were raised; they stood there amazed
in the shattering of their illusions.
As the windows were smashed by the ringing of revolution.

Down on our knees we're begging you please,
We're sorry for the way you were driven.
There's no need to taunt just take what you want,
and we'll make amends, if we're living.
But away from the grounds the flames told the town
that only the dead are forgiven.
As they crumbled inside the ringing of revolution.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Phil
• Ochs
• Ringing
• of
• Revolution
• anarchist
• communist
• russian
• french
• american
• spanish
• guitar
• folk
• bourgeois
• proletariat
• elvis
• che

[Blasphemy510]

Yo can we not ruin every song with immature arguments in the comments. Beautiful song, great lyrics, enough said.

[AnarchistOpposition]

@Blasphemy510 No. Fuck you. :)

But seriously, I don't think that people arguing ruins the song. They have their grievances and I address them if possible. I see no fault in that. Your post itself, after all, is a grievance and I am now addressing it. You created an argument or at very least a discussion. XD

[TheMariner48]

Libertarian my ass. Traitors who refuse to contribute. Just live unbothered and reap the benefits OTHERS provide. The song is allegorical for chrissake. Read labor history in America. Every once in awhile need to trim the excesses of the idle rich. Ochs was no anarchist, saying often "there's something inherently good about America WORTH SAVING" Democratic socialist if you have to pin a lable on him.

[AnarchistOpposition]

@TheMariner48 Who the fuck says that he was a libertarian? x_x It seems to me that you are responding to an imaginary dumbass youtuber who doesn't actually exist.

[6colin90]

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich." - Napoleon Bonaparte

[truthslap]

@HavidDagstrom absolutely right, well said. Phil was no "champagne liberal", he was a revolutionary every bit as much as Sartre or Guevara, he bitterly opposed our petty bourgeois apathy and illusions.

[mahaksadasa]

He was a hippie, live with it

[HavidDagstrom]

Phil Ochs was a socialist, deal with it. He supported Allende, defied the vietnam war which liberals supported, was against attacking cuba,and hated liberals. Deal with it. He was one of the most radical singers of the era, and that's why nobody knows about him and why Bob Dylan is so popular, since he was liked by liberals and never had any phone taps at his house.

[AndrewStergiou]

@TheMariner48 Phil Ochs was no Libertarian nor Anarchist, he often was an individualist corrupted by the people around him, read first

zito(dot)biz/memorial/philochs­.html

Sorry I have not gotten around to updating it more. But just a point in mention anarchy applied to the lyrical format would not produce this type of song. As for themariner associating comments on Phil Ochs with libertarianism anarchy is easy when they pretending they are one yapping in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[AndrewStergiou]

@AnarchistOpposition So you knew Phil Ochs did you? Naw. Now fuck off Opposition your dumb shit check yourself.

[worldbefreed]

@CanterburyCat

[llowhite]

Occupy needs to be singing this one. I miss Phil big time.

[TheAim1977]

@ThereAreNoUnionThugs So, so well said. Thanks.

[ThereAreNoUnionThugs]

Ochs said "Topical music just means the lyrics are so clear they cannot be confused with nonsense".

Its great how "topical" music is timeless; Ochs or Guthrie are more relevant today than almost all current music.

I like the part where Ochs said the rich "Gave in half way". After OWS we will see a lot of greenwash and whitewash and a fake shift toward real reporting.

This video is for North America as well as Egypt, the whole world, but don't worry, search "After the Revolution"

[11xzxzxz]

@psakref Right, thanks or I meant left thanks