Ode to Pete Seeger

Chorus:
He sung in hobo jungles
For Rockefellers too
Pacifists and soldiers heard his songs
To everything there is a season
Sang The Byrds in Turn Turn Turn
Pete asked us Where Have All The Flowers Gone?


Back in nineteen fifty-five before the days of red and blue
He was called before congress to testify
Wouldn't plead the fifth amendment
He'd already read the first
The one that still applies to you and I

Sentenced to ten years in prison until sanity prevailed
One day in May way back in sixty-two
A conviction overturned upon a technicality
Kept Pete Seeger free to sing for me and you

Chorus:
He asked us where have all the flowers gone

I remember down in Houston Nixon running again
I heard Pete sing This Land Was Made for You and Me
Chills of pride ran down my spine
When the whole crowd sang along
And I thanked God for my land of liberty

Things don't look real rosy now
But I'm sure somehow we'll survive
Trusting in the spirit of the USA
That lives in everybody here even the aliens
Who risk their lives for what we have each day

Would you cross the burning desert
Would you swim the Rio Grande
Do what you had to do to feed your family
Trust your fate to some coyote with blood money on his hands
To in the end be only known as deportee

A song he sang in hobo jungles
For Rockefellers too
Some say he's right and others say he's wrong
Call him commie call him patriot
But whichever one you choose
Don't underestimate the power of a song
Don't underestimate the power of a song

willrichardson.net

words and music by William O. Richardson © 2008 Unpublished Songs (SESAC) All Rights Reserved

Category:

Music

Tags:

• pete
• seeger
• folk
• songs
• tribute
• protest
• singer
• huac
• testimony
• congress
• antiwar
• peace
• deportee
• house
• committee
• 1955patriotic
• song
• communist
• commie
• patriot
• 1962

[ArkRed1]

Will, Hope you are doing well. Keep in touch. I wish they would have called you up to sing this at Pete's 90th birthday.

Ark Red 1

[willyr9]

Me too, ArkRed! Hard to believe he's 90. That verse about Houston in '72 is true.

He was and is awesome.

[justplainfred]

Excellent song and outstanding lyrics - Pete Seeger in a nutshell - wonderfully understated performance - man that's was absolutely wonderful!!! 5********************s

[judydrake11]

Thanks for putting it into words. High praise - well deserved.

[Tucko1]

Absolutley outstanding. Well done my man....

[LessHairMoreFace]

Hi,

great song, just a few words, but each one right on the spot, tellin' Pete's story.

I feel you'r right in his footsteps.

[iammetx]

Beautiful! You are right!  There was power in Pete Seeger's songs as there is in yours.

[Bandaids4ever]

Five stars well earned.

[seamoremonster]

Good on you William. A nice piece of sanity and a beautiful tribute to a real American! Thanks!

[im4wur2]

Nicely done. Thank you!

[Psalmstrings]

Great tribute to our musical hero Pete Seeger. You said it all so well!

[exoplanet11]

Wonderful Song! Great composition! Thanks for including his 1st Amendment defense at his trial. That's important. I will share your song with my wife (we played "Turn, Turn, Turn" at our wedding), and my newborn son, who is named for Pete Seeger.