20 Protest Songs That Matter: No. 15
- Posted by Spinner Staff
- Comments (28)
--Phil Ochs (1965)
Rebelling Against: War!
The fearless Ochs took Dylan-style folk to another level of topicality, attacking big business, blind patriotism, Jim Crow segregation, even hypocritical liberalism in frank terms worthy of a true outsider. A hero to latter-day rabblerousers Billy Bragg, Eddie Vedder and Sean Penn, Ochs made the ultimate protest statement at age 35: He exited this troubled world by hanging himself.
Listen to 'I Ain't Marching Anymore'
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Reader Comments(1 of 2)
Cuckat 3-17-2008
With the impending releases of 2 movies on the 68 chicago convention it is relavent to look at his greatest album, Rehearsals for Retirement, with one side dedicated to chicago. Lots of songs were released about the convention, but all those people never made it to chicago, Phil did, and as a witness in the trial. If you have never listened to it, it was an early cutout, find it and listne. Especially William Butler Yeats Visits Lincoln Park and Escapes Unscathed.
MiserblOFat 1-17-2010
God bless you for including the late, great Phil Ochs in this list. He was the consummate topical folksong writer of the '60's, ahead of even Dylan.
jimat 1-18-2010
Ochs ran out of protests and did what he thought was appropriate. ouch.
Chuckat 1-23-2010
Quinton, you are mistaken. The term "military-industrial complex" was not coined by Ochs, it was coined by Dwight Eisenhower near the end of his presidency.
David Smithat 2-03-2010
I've been a huge fan of Ochs since 1973 when a Canadian friend of mine introduced me to his later more poetic and impressionist style of music: Pleasures of the Harbour and Tape from California. I came to his earlier protest albums later - even these had some excellent non-political songs. It took a long time for any of these to be released on CD, but I now have most of them and listen to them more than all the Dylan stuff I have. A brilliant artist in both the protest and 'chamber music' styles. My own favourite is 'Flower Lady', closely followed by 'When In Rome' and 'No More Songs'. If you don't know him, try one of the compilation CDs.
J.at 7-15-2007
Phil Ochs isn't a household name anymore, but he wrote a lot of great protest songs. Check them out some time. He should be much higher than #15.
Debat 9-14-2008
I agree with you wholeheartedly.
Of course the dumbing down of America has left young people today listening to only what is in the top 40 while another generation avoided it like the plague-if we had listened to the top 40 slop we would have also been listening to crap music, it is only those who seek out indie or alternative that I have respect for-poor Phil Ochs, I am an Independent and really liked, "Love Me, I am a Liberal
This is a terrible list.
Smittyat 7-15-2007
Another of Phil's songs is worth mentioning here, "White Boots Marching in a Yellow Land" was an indictment of the Vietnam War. I also read that Dylan's "Positively 4th Street" was written abour Ochs and that led to his depression and eventual suicide.
Denixeat 7-15-2007
Seriously, even if you don't listen to the songs you can read the lyrics. This really isn't a protest song. Or, OK, if you want to say it is, it's not a good one.
shteveat 7-15-2007
Yeah,well I was in the Army during VN War and there were many good people who knew this war was wrong. But it takes nothing more than a coward to commit suicide.Easy way out.
P Curleyat 7-15-2007
There are too many songs from the 80's and 90's The real heyday of protest songs was the mid 60's to the mid 70's, the Civil Rights and Vietnam War Era". Where are songs like "Eve of Destruction" "Times they are a Changin'" "Blowin in the Wind, "Ohio" "Imagine" "Give Peace a Chance" "Sky Pilot" "There But For Fortune" and "Masters of War" or "Oxford Town" I don't think the one Dylan song listed, "Maggie's Farm" was good enough for this list.
Marcat 7-15-2007
Although the great wordsmith always seemed troubled about living in Dylan's shadow, I believe his suicide was directly connected to a depresion resulting from "The words not coming anymore". If you are not familiar with Ochs, do yourself a favor. Not only was he responsible for scathing songs of protest and social commentary, he could also pen songs of amazing subtlty and beauty like 'Changes' and songs of understanding like 'That Was The President'. If his is not a household name anymore, we are all the poorer for it.
al stolaat 7-15-2007
phil ochs was more of a journalist but had a unique voice & was a great influence om me when i was coming of age...yes, its true dylan put him down which led to his taking his life..a.s.
jmacat 7-15-2007
ochs was a great writer of protest songs and other. listen to land of power and glory sometime good choice for a second national anthem. his suicide was for seen in his last album NO MORE SONGS TO SING, recognizing the change in the political consciouness of the 60's protest, to the apathy of the people and government. welcome to the 2000s and american attitude to the world and each other of i got mine screw you. any wonder the rest of the world hates us.
J.at 7-16-2007
P.Curley, how can you honestly say that this is not a protest song? Obviously, you haven't read the lyrics..and if you had, you would discover that it was a great one.
Bethat 7-16-2007
Phil Ochs is fantabulous.
(If you like him, check out Billy Bragg too.)
Quinton Brathwaiteat 8-11-2007
I have listened to this cat since early '63; Many of us caught him in the 'coffee houses' in New England around the winter of 62/63. He was was one of the earliest radical voices to truly put the spotlight on a lot of the things that (Americans) were involved in. He pointed to all the things we had going on in South America, Panama and Cuba Long b-4 it was common knowledge Check the song "We're the Cops of the World" He was of course labled many things, but always remained a lyrical journalist true to his calling as one our nations watchdogs until his frustrations and angst prompted him to perform the ultimate protest; His suicide.
Quinton Brathwaiteat 8-11-2007
Bye the way I was in 'Nam' fall 66; left just in time to go to Libya to clean up some things the weeks before the "June War" jumped off. The Navy and Air-force were there in force until a few hours b-4 Israel attacked. And yes Phil Ochs seemed to have a lot of information about To use the phrase he coined "The Industrial-Military Complex."
That was a group of words that didn't mean much to us teens back in 63. But when you think about our close ties to Libya Prior to June 67,(We were training their Air men) And Libya's 'Sweet Crude', You realize it's (War) always been about business and profit.
sndrakeat 8-14-2007
I was and still am a fan of Phil Ochs, but your description of his suicide as "the ultimate protest" is way off base. By all accounts, the 35-year-old Phil Ochs was a man who had been driven to despair by personal and professional failures - and a losing battle with the bottle.
Paulat 8-30-2007
Phil Ochs was an important contributor to the anti-war movement. He also suffered from a serious Bipolar affective disorder (then called Manic-Depresive Illness), likely the biggest contributor to his death. The disillsionment many of us felt during the 60s. I, for one, miss him.