The Songs of Pete Seeger, Vol. 2: If I Had a Song...

Amazon.com Political militancy so rarely results in more than topical art; thus it's amazing how well Pete Seeger's talking blues, kiddie jingles, angry anthems, and fragile adages to peace have aged. This single-disc successor to Appleseed's double disc Where Have All the Flowers Gone boasts a finer musical diversity, but is ultimately as uneven as the previous tribute. Even after 50 years, performers haven't begun to exhaust Seeger's catalog, and so it's puzzling that Moxy Früvous would waste tape on the forgettable "Maple Syrup Time," that Billy Bragg and Eliza Carthy would see any point to another version of "If I Had a Hammer," or that Kim and Reggie Harris (with Magpie) would push the sing-along folksiness of "Old Devil Time" to the point of parody. The better the song, however, the better the performance. John Wesley Harding (backed by Peter Buck and Scott McCaughey) rocks "Words, Words, Words" straight into the psychedelic garage, Jackson Browne and Joan Baez surround themselves with Cuban musicians for a memorable "Guantanamera," Steve Earle casts his bitter, bloodshot eye deep into the heart of "Walking Down Death Row," and Eric Andersen, his voice an icy whisper, turns the pure lyricism of "Snow Snow" into the album's most harrowing and memorable moment. --Roy Kasten Product Description This is an exciting 2nd volume of a tribute to the songwriting and music making genius of an American legend, Pete Seeger. Featuring performances by: Jackson Browne, Billy Bragg, Arlo Guthrie, Joel Rafael Band and others. Review "...Interesting and often compelling interpretations by a diverse crew of musicians." -- Buffalo, NY, News, September 28, 2001 "A joy to listen to as various top performers, including Pete Seeger himself, give us top-class renditions of his songs." -- Rambles: A Cultural Arts Magazine, February 15, 2003 "Another right-on tribute to a mighty pen and voice. Well done and not just for commie folkies." -- Midwest Record Recap "This is a wonderful collection that features contemporary artists, as well as lesser-known folk artists." -- Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange " A real charmer. "If I Had A Song" is a stunning tribute to one stunning artist. Highly recommended." -- Green Man Review About the Artist For more than 60 of his 84 years, the iconic folksinger, songwriter, instrumentalist, activist and humanitarian Pete Seeger has been the musical voice of the world’s conscience. His commitment to world peace, the environment, racial equality, workers’ rights and other vital causes has been recognized by a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Presidential Medal of the Arts, and even induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Born in 1919 to musicologist Dr. Charles Seeger and concert violinist Constance Edson Seeger, Pete developed an interest in music and journalism in his teens, crafts he would intertwine throughout his career. A Harvard University dropout (in the same class as John F. Kennedy), Seeger met, traveled and performed with the great topical folksong writer Woody Guthrie in 1940. Inspired to write his own songs and dedicating himself to "the music of the people," Seeger formed the politically oriented Almanac Singers in 1941 with Guthrie and other musicians before being drafted into the Army in 1942 and sent to the Pacific. After World War II, Seeger resumed his career as a performer and song collector, helping to found Sing Out! Magazine. In 1948, Seeger formed The Weavers with Lee Hays, Ronnie Gilbert and Fred Hellerman, and within three years the group had sold four million records, embedding Guthrie’s "This Land is Your Land" in American culture. The Weavers’ version of Leadbelly’s "Goodnight, Irene" topped the charts for six months. Blacklisted during the McCarthy era, the Weavers disbanded in 1953 (although they reunited periodically), but Pete continued to record and perform, despite an informal ban from appearing on most TV and radio shows and many concert halls for the next 17 years. When the "folk boom" of the early Sixties exploded, performers such as the Kingston Trio, Peter, Paul & Mary, and the Limelighters scored hits with Seeger-written songs "If I Had a Hammer" and "Where Have All the Flowers Gone." As folk turned to rock in the mid-Sixties, the Byrds brought Seeger’s music to a young, electrified audience with their versions of his "Turn! Turn! Turn!" (adapted from the Bible’s Book of Ecclesiastes) and "The Bells of Rhymney." Meanwhile, Seeger traveled the campus and international circuit, performing and taking part in the civil rights marches in Selma, Alabama, and Washington, DC, with Dr. Martin Luther King and in anti-war demonstrations around the country. His adaptation of the black spiritual "We Shall Overcome" turned the song into an anthem of hope. In 1969, Seeger launched the restored sloop Clearwater, which became a symbol of environmental consciousness and led to the ongoing cleanup of the Hudson River in New York State. Seeger has remained a
ASIN: B00005Q6OF
VSKU: DBV.B00005Q6OF.G
Condition: Good
Author/Artist:Various
Binding: Audio cd