Pete Seeger 1919-2014
What a fabulous life! What a great American! Pete Seeger performed, wrote, conserved, and resurrected American folk music from the Great Depression to the Occupy movement, and sang to protest what he felt was wrong. He inspired a host of people to take up the cause of folk music, and to protest inequality and social evils in all their many forms.
Steve Bates is correct in pointing out the really decent article about Pete Seeger at Wikipedia. Mustang Bobby has the meat of the NYT article on his passing.
Digby located the transcript of Mr. Seeger’s appearance before the House Unamerican Activities Committee that contains this response from him:
I am not going to answer any questions as to my association, my philosophical or religious beliefs or my political beliefs, or how I voted in any election, or any of these private affairs. I think these are very improper questions for any American to be asked, especially under such compulsion as this. I would be very glad to tell you my life if you want to hear of it.
That response is an encapsulation of most of the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment, and clearly demonstrates who was acting ‘unAmerican’, and it wasn’t Mr. Seeger.
At his place Charlie Pierce has a nice piece about him and his contributions to the country.
The music is his immortality.
Update: Via Badtux in comments: Peter Yarrow on Pete Seeger’s final night
7 comments
Pete never retired because Pete’s job was never done, could not be done as long as there was lies and hate and injustice in the world. Pete’s last concert was back in November. Fittingly, it was a benefit concert for WBAI radio, a listener-supported left-wing radio station in New York City.
Regrets, I have many. I doubt the same was true of Pete. He went to the grave knowing he had done his best for twice as many years as most men give their least. What more can a man ask for, in the end, than knowing that his life made at least some small mark on the world?
He did what he did because he believed in it and loved doing it. As Bruce Springsteen said, Pete always sang all the verses to remind people of the history that many want to forget.
I remember the irony of his singing “This Land is Your Land” at Obama’s inauguration. He sang the verse about the “Private Property” sign… if you remember, on the other side, it didn’t say nothin’… and I wonder if that was his subtle dig at Obama’s affinity for the moneyed classes. But Pete was seldom if ever mean-spirited, so I suppose we’ll never know why he sang that verse at that time.
Woody wrote it and Pete always sang it that way – all the verses, not the Kingston Trio/Peter, Paul, & Mary versions, that left off that verse and the verse about the hungry. He sang at the first inauguration, when people still thought that ‘Hope and Change’ meant something. He wasn’t part of the second inauguration, which was a great deal more subdued, the ‘Hope He Changes’ inauguration.
Very sad. :'(
He leaves behind an incredible and long legacy. 94 is a good run by any standard, and he never gave up, never gave in, and never stopped trying to be better and to make things better for everyone. As with so many, he was a great influence and inspiration on my life, and not just the music. He is a big part of the reason I got out of the Mil/Int. And never looked back.
The Sydney Morning Herald had a moving tribute:
Pete Seeger, songwriter and champion of folk music, dies at 94
Truly! 🙂
Neil Diamond (among so many other icon’s) left a simple, but heartfelt tweet:
Michael Moore (@MMFlint) tweeted:
The Guardian UK has compiled a list of Tweets, and a photo gallery:
Pete Seeger: fans from Michael Moore to Tom Morello react to singer’s death at age of 94
What a way to go! I just hope that many others will continue his inspirational lead, and make our World what it should be, not what it is.
You have my sincerest respect. Rest, in Peace Pete Seeger. You did far more good than any man I know. You did your best, and it was better than mine. I am humbled.
And yet another one of the truly rare great Human’s leaves us, and we are so much poorer for it. He wasn’t just a “great American”, he was one of the extremely rare “Great Human”! A truly sad day.
We have his songs that ring true no matter what. Everyone who ever served understands ‘Big Muddy’. More important, they are songs that anyone can sing, real ‘folk’ music. If you ever tried to master a string instrument, you can play them. They are accessible to all ages. Simple songs with complex messages.
He challenged people to be better human beings, and lived to see things gradually improve, and most of his enemies die with withered souls, for being the enemy of those Pete sang about.
Peter Yarrow on Pete Seeger’s final night. Pete’s family and friends gave him a fine going-away sing-along. It had been his final request, and they made it happen.