Original subtitles

¶ WE ARE CLIMBING JACOB'S LADDER ¶

I DON'T HEAR YOU.

¶ WE ARE CLIMBING ¶

Man: PETE SEEGER -- HE HAD THIS AMAZING ABILITY

TO LOOK AT A GROUP OF PEOPLE,

AND TO MAKE THEM ALL SING PARTS OF THE SONG.

AND HE'D, YOU KNOW,

MAKE AN ORCHESTRATION OUT OF A SIMPLE LITTLE SONG

WITH EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE SINGING.

WHETHER YOU WANTED TO OR NOT,

YOU FOUND YOURSELF SINGING A PART.

IT'D BE BEAUTIFUL.

Woman: HE'S A LIVING TESTAMENT TO THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T JUST SAY YOU HAVE RIGHTS.

YOU HAVE TO USE THEM TO PROVE THAT YOU HAVE THEM.

¶ HIGHER, HIGHER ¶

¶ EVERY RUNG GOES HIGHER ¶

¶ HIGHER ¶

Man: PETE STOOD FOR JUSTICE.

HE HAD POWERFUL ENEMIES,

WHO WANTED THAT VOICE OF JUSTICE TO GO AWAY.

BUT HE STAYED AND KEPT SINGING.

Man: PETE WAS ONE OF THOSE GUYS

THAT SAW HIMSELF AS A CITIZEN ARTIST,

AS ACTIVIST.

HE HAD A VERY FULL IDEA ABOUT THOSE THINGS.

HOW IT CONNECTED TO MUSIC AND WHAT MUSIC COULD DO.

THE POWER THAT MUSIC HAD TO INFLUENCE, TO INSPIRE.

AND THAT'S THE POWER OF FOLK MUSIC,

AND THAT WAS THE POWER OF PETE SEEGER.

¶ ONE TOGETHER ¶

¶ WE ALL CLIMB AS ONE TOGETHER ¶

¶ BROTHERS IN OUR LAND ¶¶

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

¶ TO EVERYTHING, TURN, TURN, TURN ¶

¶ THERE IS A SEASON, TURN, TURN, TURN ¶

¶ AND A TIME FOR EVERY PURPOSE ¶

¶ UNDER HEAVEN ¶

¶ A TIME TO BE BORN, A TIME TO DIE ¶

¶ A TIME TO PLANT, A TIME TO REAP ¶

¶ A TIME TO KILL, A TIME TO HEAL ¶

¶ A TIME TO LAUGH ¶

¶ A TIME TO WEEP ¶

¶ TO EVERYTHING ¶

¶ TURN, TURN, TURN ¶

¶ THERE IS A SEASON, TURN, TURN, TURN ¶

¶ AND A TIME FOR EVERY PURPOSE ¶

¶ UNDER HEAVEN ¶

¶ A TIME TO BUILD UP ¶

¶ A TIME TO BREAK DOWN ¶

¶ A TIME TO DANCE, A TIME TO MOURN ¶

¶ A TIME TO CAST AWAY STONES ¶

¶ A TIME TO GATHER STONES TOGETHER ¶

¶ TO EVERYTHING, TURN, TURN, TURN ¶

¶ THERE IS A SEASON, TURN, TURN, TURN ¶

¶ AND A TIME FOR EVERY PURPOSE UNDER HEAVEN ¶

¶ DIDN'T OL' JOHN CROSS THE WATER ¶

¶ WATER, ON HIS KNEES ¶

¶ DIDN'T OL' JOHN CROSS THE WATER ¶

¶ ON HIS KNEES ¶¶

IN A SENSE, MY FATHER

WAS A VERY ICONOCLASTIC AMERICAN.

TOTAL PATRIOT --

ABSOLUTELY UNRECOGNIZED FOR THIS BY MANY PEOPLE.

AND IT'S HIS PATRIOTISM THAT WAS TERRIBLY MISUNDERSTOOD.

HE BUILT THIS HOUSE RIGHT BEHIND ME WITH HIS OWN HANDS.

WE HAD NO RUNNING WATER THROUGH MY EARLY GRADE SCHOOL YEARS,

NO ELECTRICITY.

HE PIONEERED THIS PLACE JUST LIKE HE WAS OUT ON THE PRAIRIE.

AND HE DEVOTED HIMSELF TO WHAT HE BELIEVED IN,

WHICH WAS NOT ONLY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE,

BUT THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD.

[ PLAYING "ODE TO JOY" FROM BEETHOVEN'S NINTH SYMPHONY ]

[ HUMS ]

Dan Seeger: HIS FATHER WAS A SCHOLAR.

AND HE INVENTED THE STUDY OF MUSICOLOGY.

AND HIS MOTHER WAS A CONCERT VIOLINIST.

SO, I WOULD SAY HE GREW UP WITH A DEFINITE SENSE

OF BRINGING MUSIC TO THE PEOPLE.

AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S ALWAYS BEEN TRYING TO DO.

Seeger: MY FATHER SPENT A YEAR OR TWO

IN HIS GRANDPARENTS' BARN,

BUILDING ONE OF AMERICA'S FIRST AUTOMOBILE TRAILERS.

IT LOOKED MORE LIKE

A COVERED WAGON.

MY PARENTS' PLAN

WAS TO TAKE GREAT CLASSICAL MUSIC, BACH AND BEETHOVEN,

OUT TO THE SMALL TOWNS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE.

BUT THE TRIP WAS A DISASTER.

THEY ENDED UP CAMPING OUT IN NORTH CAROLINA.

Man: MOTHER PLAYED AN EXCELLENT VIOLIN,

AND FATHER, A PIANO.

AND THEY PLAYED ALL KINDS OF MUSIC.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE LOCAL PEOPLE

SAID, "WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO HEAR OUR MUSIC?"

THE EXPERIENCE CHANGED HIM FOREVER.

HE'D ALWAYS BEEN OPEN TO FOLK SONGS.

BUT HE'D NEVER BEEN IMMERSED IN THEM AS HE WAS THAT WINTER.

CHARLIE PUT IT TO ME THIS WAY.

HE SAID, "FOR THE FIRST TIME, I REALIZED

"THE PEOPLE HAD A LOT OF GOOD MUSIC THEMSELVES.

THEY DIDN'T NEED MY GOOD MUSIC AS MUCH AS I THOUGHT."

MY PARENTS' MARRIAGE BROKE UP IN THE 1920s.

Woman: HIS MOTHER WAS A FRUSTRATED MUSICIAN.

AND FINALLY JUST SAID, "I COULDN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE."

AND SHE LEFT.

Seeger: MY OLDER BROTHERS AND I SOMEHOW MANAGED

TO GET SCHOLARSHIPS TO SCHOOLS IN CONNECTICUT.

WE SPENT OUR SUMMERS IN OUR GRANDPARENTS' BARN.

WHAT I REMEMBER HERE BEST

WAS HAVING FUN, DRAWING PICTURES,

PLAYING GAMES.

I WAS A COMPLETE FAN OF AMERICAN INDIANS,

BETWEEN AGE 8 AND 13,

WHEN I READ THE BOOKS OF ERNEST THOMPSON SETON.

John S: WE HAD THE THREE GREATEST SUMMERS WE EVER HAD.

EVERY MEAL, WE SANG OUR HEARTS OUT.

AND WE LEARNED TO HARMONIZE IN EVERY WAY YOU CAN IMAGINE.

Seeger: AND MY FATHER GOT A JOB IN WASHINGTON.

AND, UH...HARDLY EVER SAW THIS PLACE AGAIN.

[ CHORUS HUMMING "ODE TO JOY" ]

I WAS GIVEN A UKULELE AT AGE 8.

AND I CAN TELL YOU ALL THE POP SONGS

OF 1927, '28, '29.

SILLY WORDS, BUT FUN SONGS.

I'D GET THE KIDS IN SCHOOL SINGING WITH ME.

¶ I'M JUST A SENTIMENTAL GENTLEMAN ¶

¶ FROM GEORGIA, GEORGIA ¶¶

John S. HE WAS A SHOW OFF FROM THE BEGINNING.

AND HE DELIGHTED PEOPLE

WITH PLAYING HIS UKULELE AND SINGING TO THEM.

WELL, PRETTY SOON, THAT WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH,

AND HE GOT INTO BANJO.

[ BANJO PLAYS ]

¶ I COURTED PRETTY POLLY THE LIVE-LONG NIGHT ¶

¶ I COURTED PRETTY POLLY THE LIVE-LONG NIGHT ¶

¶ AND LEFT HER NEXT MORNING BEFORE IT WAS LIGHT ¶¶

Seeger: I WAS A TEENAGER, MY FATHER TOOK ME DOWN

TO AN ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF MOUNTAIN SONG AND DANCE

IN NORTH CAROLINA.

MY FATHER WANTED ME TO HEAR THIS MUSIC

PLAYED BY PEOPLE WHO KNEW HOW TO MAKE IT.

Seeger: BOTH MY FATHER AND I REALIZED

THAT HERE WERE VERY SKILLED MUSICIANS.

WHEN THEY PLAYED,

THEY WERE THINKING OF THE SOUND.

AND WHEN THEY PLAYED TOGETHER,

THEY WERE THINKING OF EACH OTHER'S SOUNDS.

JUST AS CLOSELY

AS ANY STRING QUARTET EVER DID.

AND THIS WAS A GREAT DISCOVERY.

Seeger: AND I SUDDENLY REALIZED WHAT AN EXTRAORDINARY THING

THE FIVE STRING BANJO WAS.

John S. PETE GOT VERY CLOSE TO OUR FATHER,

BECAUSE OF HIS DELIGHT IN FOLK MUSIC,

AND FATHER'S DELIGHT IN FOLK MUSIC.

AND I THINK FATHER SAW PETE AS A PERSON

TO DEVELOP THAT WHOLE AREA.

IT WAS MY BROTHER CHARLES AND I DECIDED THAT PETE

SHOULD GO TO COLLEGE.

AND SO, HE GOT INTO HARVARD.

AND IT WAS A MATTER OF WHO'S GOING TO PAY FOR IT?

BUT CHARLES AND I WERE EARNING WEEKLY SALARIES.

YOU CHIPPED IN, TOO, TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR...

AND I THOUGHT IT WAS ELSIE AND FATHER AND MOTHER,

AND MAYBE A LITTLE BIT FROM GRANDPA.

IT WAS CHIEFLY CHARLES AND I.

WE GOT A LITTLE BIT FROM OTHER PEOPLE.

I HAD NO IDEA.

YOU KNOW, OCCASIONAL GIFTS.

Seeger: A SCHOLARSHIP AND A JOB

AND THE LITTLE MY FAMILY PUT TOGETHER PAID FOR HARVARD.

AND I GOT INVOLVED IN THE AMERICAN STUDENT UNION,

WHICH WAS A TEMPORARY COALITION

BETWEEN PACIFISTS AND SOCIALISTS AND COMMUNISTS.

AND WE WERE ARGUING WHAT TO DO ABOUT HITLER.

SOME SAID, DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH WAR.

JUST BE A COMPLETE PACIFIST.

BUT THE COMMUNISTS SAID THE WHOLE WORLD

SHOULD QUARANTINE THE AGGRESSOR.

AND I THOUGHT THEY WERE RIGHT.

I ENDED UP JOINING THE YOUNG COMMUNIST LEAGUE.

AND LET MY MARKS SLIP AND I LOST MY SCHOLARSHIP TO HARVARD.

¶ SOLIDARITY FOREVER ¶¶

A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER, JUST BEFORE WORLD WAR II,

I THINK I ACTUALLY JOINED, BECAME A CARD CARRYING MEMBER.

I WAS AGAINST RACE DISCRIMINATION,

AND COMMUNISTS WERE AGAINST RACE DISCRIMINATION.

I WAS IN FAVOR OF UNIONS,

AND COMMUNISTS WERE IN FAVOR OF UNIONS.

AND THE COMMUNISTS WERE HAVING A MARCH DOWN 5th AVENUE,

HE'D TAKE HIS BANJO AND PLAY IT.

AND EVERYBODY WOULD SING,

AND SING AS THEY MARCH.

AND IT WAS THE KIND OF MUSIC

THAT PEOPLE COULD SING BECAUSE IT WAS FOLK SONGS.

[ FIDDLES PLAYING ]

Man: SWING THE HONEY ACROSS FROM YOU!

Seeger: IN THE 20th CENTURY, ALL AROUND THE WORLD,

MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE DISCOVERED

THE BEAUTIES OF FOLK SONGS,

AND WHEN RECORDINGS WERE INVENTED,

THEY PUT THE RECORDINGS IN THEIR LIBRARIES.

BUT IN U.S.A., A MAN NAMED JOHN LOMAX

DID SOMETHING THAT NOBODY ELSE HAD THOUGHT OF DOING.

HE TOOK THESE FOLK SONGS

THAT HE WROTE DOWN

WITH HIS PENCIL AND PAPER,

AND HE PUT THEM IN A BOOK.

HE WANTED AMERICANS TO LEARN THESE SONGS.

THEY'RE GREAT SONGS. THIS IS A PART OF AMERICA.

¶ WISH I HAD A NICKEL, WISH I HAD A DIME ¶

¶ WISH I HAD A PRETTY LITTLE GAL TO KISS HER ALL THE TIME ¶

¶ ROUND AND ROUND, OLD JOE CLARK ¶

¶ ROUND AND ROUND, I GO ¶

¶ I'D FOLLOW YOU A THOUSAND MILES ¶

¶ TO HEAR YOUR BANJO PLAY ¶

¶ ROUND AND ROUND, OLD JOE CLARK ¶

¶ ROUND AND ROUND, I SAY ¶

¶ I'D FOLLOW YOU A THOUSAND MILES ¶

¶ TO HEAR YOUR BANJO PLAY ¶¶

IN THE LATE 1930s, PETE SEEGER HAD THE PRIVILEGED POSITION

OF WORKING IN THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WITH JOHN LOMAX,

AND HIS SON ALAN LOMAX.

AND HE'S THERE, HE'S DOING SOME RECORDINGS.

HE'S MEETING PEOPLE LIKE WOODY GUTHRIE.

HE'S HAVING ALL THESE ENCOUNTERS WITH AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC.

¶ JOHN HENRY WHEN HE WAS A BABY ¶

¶ SITTING DOWN ON HIS MAMMY'S KNEE ¶

¶ PICKED UP A HAMMER IN HIS LITTLE RIGHT HAND ¶

¶ SAID IT'S GONNA BE THE DEATH OF ME ¶

¶ HAMMER WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME ¶

¶ HAMMER WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME, LORD, LORD ¶

¶ HAMMER WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME ¶¶

Seeger: ALAN LOMAX, THE FOLKLORIST, SAYS,

"WOODY, YOU'VE GOT TO COME DOWN TO WASHINGTON

AND LEFT ME RECORD YOUR LIFE STORY."

AND I WAS WORKING FOR ALAN LOMAX DOWN THERE.

AND WOODY FOUND THAT I COULD ACCOMPANY HIM

IN ANY SONG HE SANG.

I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT CHORD HE WAS GOING TO HIT FOR,

AND I DIDN'T TRY ANYTHING TOO FANCY FOR HIM,

JUST GAVE HIM STRAIGHT BACKING.

SO, HE LET ME TAG ALONG AFTER HIM.

HE TAUGHT ME HOW TO RIDE FREIGHT TRAINS.

Dan S: THE ALLURE OF WOODY GUTHRIE LED HIM ON THE ROAD,

AND THEY HOPPED FREIGHT TRAINS.

AND I THINK IT WAS A ROMANTIC IDEA

THAT HE STUMBLED ONTO.

I DON'T THINK HE WAS SEARCHING FOR IT.

¶ I'M STICKING TO THE UNION ¶

¶ OH, YOU CAN'T SCARE ME, I'M STICKING TO THE UNION ¶

¶ I'M STICKING TO THE UNION TILL THE DAY I DIE ¶

¶ RAGGEDY, RAGGEDY ARE WE ¶

¶ JUST AS RAGGEDY AS RAGGEDY CAN BE ¶¶

Seeger: WOODY AND I WERE TRYING TO PUT OUT A BOOK

OF LABOR SONGS CALLED,

"HARD HITTING SONGS FOR HARD-HIT PEOPLE."

AND I HEAR ABOUT A MAN NAMED LEE HAYS,

WHO'S TRYING TO PUT OUT A BOOK OF LABOR SONGS.

LEE WAS LIVING WITH A JOURNALIST NAMED MILLARD LAMPELL.

AND SOMEHOW, MY BANJO JUST FITTED THEM.

AND PRETTY SOON, THE THREE OF US WERE SINGING ROUND HERE.

AND SO, WE BECAME THE ALMANAC SINGERS

IN WINTER OF 1941.

¶ THAT UNION TRAIN A'COMING, COMING, COMING ¶

¶ IT'S THAT UNION TRAIN A'COMING, COMING, COMING ¶

¶ IT'S THAT UNION TRAIN A'COMING, COMING, COMING ¶

¶ GET ONBOARD ¶

¶ WON'T YOU GET ONBOARD ¶

¶ IT HAS SAVED... ¶¶

Seeger: I WROTE TO WOODY, SAID, "WOODY, WE'VE BEEN SINGING

"FOR UNIONS HERE.

"WE SANG IN MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

"FOR THE STRIKING TRANSPORT WORKERS, 20,000 PEOPLE.

YOU OUGHT TO COME EAST AND JOIN US."

AND A MONTH LATER, HE CAME TO NEW YORK,

AND JOINED THE ALMANACS.

Woman: IT WAS A COMMUNE OF THE PERIOD.

WE MOSTLY ATE TOGETHER, WE...

IF ANYBODY EARNED ANY MONEY OUTSIDE,

WE KICKED IT INTO THE GENERAL LIVING COSTS.

Seeger: THE GOAL OF THE ALMANACS,

IF ANYBODY ASKED US,

"WE WANT TO BUILD A SINGING LABOR MOVEMENT."

BUT WE BARELY GOT STARTED ON THAT JOB

BEFORE WORLD WAR II BROKE OUT.

ALL THE IDEA OF STRIKES AND EVERYTHING, WE SAID,

"AFTER THE WAR'S WON, THEN WE CAN THINK ABOUT THAT."

[ BANJO PLAYS ]

¶ NOW, I WISHED I HAD A BUSHEL, WISHED I HAD A PECK ¶

¶ WISHED I HAD OLD HITLER WITH A ROPE AROUND HIS NECK ¶

¶ HEY, ROUND, ROUND HITLER'S GRAVE ¶

¶ ROUND AND ROUND WE GO ¶

¶ GONNA LAY THAT POOR BOY DOWN ¶

¶ HE WON'T GET UP NO MORE ¶¶

Hawes: OUR VERSION OF "ROUND AND ROUND HITLER'S GRAVE"

WAS THE FIRST FOLK SONG,

I THINK, THAT WAS EVER USED

ON NATIONWIDE RADIO DURING THE WAR.

Seeger: WE HAD A NICE COLLECTION OF SONGS,

BUT THEY NEEDED TO BE PUT IN SOME KIND OF ALPHABETICAL ORDER.

AND ONE OF THE SQUARE DANCERS

THAT I'D BEEN SQUARE DANCING WITH

VOLUNTEERED TO HELP.

AFTER A FEW DAYS OR A FEW WEEKS,

WE WERE IN LOVE.

WHEN I WAS DRAFTED INTO THE ARMY OF JULY, ABOUT SIX MONTHS LATER,

SHE SAID SHE'D WAIT FOR ME.

AND WE HAD LETTERS BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN US.

AND FINALLY,

A YEAR LATER, I REALIZED I WAS GOING TO GET A FURLOUGH,

AND I COULD GO BACK TO NEW YORK, I SAID, "LET'S GET MARRIED."

HE WAS WALKING ME HOME

ON THE EAST SIDE OF WASHINGTON SQUARE,

AND HE PROPOSED TO ME.

HE SAID, "WILL YOU MARRY ME?"

BUT HE DIDN'T GET DOWN ON ONE KNEE, DID YOU?

NO, WE WERE JUST WALKING.

WE DID GET MARRIED...

IN JULY OF 1943.

TOSHI HAD BEEN A TOWER OF STRENGTH,

PUTTING UP WITH MY ENTHUSIASMS FOR THIS,

AND MY ENTHUSIASMS FOR THAT.

HER RUNNING JOKE HAS BEEN,

"IF ONLY PETER WOULD CHASE WOMEN INSTEAD OF CHASING CAUSES,

"I'D HAVE AN EXCUSE

TO LEAVE HIM."

[ BANJO PLAYS ]

¶ WHEN I WAS A YOUNG MAN, AND NEVER BEEN KISSED ¶

¶ I GOT TO THINKING OVER WHAT I HAD MISSED ¶

¶ I GOT ME A GIRL, I KISSED HER AGAIN ¶

¶ OH, LORD, I KISSED HER AGAIN ¶

¶ OOH, KISSES SWEETER THAN WINE ¶

¶ OOH ¶

¶ KISSES SWEETER THAN WINE ¶¶

John S: PETE WAS NOT HOME ENOUGH TO REALLY

BE MORE THAN A VISITING FATHER.

AND TOSHI WAS THE HOME AND HELD IT TOGETHER BEAUTIFULLY.

TOSHI ENABLED PETE TO BE PETE.

AND TO PLAY

ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, WHILE SHE BROUGHT UP CHILDREN.

¶ KISSES SWEETER THAN WINE ¶

Seeger: JUST THE WOMEN.

Women: ¶ OOH, KISSES SWEETER THAN WINE ¶

Seeger: JUST THE MEN.

Men: ¶ OOH, KISSES... ¶¶

YOU KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO LIVE WITH A SAINT?

A MARTYR.

AND NO, TOSHI'S NOT A MARTYR. [ LAUGHS ]

Dunaway: PETE SEEGER WAS ¶ KIPRIVATE FIRST CLASS.NE ¶¶

HIS FIRST JOB IN THE U.S. ARMY

WAS REPAIRING AIRCRAFT ENGINES.

BUT IN THE END, SEEGER ENDED UP AT LEADING WORKSHOPS,

AND LEADING SONG CONCERTS IN SAIPAN

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC.

AND IT WAS THERE THAT HE HATCHED THE IDEA OF CREATING

A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF PEOPLE

WHO WANTED TO SING LABOR SONGS.

¶ I DREAMED I SAW JOE HILL LAST NIGHT ¶

¶ ALIVE AS YOU AND ME ¶

¶ SAYS I, "BUT, JOE, YOU'RE 10 YEARS DEAD" ¶

¶ "I NEVER DIED," SAYS HE ¶

¶ "I NEVER DIED," SAYS HE ¶¶

Woman: THE IDEA BEHIND "PEOPLE'S SONGS"

WAS TO GET GROUPS OF SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS PEOPLE,

MUSICIANS AND SINGERS, TOGETHER,

TO DO CONCERTS, WHICH WE CALLED "HOOTENANNIES"

IN THOSE DAYS.

AND IT WAS THE SOURCE OF TALENT

THAT THEY COULD USE FOR THEIR MEETINGS.

PETE ALWAYS WANTED

TO DO THAT -- TURN THESE UNIONS INTO SINGING UNIONS.

BUT ALMOST AS SOON AS THE WAR WAS OVER,

ROOSEVELT WAS DEAD, TRUMAN TOOK OVER --

WE HADN'T FORESEEN THE COLD WAR.

AND THE FBI WAS IN HOT PURSUIT.

AND WHEN THEY WEREN'T GOING THROUGH HIS TRASH,

OR STICKING BUGS IN THE TYPEWRITER

AT THE PEOPLE'S SONGS OFFICE,

THEY WERE GOING TO THE CONVENTIONS,

AND EVEN PLANTING INFORMANTS

IN HIS, UH, ORGANIZATION.

THERE IS NO ROOM

IN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES

FOR ANY WHO PREFER THE COMMUNISTIC SYSTEM,

OR ANY OTHER FORM OF ABSOLUTISM,

TO OUR AMERICAN SYSTEM.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

ONE OF THE IDEAS

OF THE GOVERNMENT WAS TO STOP WHAT THEY CALLED

"THE COMMUNIST INFLUENCE" IN THE LABOR MOVEMENT

IN THE COUNTRY.

AND TO DO THAT, IT NEEDED TO FIND A WAY

TO MAKE THE COMMUNIST PARTY APPEAR AS A FOREIGN AGENT.

THEY PASSED THE TAFT-HARTLEY BILL,

WHICH SAID, YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE UNIONS YOU WANT,

AS LONG AS YOU FIRE ALL THE LEFTIES.

WELL, THEY FIRED THE BEST ORGANIZERS.

AND THE UNION MOVEMENT

GRADUALLY SLID DOWN AND DOWN AND DOWN AND DOWN.

Man: ALONG COMES THE HENRY WALLACE

1948 POLITICAL PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN.

I AM COMMITTED TO PEACEFUL NEGOTIATIONS

WITH THE SOVIET GOVERNMENT.

Man: DEWEY AND TRUMAN WERE NOT INTO FOLK MUSIC.

THAT'S FOR SURE.

HENRY WALLACE WAS. THAT'S FOR SURE.

AND SO, PETE AND HENRY HOOKED UP,

AND THEY TRAVELED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

¶ YANKEE, RUSSIAN, WHITE OR TAN ¶

¶ LORD, A MAN IS JUST A MAN ¶

¶ WE'RE ALL BROTHERS ¶

¶ AND WE'RE ONLY PASSING THROUGH ¶¶

Seeger: I AND NUMEROUS OTHERS TRIED OUR BEST

TO HELP GET HENRY WALLACE ELECTED PRESIDENT.

WALLACE WAS A PEACE CANDIDATE. HE WAS NOT A COMMUNIST.

Silverman: THE WALLACE CAMPAIGN

REALLY PUT PETE AND FOLK SINGING ON THE NATIONAL SCENE.

¶ TELL THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SAW ME PASSING THROUGH ¶¶

I USED TO COME OUT HERE AT 5:00 EVERY MORNING.

'CAUSE YOU GOT IN FROM THE VILLAGE VANGUARD AT 4:00.

AND THE CHILDREN, BABIES, WOULD WAKE YOU UP.

SO, I TOOK THEM OUT IN THE PARK ALL BY MYSELF

AT 5:00 IN THE MORNING.

Seeger: NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT.

THANK YOU, I HAVE TO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, FOR YOUR LIFE,

FOR MY LIFE, FOR MY CHILDREN'S LIFE, THANK YOU.

YOU HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY EXTRAORDINARY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE LIVED IN THE MIDDLE HOUSE.

WE USED TO LIVE HERE 60 YEARS AGO.

IN THIS BUILDING, YEAH?

RIGHT HERE. THE WHOLE HOUSE.

WE DIDN'T HAVE THE PLATE GLASS WINDOWS IN.

AND WHERE DO YOU LIVE NOW?

60 MILES NORTH.

IN 1949, TOSHI AND I

WERE AS BROKE AS ANY YOUNG PEOPLE COULD BE.

BUT WE SCRAPED UP A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS HERE

AND A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS THERE AND GOT SOME LAND REAL CHEAP.

Dan S: I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND

FROM HIS BACKGROUND THAT HE WAS KIND OF A LONER

IN PREP SCHOOL, AS A KID, AND HE SLEPT OUT IN THE WOODS.

AND I THINK, "ROLF IN THE WOODS,"

IF THAT'S THE CORRECT NAME OF THE BOOK,

WAS A FAVORITE BOOK OF HIS.

AND I THINK AS AN ADULT,

HE COPIED IT RIGHT HERE WITH A WIFE AND KIDS.

I REMEMBER THERE BEING

A LITTLE CORAL RIGHT OUT THERE WHERE THEY PUT ME.

THAT WAS MY PLAY PEN.

IT SEEMED HUGE TO ME, BUT I HATED IT ANYWAY.

AND I REMEMBER WHEN THAT WALL

WAS BEING BUILT.

I REMEMBER MY MOTHER MIXING CEMENT,

AND MY FATHER UP ON THE WALL.

Dan S: THE KITCHEN WAS, IF YOU'VE BEEN IN THE HOUSE,

WAS RIGHT BEHIND ME HERE, AND THERE WAS A WOOD STOVE,

AND THERE WAS LIKE A WASHBASIN,

BECAUSE THEY HAULED THE WATER

FROM THE BROOK.

AND THAT'S WHERE THEY COOKED AND WASHED THE DISHES.

THREE KIDS.

AND MY SISTER, WHO WAS TWO YEARS YOUNGER.

EXCEPT FOR THE WINTERTIME, WE WERE OUTSIDE ALL THE TIME.

I SLEPT IN THAT CORNER RIGHT THERE, MY PARENTS SLEPT

SPLIT-LEVEL RIGHT THERE TO THE RIGHT OF THE DOOR.

AND EVERYONE WAS IN THIS ONE PLACE.

AND I THINK, WHEN THEY WANTED MORE PRIVACY,

AS A YOUNG, MARRIED COUPLE,

THEY KICKED US OUT TO THAT PORCH,

OUTSIDE WHERE WE SLEPT IN THE SNOW

FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS, UNTIL A ROOF WENT OVER THAT.

MY MOTHER SHOULD GET AN AWARD FOR HAVING GIVING UP

ALL THE THINGS THAT SHE MIGHT LIKE TO HAVE DONE

IN HER LIFE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE HER HUSBAND WAS SUCCESSFUL.

Woman: TOSHI NEVER STOPPED WORKING.

SHE DID IT OUT OF LOVE.

AND SHE DID IT FOR A VISION

THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS HERS.

I THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN PETE'S VISION.

[ WHISTLING ]

¶ I DREAMED I SAW JOE HILL LAST NIGHT ¶

¶ ALIVE AS YOU AND ME ¶

¶ SAYS I, "BUT, JOE, YOU'RE 10 YEARS DEAD" ¶

¶ "I NEVER DIED," SAYS HE ¶

¶ "I NEVER DIED," SAYS HE ¶¶

Seeger: IN 1949, THE FAMOUS CONCERT ARTIST PAUL ROBESON

HAD GIVEN SOME CONCERTS IN PEEKSKILL,

AND NOW, FOR THE THIRD YEAR, THE PEOPLE SPONSORING HIM

SAID, "LET'S GET A BIGGER PLACE."

AND THEY GOT A BIG FIELD.

AND THOUGHT THEY'D GET

MAYBE A COUPLE OF THOUSAND PEOPLE THERE.

AND ROBESON ASKED ME TO SING A FEW SONGS

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CONCERT.

Man: IN PEEKSKILL, NEW YORK, A SIGN OF THE TIMES --

THE PRO-SOVIET SINGER PAUL ROBESON

WAS SCHEDULED TO PERFORM

AND A SURGE OF ANTI-COMMUNIST FEELING

BURST INTO VIOLENCE AND RIOT.

Man: THEY HAD BEEN ADVERTISING

THAT THE CONCERT WAS GOING TO BE THERE.

AND THERE WERE VETS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY

THAT CAME HERE TO PROTEST THAT CONCERT.

AND OF COURSE, EVEN AS TEENAGERS, WE WERE BROUGHT UP

NOT TO LIKE COMMUNISM,

AND THEREFORE, WE WERE GOING TO PROTEST AS WELL.

Seeger: AND THE CONCERT TOOK PLACE.

I SANG A FEW SONGS.

AND THEN ROBESON SANG FOR AN HOUR.

AND WE ALL CONGRATULATED OURSELVES.

Man: WHEN THE TIME CAME TO LEAVE,

THE PEOPLE AGAINST THE CONCERT

WERE LINED UP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

AND THE POLICE PLAYED VERY LITTLE ROLE IN PREVENTING THEM.

AND THEY THREW ROCKS.

Seeger: AROUND THE CORNER WAS A PILE OF STONES WAIST HIGH.

EACH STONE ABOUT AS BIG

AS BASEBALL. WHAM!

AND THEN AROUND THE NEXT CORNER WAS ANOTHER PILE OF STONES.

WHAM, FROM THE OTHER SIDE.

D. Seeger: ALL I CAN REMEMBER IS TAKASHI,

MY JAPANESE GRANDFATHER, HE SHOVED MY HEAD

RIGHT DOWN TO THE FLOOR

AND JUST GOT ME OUT OF THE LINE OF FIRE.

VIOLENTLY AND QUICKLY, KABASH, MY HEAD WAS JAMMED.

AND ALL I REMEMBER IS JUST GLASS FLYING EVERYWHERE,

AND JUST A BURST.

AN EXPLOSION OF GLASS, AND I GATHER EVERY WINDOW

WAS BROKEN IN THE CAR.

AND IT WAS OVER IN A SECOND.

Foner: IT WAS A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TIME.

AND THE FBI WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE ASKING QUESTIONS

AND GENERALLY TRYING TO SCARE PEOPLE

INTO INACTIVITY.

BASICALLY, TO TRY TO SCARE PEOPLE,

SO THAT THEY WOULDN'T BE ACTIVE DOING THE THINGS

THAT THEY FELT WERE THE RIGHT THINGS TO DO.

Seeger: IT WAS AROUND 1949, WHEN I DRIFTED

OUT OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY.

I STILL HAVE COMMUNIST FRIENDS AND I ARGUE WITH THEM.

AND I OCCASIONALLY LOOK AT THEIR NEWSPAPER.

SOME GOOD STORIES OCCASIONALLY.

BUT THEN I ALSO GET THE WALL STREET JOURNAL,

AND THERE ARE OCCASIONALLY GOOD STORIES THERE.

I'D REALLY LIKE IT IF I CAN GET THEM BOTH IN THE SAME ROOM

TALKING WITH EACH OTHER.

¶ TZENA, TZENA, TZENA, TZENA ¶

¶ CAN'T YOU HEAR THE MUSIC PLAYING IN THE CITY SQUARE ¶

¶ TZENA, TZENA, TZENA, TZENA ¶

¶ COME WHERE ALL OUR FRIENDS WILL FIND US ¶

¶ WITH THE DANCERS THERE ¶

¶ TZENA, TZENA, JOIN THE CELEBRATION ¶

¶ THERE'LL BE PEOPLE THERE FROM EVERY NATION ¶

¶ DAWN WILL FIND US LAUGHING IN THE SUNLIGHT ¶

¶ DANCING IN THE CITY SQUARE ¶

¶ TZENA, TZENA, COME AND DANCE THE HORA ¶

¶ 1, 2, 3, 4 ¶

¶ ALL THE BOYS WILL ENVY ME ¶¶

Seeger: LEE HAYS AND I, WHO'D SUNG IN THE ALMANACS,

WE FOUND A WONDERFUL ALTO SINGER,

AND A VERY GOOD GUITAR PLAYER AND BARITONE SINGER,

AND PRETTY SOON, WE HAD A QUARTET.

AND WE SOUNDED DARN GOOD TOGETHER.

IT WAS AMAZING.

AND THE WEAVERS GOT STARTED.

AND THE WEAVERS HIT THE BIG TIME, MY GOD.

Seeger: IT NEVER OCCURRED TO US WE'D HAVE A HIT RECORD.

IT WAS TOTALLY UNEXPECTED.

[ SINGING "TZENA TZENA TZENA" ]

Seeger: THEY SAID IT WAS GOING TO BE THE HIT SIDE.

DECCA PUT ITS MONEY BEHIND IT,

SURE ENOUGH, IT ROSE RIGHT AWAY TO NUMBER ONE.

THEN DISC JOCKEYS,

JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, PLAYED THE OTHER SIDE.

AND IT WAS THE PHENOMENA OF THE YEAR 1950.

¶ GOOD NIGHT ¶

¶ IRENE, GOOD NIGHT ¶

¶ GOODNIGHT IRENE, GOODNIGHT IRENE ¶

¶ I'LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS ¶¶

WE LEARNED THIS SONG, "IRENE," FROM A FRIEND OF OURS.

HIS NAMED WAS HUDDIE LEDBETTER.

HE CALLED HIMSELF "LEADBELLY, KING OF THE 12 STRING GUITAR."

SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT HE WAS THE GREATEST FOLK SINGER

THAT EVER LIVED IN AMERICA.

WE KNEW HIM BEST AS A REMEMBERER OF FOLK SONGS,

AND HE TAUGHT US DOZENS OF THEM.

¶ GOODNIGHT IRENE, GOODNIGHT IRENE ¶

¶ I'LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS ¶

¶ LAST SATURDAY NIGHT I GOT MARRIED ¶¶

Seeger: WITHIN ONE MONTH, "GOODNIGHT IRENE"

SHOT UP THE CHARTS AND TOOK OVER NUMBER ONE.

ALL OF A SUDDEN,

WE WERE NOW HOT COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.

AND WE GOT A NEW MANAGER.

AND HE GOT US JOBS AT THE BIGGEST NIGHTCLUBS HE COULD.

CIRO'S IN HOLLYWOOD,

AND THE THUNDERBIRD HOTEL IN LAS VEGAS,

THE PALMER HOUSE IN CHICAGO,

THE WALDORF-ASTORIA IN NEW YORK.

Gilbert: HE DIDN'T LIKE THE FANCY HOTELS

THAT WE STAYED IN -- I LOVED THEM.

BUT PETE DID NOT LIKE THEM.

AND HE USUALLY MANAGED TO FIND USUALLY A FRIEND

THAT HE COULD STAY WITH.

AND IF NOT A FRIEND, THEN SOME FLEA BAG SOMEWHERE

THAT HE COULD STAY IN.

Seeger: WELL, I NEVER WANTED TO DO COMMERCIAL WORK.

I DON'T DRINK, I DON'T SMOKE, I DON'T LIKE NIGHTCLUBS.

Gilbert: THE WEAVERS WERE AT THE TOP OF THE CHARTS,

AS THEY SAY.

OUR MUSIC BEING PLAYED ALL OVER, BEING COVERED BY PEOPLE.

Seeger: THE WEAVERS WERE OFFERED A WEEKLY TELEVISION SHOW

COAST TO COAST,

SPONSORED BY VAN CAMPS PORK AND BEANS.

HOWEVER, THAT VERY WEEK, A LITTLE GROUP OF BLACKLISTERS

CAME OUT WITH A BLAST AGAINST US.

AND VAN CAMPS BEANS DID NOT SIGN THE CONTRACT.

AND AS WE WERE THEN CALLED "EVIL COMMIES,"

OUR RECORDS WERE NO LONGER PLAYED,

BECAUSE THE DISC JOCKEYS

WERE SCARED.

Man: THE WEAVERS WERE THE ONLY GROUP

THAT BECAME BLACKLISTED.

AND WHEN I WENT AROUND TO PEOPLE IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY,

EVERYONE WAS SCARED TO TALK UP

AGAINST THE BLACKLIST.

THEY JUST WANTED TO HIDE.

Gilbert: WE LOST OUR LIVELIHOOD, WE LOST OUR CAREERS.

WE LOST OUR... BUT WE LOST MUCH MORE THAN THAT.

WE LOST THE SENSE THAT

WE WERE LIVING IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY.

THE CENSORSHIP THAT HE INCURRED AT A PARTICULAR POINT

IS NEVER AS FAR AWAY AS YOU THINK IT IS.

WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM, AND A LOT OF THOSE ARTISTS AT THAT TIME,

IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN.

IT WON'T HAPPEN THE SAME WAY.

IT'S MORE SUBTLE, IT'S DIFFERENT.

BUT ANYTIME WHEN YOU HAVE AN ADMINISTRATION

THAT PUNISHES ITS ENEMIES,

IN A VERY PERSONAL FASHION PARTICULARLY,

THAT'S NEVER AS FAR AWAY AS YOU THINK IT IS.

¶ WELL NOW, SOME FOLKS SAY A MAN IS MADE OUT OF MUD ¶

¶ A POOR MAN'S MADE OUT OF MUSCLE AND BLOOD ¶

¶ MUSCLE AND BLOOD ¶¶

Peggy S: 1952 AND 1953,

WHEN HE WAS TO COME UP IN FRONT OF HUAC,

AND OUR WHOLE FAMILY TURNED UPSIDE DOWN.

SOME OF MY MOTHER'S PUPILS QUIT

BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED

WITH THE FAMILY.

MY FATHER RESIGNED BEFORE HE COULD BE FIRED.

Man: MR. SEEGER, YOU SAID YOU'VE

NEVER ENGAGED IN ANY CONSPIRACY BEFORE IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.

DO YOU CONSIDER THE COMMUNIST PARTY A CONSPIRACY?

UH, THE SAME THING I TOLD MR. WALTER,

MY OWN OPINIONS, HOW I VOTED IN ELECTION --

MY OWN AFFAIR.

I JUST, I DON'T LIKE GIVING ARGUMENTS

ABOUT POLITICS, OR RELIGION, FOR THAT MATTER.

Man: BUT DO YOU CONSIDER THE COMMUNIST PARTY A CONSPIRACY?

I'VE JUST GIVEN YOU MY ANSWER, HAVEN'T I?

NO, HE DIDN'T EVEN ADMIT THAT HE WAS A COMMUNIST.

HE SAID, "I BELIEVE IN DOING WHAT I BELIEVE IN.

"AND OTHER PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT.

AND I HAVE A PERFECT RIGHT TO SAY THAT IT'S PRIVATE."

AND SO, HE WOULDN'T TELL THEM.

MR. SEEGER, YOU SPECIFICALLY DECLINED THE PROTECTION

OF THE 5th AMENDMENT, AND ARE REFUSING TO ANSWER

THE COMMITTEE'S QUESTIONS -- CAN YOU TELL US WHY?

WELL, I TOLD THE COMMITTEE THAT IN ALL MY LIFE,

I'VE NEVER COMMITTED ANY KIND OF ACT,

CONSPIRATORIAL OR EVEN CONDUCIVE.

AND I RESENTED THE IMPLICATION

THAT BY BEING CALLED BEFORE THE COMMITTEE,

THAT, BECAUSE MY OPINIONS MIGHT BE DIFFERENT

THAN MR. WALTERS' --

HE HAS THE RIGHT TO HIS OPINION, I HAVE TO MINE.

JUDGE MURPHY SAID, "I HAVE DETERMINED THAT MR. SEEGER

SHOULD HAVE ANSWERED THESE QUESTIONS."

SO, I WAS DECLARED GUILTY.

HOWEVER, AFTER SEVEN YEARS,

THE APPEALS COURT ACQUITTED ME.

AND NOBODY'S ASKED YOU,

IF YOU WERE FEARFUL THAT YOU WOULD GO TO JAIL.

I'M PROBABLY VERY STUPID, BUT I'M NOT FEARFUL.

BUT I, I REALLY BELIEVED,

AND I THINK I WAS RIGHT, THAT IN THE LONG RUN,

THIS COUNTRY DOESN'T GO IN FOR THINGS LIKE THAT.

[ BANJO PLAYS ]

¶ WELL, I WAS BORN ONE MORNING WHEN THE SUN DIDN'T SHINE ¶

¶ I GRABBED MY SHOVEL ¶

¶ AND I WENT TO THE MINE ¶¶

WE GOT A NEW MANAGER, HAROLD LEVENTHAL,

WHO, THREE YEARS LATER, RENTED CARNEGIE HALL

AS A GAMBLE FOR A WEAVERS REUNION.

AND TO EVERYBODY'S SURPRISE, HE GOT STANDING ROOM ONLY.

HE'S FILLED IT.

Gilbert: IT CHANGED OUR LIVES. MADE A WHOLE NEW LIFE FOR US.

THERE WAS AN AUDIENCE OF PEOPLE WHO WERE DEFYING THE BLACKLIST

TO COME TO HEAR THE WEAVERS, FROM CARNEGIE HALL ON.

¶ ONE MORNING IN THE DRIZZLING RAIN ¶

¶ FIGHTING AND TROUBLE BEEN MY MIDDLE NAME ¶

¶ YOU SEE ME COMING, YOU'D BETTER STEP ASIDE ¶

¶ A LOT OF MEN DIDN'T ¶

¶ AND A LOT OF MEN DIED ¶

¶ YOU LOAD SIXTEEN TONS AND WHAT DO YOU GET? ¶

¶ YOU GET ANOTHER DAY OLDER AND DEEPER IN DEBT ¶¶

HOWEVER, THE WEAVERS DID A COMMERCIAL

FOR A CIGARETTE COMPANY.

AND I WAS VERY MUCH AGAINST THIS.

THEY SAID, "WELL, WE NEED THE MONEY."

I SAID, "WE DON'T NEED THE MONEY THIS MUCH."

AND I RESIGNED FROM THE WEAVERS.

Man: THE LATE '40s AND '50s,

PETE WAS THE ONLY BANJO PLAYER AROUND,

UP NORTH AT THE VERY LEAST.

PETE WAS...DECIDED THAT HE WAS GOING TO WRITE

A BANJO INSTRUCTION MANUAL.

AND THEN HE REALIZED THAT HE HAD NEVER TAUGHT ANYBODY

HOW TO PLAY THE BANJO.

SO, HE FIGURED HE SHOULD GET SOME PEOPLE TOGETHER,

AND TEACH THEM HOW TO PLAY THE BANJO,

SO HE CAN KNOW WHAT TO WRITE, WHAT WAS WORKING,

AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ONE OF THE PEOPLE.

HE WAS TEACHING US EVERYTHING.

HOW TO PLAY RUMBAS AND FRAILING, AND UP-PICKING.

OF COURSE, I WAS DESPERATE TO LEARN EVERYTHING

AND PLAY LIKE PETE, BECAUSE WHO ELSE WAS IT?

THE BANJO WAS A TOOL -- IT WAS HIS WEAPON.

IT WAS HIS INSTRUMENT THAT GOT THE MUSIC OUT THERE.

AND FOR MANY OF US, HE WAS THE BANJO.

¶ THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND, THIS LAND IS MY LAND ¶

¶ FROM THE REDWOOD FOREST TO THE GULF STREAM WATERS ¶

¶ THIS LAND WAS MADE ¶

¶ FOR YOU AND ME ¶¶

Dunaway: THE FBI BASICALLY PURSUED PETE SEEGER

TO THE POINT WHERE

HE COULDN'T GET A JOB.

THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT HE COULD SING FOR

WERE KIDS,

BECAUSE THEY NEVER THOUGHT THERE'D BE A PROBLEM

WITH PETE SEEGER SINGING FOR SIX-YEAR-OLDS.

LITTLE DID THEY KNOW --

OUT OF THAT CAME, NOT A SUBVERSIVE MOVEMENT,

BUT INSTEAD AN AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC REVIVAL

THAT I THINK WE HAVE TO GIVE THE FBI CREDIT

FOR HELPING TO ESTABLISH.

¶ MICHAEL, ROW THE BOAT ASHORE ¶

¶ HALLELUJAH ¶

¶ MICHAEL, ROW THE BOAT ASHORE ¶

¶ HALLELUJAH ¶¶

Man: I WAS A COUNSELOR AND A CAMPER

FOR MANY YEARS AT CAMP WOODLAND FOR CHILDREN

IN PHOENICIA, NEW YORK --

AN INTERRACIAL LEFT WING CAMP -- AND PETE CAME UP REGULARLY.

THERE WAS A BUILT-IN SECTION OF PEOPLE

WHO ALREADY KNEW AND LIKED FOLK MUSIC,

WHO HAD LEARNED IT IN THE CAMPS.

OR LIKE IN MY CASE, TAKEN LESSONS FROM PETE,

AND PLAYED AROUND WASHINGTON SQUARE IN NEW YORK,

AND GREENWICH VILLAGE.

AND WE WENT OUT TO COLLEGE,

AND WE WANTED TO KEEP UP THE SAME MUSIC.

SO, WE FORMED FOLK MUSIC CLUBS.

WE GOT TOGETHER WITH OTHER KIDS WHO PLAYED.

BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, YOU HAVE 200 PEOPLE A WEEK

JUST COMING OUT TO SING FOLK SONGS WITH YOU.

SO, WHEN WE BROUGHT THE KING OF FOLK SINGERS,

WHEN WE BROUGHT PETE SEEGER OUT,

IT WOULDN'T BE 200, IT'D BE 500, 1,000.

I WENT FROM COLLEGE TO COLLEGE

TO COLLEGE TO COLLEGE TO COLLEGE,

FROM 1953 RIGHT INTO THE '60s.

AND THE COLLEGE STUDENTS

BELIEVED IN THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH,

SO, IF YOU WANTED TO PICKET, YOU CAN PICKET.

BUT THEY WEREN'T GOING TO CANCEL MY CONCERTS.

AND,

IN A FUNNY, UPSIDE DOWN WAY,

YOU KNOW, THE PICKETING,

ALL IT DID WAS SELL MORE TICKETS TO MY CONCERTS.

[ APPLAUSE ]

¶ THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE ¶

¶ I'M GONNA LET IT SHINE ¶

¶ THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE ¶

¶ I'M GONNA LET IT SHINE ¶

¶ THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE ¶

¶ I'M GONNA LET IT SHINE ¶

¶ LET IT SHINE, LET IT SHINE ¶

¶ LET IT SHINE ¶

¶ OH, IN MY HEART ¶¶

Dan S: THE VILEST TIME FOR HIM WAS THE 1950s,

WHEN HE WAS BLACKLISTED, DURING THE PERIOD OF HUAC.

Cohen: IT WAS LIKE THE BLACKLIST TURNED OVER TO A POPULACE

WHO HAD JUST BEEN SO FED

THIS ANTI-COMMUNIST HYSTERIA.

Man: I MUST HAVE BEEN AROUND,

I DON'T KNOW, 10, 11, 12 YEARS OLD,

AND OUR SCHOOL TOOK A TRIP TO GO TO SEE A PETE SEEGER CONCERT

SOMEWHERE IN BROOKLYN.

AND THE SCHOOL BUS PULLS UP AND THE LITTLE KIDS GOT OUT.

AND OUT IN FRONT OF THE THEATER,

ALL THESE GUYS MARCHING AROUND WITH SIGNS,

SAYING, "DON'T GO. HE'S A COMMIE."

AND I'M SAYING, "OH, MY."

I WENT UP TO THE GUY AND SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT,

IS HE REALLY A COMMIE?"

HE SAID, "OH, YEAH. HE'S A COMMIE."

I SAID, "GIVE ME THOSE PAMPHLETS.

KIDS, LET'S ALL GET PAMPHLETS."

SO, WE GOT ALL THE PAMPHLETS AND THEN WE WALKED INSIDE.

AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY MORE PAMPHLETS.

AND THAT WAS OUR FIRST POLITICAL ACTION

THAT WAS SORT OF BASED ON A PETE EVENT.

Seeger: IN 1962,

WHEN I WAS ACQUITTED OF THE CHARGE

OF CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS,

MY WIFE AND I DECIDED TO TAKE A TRIP AROUND THE WORLD.

THE WORLD TRIP WAS MY FATHER'S BRAINSTORM

TO TAKE HIS WHOLE FAMILY ON THE ROAD FOR A YEAR.

YANK THEM OUT OF SCHOOL.

AND GOING TO AS MANY COUNTRIES AS COULD POSSIBLY BE FIT IN.

[ WOMAN SINGING IN JAPANESE ]

Seeger: WE TOOK

A CHEAP NEWSREEL CAMERA WITH US.

AND WE FILMED SOME OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY MUSIC AND DANCING

ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

[ SINGING IN AFRICAN LANGUAGE ]

Dan S: THE FILMS WERE SCHOLARLY ATTEMPTS

AT DOCUMENTING MUSIC.

MY MOTHER WAS THE CAMERA PERSON, AND I DID THE SOUND.

AND WE SAW A PIECE OF THE WORLD THAT NO LONGER EXISTS.

TO PAY FOR THE AIRLINE TICKETS, WHICH WASN'T CHEAP,

I THINK HE PERFORMED IN EVERY COUNTRY.

HIS IDEA WAS TO GET THE WORLD SINGING,

NOT TO BE THE SINGER.

¶ WIMOWEH, WIMOWEH, WIMOWEH ¶

¶ WEE-OH-OH ¶

YOU CAN HELP OUT, TOO, IF YOU WANNA.

¶ WEE... ¶

¶ OOH-WEE-OOH ¶

¶ WIMO-WIMOWEH ¶

¶ OH, OH, OH, OH... ¶

¶ WEE-OOH... ¶

¶ WIMOWEH, WIMOWEH... ¶

¶ WEE-OOH-OOH ¶

¶ BRRRRRRR! ¶

¶ BA-BA-BA ¶

¶ WIMO-OH-OH ¶

Silverman: PETE'S SPIRIT WAS EVERYWHERE.

THE SEED, THE JOHNNY APPLESEED OF PETE SEEGER,

WAS PLANTED.

AND GREW AND GREW AND GREW.

¶ IF I HAD A HAMMER, I'D HAMMER IN THE MORNING ¶

¶ I'D HAMMER IN THE EVENING, ALL OVER THIS LAND ¶

¶ I'D HAMMER OUT DANGER, I'D HAMMER OUT A WARNING ¶

¶ I'D HAMMER OUT LOVE BETWEEN MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS ¶

¶ ALL OVER THIS LAND ¶¶

Man: PETE REALLY WAS THE GENESIS OF THE FOLK REVIVAL.

IT WAS HIS SPIRIT AND HIS WAY OF EMBRACING FOLK MUSIC

AS A TOOL FOR JUSTICE,

AND CONSCIOUSNESS, AND CARING,

THAT BECAME THE MODEL FOR ALL OF US.

Woman: PETE SEEGER IS PROBABLY SINGULARLY

THE MOST RESPONSIBLE PERSON

FOR MAKING THIS...

A NATIONAL IDENTITY.

HE, MORE THAN ANYBODY, REINTRODUCED AMERICA

TO ITS MUSICAL HERITAGE.

Dunaway: THE NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL WAS SET UP

TO PRESENT RURAL FOLK MUSIC

TO AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT.

AND IT WAS INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL.

AT TAKING PERFORMERS OF FOLK MUSIC,

SOME TRADITIONAL, SOME CITY BILLIES,

AND PRESENTING IT

TO A NEW AUDIENCE OF YOUNG PEOPLE.

Man: STARTING IN '63 THROUGH '69,

WAS SOME OF THE GREATEST MUSICAL EXPERIENCES

THAT THIS COUNTRY HAS EVER SEEN, THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.

THE POINT IS NOBODY COULD HAVE GOTTEN THAT KIND OF

SUPPORT FROM THE ENTIRE -- I'LL USE THE WORD "FOLK WORLD,"

BUT IT WASN'T ALL OF FOLK WORLD,

'CAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF COMMERCIAL ARTISTS --

THAT WOULD GIVE UP DAYS OF THEIR LIVES,

WHERE THEY COULD HAVE MADE BIG MONEY,

TO COME UP AND PLAY AT THE FOLK FESTIVAL.

AND PETE WAS THE LEADER.

¶ GREEN CORN, COME ALONG, CHARLIE ¶

¶ GREEN CORN, DON'T YOU TELL MOLLY ¶

¶ GREEN CORN, COME ALONG, CHARLIE ¶

¶ GREEN CORN ¶

¶ GREEN CORN, GREEN CORN, COME ALONG, CHARLIE ¶

¶ GREEN CORN, GREEN CORN, DON'T TELL POLLY ¶¶

Seeger: AND THE FIRST FOLK FESTIVAL,

IT WAS MAINLY WELL-KNOWN PERFORMERS.

SO, WE SAT DOWN AND WROTE A LONG LETTER TO GEORGE.

WE SAID, "GEORGE, DO YOU REALIZE YOU COULD HAVE A FESTIVAL

"THAT WOULD BE A REAL FOLK FESTIVAL NEXT SUMMER,

"BECAUSE YOU'D HAVE OLD-TIMERS FROM THE COUNTRY,

"CONTRASTED WITH THE YOUNG-TIMERS

FROM THE COLLEGES?"

¶ HUSH, LITTLE BABY, DON'T YOU CRY ¶

¶ YOU KNOW YOUR MAMA WAS BORN TO DIE ¶¶

Baez: THE NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL WAS KIND OF THE OFFICIAL BIRTH

OF FOLK MUSIC GOING FROM COUNTER-CULTURAL

TO BEING A PART OF THE CULTURE.

Dylan: I THOUGHT FOLK MUSIC

WAS DELIVERING ME SOMETHING, YOU KNOW,

WHICH WAS THE WAY I ALWAYS FELT ABOUT LIFE,

YOU KNOW, AND PEOPLE,

AND IDEOLOGY.

¶ WALK DOWN ¶

¶ BEFORE YOU CALL HIM A MAN? ¶

¶ HOW MANY SEAS MUST A WHITE DOVE SAIL ¶

¶ BEFORE SHE SLEEPS IN THE SAND? ¶

¶ YES, AND HOW MANY... ¶¶

I LOOK UPON MYSELF AS A PLANTER OF SEEDS.

AND SOME OF THE, LIKE IN THE BIBLE, IT SAYS,

SOME OF THEM LAND IN THE STONES, AND THEY DON'T SPROUT.

SOME LAND IN THE PATHWAY AND THEY GET STOMPED ON.

BUT SOME LAND ON GOOD GROUND,

AND GROW AND MULTIPLY A THOUSANDFOLD.

Cohen: THE MEETING BETWEEN FOLK REVIVAL

AND POP CULTURE GOT IMMENSE,

AND THERE WAS A TELEVISION SHOW CALLED THE "HOOTENANNY" SHOW.

SO IT WAS REACHING A VERY, VERY BIG AUDIENCE.

Announcer: YOU'RE JUST IN TIME FOR A "HOOTENANNY"

WITH THE TRAVELERS THREE.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

Springsteen: MY EXPERIENCE WITH FOLK MUSIC WHEN I WAS A KID

WAS PROBABLY THE "HOOTENANNY" TV SHOW,

WHICH IF I'M CORRECT, HE DIDN'T APPEAR ON,

BECAUSE HE WAS BLACKLISTED.

THEY WANTED ME ON THEIR SHOW.

AND TO THIS DAY, IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS

I'M REALLY VERY, VERY PROUD OF.

I SAID, "OH, I'D BE DELIGHTED TO COME ON YOUR SHOW

AS SOON AS YOU PUT PETE ON."

'CAUSE HE HAD NOT BEEN ALLOWED ON TV OR RADIO, I BELIEVE,

WHAT, 17 YEARS?

THE FACT THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE ME ON IT

UNLESS I WOULD SIGN A NON-COMMUNIST OATH

WAS KIND OF TRIVIAL.

BUT A MAN IN NEW YORK SAYS,

"PETE, I THINK IF YOU WOULD RUN A TV SHOW

"ON YOUR OWN, I COULD GET AT LEAST

SOME OF THE EDUCATIONAL STATIONS TO CARRY IT."

SO, EVERY TWO WEEKS FOR 39 WEEKS,

TOSHI AND I WENT DOWN TO NEWARK, NEW JERSEY,

AND TAPE-RECORDED TWO SHOWS.

¶ LITTLE BOXES ON THE HILLSIDE ¶

¶ LITTLE BOXES MADE OF TICKY-TACKY ¶

¶ LITTLE BOXES, LITTLE BOXES ¶

¶ LITTLE BOXES, ALL THE SAME ¶

¶ THERE'S A GREEN ONE AND A PINK ONE ¶

¶ AND THEY'RE ALL MADE OUT OF TICKY-TACKY ¶

¶ AND THEY ALL LOOK JUST THE SAME ¶¶

Seeger: PEOPLE WE ASKED TO BE GUESTS

WERE PAID ALL OF $50. [ LAUGHS ]

AND WE HELPED TO FUND IT.

AND WHEN WE RAN OUT OF CASH, IT WAS DISCONTINUED.

BUT WE DID HAVE SOME WONDERFUL GUESTS ON IT.

¶ YOU OUGHT TO SEE MY CINDY, SHE LIVES AWAY DOWN SOUTH ¶

¶ SHE'S SO SWEET THE HONEYBEES SWARM AROUND HER MOUTH ¶

¶ GET ALONG HOME, CINDY CINDY, GET ALONG HOME, CINDY CINDY ¶

¶ GET ALONG HOME, CINDY CINDY, I'LL MARRY YOU SOMEDAY ¶¶

MY FATHER NEVER PROMOTED FOLK MUSIC

HIS PROMOTION AS WAS SOLELY AROUND

THE SOCIAL IMPORTANCE OF IT --

THE WAY IT COULD GATHER PEOPLE TOGETHER.

BUT COMMERCIALITY WAS NOT IN HIS GAME.

HIS COMMERCIALITY WAS AN ACCIDENT,

OF PEOPLE PROMOTING HIM.

I THINK MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER,

HE WISHED IT DID NOT HAPPEN.

BUT IN ORDER TO SPREAD THE MESSAGE,

I THINK HE PUT UP WITH IT.

¶ WE SHALL OVERCOME ¶

¶ WE SHALL OVERCOME ¶

¶ WE SHALL OVERCOME SOMEDAY ¶¶

WE OWE A LOT TO PETE

FOR "WE SHALL OVERCOME," TO BEGIN WITH.

I MEAN, THAT'S WHERE I FIRST

HEARD IT.

AND IT WAS LIKE A SYMBOL.

Seeger: I ONLY MET MARTIN LUTHER KING TWICE, VERY BRIEFLY,

IN 1957 AT THE HIGHLANDER FOLK SCHOOL.

I WAS INVITED DOWN

TO SING A FEW SONGS.

AND I SANG A SONG CALLED, "WE SHALL OVERCOME."

AFTERWARDS, A FRIEND OF MINE DROVE DR. KING

UP TO A SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT IN KENTUCKY.

AND SHE REMEMBERS HIM SITTING IN THE BACK SEAT,

SAYING, "'WE SHALL OVERCOME.'

THAT SONG REALLY STICKS WITH YOU, DOESN'T IT?"

I GET TOO MUCH CREDIT FOR THIS SONG.

I ADDED A FEW VERSES, BUT EVERYBODY ADDS VERSES.

I DID ADD VERSES WHICH A LOT OF OTHERS SING --

I ALSO GOT PEOPLE "WE'LLSINGING "SHALL"

INSTEAD OF "WILL."

Mitchell: ONE OF THE THINGS

THAT HE BROUGHT TO ALL MOVEMENTS

WAS THE IDEA OF UNITY.

AND PEOPLE BEING TOGETHER.

THAT IF YOU CAN BE TOGETHER, YOU CAN FIGHT ALMOST ANYTHING.

Woman: WE REALLY SAW PETE AS A RADICAL.

AND HE ACTUALLY BROUGHT

A VERY DEEP KNOWLEDGE BASE

ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSIC

AND STRUGGLE THAT HE JUST SHARED UNENDINGLY.

Man: PETE, YOU KNOW, PLAYED A CONSTANT ROLE IN THE MOVEMENT.

LONG BEFORE I WAS INVOLVED

IN ANYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH CIVIL RIGHTS,

PETE SEEGER WAS DOING IT.

HE WOULD APPEAR AT BENEFITS FOR US,

HE WOULD INTRODUCE US TO OTHERS

WHO WOULD DO BENEFITS FOR US.

HE WAS JUST ALWAYS THERE.

¶ IF I HAD A HAMMER ¶

¶ I'D HAMMER IN THE MORNING ¶

¶ I'D HAMMER IN THE EVENING ¶

¶ ALL OVER THIS LAND ¶

I'D HAMMER OUT FREEDOM!

¶ I'D HAMMER OUT ¶

¶ FREEDOM! ¶

I'D HAMMER OUT JUSTICE!

¶ I'D HAMMER OUT JUSTICE! ¶

I'D HAMMER OUT LOVE --

¶ I'D HAMMER OUT LOVE ¶

¶ BETWEEN MY BROTHERS... ¶¶

Seeger: I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANY POLITICAL MOVEMENT

IN HISTORY

THAT HAD AS MUCH SINGING

AS THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT HAD.

¶ WE SHALL NOT ¶

¶ WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED ¶

¶ JUST LIKE A TREE ¶

¶ THAT'S PLANTED BY THE WATER ¶¶

AND I THINK

THESE PICTURES REFUTE THE PEOPLE WHO SAY

THAT...

MUSIC IS JUST

AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE LIFE LIVABLE.

IT'S TRUE --

TO A CERTAIN EXTENT,

THAT'S ONE OF THE PURPOSES

OF MUSIC -- TO HELP YOU SURVIVE

YOUR TROUBLES,

HELP DISTRACT YOU FROM YOUR TROUBLES.

BUT SOME MUSIC HELPS YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR TROUBLES.

AND, AS YOU SEE HERE,

SOME MUSIC CAN HELP YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR TROUBLES.

¶ WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE? ¶

¶ LONG TIME PASSING ¶

¶ WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE? ¶

¶ LONG TIME AGO ¶

¶ WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE? ¶

¶ GIRLS HAVE PICKED THEM, EVERY ONE ¶

¶ WHEN WILL WE EVER LEARN? ¶

¶ WHEN WILL WE EVER LEARN? ¶¶

Maines: I THINK PETE SEEGER WAS ONE

OF THOSE THAT, HE WROTE SONGS BECAUSE HE NEEDED TO.

YOU KNOW, AT THAT TIME, MUSIC

WAS ABOUT SOMETHING,

AND IT WAS ABOUT SPEAKING OUT.

Seeger: I WAS LOOKING AT A NEWSPAPER

AND SEEING AMERICAN TROOPS

TRYING TO WADE WAIST DEEP

ACROSS THE MEKONG RIVER.

AND A PHRASE SPRANG TO MY MIND,

"WAIST DEEP IN THE BIG MUDDY,

AND THE BIG FOOL SAYS TO PUSH ON."

PETE SEEGER HAD BEEN KEPT OFF

BROADCAST TELEVISION FOR SOMETHING LIKE 17 YEARS.

SOMEWHERE AROUND 1967,

PETE SEEGER HAS ANOTHER CHANCE.

THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS STUCK THEIR NECKS ALL THE WAY OUT

AND INVITED SEEGER ON TO SING.

Tommy Smothers: I SAID, "I WANT PETE SEEGER ON THE SHOW."

AND CBS SAID, "SURE."

THEY THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR A SECOND,

BUT THEY SAID, "OKAY, FINE."

WELL, BY THE TIME WE GET ON,

WE WERE GETTING PRETTY HEATED ABOUT THE WAR,

AND BEING, BECOMING SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS.

AND OF COURSE HE WAS

THE BIGGEST CONSCIENCE IN THE WORLD.

Seeger: AND I SANG SEVERAL SONGS,

INCLUDING "THE BIG MUDDY."

BUT WHEN THE SHOW WAS PUT ON THE AIR,

THEY'D SCISSORED OUT THAT SONG.

Smothers: SO I RAN TO THE PRESS RIGHT AWAY,

SAID, "OH, WE'RE BEING CENSORED.

THEY'RE STOPPING PETE SEEGER FROM SINGING."

AND SO THEY MADE A BIG DEAL ABOUT IT.

Seeger: FINALLY, AFTER THREE MONTHS, THEY SAID,

"OKAY, OKAY," AND IN JANUARY,

THEY ALLOWED ME TO SING IT.

¶ ALL AT ONCE THE MOON CLOUDED OVER ¶

¶ WE HEARD A GURGLING CRY ¶

¶ A FEW SECONDS LATER THE CAPTAIN'S HELMET ¶

¶ WAS ALL THAT FLOATED BY ¶

¶ THE SERGEANT SAID, TURN AROUND, MEN ¶

¶ I'M IN CHARGE FROM NOW ON ¶

¶ AND WE JUST MADE IT OUT OF THE BIG MUDDY ¶

¶ WITH THE CAPTAIN DEAD AND GONE ¶

¶ WE STRIPPED AND DIVED ¶

¶ AND FOUND HIS BODY ¶

¶ STUCK IN THE OLD QUICKSAND ¶

¶ I GUESS HE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE WATER WAS DEEPER ¶

¶ THAN THE PLACE HE'D ONCE BEFORE BEEN ¶

¶ ANOTHER STREAM HAD JOINED THE BIG MUDDY ¶

¶ 'BOUT A HALF-MILE FROM WHERE HE'D GONE ¶

¶ WE WERE LUCKY TO ESCAPE FROM THE BIG MUDDY ¶

¶ WHEN THE BIG FOOL SAID TO PUSH ON ¶

Seeger: THERE WERE MILLIONS WATCHING,

AND THAT TIME, I HAD A CHANCE TO SING THE WHOLE SONG.

¶ WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO PLANT ANY MORAL ¶

¶ I'LL LEAVE THAT FOR YOURSELF ¶

¶ MAYBE YOU'RE STILL WALKING ¶

¶ YOU'RE STILL TALKING ¶

¶ YOU'D LIKE TO KEEP YOUR HEALTH ¶

¶ BUT EVERY TIME I READ THE PAPER ¶

¶ THEM OLD FEELINGS COME ON ¶

¶ WE'RE WAIST DEEP IN THE BIG MUDDY ¶

¶ AND THE BIG FOOL SAYS TO PUSH ON ¶

¶ WAIST DEEP IN THE BIG MUDDY ¶

¶ THE BIG FOOL SAYS TO PUSH ON ¶

¶ WAIST DEEP IN THE BIG MUDDY ¶

¶ THE BIG FOOL SAYS TO PUSH ON ¶

¶ WAIST DEEP, NECK DEEP ¶

¶ SOON EVEN A TALL MAN WILL BE OVER HIS HEAD ¶

¶ WE'RE WAIST DEEP IN THE BIG MUDDY ¶

¶ THE BIG FOOL SAYS TO PUSH ON ¶¶

[ APPLAUSE ]

Seeger: IN 1972,

MY WIFE AND I WERE INVITED

TO VISIT NORTH VIETNAM.

WE TALKED IT OVER WITH OUR LAWYER,

WE TALKED IT OVER WITH OTHERS,

AND DECIDED, NOW'S THE TIME.

Tinya: THEY WANTED TO STOP THE WAR, OF COURSE.

AND WE HAD A GROUP OF PEOPLE

WHO REALLY WANTED TO SHOW US...

THAT VIETNAM WAS A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY

AND A FRIENDLY COUNTRY,

AND FULL OF VERY SMART AND TALENTED PEOPLE.

Man: I FIRST HEARD OF PETE SEEGER

WHEN I WAS IN VIETNAM, AND FOUND THAT HE

VISITED OUR ENEMY IN HANOI.

AT THAT POINT, I BECAME QUITE UPSET, QUITE ANGRY

AND ASHAMED OF THE FACT THAT PETE SEEGER

WAS FROM MY HOMETOWN.

WELL, NOW THAT I ANNOUNCED LAST WEEKKK

THAT YOU'RE ON MY SHOW. WAS FROM MY HOMETOWN.

I DON'T WANT YOU TO --

I DON'T WANT IT TO HURT YOU OR BOTHER YOU,

BECAUSE IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME.

IT'S JUST, I WANT THESE PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND SOME WAY

THE CRACKPOT LETTERS THAT HAVE BEEN COMING IN.

AND THERE ARE QUITE A FEW --

NOT A GREAT PERCENTAGE OF THE MAIL,

BUT QUITE A FEW LETTERS --

SAYING, "HOW DARE YOU,

"SUPPOSEDLY SUCH A GOOD AMERICAN,

"HAVE A COMMUNIST LIKE PETE SEEGER

ON YOUR TV SHOW?"

IF I HATED THE USA,

I WOULD HAVE LEFT IT LONG AGO.

YEAH, PETE, I'VE KNOWN YOU

FOR QUITE A WHILE.

MANY YEARS, ACTUALLY.

AND THE PETE SEEGER I KNOW,

AND THE PETE SEEGER THAT JUNE AND I

HAVE COME TO LOVE,

IS, I'D SAY,

ONE OF THE BEST AMERICANS AND PATRIOTS

I'VE EVER KNOWN.

¶ THE WORLD'S GOT HUNGER AND IGNORANCE ¶

¶ BRING 'EM HOME ¶

¶ BRING 'EM HOME ¶

¶ YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT WITH BOMBS AND GUNS ¶

¶ BRING 'EM HOME, BRING 'EM HOME ¶

¶ SO IF YOU LOVE YOUR UNCLE SAM ¶

¶ BRING 'EM HOME, BRING 'EM HOME ¶

¶ SUPPORT OUR BOYS IN VIETNAM ¶

¶ BRING 'EM HOME, BRING 'EM HOME ¶

Paxton: THE VIETNAM WAR WAS A LIE!

WE ALL KNOW NOW GULF OF TONKIN WAS A LIE.

AND TO SING FOR PEACE

WAS TO SING FOR A RETURN

TO SANITY

AND JUSTICE.

¶ SHOW THESE GENERALS ¶

¶ THEIR FALLACY ¶

¶ BRING 'EM HOME ¶

¶ BRING 'EM HOME ¶

¶ THEY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT WEAPONRY ¶

¶ BRING 'EM HOME, BRING 'EM HOME ¶

¶ THE WORLD NEEDS HOUSING, FOOD, AND SCHOOLS ¶

¶ BRING 'EM HOME, HOME, HOME ¶

¶ AND LEARNING A FEW UNIVERSAL RULES ¶

¶ BRING 'EM HOME, BRING 'EM HOME ¶

¶ SO IF YOU LOVE YOUR UNCLE SAM ¶¶

Man: I JUST REMEMBER THE STORY THAT YOU USED TO TELL ME,

LIKE, EVERY YEAR OR SO,

IN THE REPERTOIRE OF STORIES YOU WOULD TELL ME,

AND IT WOULD BE, AFTER THIS CONCERT,

THIS MAN CAME UP TO YOU,

AND HE INTRODUCED HIMSELF, SHOOK YOUR HAND,

AND SAID, "MR. SEEGER, I CAME TO KILL YOU TONIGHT."

INTERESTING ENOUGH, THAT GUY CAME

FROM A SMALL, SMALL TOWN IN UPSTATE.

AND HE WENT INTO THE ARMY

WITH ALL HIS FRIENDS,

AND SOME OF HIS FRIENDS

HAD GOTTEN KILLED OVER THERE.

AND HERE I WAS, SINGING SONGS...

ABOUT PULLING OUT OF VIETNAM.

AND HE WAS SIMPLY OUTRAGED.

AND EVERYONE WAS STARTLED,

THAT KNEW THAT HE WAS SAYING THESE THINGS.

THAT'S WHEN I SAID THAT WHEN YOU,

YOU KNOW, WAS GOING TO GIVE THEM

JUST THE NORMAL AFTER-CONCERT SHAKE,

I SAID, "YOU HAVE TO TALK TO THEM,

YOU HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK TO THEM."

WE SAT DOWN, AND MAINLY, WE SANG

"WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE?" TOGETHER.

AND I REMEMBER HIM SAYING, HE SAYS,

"I FEEL CLEAN."

BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN FILLED

WITH SUCH, SUCH HATE.

Tinya: HE WAS CRYING.

HE THANKED HIM FOR CHANGING HIS MIND.

HE CAME THERE TO KILL HIM THAT NIGHT.

HE LISTENED TO THE CONCERT, AND HE WAS SO MOVED

THAT HE COULDN'T DO IT.

¶ OVERCOME SOME DAY ¶

¶ OH, DEEP IN ¶

Bonnie Raitt: PETE REALLY WAS THE BRIDGE

THAT ALLOWED THE REST OF US TO BECOME

ACTIVISTS AND MELD POLITICAL MUSIC.

SO I THINK THAT'S HIS GREATEST GIFT,

WAS SHEPHERDING SONGS OF PEACE AND JUSTICE

AND CELEBRATING WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT

ABOUT HUMANS,

BEING LOVING

AND CARING FOR EACH OTHER.

¶ WE SHALL OVERCOME ¶

Maines: IN THE TIME OF VIETNAM, WHEN YOU SEE

HOW LONG THAT WENT ON, AND THERE WERE

SO MANY PEOPLE

AGAINST IT, AND WHAT CHANGED THE GOVERNMENT'S MIND,

WHAT THEY DID ABOUT THAT,

WAS THE PEOPLE.

AND MUSIC

STARTED THAT.

¶ SOMEDAY ¶

Baez: THE PETES OF THE WORLD

AND THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS

OF PEOPLE WHO PROTESTED AND SANG AND MARCHED

AND SAT IN, GOT ARRESTED,

THAT'S WHY THAT WAR FINALLY ENDED.

HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PRESIDENT.

HE DIDN'T WANT IT TO END.

¶ WE SHALL OVERCOME ¶

¶ SOMEDAY ¶¶

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

Seeger: I REALLY LOVE THIS COUNTRY.

IF SOMEBODY SAYS, "WELL, YOU WERE AGAINST THE VIETNAM WAR,

YOU'RE ANTI-AMERICAN!"

I SAY, "WAS LINCOLN

"AGAINST AMERICA WHEN HE VOTED AGAINST THE MEXICAN WAR?

"WAS MARK TWAIN AGAINST AMERICA

"WHEN HE MADE SPEECHES AGAINST

THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR IN 1898?"

NO, IF YOU LOVE YOUR COUNTR, YOU'LL FIND WAYS SOMEHOW

TO SPEAK OUT, TO DO WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT.

¶ SAILING UP MY DIRTY STREAM ¶

¶ STILL I LOVE IT ¶

¶ AND I'LL KEEP THE DREAM ¶

Man: 40 YEARS AGO,

THE HUDSON RIVER

WAS LIKE DODGE CITY.

YOU COULD DO PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING YOU WANTED.

SEWAGE CONTAMINATION, OIL CONTAMINATION.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DECLARED THE HUDSON

AN INDUSTRIALIZED RIVER.

AND SO GOVERNMENT NOT ONLY

MADE POLLUTION POSSIBLE

AND DIDN'T TRY AND STOP IT,

THEY VIRTUALLY DECLARED THE HUDSON RIVER

AS A PLACE WHERE IT SHOULD TAKE PLACE.

Seeger: ABOUT THAT TIME, A FRIEND OF MINE SAID,

"PETE, YOU KNOW, THEY USED TO HAVE

SAILBOATS ON THE HUDSON WITH A BOOM 70 FEET LONG."

AND I SAID TO MY FRIEND,

"WHY DON'T WE GET SOME PEOPLE TOGETHER

"AND BUILD A REPLICA

OF ONE OF THESE BOATS?"

Tinya: HE LOVED

TO GATHER PEOPLE TOGETHER.

AND TO FIND A BOAT THAT HE

COULD ACTUALLY HAVE AN AUDIENCE ON,

YOU KNOW, BIG ENOUGH

TO SING WITH THESE PEOPLE ON A BOAT,

I THINK HE LIKED THAT IDEA.

People: ¶ I CAN'T CROSS O'ER ¶

Seeger: THREE YEARS LATER,

THE SLOOP CLEARWATER WAS LAUNCHED.

¶ NEITHER HAVE I ¶

¶ WINGS TO FLY ¶

Seeger: GIVE ME A BOAT!

¶ GIVE ME A BOAT ¶

¶ THAT CAN CARRY TWO ¶

Seeger: IT WAS ALSO ABOUT THIS TIME THAT I MET

A BIOLOGIST, RENE DUBOS,

WHO WORKED AT THE ROCKEFELLER INSTITUTE.

AND HE SAID,

"IF ANYBODY ASKS YOU,

"WHERE IN THE WORLD

"IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PLACE,

"TELL THEM, RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE.

"YOU CAN THINK GLOBALLY,

BUT ACT LOCALLY."

PETE WANTS TO CLEAN UP THE RIVER.

EVERYBODY SAYS, "PETE, YOU CAN'T CLEAN UP THE RIVER.

"THE RIVER'S TOO BIG.

"THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE.

NOBODY IS GOING TO HELP YOU,"

BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH.

THAT DIDN'T STOP PETE.

HE SIMPLY THOUGHT, "WELL, I THINK WE NEED TO BUILD US

"A SLOOP, AND WE'LL SAIL IT UP AND DOWN THE RIVER,

AND PEOPLE WILL COME TO THE RIVER TO SEE THE SLOOP."

AND THEY'LL LOOK DOWN BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

OF COURSE IT WORKED!

ONE MORE TIME!

¶ SAILING UP ¶

¶ SAILING UP ¶

¶ SAILING DOWN ¶

¶ SAILING DOWN ¶

¶ UP, DOWN ¶

¶ UP AND DOWN THE RIVER ¶

¶ SAILING ON ¶

¶ STOPPIN' ALL ALONG THE WAY ¶

¶ THE RIVER MAY BE DIRTY NOW ¶

¶ BUT SHE'S GETTING CLEANER EVERY DAY ¶¶

Tinya: HE MADE A PROMISE TO ME

WHEN I WAS ABOUT 12 YEARS OLD,

AND HE SAID, "WHEN YOU GROW UP,

YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SWIM IN THE RIVER."

[ Laughing ] AND HE DID!

I WAS SORT OF SURPRISED.

WE WERE THE FIRST ORGANIZATION

IN THE HUDSON RIVER VALLEY THAT ACTIVELY WENT OUT

AND HANDS-ON INVESTIGATED POLLUTERS.

IT TOOK A WHILE, BUT THE OBVIOUS THING

THAT HAPPENED WAS, WE CLEANED UP THE RIVER.

IT BEGAN A WHOLE ERA

WHERE THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE

BEGAN TO REALLY SEE WHAT IT WAS,

AND APPRECIATE IT FOR WHAT IT IS.

YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T JUST LEGISLATION,

AND IT WASN'T JUST WRITING LAWS.

IT WAS FUN STUFF, LIKE BEING DOWN ON THE RIVER,

AND DANCING,

AND MUSIC, AND FOOD, AND FESTIVALS.

Cronin: THE GREAT HUDSON RIVER REVIVAL

THAT CLEARWATER PUTS ON EVERY YEAR

GREW FROM AN ANNUAL EVENT

THAT ATTRACTED A COUPLE OF THOUSAND PEOPLE

TO AN ANNUAL EVENT THAT ATTRACTS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.

[ Singing with crowd ] ¶ AND BECAUSE I LOVE YOU ¶

GIVE IT ONE MORE TRY!

¶ I'LL GIVE IT ONE MORE TRY ¶

TO SHOW MY RAINBOW RACE...

¶ TO SHOW MY RAINBOW RACE ¶

IT'S TOO SOON TO DIE.

¶ IT'S TOO SOON TO DIE ¶

¶ GO TELL, GO TELL ALL THE LITTLE CHILDREN ¶

¶ TELL ALL THE MOTHERS AND FATHERS, TOO ¶

¶ NOW'S OUR LAST CHANCE TO LEARN TO SHARE ¶

¶ WHAT'S BEEN GIVEN TO ME AND YOU ¶

¶ ONE BLUE SKY ABOVE US ¶¶

Seeger: PEOPLE LIKE ME,

WHO WANT TO KEEP THE RIVERS CLEAN,

THE AIR SAFE TO BREATHE,

AND THE WATER SAFE TO DRINK, AND WE FOUND A WAY

TO TAKE SCHOOL KIDS OUT, NOW FOR 36 YEARS,

AND THE KIDS GO BACK TO SCHOOL THREE HOURS LATER,

AND SOME OF THEM HAVE HAD THEIR LIVES CHANGED.

WE'VE ALL

GOT TO BE INVOLVED

IN TRYING TO PUT THIS WORLD TOGETHER.

I THINK, IF THE WORLD

IS PUT TOGETHER, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE DONE

BY BIG ORGANIZATIONS.

IT'S GOING TO BE DONE BY MILLIONS

UPON MILLIONS

OF LITTLE ORGANIZATIONS,

OFTEN LOCAL.

PETE WAS A CONTROVERSIAL FIGURE,

AND I DON'T KNOW THAT PETE AND I

SHARED SIMILAR POLITICS 40 YEARS AGO.

BUT PETE WAS A MASTER

AT FINDING COMMON CAUSE WITH PEOPLE.

HE DID IT WITH HIS MUSIC, HE DID IT WITH HIS SONGS,

AND HE DID IT WITH THE HUDSON RIVER.

THE CAUSE THAT HE IS CHAMPIONING FOR THESE PAST DECADES

IS ONE THAT I BELIEVE IN TREMENDOUSLY.

IT'S LIKE HIS LITTLE BANJO SLOGAN,

"THIS MACHINE SURROUNDS HATE AND FORCES IT TO SURRENDER."

THAT'S WHAT HIS MUSIC DID.

HIS MUSIC SURROUNDED, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT POLITICAL HATE

IN HUDSON RIVEVEVALLEY

AND FORCED IT TO SURRENDERER

¶¶ YOUOU TO WALK ¶ IN HUDSON RIVEVEVALLEY

¶¶HAT LONESOME VALLEY ¶

CrCrCrd: ¶ LONESOME VALLEY ¶

¶ YOU GOT TO WALK ¶

¶ YOU GOT TO WALK ¶

¶ IT BY YOURSELF ¶

¶ IT BY YOURSELF ¶

¶ AIN'T NOBODY HERE ¶

¶ NO ONE HERE ¶

¶ CAN WALK IT FOR YOU ¶

¶ CAN WALK IT FOR YOU ¶

¶ YOU GOT TO WALK IT BY YOURSELF ¶

NOW, EVEN IF YOU NEVER HEARD THIS SONG BEFORE,

YOU CAN SING IT WITH ME.

YOU JUST REPEAT AFTER ME -- TRY IT.

¶ OH, YOU GOT TO WALK ¶

¶ YOU GOT TO WALK ¶

¶ THAT LONESOME VALLEY ¶

¶ THAT LONESOME VALLEY ¶

¶ YOU GOT TO WALK ¶

¶ YOU GOT TO WALK ¶

¶ IT BY YOURSELF ¶

¶ IT BY YOURSELF ¶

¶ NOBODY HERE ¶

¶ NOBODY HERE ¶

¶ CAN WALK IT FOR YOU ¶

¶ CAN WALK IT FOR YOU ¶

¶ YOU GOT TO WALK ¶

¶ YOU GOT TO WALK ¶

¶ IT BY YOURSELF ¶

NOW, SOME PEOPLE ARE SINGING REAL GOOD.

BUT THERE'S STILL, SOME PEOPLE, I CAN SEE 'EM OUT THERE...

[ LAUGHTER ]

BEEN LIVING IN WASHINGTON TOO LONG.

[ LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE ]

¶ NOW, YOU'VE GOT TO WALK ¶

¶ YOU GOT TO WALK ¶

¶ THAT LONESOME VALLEY ¶

¶ THAT LONESOME VALLEY ¶

¶ YOU GOT TO WALK ¶

¶ YOU GOT TO WALK ¶

¶ IT BY YOURSELF ¶

¶ IT BY YOURSELF ¶

¶ NOBODY HERE ¶

¶ NOBODY HERE ¶

Dan S.: HE GREW UP

WITH A DEFINITE SENSE

OF BRINGING MUSIC TO THE PEOPLE.

AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S ALWAYS BEEN TRYING TO DO.

HIS THING HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO GET PEOPLE

TO SING AT HIS CONCERTS.

HE DOESN'T WANT TO HEAR HIMSELF SING.

HE WANTS TO HEAR THE PEOPLE SING.

AND IN MANY OF HIS RECORDINGS, HE ALWAYS WANTS

THE VOICE OF THE AUDIENCE BOOSTED

SO IT CAN BE HEARD ON THE RECORD.

THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

THE BEST MUSIC I'VE EVER MADE IN MY LIFE

HAS BEEN WHEN I CAN GET THE FOLKS --

ALL OF THEM, YOUNG, OLD,

THE CONSERVATIVE, LIBERAL, RADICAL --

GET 'EM ALL SINGING ON THE CHORUS.

¶ THAT LONESOME VALLEY ¶

¶ YOU GOT TO WALK ¶

¶ YOU GOT TO WALK ¶

¶ IT BY YOURSELF ¶

¶ IT BY YOURSELF ¶

¶ AIN'T NOBODY HERE ¶

¶ AIN'T NOBODY HERE ¶

¶ CAN WALK IT FOR YOU ¶

¶ CAN WALK IT FOR YOU ¶

¶ YOU GOT TO WALK ¶

¶ IT BY YOUR ¶

¶ WALK IT BY YOURSELF ¶¶

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

HE WAS AN INCONVENIENT ARTIST

WHO DARED TO SING THINGS AS HE SAW THEM.

HE WAS ATTACKED FOR HIS BELIEFS.

HE WAS BANNED FROM TELEVISION.

SOME ARTISTS MAKE MUSICAL HISTORY.

PETE SEEGER MADE HISTORY WITH HIS MUSIC.

THE GOVERNMENT, WHICH SO CRUELLY

TRIED TO SILENCE HIM IN THE '50s,

ENDED UP GIVING HIM THE HIGHEST AWARD.

OH, HOW TIMES CHANGE.

PETE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE,

YOUR INSPIRATION, AND GIVING THE WORLD

THIS WONDERFUL SONG TO SING.

[ PLAYING "TURN! (TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON)" ]

¶ TO EVERYTHING ¶

¶ TURN, TURN, TURN ¶

¶ THERE IS A SEASON ¶

¶ TURN, TURN, TURN ¶

¶ AND A TIME TO EVERY PURPOSE ¶

¶ UNDER HEAVEN ¶

¶ A TIME TO BE BORN ¶

¶ A TIME TO DIE ¶

¶ A TIME TO PLANT ¶

¶ A TIME TO REAP ¶

¶ A TIME TO KILL ¶

¶ A TIME TO HEAL ¶

¶ A TIME TO LAUGH ¶

¶ A TIME TO WEEP ¶

EVERYBODY SING IT!

¶ TO EVERYTHING ¶

¶ TURN, TURN, TURN ¶

¶ THERE IS A SEASON ¶

¶ TURN, TURN, TURN ¶

¶ AND A TIME TO EVERY PURPOSE ¶

¶ UNDER HEAVEN ¶¶

[ APPLAUSE ]

Man: THE FACT THAT HE GOT THE KENNEDY CENTER HONOR,

IT'S NOT JUST IRONIC.

IT PROVES SOMETHING.

IT PROVES THE METAPHOR OF "TURN, TURN, TURN,"

THERE'S A TIME FOR EVERYTHING.

THERE'S A TIME FOR HATE AND THERE'S A TIME FOR LOVE.

HE WENT THROUGH ALL THIS TIME OF HATE.

AND FINALLY, AT A CERTAIN POINT IN HIS LIFE,

IT WAS RECOGNIZED THAT IT WAS ALL DONE OUT OF LOVE.

Guthrie: AND PETE WALKS OUT,

CARNEGIE HALL, AND THAT CROWD

JUST SPONTANEOUSLY ARISES.

IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE HE'S SHOWING UP.

IT'S BECAUSE HE MEANS SOMETHING.

¶ Yo soy un hombre sincero ¶

[ APPLAUSE ]

¶ De donde crecen las palmas ¶

¶ Yo soy un hombre sincero ¶

¶ De donde crecen ¶

¶ las palmas ¶

¶ Y antes de morirme ¶

¶ quiero echar mis versos del alma ¶

iCantan!

¶ Guantanamera ¶

Rodriguez-Seeger: WE PLAY CARNEGIE HALL ABOUT ONCE A YEAR.

HE DOESN'T THINK HE CAN DO IT ANYMORE,

BUT THE LAST TIME, IT WAS GREAT.

HE WAS PRETTY ON FIRE THAT NIGHT.

¶ Guantanamera ¶

¶ Mi verso es de un verde claro ¶

¶ Y de un carmín encendido ¶

¶ Mi verso es de un verde claro ¶

¶ Y de un carmín encendido ¶

¶ Mi verso es un ciervo herido ¶

¶ Que busca en el monte amparo ¶

¶ Guantanamera ¶

¶ Guajira Guantamera ¶

Hoo-hoo!

¶ Guantanamera ¶

¶ Guajira Guantamera ¶

THE WORDS SAY, "WITH..."

OH, DON'T TELL ME, AT AGE 84,

I CAN'T REMEMBER THE TRANSLATION.

[ LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE ]

"I AM A TRUTHFUL MAN FROM THIS LAND OF PALM TREES.

BEFORE DYING, I SHARE THESE POEMS OF MY SOUL."

"MY VERSES ARE LIGHT GREEN, BUT THEY ARE ALSO FLAMING RED."

AND THE LAST VERSE SAYS,

"WITH THE POOR PEOPLE OF THIS WORLD,

I WANT TO CAST MY LOT."

¶ Con los pobres de la tierra ¶

Paxton: FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS,

PETE'S BEEN TELLING ME

THAT HE'S LOSING HIS VOICE.

BUT WHEN I SAW HIM AT CARNEGIE HALL,

I WAS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE --

I JUST WANTED PETE TO BE UP THERE.

HE GAVE HIS VOICE

TO THE THINGS IN WHICH HE BELIEVED.

AND ALL HE HAS TO DO, FOR ME,

IS STAND UP THERE AND HIT THAT INSTRUMENT,

TELL US WHAT THE SONG IS,

AND PLAY ALONG WITH US.

¶ Guantanamera ¶

¶ Guajira Guantanamera ¶

Hoo-hoo!

¶ Guantanamera ¶

¶ Guajira Guantanamera ¶

Encore! iRepita!

¶ Guantanamera ¶

¶ Guajira Guantanamera ¶

¶ Guantanamera ¶

¶ Guajira Guantanamera ¶¶

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

Seeger: I'VE NEVER SUNG ANYWHERE WITHOUT GIVING

THE PEOPLE LISTENING TO ME A CHANCE TO JOIN IN.

AS A KID, AS A LEFTY,

AS A MAN TOURING USA AND THE WORLD,

AS AN OLDSTER,

I GUESS IT'S KIND OF A RELIGION WITH ME.

PARTICIPATION -- THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO SAVE THE HUMAN RACE.

¶ AS I GO WALKING ¶

¶ THAT FREEDOM HIGHWAY ¶

NOBODY LIVING CAN MAKE ME TURN BACK.

¶ NOBODY LIVING ¶

¶ CAN MAKE ME TURN BACK ¶

¶ THIS LAND WAS MADE ¶

¶ FOR YOU AND ME ¶

ONE MORE TIME!

¶ THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND ¶

¶ THIS LAND IS MY LAND ¶

Seeger: AND I STILL PREFER TO SING IN THE SCHOOLS

THAN ALMOST ANY OTHER SINGLE PLACE.

YOU CAN'T FEEL

COMPLETELY LIKE GIVING UP

IF YOU SEE ALL THOSE LITTLE FACES.

YOU CAN'T SAY THERE'S NO HOPE.

YOU GOT TO KEEP TRYING.

¶ THIS LAND ¶

¶ WAS MADE FOR YOU AND ME ¶¶

THAT APPROACH TOWARD SONG AS VIEWING ITS POTENTIAL

TO REACH PEOPLE AND TOUCH PEOPLE'S LIVES

AND CHANGE THE WORLD, IN THE SENSE

THAT, YOU KNOW -- WAS SOMETHING

THAT HE HAD A DEEP BELIEF IN,

AND HE'S PURSUED IT HIS ENTIRE LIFE.

[ BANJO PLAYING "TO MY OLD BROWN EARTH" ]

Seeger: ¶ TO MY OLD BROWN EARTH ¶

¶ AND TO MY ¶

¶ OLD BLUE SKY ¶

¶ I'LL NOW GIVE THESE ¶

¶ LAST FEW MOLECULES ¶

¶ OF "I" ¶

¶ AND YOU WHO SING ¶

¶ AND YOU WHO ¶

¶ STAND NEARBY ¶

¶ I DO ¶

¶ CHARGE YOU NOT TO CRY ¶

¶ GUARD WELL ¶

¶ OUR HUMAN CHAIN ¶

¶ WATCH WELL ¶

¶ YOU KEEP IT STRONG ¶

¶ AS LONG AS SUN ¶

¶ WILL SHINE ¶

¶ AND THIS, OUR HOME ¶

¶ KEEP PURE AND SWEET AND GREEN ¶

¶ FOR NOW I'M YOURS ¶

¶ AND YOU ARE ALSO ¶

¶ MINE ¶¶

Choir: ¶ TO MY OLD BROWN EARTH ¶

¶ AND TO MY OLD ¶

¶ BLUE SKY ¶

¶ I'LL NOW GIVE ¶

¶ THESE LAST FEW MOLECULES ¶

¶ OF "I" ¶

¶ AND YOU ¶

¶ WHO SING ¶

Seeger: ONCE UPON A TIME, WASN'T SINGING

A PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE?

AS MUCH AS TALKING, PHYSICAL EXERCISE,

AND RELIGION.

OUR DISTANT ANCESTORS,

WHEREVER THEY WERE IN THIS WORLD,

SANG WHILE POUNDING GRAIN, PADDLING CANOES,

OR WALKING LONG JOURNEYS.

CAN WE BEGIN TO MAKE OUR LIVES

ONCE MORE ALL OF A PIECE?

FINDING THE RIGHT SONGS

AND SINGING THEM

OVER AND OVER

IS A WAY TO START.

Choir: ¶ GUARD WELL ¶

¶ OUR HUMAN CHAIN ¶

Seeger: AND WHEN ONE PERSON TAPS OUT A BEAT

WHILE ANOTHER LEADS INTO THE MELODY,

OR WHEN THREE PEOPLE DISCOVER A HARMONY

THEY NEVER KNEW EXISTED,

OR A CROWD JOINS IN ON A CHORUS

AS THOUGH TO RAISE THE CEILING A FEW FEET HIGHER,

THEN THEY ALSO KNOW THERE IS HOPE

FOR THE WORLD.

Choir: ¶ SUN WILL SHINE ¶

¶ FOR NOW ¶

¶ I'M YOURS ¶

¶ AND YOU ARE ¶

¶ ALSO ¶

"American Masters," ¶ MINE ¶¶

visit pbs.org/americanmasters

or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.

"Pete Seeger: The Power of Song"

is available on a CD/DVD set for $24.99 plus shipping.

To order, call 1-800-336-1917

or write to the address on your screen.

Seeger: ¶ IF YOU LOVE ¶

¶ THIS LAND OF THE FREE ¶

Ani DiFranco: ¶ BRING 'EM HOME ¶

¶ BRING 'EM HOME ¶

Seeger: ¶ BRING ALL TROOPS ¶

¶ BACK FROM OVERSEAS ¶

¶ BRING 'EM HOME ¶

¶ BRING 'EM HOME ¶

¶ SO IF YOU LOVE THIS LAND OF THE FREE ¶

¶ BRING 'EM HOME, BRING 'EM HOME ¶

¶ BRING ALL TROOPS BACK FROM OVERSEAS ¶

¶ BRING 'EM HOME, BRING 'EM HOME ¶

Original funding for this program was provided by

an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Art works.

"American Masters" is supported by

the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Additional funding for "American Masters"

provided by...

And by contributions to your PBS station

from viewers like you.