American Masters

GUITARIST PLUCKING STRINGS

Man

OKAY.

APPLAUSE

Man

I'D LIKE TO DO A SONG CALLED "WHEN I'M GONE," WHICH IS ABOUT THE PHILOSOPHY OF ALL THE SONGS I WRITE. THERE'S NO PLACE IN THIS WORLD WHERE I'LL BELONG WHEN I'M GONE AND I WON'T KNOW THE RIGHT FROM THE WRONG WHEN I'M GONE AND YOU WON'T FIND ME SINGING ON THIS SONG WHEN I'M GONE SO I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO DO IT WHILE I'M HERE WON'T SEE THE GOLDEN OF THE SUN WHEN I'M GONE AND THE EVENINGS AND THE MORNINGS WILL BE ONE WHEN I'M GONE CAN'T BE SINGING LOUDER THAN THE GUNS WHILE I'M GONE SO I'LL GUESS I'LL HAVE TO DO IT WHILE I'M HERE

John F. Kennedy

EVERY PAST GENERATION HAS HAD TO DISENTHRALL ITSELF FROM AN INHERITANCE OF TRUISMS AND STEREOTYPES FOR THE GREAT ENEMY OF THE TRUTH IS VERY OFTEN NOT THE LIE, DELIBERATE, CONTRIVED, AND DISHONEST, BUT THE MYTH, PERSISTENT, PERSUASIVE AND UNREALISTIC. SO IN OUR TIME WE MUST MOVE ON FROM THE REASSURING REPETITION OF STALE PHRASES TO A NEW, DIFFICULT, BUT ESSENTIAL CONFRONTATION WITH REALITY. ...WHEN I'M GONE SO I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO DO IT WHILE I'M HERE THERE'S NO PLACE IN THIS WORLD WHERE I'LL BELONG WHEN I'M GONE AND I WON'T KNOW THE RIGHT FROM THE WRONG WHEN I'M GONE AND YOU WON'T FIND ME SINGING ON THIS SONG WHEN I'M GONE SO I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO DO IT I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO DO IT GUESS I'LL HAVE TO DO IT WHILE I'M HERE

APPLAUSE

Man

WE'D BEEN THROUGH THE SLEEPWALK, THE NARCOSIS OF THE EISENHOWER ERA. IT WAS TIME TO WAKE UP. AMERICA WAS REPRESENTED BY THESE KIND OF RITUALS AND TRADITIONS, "WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL." HOW CAN YOU SAY, "WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL" WHEN YOU'VE GOT A LYNCHING, ON AVERAGE, OF ONCE EVERY THREE DAYS? HOW CAN THAT BE? IT CAN BE IF YOU ARE LIVING A LIE. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO TOOK THE VIEW THAT THIS WAS A BETRAYAL OF BEING AMERICAN, THAT THINGS LIKE SEGREGATION OR WAR ON INDOCHINA BROKE MY AMERICAN HEART, THAT THE WAY THEY'D BEEN RAISED WAS SOMEHOW FALSE AND THEY WANTED TO BELIEVE IN THE DREAM. IT CHANGED DRASTICALLY WHEN JOHN F. KENNEDY GOT ELECTED. IT WAS THE NEW FRONTIER. RATHER THAN WAR, LET'S HAVE THE PEACE CORPS. IT WAS THE POLITICAL UTOPIA OF LIBERALISM.

Woman

THE KIDS STARTED RISING UP AGAINST THE UNFAIRNESSES OF LIFE. SO MUCH OF PHIL'S WORK ENDED UP BEING ABOUT THE THINGS GOING ON IN AMERICA DURING THE SIXTIES.

Man

ELVIS PRESLEY CHANGED THEIR WORLD CULTURALLY BY SINGING SONGS, AND I GUESS THEY THOUGHT, WELL, PERHAPS WE COULD CHANGE THE WORLD POLITICALLY THROUGH SINGING SONGS, AS WELL.

PHIL OCHS SINGING "BOUND FOR GLORY"

Man

AND LET'S FACE IT -- FOLK MUSIC WAS AN ART THAT WAS PRETTY EASY TO GET INTO. GREENWICH VILLAGE WAS THE PLACE. EVERYBODY WANTED TO GO TO GREENWICH VILLAGE.

Phil Ochs

SEE, THE THING IS THAT I CONSIDER IT A MOVEMENT, WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. THERE'S ALSO OTHER PEOPLE LIKE DAVID BLUE AND ERIC ANDERSEN AND TIM HARDIN, WHO YOU'VE PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF. BUT THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE IN NEW YORK CITY WRITING MUCH MORE ADVANCED KIND OF SONGS.

Man

THIS LITTLE GROUP OF FOLK SINGERS USED TO GET TOGETHER AT VARIOUS APARTMENTS AND SAY, "HERE'S MY NEW SONG. WHAT HAVE YOU WRITTEN AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" AND THEY WOULD TEAR EACH OTHER TO PIECES.

Woman

THESE GUYS WERE STARTING TO WANT TO MAKE IT. COMPETITIVENESS STARTS TO SET IN.

Man

THEY SAW THEMSELVES AS A SORT OF SCHOOL OF ARTISTS, LIKE THE SECOND VIENNESE SCHOOL OR THE FLEMISH PAINTERS. THEY WERE ALL QUITE PLEASED WITH THEMSELVES. WE JUST ALL FELT WE WERE PART OF SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT. BUT PHIL OCHS STOOD OUT. HE ALWAYS HAD THIS TREMENDOUS CURIOSITY. AND SO HE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THIS? WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THAT? JUST A TORRENT OF QUESTIONS.

Alice Ochs

I MEAN, HE LOVED THE WRITING. HE'D STAY UP ALL NIGHT WITH THE NEWSPAPERS, FINDING MATERIAL FOR SONGS. AND HE LOVED THAT PROCESS. WELL, IT'S OF A BOLD REPORTER A STORY I WILL TELL HE WENT DOWN TO THE CUBAN LAND THE NEAREST PLACE TO HELL HE'D BEEN THERE MANY TIMES BEFORE BUT NOW THE LAW DOES SAY THE ONLY WAY TO CUBA IS WITH THE CIA I ONCE WENT UP TO A LITTLE MAGAZINE CALLED BROADSIDE. AND I INVITED BOTH BOB DYLAN AND PHIL OCHS TO COME UP THERE WITH ME. AND I SAT BACK LISTENING TO SONG AFTER SONG THAT THEY'D JUST WRITTEN WITHIN THE LAST FEW WEEKS. AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, HERE I AM WITH TWO OF THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS IN THE WORLD. AND SOMEDAY THEY'LL BE FAMOUS. RIGHT NOW, NOBODY IS PRINTING THEM EXCEPT THIS LITTLE MIMEOGRAPHED MAGAZINE, 500 COPIES. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE WHO'D LIKE TO CHANGE HIS CLOTHES INTO A UNIFORM? FOR ME, HAD BEEN A FOLK SINGER INTERPRETING BALLADS, I WAS LONGING FOR A WAY FOR THAT TO COME TOGETHER WITH MY OTHER INTEREST, WHICH WAS POLITICS. AND THAT'S WHAT PHIL BROUGHT FOR ME. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE WITH GLORY IN THEIR EYES LOYAL TO THE END, WHOSE DUTY IS TO DIE I WANNA SEE HIM I WANNA WISH HIM LUCK I WANNA SHAKE HIS HAND GONNA CALL HIS NAME PUT A MEDAL ON THE MAN SO MUCH OF PHIL'S WORK ENDED UP BEING ABOUT THE UNFAIRNESSES OF LIFE, ABOUT WHICH A LOT OF THE POLITICAL STUFF WOULD FOCUS. THE THING ABOUT PHIL THAT MADE HIM INTERESTING WAS HE WAS TOTALLY UNEQUIVOCAL. HE WAS DETERMINED, PRECISE, LITERATE, BUT ALREADY FILLED WITH RAGE AND POLITICAL PURPOSE IN HIS SONGS. HE SLOWLY SQUEEZED THE TRIGGER THE BULLET LEFT HIS SIDE IT STRUCK THE HEART OF EVERY MAN WHEN EVERS FELL AND DIED TOO MANY MARTYRS AND TOO MANY DEAD

Man

THE TOPICAL SONG MOVEMENT EVOLVED OUT OF OPPOSITION TO SEGREGATION, JIM CROW, THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT IN GENERAL, SUBSEQUENTLY THE VIETNAM WAR. UH... WITHOUT THOSE HOWLING INJUSTICES AND OUTRAGES, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO PROTEST SONG MOVEMENT. PROBABLY, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO FOLK SONG MOVEMENT. AND THEN THERE CAME THE BOYCOTTS AND THEN THE FREEDOM RIDES AND FORGETTING WHAT YOU STOOD FOR YOU TRIED TO BLOCK THE TIDE WELL, THE AUTOMATION BOSSES WERE LAUGHING ON THE SIDE AS THEY WATCHED YOU LOSE YOUR LINK ON THE CHAIN ON THE CHAIN AS THEY WATCHED YOU LOSE YOUR LINK ON THE CHAIN PHIL WOULD PLAY ANYWHERE. THERE WERE THE CLUB THINGS. THERE'D BE A MULTI-ARTIST THING. YOU'D HEAR ABOUT ALL THESE CAUSES THAT NEEDED HELP. HE WOULD GO TO THE SOUTH AND DO CIVIL RIGHTS THINGS. ...BODIES YOU WILL FIND OH, THE CALENDAR'S LYIN' WHEN IT READS THE PRESENT TIME WHOA, HERE'S TO THE LAND YOU'VE TORN OUT THE HEART OF MISSISSIPPI, FIND YOURSELF ANOTHER COUNTRY TO BE PART OF IT WAS A GREAT WAY TO REACH PEOPLE THROUGH ONE'S MUSIC. PHIL WOULD ACTUALLY TURN DOWN A COMMERCIAL JOB FOR A BENEFIT, BECAUSE THE BENEFIT WOULD USUALLY REACH MORE PEOPLE. NO MATTER HOW SMALL THE GROUP OR BIG THE GROUP, WHATEVER ANYBODY ASKED, I CAN NEVER REMEMBER HIM TURNING DOWN ANYBODY -- ANY BENEFIT, ANY CHANCE TO SING FOR A CAUSE HE BELIEVED IN, HE REALLY -- PHIL OCHS WAS THERE. THOSE GUYS WERE TRUE BELIEVERS. THOSE GUYS WOULD SHOW UP, YOU KNOW, FOR THE OPENING OF AN ENVELOPE TO GIVE $10 TO SOME GUY THAT WAS HANDING OUT CRACKERS ON THE BOWERY, TO SING A SONG FOR THE CRACKER-HANDER-OUTER GUY. PHIL WENT DOWN TO HAZARD, KENTUCKY, BECAUSE THERE WAS A MINERS STRIKE. WELL, SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT UNIONS ARE TOO STRONG UNION LEADERS SHOULD GO BACK WHERE THEY BELONG... WE GOT TO SLEEP IN BATHTUBS, SO THAT WHEN THEY CAME AND SHOT UP THE ROOMS AT NIGHT, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE BULLETS BOUNCING OFF, AND IT WAS COOL. WELL, MINING IS A HAZARD IN HAZARD, KENTUCKY AND IF YOU AIN'T MINING THERE YOU'RE AWFUL LUCKY 'CAUSE IF YOU DON'T GET SILICOSIS OR PAY THAT'S JUST ATROCIOUS YOU'LL BE SCREAMING FOR A UNION THAT WILL CARE THERE WAS SORT OF A VERY KIND OF PRACTICAL, MORAL POLITICS THAT HAD TO DO WITH A SINCERE FEELING THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY. BUT IF YOU WANNA GET TOGETHER AND FIGHT, GOOD BUDDY THAT'S WHAT I WANNA HEAR HIS POLITICAL PASSION WASN'T JUST OUT OF EMOTION. I MEAN, PHIL REALLY KNEW HIS STUFF. HIS POLITICS WERE ON THE LEFT, AND THAT'S VERY TRUE, BUT HE HAD A WAY OF PICKING UP ALL KINDS OF FRIENDS, PEOPLE ON THE FAR LEFT, AND HE HAD ONE OR TWO FRIENDS THAT I WOULD CALL RIGHT WINGERS. AND THERE WERE HIS POLITICAL FRIENDS. AND I DIDN'T LIKE ANY OF THEM AT ALL. PARTICULARLY DISLIKED JERRY RUBIN. IN A WAY, MY OWN CONSERVATIVE POLITICS WERE CREATED BY PHIL OCHS, OR AT LEAST HE PULLED THEM OUT OF ME. HE WAS A LIBERAL GUY, BUT NOT IN A KIND OF DIDACTIC, STUPID, "IF YOU AGREE WITH ME ON 99 THINGS BUT NOT ONE, YOU'RE NOT MY FRIEND ANYMORE." PHIL WAS NEVER COOL. YOU KNOW, PHIL WAS RIGHT THERE. HE EXPOSED HIMSELF IN A WAY THAT WAS ULTIMATELY LETHAL. FOLK SINGER PHIL OCHS, FORMER OHIO STATE UNDERGRADUATE. THANK YOU, YOU'RE UNDER ARREST.

LAUGHTER

Man

I SOLD OUT THIS MORNING. PHIL'S MOOD AT THIS POINT HAD TO BE TOTALLY EUPHORIC. HE WAS BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY, COMING UP WITH SONG IDEAS FASTER THAN HE COULD RECORD THEM. AS THE FIRST TROOPS LAND AND STEP INTO THE SAND THE FLAGS ARE WEAVING THE MARINES HAVE LANDED ON THE SHORES OF SANTO DOMINGO

Woman

HIS NAME IS PHIL OCHS, AND HE RECORDS ON ELEKTRA RECORDS.

Man

WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR WAS MORE AND DIFFERENT MATERIAL. I WANTED A STEADY FLOW OF TOPICAL SONG AND COMMENTARY. AND ALL YOU HAD TO DO TO GET SOURCE MATERIAL WAS OPEN UP THE NEW YORK TIMES EVERY DAY. PHIL HAD WHAT WAS ESSENTIAL -- A STANCE, SIX STRINGS, AND AN INSISTENT VOICE WANTING TO BE HEARD. IT'S THE SOUND OF FREEDOM CALLING RINGING UP TO THE SKIES IT'S THE SOUND OF THE OLD WAYS A-FALLIN' YOU CAN HEAR IT IF YOU TRY I DON'T WANT TO DENY THE NEXT SINGER AT LEAST HIS TWO SONGS, AND YOU'LL WISH, WHEN YOU HEARD HIM, THAT THERE WAS A LOT MORE TIME FOR HIM, TOO. IT'S PHIL OCHS. WELL, I THINK WHENEVER THERE'S DEEP TRAGEDY, THERE'S ALSO PRESENT, UH... SOMETHING OF THE RIDICULOUS, WHICH IS ALSO TRUE ABOUT INTEGRATION. SO I'M SURE Y'ALL REMEMBER A LITTLE TOWN CALLED BIRMINGHAM. SO I'D LIKE TO DO YOU A SONG NOW CALLED "TALKING BIRMINGHAM JAM." WALKING DOWN TO BIRMINGHAM, WAY DOWN SOUTH IN DIXIE LAND I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD STOP AWHILE TAKE A VACATION SOUTHERN STYLE

DOG GROWLING

Man

GOT SOME SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY DOWN THERE IN A SOUTHERN HOSPITAL WELL, I'VE SEEN TRAVEL IN MANY WAYS I'VE TRAVELED IN CARS AND OLD SUBWAYS BUT IN BIRMINGHAM, SOME PEOPLE CHOSE TO FLY DOWN THE STREET FROM A FIRE HOSE DOING SOME HARD TRAVELING FROM HYDRANTS APLENTY THAT NEWPORT WAS WHEN THE SINGER/SONGWRITERS CAME INTO THEIR OWN. SIS CUNNINGHAM CALLED ALL THE NEW SINGER/SONGWRITERS "WOODY'S CHILDREN." THAT WAS SORT OF THE FIRST REALLY PUBLIC CROWNING OF THE KING OF FOLK. THE SMELL OF BLOOD WAS IN THE AIR THE CHALLENGE WAS LAID DOWN PHIL SAID, "YOU KNOW, I WENT TO NEW YORK TO BECOME THE BEST SONGWRITER IN THE COUNTRY. AND THEN I MET DYLAN AND I DECIDED I'D BE THE SECOND BEST." I DON'T REMEMBER THE COMPETITIVENESS BETWEEN PHIL AND DYLAN. I'M SURE IT WAS THERE ON SOME LEVEL, BUT THEY REALLY GOT ALONG. THEY HAD SOME REAL, YOU KNOW, WAYS THAT THEY CLICKED. AND THEY COULD JUST GO ON AND ON AND ON TOGETHER. HE IDOLIZED DYLAN. AND HE WANTED ANY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM BOB, YOU KNOW, THAT HE EVEN EXISTED. DYLAN REFUSED TO EVER GIVE HIM HIS DUE.

Phil Ochs

DYLAN DESPISES WHAT I WRITE. I'VE TALKED TO HIM AT SOME LENGTH ABOUT THIS. AND HE CAN'T ACCEPT WHAT I'M DOING BECAUSE IT'S POLITICAL, AND TO HIS MIND, IT'S THEREFORE

BLEEP

Phil Ochs

, BECAUSE I'M NOT WRITING ABOUT MYSELF AND MY DEEPEST EMOTIONS, HE FEELS. IN OTHER WORDS, HE THINKS THAT I COULD BE MUCH MORE HONEST WITH MYSELF. OH, I AM JUST A STUDENT, SIR, AND ONLY WANT TO LEARN

Man

PHIL WAS SO VULNERABLE TO HIM. BUT DYLAN WOULD PLAY WITH HIM, THE WAY A CRUEL PERSON MIGHT WHEN YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THE FULL AFFECTION OF SOMEONE ELSE AND YOU TOY WITH IT. THAT WENT ON OVER AND OVER WITH PHIL AND DYLAN, AND IT WAS... A VERY BIG PART OF... OF PHIL'S PATHOLOGY, AS IT WERE, I BELIEVE. YOU'D LIKE TO BE MY DAD

Phil Ochs

HERE'S THE MAN I MOST RESPECT IN THE WORLD, DYLAN, TELLING ME THIS, AND YET IT'S BEEN A HELP TO ME, IN A SENSE, BECAUSE IT'S MADE ME QUESTION -- WELL, WHAT ARE MY REASONS FOR WRITING THESE SONGS? AM I A COMPLETE PHONY, LIKE DYLAN THINKS? IS THAT TRUE? THE BIG FALLING OUT WITH DYLAN WAS OVER, "CAN YOU PLEASE CRAWL OUT YOUR WINDOW?" DYLAN SAID, "WHAT DO YOU THINK?" AND PHIL SAID, "IT'S

BLEEP

Phil Ochs

." AND DYLAN STOPPED THE CAR IN THE SNOW AND SAID, "PHIL, GET OUT." HE WAS SUCH A PRICK.

Hitchens

PHIL'S VERY TOUGH, GRAINY SONGS "LIKE SANTO DOMINGO," "LOVE ME, I'M A LIBERAL," "HERE'S TO THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI," WERE FAR MORE POLITICAL AND TOUGH-MINDED THAN THE MUCH MORE GENERALIZED, ACCESSIBLE "BLOWIN' IN THE WIND." THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO LIKED BOB DYLAN -- ANYONE CAN LIKE BOB DYLAN, EVERYBODY DID -- AND THOSE WHO EVEN KNEW ABOUT PHIL OCHS.

Phil Ochs

TO ASK ME A QUESTION LIKE "DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE IN YOUR SONGS?" IT'S LIKE A PUT-DOWN, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.

Man

HOW DO YOU REACT TO STATEMENTS LIKE THIS? "DON'T BE SO NEGATIVE." WELL, I PUNCH THEM IN THE MOUTH. WHEN I'VE GOT SOMETHING TO SAY, SIR I'M GONNA SAY IT NOW

APPLAUSE

Man

FOR SIMPLICITY'S SAKE, LET'S DIVIDE THE SIXTIES INTO TWO HALVES. THE FIRST HALF STARTED MORE INNOCENTLY, BELIEVING IN THE REDEMPTION OF THE AMERICAN DREAM AND ALL THAT, THROUGH DIRECT ACTION. YOUNG BLACK STUDENTS WEARING TIES, MARCHING INTO JAIL IN THE SOUTH. WE ACTUALLY THOUGHT THAT THROUGH THE FORCE OF MORALITY AND PERSUASION, WE WERE GOING TO TAKE THE NEW FRONTIER TO A MORE PROGRESSIVE OR RADICAL CONCLUSION. AND I ACTUALLY BELIEVE WE MIGHT HAVE. JUST KENNEDY'S PRESIDENCY, YOU KNOW, WAS SO PROFOUND. AND HE WAS SUCH A HOPE FOR THAT GENERATION. LET THE WORD GO FORTH FROM THIS TIME AND PLACE, TO FRIEND AND FOE ALIKE... ...HOW A MAN SO FILLED WITH LIFE EVEN DEATH WAS CAUGHT OFF-GUARD THAT WAS THE PRESIDENT AND THAT WAS THE MAN

GUNSHOT

Man

HERE'S A MEMORY... THE MURDER OF KENNEDY WAS THE FIRST WARNING THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING FUNDAMENTALLY DANGEROUS ABOUT EMBARKING ON SOCIAL CHANGE. MARINE SKYHAWK JETS HELPED TO CLEAR A RICE PADDY SOUTH OF DANANG, BELIEVED TO BE UNDER VIETCONG CONTROL. JOHNSON WON OVER GOLDWATER IN THE FALL OF '64. IN EARLY '65, HE STARTED WHAT'S CALLED THE "GREAT SOCIETY" PROGRAMS. SO HE HAD MEDICARE AND AID FOR DEPENDENT CHILDREN. YOU HAD A LOT OF SOCIAL PROGRAMS BEING COME IN. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU HAD WHAT'S CALLED THE "ROLLING THUNDER" INVASION OF VIETNAM. WHILE WE'RE DRAGGING THEM DOWN TO THE PATH OF NEVER RETURNING BUT WE'LL CONDESCEND TO TALK WHILE THE CITIES ARE BURNING

Johnson

WE AMERICANS KNOW, ALTHOUGH OTHERS APPEAR TO FORGET, THE RISK OF SPREADING CONFLICT. WE SEEK NO WIDER WAR...

Man

I REMEMBER SEEING PHIL RALLY WITH MARTIN LUTHER KING AT THE UNITED NATIONS, SINGING AGAINST THE WAR IN VIETNAM. LET US SAVE OUR NATIONAL HONOR. STOP THE BOMBING, AND STOP THE WAR.

Phil Ochs

I MEAN, I'M A YOUNG MAN AND THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO ASK ME TO GO OVER THERE AND DIE, POSSIBLY, OR TO KILL, FOR DOUBTFUL REASONS. AND I SAY NONSENSE. ABSOLUTE NONSENSE.

Woman

THE WHOLE DRAFT WAS TOTALLY UNJUST. RICH KIDS, COLLEGE KIDS GOT OUT. POOR KIDS, BLACK KIDS, POOR WHITE KIDS WERE DRAFTED. SOMEONE'S GOTTA GO OVER THERE AND THAT SOMEONE ISN'T ME SO I WISH YOU WELL, SARGE, GIVE 'EM HELL KILL ME A THOUSAND OR SO AND IF YOU EVER GET A WAR WITHOUT BLOOD AND GORE I'LL BE THE FIRST TO GO THERE WAS A RESISTANCE MOVEMENT THAT DEVELOPED, BECAUSE PEOPLE FELT IT WAS NOT A JUST WAR AND THEY DIDN'T WANT TO FIGHT. AND THAT'S WHAT PHIL SANG ABOUT. WELL, I MARCHED TO THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS AT THE END OF THE EARLY BRITISH WARS THE YOUNG LAND STARTED GROWING THE YOUNG BLOOD STARTED FLOWING BUT I AIN'T A-MARCHIN' ANYMORE

Michael Ochs

THE SECOND ALBUM WAS "I AIN'T MARCHING ANYMORE." HE'S MUCH MORE CONFIDENT AS A SINGER, MORE CONFIDENT AS A GUITARIST. IT'S ALWAYS THE OLD WHO LEAD US TO THE WARS ALWAYS THE YOUNG TO FALL NOW LOOK AT ALL WE'VE WON WITH A SABER AND THE GUN TELL ME IS IT WORTH IT ALL? THE HIGHLIGHT OF THAT ALBUM IS THE TITLE SONG, "I AIN'T MARCHING ANYMORE," WHICH BECAME THE ANTHEM OF THE ANTIWAR MOVEMENT. ...THAT WAS BOUND TO END ALL WARS OH, I MUST HAVE KILLED A MILLION MEN AND NOW THEY WANT ME BACK AGAIN BUT I AIN'T A-MARCHIN' ANYMORE

Truscott

THE ARMY DIDN'T GET US INTO VIETNAM, AND I THINK PHIL UNDERSTOOD THAT. POLITICIANS GET YOU INTO WARS, AND MILITARY PEOPLE DIE. THE REST OF THE SORT OF NEW YORK SCENE WOULDN'T REALLY TALK OUT LOUD LIKE THAT. HE UNDERSTOOD ALL THOSE THINGS. HE WAS WILLING TO SAY THINGS LIKE THAT.

Phil Ochs

IN EVERY AMERICAN COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE VARYING SHADES OF POLITICAL OPINION. ONE OF THE SHADIEST OF THESE IS THE LIBERALS.

APPLAUSE

Phil Ochs

TEN DEGREES TO THE LEFT OF CENTER IN GOOD TIMES, TEN DEGREES TO THE RIGHT OF CENTER IF IT AFFECTS THEM PERSONALLY.

LAUGHTER, APPLAUSE

Phil Ochs

I CRIED WHEN THEY SHOT MEDGAR EVERS TEARS RAN DOWN MY SPINE AND I CRIED WHEN THEY SHOT MR. KENNEDY AS THOUGH I'D LOST A FATHER OF MINE BUT MALCOLM X GOT WHAT WAS COMING HE GOT WHAT HE ASKED FOR THIS TIME SO LOVE ME, LOVE ME, LOVE ME I'M A LIBERAL GET IT?

APPLAUSE

Man

ABBIE HOFFMAN SAID WAY BACK WHEN THAT THE WORST ENEMIES OF THE MOVEMENT AND CHANGE WERE NOT RIGHT WINGERS, IT WAS THE SO-CALLED LIBERALS, WHO DIDN'T THINK THEY WERE PART OF THE PROBLEM. I CHEERED WHEN CLINTON WAS CHOSEN MY FAITH IN THE SYSTEM REBORN I WAS SURPRISED HOW LITTLE I HAD TO CHANGE IN THE LYRICS TO MAKE THAT SONG ABOUT BILL CLINTON YUPPIES. OH, TAKE OUT CLINTON, PUT INOBAMA WAS CHOSEN MY FAITH IN THE SYSTEM REBORN SO LOVE ME, LOVE ME, LOVE ME I'M A LIBERAL

Weiss

HE WAS INDEPENDENT. AND HE TOOK ON WHATEVER WAS RIDICULOUS. EVEN THOUGH HE WAS RIDICULOUS, TOO. BUT HE WAS RIDICULOUS IN A VERY DECENT WAY. YOU KNOW, HE WAS REALLY DEVOTED TO PEACE AND JUSTICE. SHOW ME THE COUNTRY WHERE THE BOMBS HAD TO FALL SHOW ME THE RUINS OF THE BUILDINGS ONCE SO TALL AND I'LL SHOW YOU A YOUNG LAND WITH SO MANY REASONS WHY AND THERE BUT FOR FORTUNE MAY GO YOU OR I OR I

APPLAUSE

Man

PHIL WAS AS AGGRESSIVE WITH HIS CAREER AS HE WAS WITH HIS POLITICS. HE WANTED TO BE MANAGED BY DYLAN'S MANAGER, ALBERT GROSSMAN. AND PHIL ACTUALLY TALKED HIM INTO IT. THAT ONLY LASTED FOR SIX MONTHS. I MEAN, THERE WAS NO WAY THAT PHIL OCHS COULD BE IN THE SAME STABLE AS BOB DYLAN AND MOVE AHEAD. PHIL, BELIEVING HE COULD DO ANYTHING, FIGURED, YOU KNOW, "I'LL CREATE MY OWN ALBERT GROSSMAN." AND THEN THE FIRST THING WE DID WAS GOING TO CARNEGIE HALL AND SNEAKING IN AND SAYING, "SOMEDAY THIS WILL BE OURS." WE KNEW THAT WE COULD FILL THE PLACE.

Phil Ochs

WE'LL DO A SONG, THEN, ABOUT REVOLUTION. THIS IS A FICTIONAL SONG, A CINEMATIC SONG. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THIS SONG IS SO CINEMATIC THAT IT'S BEEN MADE INTO A MOVIE. JOHN WAYNE PLAYS LYNDON JOHNSON.

LAUGHTER

Phil Ochs

AND LYNDON JOHNSON PLAYS GOD.

LAUGHTER, APPLAUSE

Phil Ochs

I PLAY BOBBY DYLAN.

LAUGHTER

Phil Ochs

A YOUNG BOBBY DYLAN. IN A BUILDING OF GOLD WITH RICHES UNTOLD LIVED THE FAMILIES ON WHICH THE COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED HE WOULD TALK ABOUT HIMSELF AS A STAR.

Man

HE WANTED TO BE LIKE ELVIS.

Woman

HE REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY WANTED TO BE FAMOUS. OH, LIFE WAS A GAME AND WORK WAS A SHAME AND PAIN WAS PREVENTED BY PLEASURE HE BECAME AS FAMOUS AS HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN. MUCH OF HIS STUFF WAS REALLY TOO INVOLVED FOR THE COMMON MAN. HE WASN'T THE KINGSTON TRIO. HE DIDN'T MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WERE, YOU KNOW, WARMING YOUR HANDS BY A BONFIRE AND EVERYBODY WAS SINGING ALONG. HE NEVER MADE YOU FEEL LIKE THAT. NEVER MADE YOU FEEL WARM AND WONDERFUL. I THINK HE MADE SOME PEOPLE REALLY NERVOUS, AS A MATTER OF FACT.

Holzman

AFTER THE CONCERT ALBUM, HAD A FEELING THAT HE WANTED TO GO IN ANOTHER DIRECTION. AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER OUR CONTRACT WENT ANY LONGER THAN THREE ALBUMS -- IT PROBABLY DID. BUT IT WAS CLEAR THAT HE WAS GETTING ITCHY FEET. SCENES OF MY YOUNG YEARS WERE WARM IN MY MIND VISIONS OF SHADOWS THAT SHINE TILL ONE DAY I RETURNED AND FOUND THEY WERE THE VICTIMS OF THE VINES OF CHANGES WHEN HE ASKED FOR HIS RELEASE, I GAVE IT TO HIM. I WASN'T GOING TO HOLD AN ARTIST BACK FROM FOLLOWING WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO. WE ALL SORT OF GOT LURED INTO A MORE POP DREAM, AND WE BECAME A SORT OF BUSINESS-ORIENTED OPERATION THAT DESTROYED WHAT IT WAS ORIGINALLY. I GOT A CALL FROM PHIL. "WHAT ARE YOU UP TO, MICHAEL?" HE SAID, "I NEED YOU TO COME TO NEW YORK AND MANAGE ME." PHIL DIDN'T LEAVE ME TO GO WITH THE WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY. MICHAEL WAS NOT A POWERFUL, ESTABLISHED MANAGER. MICHAEL WAS SOMEBODY WHO WOULD GIVE PHIL PRIMACY AND 100% ATTENTION.

Michael Ochs

PHIL DIDN'T REALLY WANT A MANAGER. I MEAN, PHIL WANTED SOMEBODY THAT WOULD DO WHAT HE WANTED TO HAVE DONE. NEW YORK CITY HAS EXPLODED AND IT'S CRASHED UPON MY HEAD RIGHT NOW I'M ABOUT TO ESCAPE OUT OF NEW YORK CITY AND GO TO CALIFORNIA.

Woman

ESCAPE? YEAH, I'VE BEEN TRAPPED BY THE CITY AND BEEN ARRESTED BY THE CEMENT. THE LANDLORD'S AT MY WINDOW AND THE BURGLAR'S AT MY DOOR I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE THE VILLAGE SCENE HAD DISSIPATED. EVERYBODY HAD SORT OF GONE THEIR SEPARATE WAYS.

Henske

IT WAS TURNING INTO SOMETHING ELSE. IT WAS TURNING INTO SOMETHING THAT WAS A REAL DRAG. TO WATCH THE AIR GET SUCKED OUT OF THE VILLAGE, I MEAN, ALL OF THE OXYGEN JUST GO PFFT! AND IT'S GONE, YOU KNOW.

Michael Ochs

SO WHEN I TOOK OVER THE MANAGEMENT, THE FIRST PRIORITY IS TO GET THE NEW RECORD DEAL. I FIGURED, TIME TO HEAD OUT TO THE WEST COAST AND TALK TO MORE LABELS. MILLIONAIRES AND PAUPERS WALK THE HUNGRY STREETS RICH AND POOR COMPANIONS OF THE RESTLESS BEAT

Man

I WAS AWARE OF PHIL. I KNEW ABOUT HIM. I LIKED WHAT HE'D DONE. AND WE GOT TOGETHER AND GOT ALONG, AND MADE A DEAL. LARRY MARKS WAS ONE OF THE IN-HOUSE PRODUCERS AT A&M, AND LARRY MARKS WAS CLASSICALLY TRAINED. AND PHIL AND LARRY HIT IT OFF INSTANTLY. WHAT I DIDN'T REALLY EXPECT AFTER WE SIGNED PHIL WAS THAT HE WAS WRITING SOMETHING LIKE "PLEASURES OF THE HARBOR." THAT KIND OF TOOK ME COMPLETELY BY SURPRISE. SOON YOUR SAILING WILL BE OVER COME AND TAKE THE PLEASURES OF THE HARBOR

Phil Ochs

IT'LL BE A DEPARTURE FROM THE OTHER RECORDS, BECAUSE THE THREE RECORDS I'VE GOT OUT NOW ARE ALL GUITAR AND VOICE AND THE NEXT RECORD WILL BE HARMONY AND COUNTER-MELODY AND CLASSICAL MUSIC, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. THE HUNGRY HANDS HAVE TIED THEM TO THE PORT THE HOUR WILL BE SHORT FOR LEISURE ON THE LAND EVERYBODY ELSE WAS GOING INTO FOLK-ROCK, AND PHIL HAD NO INTEREST IN THAT. HE NEVER WENT WITH THE MAINSTREAM. HE ALWAYS FOUND HIS OWN DIRECTION.

PLAYING RAGTIME

Phil Ochs

I MIGHT NOT EVEN PLAY THE GUITAR ON THIS RECORD, JUST, YOU KNOW, OTHER INSTRUMENTS.

Man

YOU'LL BE PLAYING OTHER INSTRUMENTS OR -- Ochs,

laughing

NO, NOT ME. REAL MUSICIANS WILL BE PLAYING, TRAINED PEOPLE.

Man

HE WAS VERY SOFT-SPOKEN AND VERY RESPECTFUL, AND HE KNEW THAT THE PROFESSIONALS AUGMENT WHAT HE DID, THAT IN COLLABORATION, THERE COULD BE A GREAT DEAL OF FREEDOM AND EXPANSION OF HIS PALETTE. OH, LOOK OUTSIDE THE WINDOW THERE'S A WOMAN BEING GRABBED THEY'VE DRAGGED HER TO THE BUSHES AND NOW SHE'S BEING STABBED

Phil Ochs

IN "A SMALL CIRCLE OF FRIENDS," WHERE WE TALK ABOUT A DISREGARD FOR A HUMAN LIFE -- WHICH IS SO MAD, AND AT THE SAME TIME UNREAL. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SET UP AN UNREAL HONKY TONK PIANO, WHICH I THINK ADDS A SENSE OF IRONY AND GIVES THE SONG AN UPLIFT. SMOKING MARIJUANA IS MORE FUN THAN DRINKING BEER BUT A FRIEND OF OURS WAS CAPTURED AND THEY GAVE HIM 30 YEAR MAYBE WE SHOULD RAISE OUR VOICES ASK SOMEBODY WHY BUT DEMONSTRATIONS ARE A DRAG BESIDES, WE'RE MUCH TOO HIGH AND I'M SURE IT WOULDN'T INTEREST ANYBODY OUTSIDE OF A SMALL CIRCLE OF FRIENDS

Marks

PHIL ALWAYS FELT THAT HE WAS THE GREATEST SONGWRITER, THE GREATEST SINGER, AND THAT THERE WASN'T ANY REASON THAT THIS WASN'T GOING TO BE THE NUMBER-ONE ALBUM. EVERYBODY ELSE WAS RELATIVELY REALISTIC ABOUT THE AREA WE WERE IN, WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO HERE. BUT WHY DIAL SOMEBODY DOWN LIKE THAT, WHO IS SO AGGRESSIVELY, YOU KNOW, INVOLVED IN HIS OWN CAREER AND WILLING TO DO ALMOST ANYTHING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN?

Michael Ochs

SO THE ALBUM COMES OUT, GETS HORRIBLE REVIEWS, BUT THE RECORD DIDN'T TOTALLY BOMB. I MEAN, IT WAS NO "SGT. PEPPER," BUT IT ACTUALLY DID BECOME HIS BIGGEST SELLING ALBUM.

Phil Ochs

MY "PLEASURES OF THE HARBOR" ALBUM HAS BEEN WIDELY ATTACKED, AND PEOPLE LOVE IT OR HATE IT. AND I HAPPEN TO LOVE IT. WE ORCHESTRATED EVERY SONG. YOU WERE GETTING ALONG FINE WITHOUT IT. WHY ALL OF THE SUDDEN? I WANTED TO EXTEND MY MUSICAL BOUNDARIES. YOU THINK THIS DOES IT? YEAH, I THINK THE LYRICS ARE... WHAT ABOUT THE FOLK SINGERS WHO ARE TURNING ROCK, LIKE THE MAMAS AND PAPAS AND THE LOVIN' SPOONFULS? UH... YOU CAN TURN INTO WHAT YOU WANT. I WAS MUCH MORE INTERESTED IN COUNTERPOINT, COUNTERMELODY, AND ORCHESTRAL, TEXTURAL SOUNDS, RATHER THAN JUST PUTTING A ROCK BAND IN BACK OF ME. YOU'RE ONE OF MY FAVORITE FOLK SINGERS. THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT, SO LET'S SING. THANK YOU. YOU'RE ONE OF MY FAVORITE CLUB OWNERS. OKAY, RIGHT.

Moss

I NEVER LOOKED ON PHIL AS BEING A HUGE-SELLING ARTIST. I LOOKED ON HIM AS BEING A VALUABLE COMMODITY IN THE SENSE OF WHO HE WAS AND WHAT HE REPRESENTED AND HOW HE SPOKE FOR THE LABEL, YOU KNOW. WE WERE JUST PROUD TO HAVE HIM. WE WERE PROUD TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH HIM, AND WE LIKED HIM. HE WAS JUST A FUN GUY TO BE AROUND AT THAT TIME, YOU KNOW. SO I SNUCK UP CLOSE BEHIND ME AND I GAVE MYSELF A KISS AND I LED MYSELF TO THE MIRROR TO EXPOSE WHAT I HAD MISSED THERE I SAW A LAUGHING MANIAC WHO WAS WRITING SONGS LIKE THIS AND MY SHOULDERS HAD TO SHRUG AS I CRAWLED BENEATH THE RUG AND RETUNED MY PIANO

Henske

HE WAS VERY, VERY HUMOROUS.

Man

PHIL LOVED THEATER OF THE ABSURD.

Henske

AND, IN A WAY, HE WANTED TO BE THE MOST THEATRICAL PERSON THAT THERE COULD POSSIBLY BE.

Phil Ochs

I GOT INVOLVED WITH THE POLITICS OF THE ABSURD IN CALIFORNIA, WHICH WAS A THEATER DEMONSTRATION, IN WHICH WE DECLARED THE WAR OVER IN VIETNAM.

Man

REALITIES DEVELOP OUT OF FANTASY. AND IT WAS A FANTASY, "THE WAR IS OVER IF YOU WANT IT." THIS STRIKES ME AS THE SORT OF THING THAT COMES TO A WITTY PERSON WHO'S GOING TO SLEEP AT NIGHT SAYING, "I KNOW THIS WAR IS HORRIBLE. BUT EVEN BEFORE IT'S HORRIBLE, IT'S JUST RIDICULOUS. THIS JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY COMMON HUMAN SENSE." I SAID, "PHIL, IS THAT ENOUGH TO JUST SAY? TO JUST SAY... IS THAT ENOUGH, TO SAY JUST THE WAR IS OVER?" I DECLARE THE WAR IS OVER LBJ WAS CAMPAIGNING AND DOING A SPEECH AT CENTURY CITY, AND PHIL ORGANIZED A "WAR IS OVER" DEMONSTRATION. AND THEY DO IT OUTSIDE THE HOTEL WHERE JOHNSON'S SPEAKING, AND THE COPS GO CRAZY.

SHOUTING

Henske

THERE WAS A BIG RIOT. AND IT WAS CALLED A POLICE RIOT. AND I DIDN'T GET INJURED BECAUSE I HOPPED UP ON A CAMERA THING, AND SO DID PHIL, WITH HIS SIGN...

Laughing

Henske

"THE WAR IS OVER."

Phil Ochs

YOU SPEND YEARS FIGHTING AGAINST THE WAR ON A MORAL BASIS, AND THE ADMINISTRATION DOESN'T LISTEN AT ALL. YOU KNOW, AND YOU BECOME INCREASINGLY AWARE THAT YOU'RE NOT HAVING AN EFFECT.

Man

PHIL DECIDED, LET'S DO IT AGAIN IN NEW YORK. IT'S GOING TO BE A THEATER PIECE. IT'S NOT A HIPPIE THEATER PIECE, IT'S A THEATER PIECE.

Hoffman

AND HE RAN AROUND FRANTIC. WHEN HE GOT ONTO AN IDEA, HE GOT AS MANIC AS MOST OF THE OTHER CREATIVE ARTISTS THAT YOU KNOW. AND HE DESIGNED POSTERS AND HE GOT THE WORLD WAR II POSTER OF THE SAILOR KISSING THE -- WE WERE GOING TO MAKE IT A REALITY. AND WE ALL GATHERED IN WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK AND HE SANG THE SONG. TRUST YOUR LEADERS WHERE MISTAKES ARE ALMOST NEVER MADE AND THEY'RE AFRAID THAT I'M AFRAID I'M AFRAID THE WAR IS OVER IT'S OVER

CROWD SHOUTING

Hoffman

ABOUT 5,000 PEOPLE JUST WENT STREAMING UP THE BOULEVARDS, HUGGING PEOPLE, "THE WAR IS OVER, THE WAR IS OVER." AND IT WAS QUITE EFFECTIVE, BECAUSE IN THAT MOMENT, THEY HAD TO SAY, "WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE IF IT WAS OVER?"

Krassner

WE RAN THROUGH THE STREETS AGAINST TRAFFIC, SO IT WAS HARD FOR THE COPS TO FOLLOW US, WITH NOISEMAKERS AND SHOUTING, "THE WAR IS OVER." AND A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVED IT.

Phil Ochs

I THINK AMERICA HAS TO WAKE UP TO THE ABSURDITY THAT IT IS INVOLVEMENT, AND I THINK STREET THEATER LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GOING TO END THE WAR. NONE OF THE THINGS HAVE ENDED THE WAR. BUT I THINK IT'S MORE EFFECTIVE THEATRICALLY IN GETTING THE ABSURDITY ACROSS TO THESE PEOPLE. SO DO YOUR DUTY, BOYS AND JOIN WITH PRIDE SERVE YOUR COUNTRY IN HER SUICIDE FIND THE FLAGS SO YOU CAN WAVE GOODBYE

Man

AND U.S. CASUALTIES CONTINUE TO CLIMB. BUT JUST BEFORE THE END, EVEN TREASON MIGHT BE WORTH A TRY THIS COUNTRY IS TOO YOUNG TO DIE I BELIEVE THE WAR IS OVER IT'S OVER IT'S OVER AND I HAVE WRITTEN MY NEXT ALBUM ALREADY AND I'M HALFWAY THROUGH IT, RECORDING IT. AND WHERE TO GO, I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE THE NEXT ALBUM IS REALLY AN ALBUM ABOUT THE APOCALYPSE, MUCH MORE THAN HARBOR. HALF THE WORLD IS CRAZY AND THE OTHER HALF IS SCARED MADONNAS DO THE MINUET FOR NAKED MILLIONAIRES THE ANARCHISTS ARE RISING WHILE WE'RE RACING FOR THE MOON IT DOESN'T TAKE A SEER TO SEE THE SCENE IS COMING SOON

Michael Ochs

AND WHILE WE'RE DOING THE ALBUM, MARTIN LUTHER KING GETS SHOT.

GUNSHOT

SHOUTING

Michael Ochs

NOW, NOTHING REMAINS FOR BUILDING OR BURNING THE LOSING OF LOVERS WAS ALL I WAS LEARNING

Hayden

AND SO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SIXTIES BECOMES ONE OF DISILLUSIONMENT, BITTERNESS, ALIENATION, OR SOME WOULD SAY JUST A CLARIFICATION OF WHERE WE REALLY STOOD. AND FOR A WAR TO GO ON AND ON -- I MEAN, THE VIETNAM WAR -- '65 THEN '66, '67, '68. AND THE THING WOULDN'T END. AND EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A BIPARTISAN WAR, IT WAS UNDER THE DEMOCRAT'S WATCH THEN. THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS BLOOD ON ITS HANDS. THERE'S A STRUGGLE GOING ON IN THE WORLD TODAY BETWEEN YOUNG PEOPLE AND BETWEEN THOSE OLD, MENOPAUSAL MEN WHO RUN THIS COUNTRY. AND IT'S A STRUGGLE ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTRY'S ABOUT. EXPLODED IN PAIN, THEN I SCREAMED FOR MORE THERE IS DIVISION IN THE AMERICAN HOUSE NOW. THERE IS DIVISIVENESS AMONG US ALL TONIGHT... RELEASE ME FROM MY MIND WHOA, KILL ME ONE MORE TIME AND SET ME FREE ACCORDINGLY, I SHALL NOT SEEK, AND I WILL NOT ACCEPT, THE NOMINATION OF MY PARTY FOR ANOTHER TERM AS YOUR PRESIDENT. AND ALL THE HIGHBORN LADIES SO LOVELY AND SO TRUE HAVE BEEN HANDED TO THE SOLDIERS WHEN IN ROME, DO AS THE ROMANS DO

Robert Kennedy

I AM ANNOUNCING TODAY MY CANDIDACY FOR THE PRESIDENCY OF THE UNITED STATES. I DO NOT RUN FOR THE PRESIDENCY MERELY TO OPPOSE ANY MAN, BUT TO PROPOSE NEW POLICIES. KENNEDY REALLY HAS CHANGED THE NATURE OF IT ALL. I MEAN, BEFORE KENNEDY RAN, THERE WAS A HUGE UNDERGROUND SWELLING FOR A REVOLUTION, FOR AN OVERTHROW, OR FOR A TOTAL DROP-OUT. AND NOW KENNEDY RUNNING, HAVING THE KIND OF APPEAL THAT HE HAS, IS SPLITTING THOSE RANKS, BUT THE FEELING IS STILL INGRAINED THAT SOMETHING IS TERRIBLY WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM AND SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE. WE CAN START TO WORK TOGETHER. WE ARE A GREAT COUNTRY, AN UNSELFISH COUNTRY AND A COMPASSIONATE COUNTRY, AND I INTEND TO MAKE THAT MY BASIS FOR RUNNING...

Michael Ochs

IN MARCH, BOBBY WAS FLYING TO WASHINGTON TO GIVE HIS ANTIWAR SPEECH. AND AFTER THE SPEECH, KENNEDY FLEW BACK TO NEW YORK ON THE SHUTTLE, AND PHIL AND I FLEW BACK WITH HIM. JACK ASKS BOBBY IN PASSING IF HE'S EVER HEARD PHIL'S SONG "CRUCIFIXION." TILL THE UNIVERSE EXPLODES AS A FALLING STAR IS RAISED PLANETS ARE PARALYZED, THE MOUNTAINS ARE AMAZED BUT THEY ALL GLOW BRIGHTER FROM THE BRILLIANCE OF THE BLAZE WITH THE SPEED OF INSANITY THEN HE DIED MIDWAY THROUGH THE SONG, ROBERT KENNEDY UNDERSTOOD THAT "CRUCIFIXION" WAS PARTLY ABOUT HIS BROTHER, JOHN KENNEDY, AND HE WAS ABSOLUTELY WIPED OUT ON THE DAY THAT ROBERT KENNEDY FINALLY LIBERATED HIMSELF FROM HIS BROTHER'S MISTAKE IN VIETNAM. TEACH US TO BE TRUE COME DANCE DANCE DANCE 'CAUSE WE LOVE YOU

GUNSHOT

SHOUTING

Michael Ochs

THEN THIS OVERFLOW OF LIFE IS CRUSHED TO A LIAR THE GENTLE SOUL IS RIPPED APART AND TOSSED INTO THE FIRE FIRST A SMILE OF REJECTION AT THE NEARNESS OF THE NIGHT TRUTH BECOMES A TRAGEDY LIMPING FROM THE LIGHT ALL THE HEAVENS ARE HORRIFIED THEY STAGGER FROM THE SIGHT AS THE CROSS IS TREMBLING WITH DESIRE THAT WAS JUST LIKE A BULLET THAT WENT THROUGH AN ENTIRE GENERATION.

Truscott

THERE WERE SO MANY AWFUL THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THE SIXTIES. THE WAR IN VIETNAM AND, YOU KNOW, BOTH THE KENNEDY BROTHERS GETTING KILLED AND MARTIN LUTHER KING. IT JUST SEEMED LIKE ONE HAMMER BLOW AFTER ANOTHER. AND I THINK PHIL WAS A BIG ENOUGH EGO MANIAC TO TAKE IT ALL PERSONALLY. WITH THE SPEED OF INSANITY THEN HE DIED

BAND PLAYING

Weiss

IN 1968, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE CAME TO CHICAGO TO TELL THE DEMOCRATS THAT THE WAR HAD TO END. AS THE GREAT SOCIETY SINKS SLOWLY INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND WE STAND HERE, I THOUGHT I WOULD GIVE YOU A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BIRTH OF THE YIPPIES...

Man

PAUL KRASSNER, PHIL, AND JERRY RUBIN AND SOME OTHERS STARTED THE YIPPIE PARTY.

Phil Ochs

THE YIPPIES ARE THE YOUTH INTERNATIONAL PARTY. AND WE'RE CURRENTLY ORGANIZING FOR CHICAGO, FOR THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION. I'M A SPOKESMAN FOR THE YIPPIES.

Man

YOU'RE NOT ABBIE HOFFMAN?

Hoffman

NO. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF US -- ED SANDERS, GINSBURG TO SOME EXTENT, THE POETS, ARTISTS, COMMITTED RADICALS, PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T BELIEVE IN ART FOR ART'S SAKE BUT ART FOR A GOOD SAKE, FOR A HIGHER SAKE. WE ARE GOING TO CHICAGO, ABOUT A QUARTER MILLION OF YOUNG, ENERGETIC LOVE BUDDIES. IT FELT LIKE WE COULD FORM WHAT THEY CALLED IN THE THIRTIES, FORTIES, AND FIFTIES AND EARLIER A "UNITED FRONT" AGAINST THE WAR.

Rubin

HE BELIEVED THAT OUTRAGING THE COUNTRY WAS NOT THE WAY TO GO. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, HE LIKED THE YIPPIE SENSE OF THEATER. PHIL HAD EXPRESSED WHAT TO ME WAS THE ESSENTIAL SPIRIT OF THE YIPPIES. AND I'LL NEVER FORGET THIS PHRASE. HE SAID, "A DEMONSTRATION SHOULD TURN YOU ON, NOT TURN YOU OFF." WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CELEBRATION. AND THERE WILL BE MUSIC, DANCING. ESSENTIALLY, IT'S GOING TO BE A MEETING OF THE UNDERGROUND, IS GOING TO ASSEMBLE IN CHICAGO AND JUST SHOW THEMSELVES, BY THE PHYSICAL PRESENCE, TO BE A POLITICAL FACTOR, A POLITICAL FORCE THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO BE TAKEN IN BY THE SOMEWHAT FRAUDULENT POLITICAL PROCESS.

Krassner

SO THE YIPPIES HAD THEIR MYTHOLOGY. AND WHAT HAPPENED IN CHICAGO WAS A CLASH OF OUR MYTHOLOGY AGAINST THEIR MYTHOLOGY. SOLDIERS HAVE THEIR SORROW THE WRETCHED HAVE THEIR RAGE PRAY FOR THE AGED IT'S THE DAWN OF ANOTHER AGE OF ANOTHER AGE OF ANOTHER AGE, OF ANOTHER AGE OF ANOTHER AGE

Hayden

DURING THE RIOTS, AFTER THE MURDER OF DR. KING, MAYOR DALEY ISSUED A "SHOOT TO KILL" ORDER, WHICH WAS MEANT TO EXTEND THROUGH THE CONVENTION. THE CITY OF CHICAGO REFUSED PERMITS FOR THE SOUND TRUCKS THAT YOU WOULD NEED FOR A SOUNDSTAGE, ELECTRICITY. OUR CLAIM WAS THAT IT WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL TO DENY PEOPLE THE PERMITS.

MUSIC ON LOUDSPEAKER

Hayden

SO BY AUGUST, YOU'RE WALKING INTO A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE NO PERMITS FOR ANYTHING -- WHICH MEANS, GET OUT OF CHICAGO OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES. THE MEDIA AND MAYOR DALEY HAVE, IN SOME SENSE, BEEN COOPERATING, TRYING TO SCARE PEOPLE AWAY FROM CHICAGO. IF THERE HAD EVER BEEN ANY ARTISTIC COMMITMENT, YOU KNOW, THOSE PLUGS WERE PULLED.

Michael Ochs

I'M LOOKING AT THIS, SAYING, "PHIL, YOU CAN'T DO THIS. THIS IS NOT GOING TO WORK." NONE OF THE ROCK AND ROLL STARS WOULD GO, REALLY, BUT PHIL WENT, I WENT. AND WE'LL RESPECT OUR ELDERS JUST AS LONG AS THEY ALLOW THAT WHEN I'VE GOT SOMETHING TO SAY, SIR I'M GONNA SAY IT NOW

Hayden

IT WAS A MATTER OF WHO STAYED TO COMMIT THEIR BODIES TO THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

APPLAUSE

Hayden

PHIL WAS SINGING INDOORS, AT A RALLY THAT HAD BEEN PERMITTED.

Michael Ochs

A BIG UN-BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR LYNDON JOHNSON THERE, IT WAS HIS BIRTHDAY.

Hayden

AND IT WAS REALLY QUITE A MOMENT. FOUGHT IN THE BLOODY CIVIL WAR YES, I EVEN KILLED MY BROTHER AND SO MANY OTHERS BUT I AIN'T A-MARCHIN' ANYMORE

APPLAUSE

Man

SPONTANEOUSLY, SOMEBODY LIT UP HIS DRAFT CARD. AND OTHER PEOPLE LIT UP THEIR DRAFT CARDS, AND THEY WERE BURNING DRAFT CARDS ALL OVER THE AUDITORIUM. THERE WAS A KIND OF EUPHORIA AND EXCITEMENT. MEANTIME, LET'S PICK UP FROM VIDEOTAPE THE LATEST INSTALLMENT OF THE WAR ALONG MICHIGAN BOULEVARD.

Weiss

IT BECAME QUITE VIOLENT, BECAUSE MAYOR DALEY UNLEASHED VEHICLES, DOGS, POLICE WHO WERE HEAVILY ARMED.

Hayden

THEY HAD THE GREEN LIGHT, APPARENTLY, FROM THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE NOBODY REALLY INTERVENED. AND THE BOATS WERE TOSSED ABOUT WHEN THE FOG ROLLED IN AND THE GUESTS ROLLED OUT FROM LINCOLN PARK THE DARK WAS TURNING TURNING I THINK CHICAGO, IN A WAY, WAS HIS FIRST GASSING AND BEING PUSHED AROUND AND SEEING THAT PEOPLE COULD BE SHOT, LIKE IN AN INSTANT. WE MUST GIVE NOTICE TO THIS VIOLENT FEW. THERE ARE MILLIONS OF DECENT AMERICANS WHO ARE WILLING TO SACRIFICE FOR CHANGE, BUT THEY WANT TO DO IT WITHOUT BEING THREATENED. THEY ARE THE NON-VIOLENT MAJORITY. I'LL GO BACK TO THE CITY WHERE I CAN BE ALONE...

Phil Ochs

I GUESS EVERYBODY GOES THROUGH A CERTAIN STAGE OF DISILLUSIONMENT, YOU KNOW, AND DECIDES, WELL, THE WORLD IS NOT THE SWEET AND FAIR PLACE I ALWAYS ASSUMED, AND THAT JUSTICE WOULD OUT. I ALWAYS THOUGHT JUSTICE WOULD OUT. I NO LONGER THINK THAT, BY ANY STRETCH. I DON'T THINK FAIRNESS WINS ANYMORE. NEVER KNOWING I WAS GROWING EVERY DAY MY LIFE WAS ONCE A JOY TO ME AND AFTER CHICAGO, MUSICALLY, I WROTE AN ALBUM ABOUT THE DEATH OF THE AMERICAN, CALLED "REHEARSALS FOR RETIREMENT." SORT OF LIKE THE DEATH OF THE LIBERAL AMERICAN. AND THERE'S A POEM ON THE BACK OF THE ALBUM SAYING THAT THE AMERICAN RULE WAS OVER, THE AMERICAN DAY WAS OVER, AND THESE LAST DAYS, THESE TRIALS AND TRAGEDIES WERE, AFTER ALL, ONLY OUR REHEARSALS FOR RETIREMENT. I TAKE MY COLORS...

Richard Nixon

LET US BE UNITED FOR PEACE. LET US ALSO BE UNITED AGAINST DEFEAT, BECAUSE, LET US UNDERSTAND, NORTH VIETNAM CAN NOT DEFEAT OR HUMILIATE THE UNITED STATES. ONLY AMERICANS CAN DO THAT.

Phil Ochs

AND SO THERE'S MY HAPPY, OPTIMISTIC VIEWPOINT OF 1968. WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?

Marks

SO WE'VE GOT REHEARSALS, BUT IT WAS HARDER TO GET HIM TO THE STUDIO, YOU KNOW, AND HIS HOUSE WAS JUST A WRECK, HE JUST DRANK DAY AND NIGHT. AND IT WAS JUST -- WASN'T A PRETTY SIGHT. IT WAS REALLY ROUGH TIMES FOR HIM.

Bragg

TO BELIEVE THAT YOUR GENERATION IS GOING TO CHANGE THE WORLD BY ITS ACTIVISM, AND THEN TO RUN UP AGAINST WHAT HAPPENED IN CHICAGO, YOU'VE GOT TWO CHOICES -- YOU EITHER ACCEPT THE LIMITATIONS OF WHAT YOU CAN DO AND CARRY ON WORKING AND SEE WHAT IS POSSIBLE, OR YOU, UH... YOU MAKE NO COMPROMISE, AND PHIL, I DON'T THINK, WAS... I DON'T THINK PHIL FANCIED MAKING THAT COMPROMISE.

Phil Ochs

I HAD A FEELING, I HAD A REACTION, FIRST OF ALL, AGAINST THE COUNTERCULTURE. THE IDEA OF A FREAK COUNTERCULTURE WAS DISASTROUS. WHAT WAS NEEDED WAS AN ORGANIC CONNECTION TO THE WORKING CLASS. THAT'S WHAT ROBERT KENNEDY MEANT, THAT YOU HAD TO BE ONE COUNTRY. YOU SHOULDN'T SOCIALLY ALIENATE THE REAL WORKING CLASS OF AMERICA. AND OF COURSE, NIXON WAS USING THAT AND GETTING ACROSS THIS IMAGE, IT'S THEM AGAINST US. NO MATTER WHAT YOU THINK OF ME, I'M A REGULAR STRAIGHT AMERICAN GUY, AND IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ME, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME HAIRY FREAK, WITH DOPE IN THE STREETS AND DESTRUCTION OF THE COUNTRY, SO TAKE YOUR CHOICE. THAT'S THE GAME HE PLAYED, AND PLAYED VERY EFFECTIVELY. SAILORS CLIMB THE TREE UP THE TERRIBLE TREE WHERE ARE MY SHIPMATES HAVE THEY SUNK BENEATH THE SEA I DO NOT KNOW MUCH BUT I KNOW THIS CANNOT BE IT ISN'T REALLY IT ISN'T REALLY TELL ME IT ISN'T REALLY...

Yarrow

THE KENT STATE KILLINGS WERE A CASE IN POINT, THAT YOU LIVED ON THE EDGE, WONDERING IN WHAT WAY DEMOCRACY WAS GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER BLOW.

Michael Ochs

YOU COULD SEE THE CHANGE IN THE MOVEMENT. ALL OF A SUDDEN PEOPLE ARE NOT AS POLITICAL. ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE ANTIWAR WAR MOVEMENT IS SORT OF FLAGGING A LITTLE BIT. ...OR A SCREAM BUT I'M NOT SCREAMING I'M NOT SCREAMING TELL ME I'M NOT SCREAMING

Hayden

WHEN MOVEMENTS FEEL THEY'RE RUNNING UP AGAINST A STONE WALL, THEY START TO BECOME MORE MILITANT, THINKING THAT PERSUASION ISN'T GOING TO WORK AND WE HAVE TO KNOCK THE WALL DOWN. SO YOU BEGAN TO GET BOMBINGS OF PROPERTY, WEATHER UNDERGROUND. ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU GET PEOPLE NOT WILLING TO DO, YOU KNOW, VIOLENT PROPERTY DESTRUCTION, THEREFORE, FEELING THAT THEY WERE ISOLATED, STRANDED, NOWHERE. I HAVE BEEN A GOOD MAN I'VE DONE NOBODY WRONG AND PHIL MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN THAT CATEGORY OF DESPAIR. YOU GET BURNOUT, YOU GET DROPOUT. BUT I'M NOT DYING NO, I'M NOT DYING TELL ME I'M NOT DYING

Moss

HE SAID, "IN EVERY REVOLUTION, THERE ARE CLOWNS THAT PRECEDE THE REAL STUFF. AND THAT'S WHAT I AM -- I'M A PRE-REVOLUTIONARY CLOWN." SO I THINK HE WAS TAKING THAT ROLE PRETTY SERIOUSLY.

Phil Ochs

SO I WAS JUST SITTING AROUND CALIFORNIA, GETTING A LITTLE STAGNANT. AND AT THAT POINT, I MEAN, HAVING GONE THROUGH ALMOST 10 YEARS, OR 9 YEARS, OF SINGING, AS A POLITICAL SINGER, I HAD A KIND OF REACTION TO IT. AND SO I DID MY "GREATEST HITS" TRIP. FOUND HIM BY THE STAGE LAST NIGHT HE WAS BREATHING HIS LAST BREATH IT STARTED OUT AS A JOKE -- I WROTE MY NEXT BATCH OF SONGS AND I WAS TRYING TO THINK OF AN ALBUM TITLE, AND I THOUGHT, WOULDN'T IT BE FUNNY IF I PUT OUT GREATEST HITS, SINCE I NEVER HAD ANY HITS, AND IT WOULD ALSO BE A SPOOF ON THE INDUSTRY, BECAUSE EVERYBODY KEEPS PUTTING OUT GREATEST HITS AND BEST OF AND REPACKAGING THEIR SONGS AGAIN AND AGAIN. AND WHAT WOULD BE THE FUNNIEST, MOST COMMERCIAL COVER I COULD GET, AND SUPPOSE PHIL OCHS PUT ON A GOLD SUIT -- SO I DID IT AS A SPOOF OF ELVIS. BUT GOD HELP THE TROUBADOUR WHO TRIES TO BE A STAR

Parks

IT TOOK TWO DAYS TO DO THE GREATEST HITS ALBUM. WE GOT THE BEST ARRANGERS WE COULD. AND WE WANTED TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING WHICH WAS, YES, AN ENTERTAINMENT AND THAT WAS, HENCE, PHIL OCHS, HIS OWN PERSONA FINALLY REVEALED, IN THIS GOLD LAME SUIT. I'VE FOUND MY FREEDOM HER AND I BEEN FLYING DOWN THAT HIGHWAY

Phil Ochs

EVERYBODY WHO EVER STEPPED ON A MUSICAL STAGE SECRETLY WANTS TO BE ELVIS PRESLEY. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A BIG FAN OF ELVIS. HE WAS THE CREATION OF THIS KIND OF HERO IMAGE. HE TOTALLY PUT TOGETHER COUNTRY AND WESTERN AND RHYTHM AND BLUES, AND IT SORT OF FUSED IN ONE PERSONALITY AND ONE GREAT VOICE, AND THAT HE REPRESENTED THE REAL SORT OF LUMPEN PROLETARIAT SOUL OF AMERICA THROUGH HIS MUSIC. LOOK HOW FAR AND IF THERE'S ANY HOPE FOR AMERICA, IT LIES IN A REVOLUTION, AND IF THERE'S ANY HOPE FOR REVOLUTION IN AMERICA, IT LIES IN GETTING ELVIS PRESLEY TO BECOME CHE GUEVARA. BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T DO THAT, YOU'RE JUST BEATING YOUR HEAD AGAINST THE WALL, OR THE COP DOWN THE STREET WILL BE BEATING YOUR HEAD AGAINST THE WALL AND THAT'S ELVIS PRESLEY. WHEN I HAD THE GOLD SUIT ON THE COVER, PEOPLE STARTED SAYING, "WHY DON'T YOU PERFORM IN THE GOLD SUIT?" AS A JOKE, AGAIN. AND I SAID, "WELL, WHY NOT?" THEN I TOOK IT TO NEW YORK, TO CARNEGIE HALL, WHICH LED TO A BIG UPROAR.

CROWD JEERING

Wickham

IT DIDN'T REALLY GO OVER. THERE WAS SOME BARRACKING, SOME BOOING. IT TOOK SOME BALLS TO DO, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS DRINKING HEAVILY BY NOW.

APPLAUSE

Gorson

THE GOLD LAME HAD CONSEQUENCES. HE HAD A LOT ON THE LINE. PHIL'S CAREER WAS IN NEED OF SOMETHING POSITIVE TO HAPPEN. AND IT WAS DANGEROUS. IT WAS FULL OF A SORT OF ARROGANCE AND RECKLESSNESS AND DRUNKENNESS. I'M LISTENING FOR GOLD, BUT ALL I HEAR IS PHIL OCHS. ONCE I KNEW A SAINT WHO SANG UPON THE STAGE HE TOLD ABOUT THE WORLD HIS LOVER A GHOST WITHOUT A NAME STANDS RAGGED IN THE RAIN AND IT SEEMS THAT THERE ARE NO MORE SONGS

Phil Ochs

THEN INTO ALL THAT, I STOPPED WRITING. I MEAN, THEN THE REAL PROBLEM CAME IN AND MY SUBCONSCIOUS STOPPED FEEDING ME THE MATERIAL. I'M SAYING, "WHERE IS IT? COME ON."

Laughs

Phil Ochs

AND IT WASN'T THERE. YOU KNOW, HE USED TO GET REALLY DRUNK. AND THIS DIDN'T HELP HIS DEPRESSION ANY.

Woman

THE MAIN ISSUE WAS THE FACT THAT HE HAD THE MANIC DEPRESSION. AND THAT REALLY STARTED TO TEAR HIM APART. THE MANIA IS LIKE COCAINE. IT'S LIKE YOU CAN'T -- IT'S LIKE THAT INCREDIBLE RUSH, THAT INCREDIBLE ENERGY. AND TO ADMIT YOU'RE A MANIC DEPRESSIVE IS ALMOST NEGATING YOUR CREATIVITY, AND SO, FOR PHIL TO ADMIT THAT WAS ALMOST LIKE GIVING CREDIT FOR HIS TALENT TO SOMETHING THAT WAS BEYOND HIS CONTROL. ONE DAY HE SAID, "MICHAEL, I'VE DECIDED THAT BEFORE I DIE, I WANT TO SEE THE WORLD."

Phil Ochs

I'VE BEEN TRYING TO SORT OF WASH A LITTLE AMERICA OUT OF MY SYSTEM. SO I'M GOING AROUND. IT'S LIKE A TAKING A BATH, YOU KNOW.

Wickham

WE'D HIT A TOWN AND THE MAIN THINGS WERE THE MUSEUM, THE BEST RESTAURANT FOR AN EVENING MEAL, AND THE BORDELLO. AND HE USED TO SAY, "YOU'RE ENGLISH. YOU HAVE THE CLASS. YOU GET US INTO THE HOTELS. YOU GET US INTO THE RESTAURANTS, BUT I'LL SHOW YOU THE STREET." AND I ALWAYS DREADED THE STREET. I MEAN, I WAS TERRIFIED OF THIS. BECAUSE HE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO REGARD FOR PERSONAL SAFETY. ABSOLUTELY NONE. WE WENT TO HAITI AND WE WENT TO THIS BORDELLO IN THE SLUMS OF PORT-AU-PRINCE. LITTLE ROOMS, WITH PAPA DOC OVER THE BED. YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO GET KILLED! HE SAID, "NO, THEY WON'T KILL US. NO ONE'S GOING TO HARM US. WE'RE AMERICAN. NO ONE'S GOING TO HARM US. IT'S BAD FOR THE TOURIST TRADE." AND I'M THINKING, WELL, WHO -- WHAT TOURIST WOULD GO TO THE SLUMS OF PORT-AU-PRINCE TO GET LAID?

Man

HE WENT WITH JERRY RUBIN DOWN TO CHILE.

Phil Ochs

I WAS THERE RIGHT AFTER ALLENDE CAME INTO POWER. AND IT WAS TRULY A REVELATION, BECAUSE IT WAS A DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED MARXIST GOVERNMENT. OKAY, WE'RE SITTING HERE WITH HARALD EDELSTAM, WHO IS THE SWEDISH AMBASSADOR TO CHILE. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE PEOPLE, THE WORKING CLASS, HAD THEIR OWN REPRESENTATIVE AS A PRESIDENT. HE GOT TO MEET VICTOR JARA, WHICH WAS BASICALLY THE PETE SEEGER OF CHILE, WHO WAS A NATIONAL HERO.

Woman

THEY WERE WALKING DOWN THE STREET AND THEY HAPPENED TO RUN INTO VICTOR JARA, WHO SAW PHIL WITH A GUITAR, AND HE KNEW WHO PHIL WAS, AND THEY CHATTED, AND VICTOR TOOK HIM TO WHERE HE COULD SING FOR THE MINERS.

Michael Ochs

AND PHIL SAID, "PETE SEEGER, ME, WE'RE ALL

BLEEP

Michael Ochs

COMPARED TO THIS. THIS IS THE REAL THING." HE REALLY WAS, YOU KNOW, THE REAL POLITICAL ACTIVIST SINGER. THEY SORT OF HIT IT OFF AND PHIL ACTUALLY DID A TV SHOW WITH VICTOR JARA. THEY BECAME VERY GOOD FRIENDS IN A VERY SHORT TIME.

CHORUS SINGING IN AFRICAN LANGUAGE

Michael Ochs

SO PHIL DECIDES HE'S GOING TO GO TO AFRICA NEXT. PHIL WAS ALWAYS VERY CLEVER AND VERY CHEAP. SO PHIL WAS THINKING, "HOW CAN I WRITE THIS OFF?" HE GOES, "WHAT IF I RECORD IN AFRICA?" AND HE FINDS THESE MUSICIANS.

Moss

HE CALLED AND HE SAID HE HAD SOME SONGS HE WANTED TO PUT DOWN. I SAID, "CALL SO-AND-SO. I'LL SEND HIM A CABLE AND THEY'LL MAKE SOME SPACE FOR YOU IN THE STUDIO, AND WE'LL PAY FOR IT." YOU KNOW, WHATEVER. ACCIDENTALLY, PHIL WAS AHEAD OF HIS TIME. HE WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN SINGER TO GO DOWN THERE AND DO WORLD MUSIC.

SINGING IN AFRICAN LANGUAGE

Ochs

NOT TOO FAR TO RIDE FOR THE FREEDOM SIGN WE CRIED BWATU-E-E BWATU-E-E

Michael Ochs

ONE OF THE THINGS PHIL DID WAS WALK ALONG THESE DESERTED BEACHES. TWO AFRICANS JUMPED HIM, STRANGLED HIM ALMOST TO DEATH, STOLE HIS WATCH AND HIS WALLET AND LEFT HIM FOR DEAD. AND PHIL WAKES UP, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR FIVE, SIX HOURS LATER. LUCKILY, HE'S OKAY, EXCEPT THEY BENT HIS VOCAL CHORDS.

Man on microphone

TESTING, TESTING, TESTING... I'D LIKE A ONE-WAY TICKET HOME TICKET HOME WHERE I CAN WATCH MY TELEVISION TALK ON THE TELEPHONE HE FELT HE NEVER WAS ABLE TO REGAIN THE FULL USE OF HIS VOCAL CORDS ANYMORE. IN THE MIDDLE OF CONVERSATIONS, THIS IS WHAT HE WOULD TURN TO. HE'D SAY, "I LOST MY BEAUTIFUL VOICE. I DON'T HAVE A VOICE ANYMORE." AND HE REALLY WAS CONVINCED THAT THIS WAS DONE BY THE CIA. MY LIFE JUST FLASHED BEFORE MY EYES I MUST BE DROWNING

Michael Ochs

WHEN PHIL CAME BACK TO L.A., HE KEPT DRINKING HEAVIER AND HEAVIER. HE WAS DRIVING DRUNK ON SUNSET BOULEVARD, HAD A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER CAR.

Jacobsen

HE SAID, "I WOKE UP AND I'M GOING, LIKE, WHAT'S ALL THESE THINGS IN MY MOUTH? SO I WENT

spits

Jacobsen

..." HE GOES LIKE -- HIS TEETH. I WOULD BE IN EXILE NOW BUT EVERYWHERE'S THE SAME TICKET HOME I WANT A TICKET HOME SEPTEMBER 11, 1973. ALLENDE WAS ASSASSINATED BY A MILITARY COUP IN CHILE. THERE WERE THOSE OF US WHO BELIEVED THAT THIS COUP WAS NOT JUST THE MILITARY IN CHILE, BUT THAT THE UNITED STATES WAS INVOLVED, THAT THE CIA WAS INVOLVED.

Man

THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE IN SANTIAGO WAS THE SYMBOL OF POWER IN CHILE, SOMETHING LIKE THE WHITE HOUSE IN THE UNITED STATES. NOW IT IS A BOMBED-OUT, BURNED-OUT, SHOT-UP WRECK.

Michael Ochs

AMERICA HAD THIS INCREDIBLE FEAR OF, IF THIS MARXIST GOVERNMENT SUCCEEDED, IT COULD BE THE DOMINO EFFECT. THE SAME THEORY THAT THEY APPLIED TO VIETNAM. PHIL RESEARCHED AND HE BELIEVED, BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT, THAT THE CIA HAD SET UP THIS COUP.

Weiss

AND IT PUT PINOCHET IN POWER, AND THE MILITARY, AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE BEGAN DISAPPEARING.

Michael Ochs

TO MAKE IT TOTALLY PERSONAL, HE FOUND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS FRIEND VICTOR JARA.

Seeger

THE ARMY PUT SEVERAL THOUSAND STUDENTS AND PROFESSORS AND VICTOR, ALL IN A BIG SOCCER STADIUM. AND THEY PUT A TABLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS STADIUM. THEY SAID, "PUT YOUR HANDS ON THE TABLE." AND THEY CAME DOWN WITH RIFLE BUTTS ON HIS HANDS TILL THEY WERE BLOODY PULPS. AND THEY SAID, "NOW SING FOR US, YOU

BLEEP

Seeger

." AND HE STAGGERED TO HIS FEET, WITH HIS FACE WHITE AND HIS BLOODY HANDS DRIPPING, AND HE WALKED OVER TO THE STANDS. HE SAYS, "COMPAEROS, LET'S SING A SONG FOR EL COMANDANTE." AND WAVING HIS HANDS, HIS BLOODY HANDS, THEY SING THE ANTHEM OF SALVA ALLENDE'S POPULAR UNITY PARTY. AND THE WHOLE STANDS HESITANTLY JOINED IN WITH HIM. IT WAS TOO MUCH FOR THE COLONEL. THEY OPENED FIRE WITH MACHINE GUNS, SPRAYED THE STANDS, AND HE WAS SHOT WITH MANY BULLETS IN HIS BACK.

Gorson

IT HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY, IT HAPPENED VERY BRUTALLY, AND IT HAPPENED TO ALL THE INTELLECTUALS AND ALL THE POETS AND ALL THE WRITERS. IT'S LIKE OUR WHOLE EQUIVALENT SOCIETY WAS ROUNDED UP IN THE STADIUM AND GUNNED DOWN.

Woman

PHIL LOST HIS MIND OVER THIS AND SAID HE WAS GOING TO DO A BENEFIT, TO BENEFIT THE CHILEAN REFUGES.

Michael Ochs

HE GOES TO NEW YORK, PUTS TOGETHER SOME PEOPLE TO HELP HIM ORGANIZE THIS BIG CONCERT AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.

Gorson

REMEMBER, PHIL HAD BEEN DEAD BEFORE THE CHILE CONCERT. PHIL WAS A WEAK MAN. HE WAS FLOUNDERING, MAKING A FOOL OF HIMSELF.

Michael Ochs

WHEN PHIL WAS DEPRESSED, HE WALLOWED IN IT. HE REALLY DID NOT FIGHT IT, AND IT TOOK SOME KIND OF OUTSIDE EXPERIENCE TO BRING HIM OUT OF IT, BE IT THE SONG WRITING, BE IT POLITICAL BENEFITS.

Man

AND WHEN PHIL CAME ALIVE AGAIN, PEOPLE RESPONDED.

Michael Ochs

THE TICKETS ARE SELLING SO SLOWLY, IT'S GOING TO BE A DISASTER. AND INSTEAD OF RAISING MONEY, THEY'RE GOING TO LOSE MONEY. BUT THEN, COINCIDENTALLY, PHIL RUNS INTO BOB DYLAN AT A CLUB AND HE QUOTES ONE OF BOB'S EARLY SONGS AND SAYS, "HEY, BOB, HOW'D YOU LIKE A JOB SINGING ALMOST FOR NOTHING?" AND BOB CRACKS UP LAUGHING. SO BOB CAME OVER TO THE APARTMENT. AND WE WERE DOWNSTAIRS IN THAT BUNKER, AND PHIL HAD SALVADOR ALLENDE'S INAUGURATION SPEECH, HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS, AND HE READ IT. AND IT WAS JUST -- WE WERE JUST BLOWN AWAY AND WE WERE SILENT, AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, VERY MOVING. AND HE TOLD US ABOUT VICTOR JARA AND THAT HE HAD TO DO THIS TO AVENGE VICTOR'S DEATH FOR HIS WIFE AND CHILD.

Frand

AND HE FINALLY GOT DYLAN TO SAY THAT HE WILL PROBABLY COME. AND OF COURSE, WE SOLD OUT.

APPLAUSE

Phil Ochs

HOLD IT -- WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS AN EXPERIMENT IN AESTHETICS AND POLITICS. WE'RE TRYING TO GET ACROSS A POLITICAL MESSAGE. THE MERE FACT OF YOUR YELLING "MORE" IS PART OF A KIND OF FAN WORSHIP.

Frand

PEOPLE WERE SCREAMING FOR DYLAN AND SCREAMING FOR WHOMEVER. AND HE SAID, "YOU'RE NOT HERE TO

BLEEP

Frand

STARS, YOU'RE HERE TO HELP THE CHILEAN REFUGES, AND YOU ARE GOING TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS COUNTRY."

Gorson

THAT CONCERT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT PEOPLE GOT UP IN PUBLIC AND SAID THAT THE CIA WAS BEHIND THE OVERTHROW OF SALVADOR ALLENDE. ELEMENTS OF THE PARA-STATE, THE UNITED STATES, WERE COMPLICIT, AT THE VERY LEAST, IN CREATING THE CONDITIONS -- THE STATES OF EMERGENCY, THE SHORTAGES, THE DISLOCATIONS, THE SABOTAGES -- THAT, IF YOU LIKE, MANURED THE GROUND. THIS EVENT MADE THIS REVELATION ABOUT U.S. POLICY IN LATIN AMERICA. AND IT WAS BIG AND IT HAD MAJOR IMPACT. I MEAN, IT RAISED MONEY. IT PRODUCED A LOUSY SET OF MUSICAL TAPES, BUT A GREAT SHOW.

Phil Ochs

OKAY, THIS IS THE END OF THE SHOW. ONE MORE SONG, "BLOWIN' IN THE WIND," AND I'LL SEE YOU PRETTY SOON IN SANTIAGO. LET'S TAKE IT AWAY.

Dylan

HOW MANY ROADS MUST A MAN WALK DOWN

RHYTHMIC CLAPPING

Dylan

BEFORE HE IS CALLED A MAN? AND I WAS BACKSTAGE AND PHIL WAS A WRECK. PHIL WAS COMPLETELY DRUNK. AND BOB HAD STARTED DRINKING. HE WAS PRETTY DRUNK, TOO. ...BEFORE SHE CAN SLEEP IN THE SAND

Frand

EVEN AT THAT EVENT, THE PEOPLE FELT THAT THEY NEEDED TO TAKE CARE OF PHIL. PETE SEEGER, WHO -- HE'S LIKE THE DADDY OF THEM ALL. AND WHEN HE SAW PHIL IN THE STATE THAT HE WAS IN, HE SAID, "YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE CARE OF HIM. HIS VOICE IS TOO IMPORTANT TO LOSE IN THE MOVEMENT." IN THE WIND THE ANSWER IS BLOWIN' IN THE WIND

Gorson

THE CHILE CONCERT WAS PROFOUND FOR PHIL, TOO, BECAUSE IT BROUGHT HIM BACK INTO WHAT HE DID BEST, WHICH WAS TO ORGANIZE PROTEST AND TO DO A BENEFIT AND DO A SHOW. AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT DIDN'T STICK.

Nixon

WE HAVE ADOPTED A PLAN, WHICH WE HAVE WORKED OUT IN COOPERATION WITH THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE, FOR THE COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL OF ALL U.S. COMBAT GROUND FORCES AND THEIR REPLACEMENT BY SOUTH VIETNAMESE FORCES ON AN ORDERLY, SCHEDULED TIMETABLE. THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE HAVE CONTINUED TO GAIN IN STRENGTH. AS A RESULT, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE OVER COMBAT RESPONSIBILITIES FROM OUR AMERICAN TROOPS.

Ochs

WELL, THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE CABLE TELEVISION, RIGHT? SO -- AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ALLOWED TO SING WHATEVER WE WANT, RIGHT? SO... I'LL SING THIS SONG. PARDON ME, I'VE LOST MY VOICE IN THE MEANTIME, BUT THAT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER. SOMEHOW, I'LL PRONOUNCE THE WORDS. HERE'S TO THE STATE OF RICHARD NIXON I THINK WHAT NIXON WAS ABOUT, OF COURSE, WAS THE CREATION OF A TOTAL POLICE STATE, STEP BY STEP. THE REPRESSION ON THE PRESS AND ON INDIVIDUALS, THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SUPREME COURT AND JUST STEP BY STEP, TAKING AWAY ALL THE ADVANCES THAT HAD BEEN MADE. BUT HE GOT TOO ARROGANT, WENT TOO FAR, AND IT EXPLODED WITH WATERGATE. AND WHEN THE EVIDENCE COMES OUT THAT HE DID, IN FACT, BREAK THE LAW, THAT HE CAN BE THROWN OUT OF OFFICE. AND CRIMINALS ARE POSITIONING AS ADVISORS TO THE CROWN AND THEY HOPE THAT NO ONE SEES THE SIGHTS AND NO ONE HEARS THE SOUNDS AND THE SPEECHES OF THE PRESIDENT ARE THE RAVINGS OF A CLOWN OH, HERE'S TO THE LAND YOU'VE TORN OUT THE HEART OF RICHARD NIXON FIND YOURSELF ANOTHER COUNTRY TO BE PART OF

APPLAUSE

Ochs

THEREFORE, I SHALL RESIGN THE PRESIDENCY, EFFECTIVE AT NOON TOMORROW. VICE PRESIDENT FORD WILL BE SWORN IN AS PRESIDENT AT THAT HOUR IN THIS OFFICE.

CHEERS AND WHISTLES

Man

PHIL OCHS, SO WHAT DOES THIS MARK, IN TERMS OF ERAS, IN TERMS OF HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE? WHAT DOES TONIGHT MEAN TO YOU? WELL, I'M VERY HAPPY THAT HE'S GONE. I MEAN, I THINK HE'S BEEN A VERY EVIL MAN HIS ENTIRE CAREER. AND IS THAT HOW YOU'D DESCRIBE THE MOOD OF YOUR FRIENDS, THE PEOPLE HERE, GRATIFICATION? IS IT VINDICATION? WELL, UM... PEOPLE ARE JUST, IN GENERAL, HAPPY TO SEE HIM GO. RED BLOW THE BUGLES OF THE DAWN THE MORNING HAS ARRIVED, YOU MUST BE GONE AND THE LOST PATROL CHASE THEIR CHARTERED SOULS LIKE OLD WHORES FOLLOWING TIRED ARMIES

Weiss

SO FAST FORWARD. THE WAR'S OVER AND THE PHONES RING, AND PHIL SAYS, "LET'S DO A PARTY."

Michael Ochs

HE ONLY HAD TWO WEEKS TO ORGANIZE IT. AND PHIL'S ENERGY WAS UNBELIEVABLE.

Weiss

WE PULLED IT TOGETHER. LOTS OF PHONE CALLS, LOTS OF PEOPLE WORKING.

Michael Ochs

THERE WERE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 50,000 AND 100,000 PEOPLE THERE. SHOW ME AN ALLEY SHOW ME AN ALLEY SHOW ME A TRAIN SHOW ME A TRAIN SHOW ME A HOBO AS HE SLEEPS OUT IN THE RAIN AND I'M THERE AND I'M LOOKING AT HIM AND HE'S INCREDIBLY DEPRESSED AND I SAID, "PHIL, WHAT'S WRONG?" AND HE'S LIKE, "NOTHING." I SAID, "YOU PULLED OFF THE IMPOSSIBLE, AREN'T YOU PROUD?" "I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT," AND MUCH LATER IT HIT ME, THAT WAS THE LAST DRAGON TO BE SLAIN. YOU AND I SHOW ME THE WHISKEY...

Baez

IT WASN'T A WHOOP-DEE-DOO DAY. I THINK WE HAD ALL STRUGGLED TOO LONG FOR THAT DAY. AND I THINK IT WAS ALSO THE BEGINNING OF A, "WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NOW?" SHOW ME A COUNTRY WHERE THE BOMBS HAD TO FALL SO I IMAGINE THAT PHIL WAS AS CONFUSED AS THE REST OF US, AND THAT WOULD JUST ADD TO THE CONFUSION HE ALREADY HAD. AND I'LL SHOW YOU A YOUNG LAND WITH SO MANY REASONS WHY THERE BUT FOR FORTUNE GO YOU, YOU OR I YOU OR I YOU AND I THANK YOU, PHIL.

APPLAUSE

Baez

I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT HE LOST HIS WAY BECAUSE HIS SIDE WON. THERE WAS MORE TO IT THAN THAT. HE HAD STOPPED LOOKING OUTWARD. SEE? THAT'S THE SCARY THING. BECAUSE BEFORE IT WAS ALL OUTWARD, RIGHT? IT WAS, WHAT DO I THINK ABOUT THIS POLITICIAN? AND WHAT DO I THINK ABOUT THIS ACTION? AND WHAT DO I THINK ABOUT THIS PERSON? THAT'S WHAT HE DID BEFORE. BUT THEN HE GOT SICK AND IT WAS ALL, WHAT DO I THINK ABOUT ME? WHAT DO I THINK ABOUT ME? PHIL OCHS NO LONGER EXISTS. HE PASSED AWAY A LONG TIME AGO. SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE IS AN ILLUSION, AN UNIMPORTANT ILLUSION.

Michael Ochs

DECEMBER OF 1975, HE SPIRALED TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL. YEAH, LET'S GO ACROSS THE STREET.

Jacobsen

HE HAD BEEN JAILED IN LAS VEGAS AND WAS ACTUALLY THROWN IN A CELL. AND HE SAYS, "GUESS WHO IT WAS? BOBBY KENNEDY. HE'S NOT DEAD AFTER ALL." I SAID, "WAIT A MINUTE, PHIL." "YEAH," HE GOES, "AND I GOT A NEW -- NOW I'M JOHN TRAIN." BROTHER, CAN YOU SPARE A DIME? HE COULDN'T SPARE A DIME, THAT

BLEEP

Jacobsen

VOLKSWAGEN.

Michael Ochs

HE BECAME SCHIZOPHRENIC, INVENTING ANOTHER PERSONA, THAT PHIL OCHS WAS A PIECE OF

BLEEP

Michael Ochs

AND USELESS, NO LONGER NEEDED. THEREFORE, HE SHOULD BE KILLED. NOW PHIL OCHS IS DEAD. NOW I'M LUKE TRAIN. YOU'RE...

Inaudible

Michael Ochs

AND YOU'RE... WHAT'S YOUR NAME?

Man

GARY. GARY COOPER, ALL RIGHT.

Henske

HE COMPLETELY CHANGED. HE WAS NO LONGER THE PERSON THAT HE WAS. HE WAS GONE. I THINK IT WAS 1917. I WAS BORN IN 1917.

Man

PHIL, HE CALLED ME UP AND HE SAID, "BE ON THE CORNER OF SIXTH AVENUE AND 4th STREET," OR SOMETHING, "AT

12

00 -- SOMETHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN." THERE WAS THIS BUILDING HE ALLEGEDLY WAS BUYING FOR HIS COMPANY CALLED BARRICADE RECORDS. THAT IS CALLED BARRICADE, HOUSING BARRICADE, THE BARRICADE GROUP LIMITED, BARRICADE LIMITED. 25 COMPANIES -- MULTINATIONAL CORPORATION ON THE LEFT. I'M GOING TO BUY THE WORLD AND THROW IT AWAY, ALL THE MONEY AWAY, GIVE IT AWAY. SO SPITTING MONEY. THERE WAS NOTHING WE COULD DO BECAUSE HE WAS SO CRAZY AT THAT POINT, HAD WE TRIED TO HOSPITALIZE HIM, HE DID THREATEN TO KILL MY BROTHER MICHAEL IF HE DID THAT TO HIM, SO HE WAS REALLY GONE.

Woman

AND THE LAST TIME I SAW HIM, HE SHOWED UP WITH A BELT WITH A HAMMER IN IT, AND DEFINITELY HAD -- WAS TRANSITIONING. AND THEN, AS SOON AS HE SAW ME, HE COMPLETELY CHANGED. AND THE BELT WENT AWAY AND THE HAMMER WENT AWAY, AND HE BECAME MY FATHER, AND ON THAT TRIP, WE WENT TO A FLEA MARKET AND HE BOUGHT ME A SET OF ENCYCLOPEDIAS. HE BOUGHT ME A CAT THAT HE NAMED RIMBAUD. I WAS PROBABLY 20 YEARS OLD BEFORE I READ ARTHUR RIMBAUD. AND THESE ARE LIKE THE SEEDS THAT I FEEL LIKE MY FATHER PLANTED FOR ME THAT, OVER TIME, HE MEANT FOR ME TO DISCOVER. HE MEANT FOR ME TO DISCOVER ART AND POETRY AND POLITICS. AND YOU CAN TELL US ALL ABOUT IT SOMEDAY IT'S A SONG ABOUT THE END OF THE WORLD, CALLED "CLOSING TIME."

Baez

SOME ALCOHOLICS YOU WANT TO PUSH AWAY, AND SOME OF THEM YOU WANT TO TAKE CARE OF. YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME OF THEM, YOU HAVE A SENSE OF THEIR WORTH AND THEIR STRUGGLE AND THEIR GIFT. THEY BRING OUT A LOVE AND A CONCERN. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WITH PHIL.

Man

HE ATTRACTED REALLY CLOSE FRIENDSHIPS. AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE WERE SO... TRAUMATIZED AND FULL OF ANGST AT HIS FINAL YEARS. HE JUST COULDN'T STOP DRINKING. AND I KNOW IT WAS GUILT. YOU KNOW, HE FELT VERY GUILTY ABOUT HIS DAUGHTER AND ABOUT HIS MARRIAGE. WHEN YOU MAKE MISTAKES, THERE ARE NO TIME MACHINES TO RECTIFY MISTAKES. SO MISTAKES ARE LODGED, LIKE HARPOONS AND FISH HOOKS, IN AN INTELLIGENT PERSON'S SOUL. AND I THINK PHIL COULDN'T GET BEYOND THOSE PERSONAL HARPOONS THAT FELT -- IT MADE HIM FEEL, IN SOME WAYS, WORTHLESS.

Gorson

AND I REMEMBER LIKE A VERY SAD CONVERSATION WITH HIM, WHEN HE FINALLY CAME DOWN FROM IT ALL, WHICH WAS, "DID I REALLY OFFEND THAT PERSON? DID I REALLY SAY THAT TO THAT PERSON?" AND HE JUST WAS LIKE SORT OF COMING TO TERMS WITH THE FACT THAT HE HAD -- THAT DAVE VAN RONK WOULDN'T TALK TO HIM ANYMORE, THAT HE'D BEEN SO GROSS TO THIS ONE, THAT HE HAD SLEPT ON THE FLOOR, ON THE STREET OUTSIDE THIS ONE'S HOUSE BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T LET HIM IN AND ALL THAT. AND I THINK THAT HUMILIATION CAUSED A SITUATION THAT HE COULDN'T RETURN FROM.

Woman

WAS IN THE WINTERTIME. HE CALLED UP AND HE SAID, "CAN I COME FOR A DAY OR TWO?" I SAID, "SURE. ANY TIME." SO HE CAME OUT. AND HE WAS JUST DEFEATED. AND IT CERTAINLY WASN'T BECAUSE HE WAS DRINKING, BECAUSE I DON'T DRINK AND I DON'T KEEP ALCOHOL IN THE HOUSE. AND HE WOULDN'T EVEN WALK TO THE STORE TO GET A CIGARETTE IF HE WANTED A CIGARETTE, HE'D WAIT TILL I CAME HOME FROM TEACHING. HE JUST WANTED TO PLAY CARDS. HE JUST SLIPPED INTO THIS OTHER WORLD. AND HE USED TO SIT AT THE PIANO DAY AFTER DAY, PLAYING "JAMES DEAN OF INDIANA," A SONG HE WROTE, WHICH HAS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL, HAUNTING MELODY. AND HE WOULD JUST SIT AT THE PIANO AND PLAY IT OVER AND OVER. IT WAS ON AN INDIANA FARM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY GROWING IN THE FIELDS OF GRAIN JIM DEAN OF INDIANA

Wickham

AND HE'S SITTING ALONE IN THIS DARK LITTLE ROOM, AND YOU COULD JUST TELL BY HIS FACE. I MEAN, HE WAS ABSOLUTELY FINISHED. SO I SAT DOWN WITH HIM. AND I SAID, "WHAT'S YOUR MOOD, ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10?" AND HE SAID, "MINUS 20." I SAID, "I'LL TELL YOU WHAT WE'LL DO." I SAID, "LET'S JUST GO FOR A DRIVE AROUND LONG ISLAND." AND WE DROVE UP TO MONTAUK POINT, AND IT WAS A VERY, VERY WINDY DAY. AND THEN WE WENT TO A SEAFOOD RESTAURANT THERE AND HE ET A LOT. HE NEVER SEEMED TO FIND A PLACE WITH THE FLATLANDS AND THE FARMERS SO HE HAD TO LEAVE ONE DAY THEN I DROPPED HIM OFF TO DRIVE, HEAD BACK INTO THE CITY. AND I SAID, "WHAT'S YOUR MOOD, ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10?" HE SAID, "4." I SAID, "WELL, THAT'S NOT SO BAD, THAT'S NOT SO BAD." HE PLAYED A BOY WITHOUT A HOME TORN WITH NO TOMORROW REACHING OUT TO TOUCH SOMEONE A STRANGER IN THE SHADOWS

Michael Ochs

HE HAD FLIRTED WITH SUICIDE A NUMBER OF TIMES. YOU COULD SEE IT IN THE LYRICS OF HIS SONGS FOR AT LEAST THE LAST THREE ALBUMS. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE'S THE UNDERCURRENT OF SUICIDE. THEY HOPED THAT HE WOULD STAY AROUND AND THEY HOPED HE WOULD BE FRIENDLY IN MY LAST CONVERSATION WITH HIM, I'LL NEVER FORGET, IT WAS LIKE, HE SAID, "I'M REALLY GOING TO KILL MYSELF, MICHAEL." AND I SAID, "YEAH, PHIL." I MEAN, PHIL LOVED FOOD. I SAID, "YEAH, GIVE UP FOOD, PHIL?" AND HE CRACKED UP LAUGHING AND HE SAID, "OKAY, GOOD POINT." AND THE NEXT WEEK, HE KILLED HIMSELF. THE NEXT WEEK, HE HANGS HIMSELF. THEN MARCUS HEARD ON THE RADIO THAT A MOVIE STAR WAS DYING SO THEN I IMMEDIATELY WENT OUT TO -- I GUESS IT WAS WHERE HE WAS STAYING, YOU KNOW, WHERE HE'D HUNG HIMSELF. HUNG HIMSELF, I GUESS, OFF A... A HOOK ON A DOOR. AND I WENT THERE AND LOOKED AT IT, JUST TO SEE, YOU KNOW, TO RE-CREATE IT IN MY MIND -- I WAS SO HORRIFIED. I WENT OUT THERE A DAY OR SO LATER, A FEW DAYS LATER. FROM THE FARMHOUSE AND THAT IS WHERE I PLACED A FLOWER FOR JIM DEAN OF INDIANA

Meegan

I THINK THAT MY FATHER WOULD BE ECSTATIC THAT 30 YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH, THAT PEOPLE WERE STILL INTERESTED IN HIM AND IN THE MESSAGE THAT HE HAD TO CONVEY. BUT AS I SAID, I DON'T FEEL THAT HE WOULD BE PLEASED THAT THE CONTENT WAS SO SIMILAR AND THAT SO MANY OF THE BATTLES THAT FELT LIKE THEY WERE POSSIBLE TO WIN HAD YET TO BE WON.