Phil Ochs, RIP

31 years ago tomorrow (aiyah! 31 years) Phil Ochs took his own life. Anybody who was a part of the great upsurge of the '60s can't help but feel a pang when his songs are played. There are some YouTube versions of "I Ain't A-Marchin' Anymore" that feature a younger Phil, circa 1965, but I like this anthem better.



That's not to say it's not problematic. It's essentially Phil's bid to write a "This Land Is Your Land." As such, it raises interesting and troubling questions about how revolutionaries look at the US and American culture. As you leap to its defense, consider that it was recorded by fucking Anita Bryant, the chirpy Christian gay baiter from the '70s (since, I am pleased to say, fallen on hard times).

Phil may be 31 years gone (sorry to keep repeating that, it's like a sore tooth I can't help touching with my tongue), but his legacy has been kept alive by younger musicians right up to the present day. Here to demonstrate his reach is a Spanish version, recorded last year by Transportes Hernández y Sanjurjo, of "Love Me, I'm A Liberal."



What's your favorite Phil Ochs tune? Your favorite Phil Ochs cover by someone else?

UPDATE:
To comment or to view comments, go to the post immediately below this one. A crude hack. Sorry.

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Phil Ochs Comments [See Post Above]

It turns out that posting a YouTube video, as opposed to just a link, inside one of these blog entries disabled the damn comments feature. I am far from being able to resolve such an issue technically myself, and disinclined to make one of my techie friends leap through hoops around this, so in response to some gripes from folks who wanted to comment on the Phil Ochs piece from last weekend, here's a workaround.

Just post your comments under this one. Simple, hunh...?

And to answer my own questions:

favorite Ochs tune--"Draft Dodger Rag"

favorite Ochs cover--"Cross My Heart" by Jim & Jean
(bonus question: What did Ochs have to do with this recording of his tune?)


UPDATE:

G. Frohman has pointed out, in a comment below, the respect with which They Might Be Giants regard Phil Ochs, I thought it only fitting to pop in the video of their version of Phil's "One More Parade."

Hey, G., I know it's only a cover, but nobody remembers the original anyhow...

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