Tuesday, January 20, 2009

A New Beginning



A beautiful scene from the concert celebrating President Obama;
89-year-old singer/activist Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen lead the crowd in Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land".
From "Truthout":

"But sly old Pete, who actually hoboed with Woody during the Depression and Dust Bowl, had the crowd sing the song as it was actually written, as not only a celebration of this great land, but as a demand for workers' and people's rights. That is, he restored the verses that have been censored from the song over the years to make it less political":

There was a big high wall there that tried to stop me;
Sign was painted, it said private property;
But on the back side it didn't say nothing;
That side was made for you and me.

In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people,
By the relief office I seen my people;
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking
Is this land made for you and me?

Nobody living can ever stop me,
As I go walking that freedom highway;
Nobody living can ever make me turn back
This land was made for you and me.

3 comments:

Sean C. Ledig said...

Great video!!!

I love the Boss and I love Pete Seeger. I've seen them both twice. "The Seger Sessions" is one of my favorite albums.

Thanks for posting it DR.

Dojo Rat said...

I've heard a few more verses of the song that were even more radical.
-But what a nice event

Littlefair said...

Can't beat Pete Seeger...