Second Is Better Than First. Part14.

 

George writes:

After the noisiness of last week’s heavy offering, a more gentle sound but in its way no less noisy.

There is no doubting the sentiment and passion of the lyrics on the first album, but the follow-up us is a much more vehemently angry album. The protest songs on All The News That’s Fit To SIng are more wry and sardonic than furious, but, like its successor, it’s an album that has some poetic songs, and some that tell a true story (The Thresher, about a submarine that sank: Ballad of William Worthy, more of which can be found here). A good enough debut album worth repeated playings (unlike that twaddle Pablo Honey), all the songs demand close listening to the always interesting lyrics, but without the gut-punching righteous anger of the standout tracks of I Ain’t Marching Anymore.

This is a rather beautiful song about Woody Guthrie:

Phil Ochs - Bound for glory

So that I did not quickly lose patience with another 14 acoustic guitar tracks by the same artist I had a very enjoyable interlude with Red (King Crimson, quintessential prog!) and Forever Changes (quintessential psychedelic-folk-rock-psychedelic-y-with-horns music). Then back to the protest songs (and more) of Phil Ochs. I wonder if the tone of this album was affected by the ever-increasing involvement of the USA in Vietnam and the growing civil-rights movement? Mere speculation, of course. The power of the songs is helped by his impressed vocal, it’s more assured, less light-and-quavery (do you still get Quavers in the UK?), as can be heard here:

Phil Oches - That was the president

I think that’s a tremendously moving song, and even though in other songs we can hear Phil Ochs’ anger at the unfolding war in Vietnam, it is obvious that Kennedy’s death had a big effect on the  24 year old Phil Ochs . The same musical tone is also heard in the poetic song The Highwayman. The biting anger is of course heard in so many songs, the absolutely fantastic song Here’s To The State Of Mississippi, which I included in a previous series for these pages, being the most obvious example. And there’s tale of driving through The Hills Of West Virginia, with its descriptions of the natural scenery, the dwellings and the people:

Ochs also talks of southern hospitality in Talking Birmingham Jam. It’s not a particularly hospitable hospitality though. Days of Decision is another civil-rights-themed song. And looking at the state of the USA today, these are indeed The Days Of Decision. Between those two is the Ewan MacColl song Ballad Of A Carpenter, where rather unsurprisingly Jesus is hero for the poor.

Phil Ochs - Days of decision

I Ain’t Marching Anymore is a great record,I can play it all without feeling a bit twitchy, not feeling the songs aren’t strong enough to hold my limited attention in one sitting. Although I can live without the “bonus track” of the electric version of the title track. 

Thank you kindly.

CC writes 

This is probably the end of this particular series as George has run out of steam. If anybody out there has something they wish to contribute I'm happy to continue with it..

A fine artist to finish with. How America could do with protest singers like Phil Ochs right now.

Here's to the State of Mississippi is as relevant now as it was then.

Yes we still get Quavers.

George

Thank you kindly