Pete Seeger - Sing With Seeger (1965)

Folk musician, song writer, environmental and political activist Pete Seeger passed away on Monday, January 27, 2014 at the age of 94. Seeger was a regular face in the Greenwich Village scene of the 1950’s and 60’s, playing at the Village Vanguard as well as local coffee houses. Seeger lived at 129 MacDougall Street for many years. In a PBS American Masters program, Pete Seeger stands outside the green Federal style building and notes this is where he lived, “although it did not have a plate glass window in front when we lived here.”

Pete Seeger wrote and collaborated on more than 200 songs, many of which were recorded by folk, blues and rock groups throughout the years. The Byrds in 1965 had a No.1 hit with “Turn, Turn, Turn,” Seeger’s interpretation of Biblical verses found in the book of Ecclesiastes. “Where have all the Flowers Gone,” became an anti-Vietnam war anthem. Seeger takes credit for the name of the song “We Shall Overcome,” an old gospel song that became the anthem of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Seeger said he changed the word from “will” to “shall.”

Singing with The Weavers in the 1950s, which included several well-known folk singers, Seeger popularized “On Top of Old Smokey, ” “Kisses Sweeter than Wine,” and “Wimoweh,” as well as “Sixteen Tons,” and “Kumbaya.”

Because of early early sympathies with the Communist Party, Seeger was blacklisted and snubbed for many years. He went on to say he should have left the party earlier and that he was a Communist with a small “c.”

Seeger’s identification with the working class went back to his upbringing and travels with his parents who wanted to bring music to the masses of the country. His songs have been used by several social and political movements. He said in an interview that music can say things you would not dare say otherwise.

The latest efforts by Seeger were to wipe out the pollution in the Hudson River. He started environmental cruises of the Hudson with the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater. By bringing attention to the pollution in the Hudson River, Seeger became instrumental in having corporations take responsibility and clean up the river.

Pete Seeger was active until the end of his life, performing in a 2009 concert benefiting the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater along with Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, Joan Baez, Ani DiFranco, Roger McGuinn of the Byrds, Emmylou Harris and dozens of other musicians; singing with the Occupy Wall Street movement along with Arlo Guthrie; and he sang at the inaugural of President Obama.

Tracklist:

A1 Run, Come See Jerusalem
A2 The Water Is Wide
A3 Careless Love
A4 Houston Train
A5 Oh Susanna
A6 John Riley
B1 Dayenu
B2 Mary Don't You Weep
B3 Stewball
B4 The Keeper
B5 Little Black Bull
B6 The House Carpenter

Pete Seeger - Sing With Seeger (1965)

(256 kbps, cover art included)