When Phil’s voice was destroyed, he felt there was nothing left for him. He lost it. Ochs worked his butt off fighting the war in the late 60’s. I saw him at every demonstration I went to, many in 68, 69, and 70.
Phil Ochs is truly the greatest songwriter of the '60s counterculture. I host a radio show where I play folk music from the US, Ireland, Germany, and UK. Phil Ochs has a wealth of topical songs that were criticised in his day by the likes of Bob Dylan (who said, "you're not a musician, you're a singing journalist!") Phil defended and encouraged Dylan when Phil was on top. Dylan denigrated and dismissed Phil when Dylan was on top. In solidarity, I don't play Dylan's music on my show. But Phil's songs, which were criticised as too topical when he sang all the news that was fit to sing in the 1960s, are as relevant today as when he first sang them 60 years ago. Besides his undeniable talent, Phil Ochs also possessed an admirable courage to shout his controversial opinions to the world. And he was guided by the heart and principles that made him the best of his day. He was witty, intelligent, prolific, and kind-hearted. History proves Phil right with every passing year. There was not a struggle for freedom during his life to which he did not lend support and a platform. What happened to him is a tragedy, and it mirrors what happened to all American folk music: with the rise of the Dylan-esque musicians, we got three generations of woolly, barely-political liberal music for middle-class consumption. Phil was no spineless liberal; he was an ardent communist, and his music is unapologetically pro-worker and anti-bourgeoise, pro-solidarity and anti-racist, pro-revolution and anti-imperialist. There were those who kept up the common vision after Phil's suicide. Tom Paxton and Utah Phillips kept writing, for example. But they were not as popular as Phil even in their heydays. Today, there are many artists with the talent and heart that Phil Ochs had, but the public doesn't want to hear them. Their songs don't make it on the radio unless someone like me plays them. These are people like Daniel Kahn, or David Rovics, or Evan Greer. The world needed Phil, but a great many never wanted him. Today, we need him twice as much, and want him even less.
Not sure I'd call Phil a communist, at least with all the negative association the word has picked up. I would say he had the ideal of a more equal society, which is certainly needed now more than ever as we wallow in luxury and greed. Otherwise I totally agree with your description of Phil, someone I've admired intensely for most of my life.
@@margaretross9150 Has picked up? Man it's always had a negative connotation! Remember McCarthyism and the Red Scare? Back then it was better dead then red.
I really doubt Phil ever thought of himself as a communist. Phil was as much an idealist as he was a pragmatist and sang about the hypocrisy not only of capitalist America, but communist China, Cuba, and the absurdity of life overall.
Name anything good about Communist countries? Phil was not an ardent communist or at least I hope not. We have enough AOCs on the Left to tell us how to think and the Left is always so PC. PC is not the truth, it's some idealist folly to follow where idealism and Reality clash. A capitalist-socialist society is usually best but never expect a Shangri-La in any country as people are inherently selfish and those who serve are too. Unless they are malevolent like Putin.
Surprised there wasn't a film made about his life yet. Bob Dylan is known today and Ochs isn't which is odd because Ochs had good looks, a great voice, a sense of humor and brilliant songwriting.
So much great information and good footage. I also talked to Sonny a few weeks ago, Phil never took his medication for bpd, that’s probably why it didn’t work.
Bipolar makes sense. Think he composed the most profound song of that era, though: There But for Fortune. Many don't know who composed it, though, or give credit to Joan Baez.
Hey man, I just wanna say you make videos with good topics and amazing quality. I especially love the BoyWithUke and Freddie Mercury videos :) keep making these amazing videos and you’ll make it 100%
Hey!amazing video,good job. Btw,I had a question,can u give me the links of videos used of him in this video?I actually haven't seen them and I'm excited to see them fully.
Most of the videos are from Phil Ochs: There but for fortune 2010 Documentary. A few might be from youtube video's : ''Phil Ochs Live''. And a lot of photos/GIFS I found where from google and this Tumblr: philochs.tumblr.com/archive
I'm not sure of the point of this vid. Yes, he did develop forms of mental illness, and yes, he was tracked by the FBI, and like so many people with mental illness he surcomed to it. But his music and views on society and government are valid today. He was a great artist. Check out Billy Braggs song 'I dreamed I saw Phil Ochs last night'.
Hello, im back again. Now i see the problem, your videos are usually you talking very slow and boring without music. Todays generation likes fast paced beated videos. If you make the same videos, but talk a bit faster with music and beats, your videos will become a billion times better. See you on the top. Good luck!
This isnt MrBeast. You dont need to be loud and fast all the time. Our generation could use some slower content, as if this is slow at all. He goes at a perfectly fine pace
When Phil’s voice was destroyed, he felt there was nothing left for him. He lost it. Ochs worked his butt off fighting the war in the late 60’s. I saw him at every demonstration I went to, many in 68, 69, and 70.
Phil Ochs is truly the greatest songwriter of the '60s counterculture.
I host a radio show where I play folk music from the US, Ireland, Germany, and UK. Phil Ochs has a wealth of topical songs that were criticised in his day by the likes of Bob Dylan (who said, "you're not a musician, you're a singing journalist!") Phil defended and encouraged Dylan when Phil was on top. Dylan denigrated and dismissed Phil when Dylan was on top. In solidarity, I don't play Dylan's music on my show.
But Phil's songs, which were criticised as too topical when he sang all the news that was fit to sing in the 1960s, are as relevant today as when he first sang them 60 years ago. Besides his undeniable talent, Phil Ochs also possessed an admirable courage to shout his controversial opinions to the world. And he was guided by the heart and principles that made him the best of his day. He was witty, intelligent, prolific, and kind-hearted. History proves Phil right with every passing year.
There was not a struggle for freedom during his life to which he did not lend support and a platform. What happened to him is a tragedy, and it mirrors what happened to all American folk music: with the rise of the Dylan-esque musicians, we got three generations of woolly, barely-political liberal music for middle-class consumption. Phil was no spineless liberal; he was an ardent communist, and his music is unapologetically pro-worker and anti-bourgeoise, pro-solidarity and anti-racist, pro-revolution and anti-imperialist.
There were those who kept up the common vision after Phil's suicide. Tom Paxton and Utah Phillips kept writing, for example. But they were not as popular as Phil even in their heydays. Today, there are many artists with the talent and heart that Phil Ochs had, but the public doesn't want to hear them. Their songs don't make it on the radio unless someone like me plays them. These are people like Daniel Kahn, or David Rovics, or Evan Greer.
The world needed Phil, but a great many never wanted him. Today, we need him twice as much, and want him even less.
Not sure I'd call Phil a communist, at least with all the negative association the word has picked up. I would say he had the ideal of a more equal society, which is certainly needed now more than ever as we wallow in luxury and greed. Otherwise I totally agree with your description of Phil, someone I've admired intensely for most of my life.
You NAILED it! Amen, comrade!
@@margaretross9150 Has picked up? Man it's always had a negative connotation! Remember McCarthyism and the Red Scare? Back then it was better dead then red.
I really doubt Phil ever thought of himself as a communist. Phil was as much an idealist as he was a pragmatist and sang about the hypocrisy not only of capitalist America, but communist China, Cuba, and the absurdity of life overall.
Name anything good about Communist countries? Phil was not an ardent communist or at least I hope not. We have enough AOCs on the Left to tell us how to think and the Left is always so PC. PC is not the truth, it's some idealist folly to follow where idealism and Reality clash. A capitalist-socialist society is usually best but never expect a Shangri-La in any country as people are inherently selfish and those who serve are too. Unless they are malevolent like Putin.
How could a video with this level of quality get this little recognition? Keep up the good work!
Surprised there wasn't a film made about his life yet. Bob Dylan is known today and Ochs isn't which is odd because Ochs had good looks, a great voice, a sense of humor and brilliant songwriting.
"Phil Ochs: There but for Fortune." It came out a decade ago.
So much great information and good footage. I also talked to Sonny a few weeks ago, Phil never took his medication for bpd, that’s probably why it didn’t work.
cool vid but can you like, lose the clickbait graphic and title? it's kinda insulting tbh
I 100% agree.... Emphasis on insulting to one one the best humans to walk the world
Agreed. Ochs wasn't insane. He was depressed. 😑
Bipolar makes sense. Think he composed the most profound song of that era, though: There But for Fortune. Many don't know who composed it, though, or give credit to Joan Baez.
This title comes off as disrespectful though.
Miss him terribly
Interesting subject. No need for any fuffery.
Excellent video.
nicely done. so sad.
Amqzing video!
great video! cheers!
Many thanks!
Reading stuff about him in Weird Scenes In The Canyon by David McGowan. Strange man.
Hey man, I just wanna say you make videos with good topics and amazing quality. I especially love the BoyWithUke and Freddie Mercury videos :) keep making these amazing videos and you’ll make it 100%
Thank you!
Hey!amazing video,good job.
Btw,I had a question,can u give me the links of videos used of him in this video?I actually haven't seen them and I'm excited to see them fully.
Most of the videos are from Phil Ochs: There but for fortune 2010 Documentary. A few might be from youtube video's : ''Phil Ochs Live''.
And a lot of photos/GIFS I found where from google and this Tumblr: philochs.tumblr.com/archive
@@somefairpoints thank you!
Yet he wrote even better after 68, with songs like Chords of Fame and Pleasures Of The Harbor.
I would argue it's heart break that killed him. Good video though!
I'm not sure of the point of this vid. Yes, he did develop forms of mental illness, and yes, he was tracked by the FBI, and like so many people with mental illness he surcomed to it. But his music and views on society and government are valid today. He was a great artist. Check out Billy Braggs song 'I dreamed I saw Phil Ochs last night'.
I remember that poem from childhood. now I'm 85 . still good but Phil didn't write it.
Alfred Noyes wrote it.
atlas subluxation complex is not insanity.
Hello, im back again. Now i see the problem, your videos are usually you talking very slow and boring without music. Todays generation likes fast paced beated videos. If you make the same videos, but talk a bit faster with music and beats, your videos will become a billion times better. See you on the top. Good luck!
Great video . Your pace just right and no need for annoying background music .
This isnt MrBeast. You dont need to be loud and fast all the time. Our generation could use some slower content, as if this is slow at all. He goes at a perfectly fine pace
I hate videos with loud, happy "music". This one is a welcome change.
Don’t change, background music is annoying. U did good on this video