Socialist Folk Singing Legend Pete Seeger Dies at 94
by Christian Toto 28 Jan 2014,
1:03 PM PDT
Pete Seeger, the
legendary folk singer, unabashed socialist and political activist, has died at
the age of 94.
The left celebrated Seeger's art
and commitment to progressive causes, but those on the right noted his embrace
of American enemies during both the Cold War and Vietnam War. He raged against
private wealth and marched with the "99 percent" of the Occupy Wall Street movement but died a
millionaire.
Seeger's musical life influenced a
generation of protest singers, and his far-left views on issues like war,
capital punishment, the environment and capitalism epitomized his appeal to
those in liberal circles. His hits included Turn, Turn, Turn, Where Have All
the Flowers Gone and Goodnight, Irene, and those impacted by his work include Bruce
Springsteen, Dave Matthews and, most notably, Bob Dylan.
Seeger spoke openly about his
faith and leaned on Bible verses in some of his music, but his activism
centered on supporting unions, applauding groups like Occupy Wall Street and emboldening liberal
singers to protest with their melodies.
He took a page out of Woody
Guthrie's biography, inscribing the phrase, "This machine surrounds hate
and forces it to surrender" on his guitar. The instrument didn't take
kindly to electricity, though, given Seeger's famous feud with Dylan after the
latter plugged his guitar in during the 1965 Newport Folk Festival.
"I was furious that the sound
was so distorted ... you couldn't understand [the song]," Seeger once
said, recalling the musical dustup and defending his actions. Music critics
wondered if Seeger feared an electrified Dylan might displace Seeger in the
minds of protest singers.
Seeger embraced Communism early in
his life, even if his official ties to the party waned in the late 1940s. He
still supported Joseph Stalin and traveled to North Vietnam in 1972. Years later,
his decision to back Stalin's murderous regime forced him to serve up a mea
culpa to the press.
I apologize for once believing
Stalin was just a hard driver, not a supremely cruel dictator,” he told The
Washington Post in 1994.
The singer's anti-war bona fides
began before America
became embroiled in World War II and carried through the rest of his life.
The album Talking Union (1941-42)
was adopted by American labour activists for generations, and the group, which
was soon joined by the folk singer Woody Guthrie, also recorded anti-war
ballads, which proved embarrassing when Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union,
the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, and the
American left became ferociously patriotic.
Later, his far-left ideology got
him swept up in the House UnAmerican Activities Committee. He refused to talk
about his views and was sentenced to a year in jail for Contempt of Congress
but ended up serving only four days. The stigma hurt his career, but it didn't
end it.
His musical life blossomed anew
when he joined the '60s anti-war movement.
In 1966, Seeger recorded an
anti-war anthem, "Bring 'Em Home," including lyrics in opposition to
the Vietnam War: "For defense you need common sense/ Bring them home,
bring them home/ They don't have the right armaments/ Bring them home, bring
them home."
He long spoke out against private
wealth and the capitalist system, but his talents earned him millions all the
same. He gave some of his fortune away but "a recent estimate of his net
worth pegged it at $4.2 million," according to Bloomberg.com.
President Barack Obama released a
statement shortly after learning of Seeger's passing:
Over the years, Pete used his
voice — and his hammer — to strike blows for worker’s rights and civil rights;
world peace and environmental conservation. And he always invited us to sing
along. For reminding us where we come from and showing us where we need to go,
we will always be grateful to Pete Seeger.
Pete Seeger
Pete
Seeger was a founding member of the Almanac
Singers, a performer for the We Are
One Inaugural Celebration, and marched with Occupy Wall Street.
Note: Woody Guthrie was
a member of the Almanac Singers, and
a columnist for the Communist Daily
Worker.
We
Are One Inaugural Celebration is the opening concert for the 2009 Barack Obama inauguration.
Zuccotti Park is
the staging area for 2011 NYC protests for Occupy
Wall Street.
Brookfield
Office Properties is the owner of Zuccotti Park.
Diana
L. Taylor was a director at Brookfield
Office Properties, and is Michael R.
Bloomberg’s companion.
Michael R.
Bloomberg is Diana L. Taylor’s companion,
was the New York (NY) mayor, a benefactor for the Harlem Children's Zone, and a donor for the Robin Hood Foundation.
George
Soros was a benefactor for the Harlem
Children's Zone, and the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Foundation
to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Harlem Children's Zone, the Robin
Hood Foundation, and the Brookings
Institution (think tank).
James D.
Wolfensohn was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), the president of the World Bank, and is the chairman &
CEO for Wolfensohn & Company, LLC.
Diana
L. Taylor is a managing director at Wolfensohn
& Company, LLC, Michael R.
Bloomberg’s companion, and was a director at Brookfield Office Properties.
Brookfield
Office Properties is the owner of Zuccotti Park.
Zuccotti Park is
the staging area for 2011 NYC protests for Occupy
Wall Street.
Pete
Seeger marched with Occupy Wall
Street, a founding member of the Almanac
Singers, and a performer for the We
Are One Inaugural Celebration.
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