Nine hours of separation: Bye-bye Pete

martedì 28 gennaio 2014

Bye-bye Pete

"Being generous of spirit is a wonderful way to live."

Pete Seeger

Potete rivederlo QUI, mentre canta per Obama insieme a Bruce Springsteen. E QUI trovate la dichiarazione della Casa Bianca dopo la morte di Pete.

Qui sotto, invece, trovate il video della sua famosa esibizione al varietà televisivo The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, censurata e trasmessa solo in seguito, in cui canta Waist Deep in the Big Muddy, una canzone sulla Seconda guerra mondiale che all'epoca, nel 1967, era una critica veemente alla guerra in Vietnam e al "big fool" che la portava avanti, Lyndon Johnson.

It was back in 1941.
I was a member of a good platoon.
We were on maneuvers in Lou'siana one night
By the light of the moon.
The Captain told us to ford a river.
That's how it all begun.
We were knee deep in the Big Muddy,
And the big fool said to push on.
The Sergeant said, "Sir, are you sure
This is the best way back to the base?"
"Sergeant, go on, I've forded this river
About a mile above this place.
It'll be a little soggy, but just keep sloggin'.
We'll soon be on dry ground."
We were waist deep in the Big Muddy,
And the big fool said to push on.
The Sergeant said, "Sir, with all this equipment,
No man will be able to swim."
"Sergeant, don't be a Nervous Nelly,"
The Captain said to him.
"All we need is a little determination.
Men, follow me. I'll lead on."
We were neck deep in the Big Muddy,
And the big fool said to push on.
All at once the moon clouded over.
We heard a gurglin' cry.
A few seconds later the Captain's helmet
Was all that floated by.
The Sergeant said, "Turn around, men.
I'm in charge from now on."
And we just made it out of the Big Muddy
With the Captain dead and gone.
We stripped and dived and found his body
Stuck in the old quicksand.
I guess he didn't know that the water was deeper
Then the place he'd once before been.
Another stream had joined the Big Muddy
About a half mile from where we'd gone.
We were lucky to escape from the Big Muddy
When the big fool said to push on.
Now I'm not going to point any moral —
I'll leave that for yourself.
Maybe you're still walking, you're still talking,
You'd like to keep your health.
But every time I read the papers, that old feeling comes on,
We're waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the big fool says to push on.
Waist deep in the Big Muddy,
The big fool says to push on.
Waist deep in the Big Muddy,
The big fool says to push on.
Waist deep, neck deep,
Soon even a tall man will be over his head.
We're waist deep in the Big Muddy,
And the big fool says to push on.

p://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/p/peteseeger466060.html#KgebFFYbRXZkCIfU.99