Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Take a Break: Sing Out with Pete

With the passing of Pete Seeger at the end January, we have lost one of the major contributors to America’s songbook. Today, take a break and sing out with Pete.


If I had a Hammer: Lee Hays words, Pete Seeger Music 
If I had a hammer, 
I’d hammer in the morning
I’d hammer in the evening, 
All over this land.

I’d hammer out danger, 
I’d hammer out a warning, and 
I’d hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters, 
All over this land.

If I had a bell, 
I’d ring it in the morning, 
I’d ring it in the evening, 
All over this land.
I’d ring out danger, 
I’d ring out a warning
I’d ring out love between my brothers and my sisters, 
All over this land.

If I had a song, 
I’d sing it in the morning, 
I’d sing it in the evening, 
All over this land.
I’d sing out danger, 
I’d sing out a warning
I’d sing out love between my brothers and my sisters, 
All over this land.

Well I got a hammer, 
And I got a bell, 
And I got a song to sing, all over this land.
It’s the hammer of Justice, 
It’s the bell of Freedom, and 
It’s the song about Love between my brothers and my sisters, 
All over this land.

It’s the hammer of Justice, 
It’s the bell of Freedom, 
It’s the song about Love between my brothers and my sisters, 
All over this land.

Guantanamera: Written by Joseito Fernandez. As an ode to a girl, the song became a patriotic Cuban Anthem after Julian Orbon adapted stanzas from “Versos Sencillion” by Jose Marti.  Pete first heard the song in 1961 at a children’s camp in the Catskills where Cuba musician Hector Angulo was working as a counselor.
Yo soy un hombre sincero
De donde crecen las palmas
Yo soy un hombre sincero
De donde crecen las palmas
Y antes de morirme quiero
Echar mis versos del alma

(I am a truthful man,
From the land of the palm.
Before dying, I want to
Share these poems of my soul.)

[Chorus (after each verse):]
Guantanamera! Guajira!
Guantanamera!
Guantanamera! Guajira!
Guantanamera!

Mi verso es de un verde claro
Y de un carmin encendido
Mi verso es de un verde claro
Y de un carmin encendido
Mi verso es un ciervo herido
Que busca en el monte amparo

(My verses are light green,
But they are also flaming red.
My verses are like a wounded fawn,
Seeking refuge in the mountain.)

Cultivo la Rosa blanca
En junio como en enero
Qultivo la Rosa blanca
En junio como en enero
Para el amigo sincero
Que me da su mano franca

(I cultivate a white rose
In June and in January
For the sincere friend
Who gives me his hand.)

Y para el cruel que me arranca
El corazon con que vivo
Y para el cruel que me arranca
El corazon con que vivo
Cardo ni ortiga cultivo
Cultivo la rosa blanca

(And for the cruel one who would tear out
This heart with which I live.
I cultivate neither thistles nor nettles
I cultivate a white rose.)

Con los pobres de la tierra
Quiero yo mi suerte echar
Con los pobres de la tierra
Quiero yo mi suerte echar
El arroyo de la sierra
Me complace mas que el mar

(With the poor people of this earth,
I want to share my lot.
The little streams of the mountains
Please me more than the sea.)

Goodnight Irene:  Words and Music by Huddie Ledbetter
CHORUS:
Irene goodnight,
Irene goodnight.
Goodnight, Irene, goodnight, Irene,
I’ll see you in my dreams.

Sometimes I live in the country,
Sometimes I live in town.
Sometimes I take a great notion
To jump into the river and drown.

I asked your mother for you,
She told me you was too young.
I wish to God I’d never seen your face,
I’m sorry you ever was born.

You caused me to weep, you caused me to mourn,
You caused me to leave my home.
But the very last words I heard her say,
Was please sing me one more song.

• Turn, Turn, Turn: Written by Pete 
To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven.

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven

A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven

A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven

A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time to love, a time to hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late

Where have all the flowers gone, long time passing?
Where have all the flowers gone, long time ago?
Where have all the flowers gone?
Young girls picked them, ev'ry one.
When will they ever learn? Oh, when will they ever learn?

Where have all the young girls gone, long time passing?
Where have all the young girls gone, long time ago?
Where have all the young girls gone?
Gone to the young men, ev'ry one.
When will they ever learn? Oh, when will they ever learn?

Where have all the young men gone, long time passing?
Where have all the young men gone, long time ago?
Where have all the young men gone?
Gone for soldiers, ev'ry one.
When will they ever learn? Oh, when will they ever learn?

Where have all the soldiers gone, long time passing?
Where have all the soldiers gone, long time ago?
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Gone to grave yards, ev'ry one.
When will they ever learn? Oh, when will they ever learn?

Where have all the grave yards gone, long time passing?
Where have all the grave yards gone, long time ago?
Where have all the grave yards gone?
Gone to flowers, ev'ry one.
When will they ever learn? Oh, when will they ever learn?

Seeger (along with Frank Hamilton, Zilphia Horton and Guy Carawan) adapted their version from several old gospel songs and a hymn, I'll Overcome, which had been sung by striking tobacco workers in South Carolina. They copyrighted their version and dictated that all of the song’s royalties went to the “We Shall Overcome” Fund, administered by what is now the Highlander Research and Education Centre.
We shall overcome, we shall overcome
We shall overcome someday
Oh deep in my heart, I do believe
We shall overcome someday

Well we'll walk hand in hand, we'll walk hand in hand
We'll walk hand in hand someday
Oh deep in my heart, I do believe
We'll walk hand in hand someday

Well we shall live in peace, we shall live in peace
We shall live in peace someday
Oh deep in my heart, I do believe
We shall live in peace someday

Well we are not afraid, we are not afraid
We shall overcome someday
Oh deep in my heart, I do believe
We shall overcome someday

Hey we shall overcome, we shall overcome
We shall overcome someday
Oh deep in my heart, I do believe
We shall overcome someday
We shall overcome someday

Michael, row the boat ashore, hallelujah.
Michael, row the boat ashore, hallelujah.
Michael’s boat is a music boat, hallelujah
Michael’s boat is a music boat, hallelujah
Michael, row the boat ashore, hallelujah.
Michael, row the boat ashore, hallelujah.
Sister help to trim the sail, hallelujah
Sister help to trim the sail, hallelujah
Jordan’s River is deep and wide, hallelujah.
Meet my mother on the other side, hallelujah.
Jordan’s River is chilly and cold, hallelujah.
Chill’s the body, but not the soul, hallelujah.
Michael, row the boat ashore, hallelujah.
Michael, row the boat ashore, hallelujah.

This Land is Your Land: Words and Music by Woodie Guthrie
CHORUS: This land is your land,
This land is my land,
From California to the New York Island,
From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters,
This land was made for you and me.

As I went walking that ribbon of highway
I saw above me that endless skyway,
I saw below me that golden valley,
This land was made for you and me.

I roamed and I rambled, and I followed my footsteps
To the sparking sands of her diamond deserts,
All around me a voice was sounding,
This land was made for you and me.

When the sun came shining, then I was strolling,
And the wheat fields waving, and the dust clouds rolling,
A voice was chanting as the fog was lifting,
This land was made for you and me.

One bright sunny morning, in the shadow of the steeple,
By the relief office I saw my people,
As they stood there hungry, I stood there wondering if,
This land was made for you and me.

Was a big high wall there that tried to stop me,
Was a great big sign that said, “Private Property,”
But on the other side, it didn’t say nothing,
That side was made for you and me.

Nobody living can ever stop me,
As I go walking my freedom highway,
Nobody living can make me turn back,
This land was made for you and me.

Additional verses by Pete Seeger:
Maybe you’ve been working as hard as you’re able,
But you’ve just got crumbs from the rich man’s table,
And maybe you’re thinking, was it truth or fable,
That this land was made for you and me.

Woodland and grassland and river shoreline,
To everything living, even little microbes,
Fin, fur, and feather, we’re all here together,
This land was made for you and me.

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