With The Byrds, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, Trini Lopez and more. Plus: tributes by fellow cartoonists to Ann Telnaes, who just quit the Washington Post after her latest was killed.
Although Pete did some adaptation, Wimoweh was based on a song called Mbube by a South African singer named Solomon Linda which Pete discovered on an African 78 which was given to him. Although the song was extremely successful through Pete's version and subsequent covers like The Tokens (and Brian Eno) eventually ending up in The Lion King, Linda died in poverty in South Africa. The story of getting credit and compensation for Linda's family is a fascinating one with Pete playing a major role. Well worth tracking down if you don't know it!
Went on national television during the Vietnam war and sang this, Waist Deep in the Big Muddy” which got him banned from TV for years thereafter. https://youtu.be/uXnJVkEX8O4?si=kbKLVyU7frBsQnNC
I believe that Pete is as close to a modern day saint as we have known. Not only his joyous gift of bringing people together with his music, but his championing of the poor and his leadership in the cleanup of the Hudson River.
Oh my the snow is getting heavy outside and Pete Singer singing we shall overcome begins my day of endless hope that it is true. That we shall overcome all that is indecent and wrong. Peace and some more Peace.. Bless his soul.
I really liked the film A Complete Unknown. Timothée Chalamet is superb at distilling my favorite poet and singer/songwriter. My biggest takeaway from the movie was Edward Norton's portrayal of Pete Seeger. Brilliant. I knew of him as a folksinger, and a bit about his activism. But I did not know how extensive, and thorough, his progressive self was in championing civil rights, the environment, fellow artists, and humanitarian causes. I am so glad the film showcased many of those attributes of a fine, honorable, human being.
Oh! And P.S., thank you for your summary of talented and brave editorial cartionist Ann Telnaes, and other such artists. I am so glad she ia receiving huge, thankful, coverage about her since she left the execrable WaPo.
What was the connection between Pete and Guy Carawan re: We Shall Overcome? I remember learning that Guy, who lived for ages at Highlander, with his wife, Candy, who still is there, I think, had played an important role in popularizing the song. Did he and Pete work together? Or did he take Pete’s version to the civil rights movement?
Not the best source I guess, but Wiki says Guy introced it to Highlander when he became
Music Director there in 1959, and to SNCC in 1960. And that Guy and Pete and two others are listed together on the copyright. But its roots go way back before either of them. As both a spiritual and a union organizing song. I wonder what transforms a traditional song that’s been uncredited into one that’s copyright worthy. Maybe recording it? Changing it? Both?
“We’ll Overcome” first appeared as a protest song during a 1945–1946 labor strike against American Tobacco in Charleston, South Carolina. African American women strikers seeking a pay raise to 30 cents an hour sang as they picketed. “I Will Overcome” was a favorite song of Lucille Simmons, one of the strikers. But she gave the song a powerful sense of solidarity by changing the “I” into “We” as they sang together. Other lyrics were improvised for pro-union purposes, including “We will organize,” “We will win our rights,” and “We will win this fight.”
In 1947, Simmons brought the song to Highlander Folk School and shared it with other labor activists there. Zilphia Horton, head of the school’s cultural program, learned it and later taught it to Pete Seeger. At some point, the nationally known folk singer revised the lyrics “We will” to “We shall.”
There isn't a clear standard. I thought I was just reading an article about how some people in the 60s would copyright traditional songs without much basis -- I can't find that, but has some interesting discussion: https://creekdontrise.com/folk_songs/who_owns/who_owns_folk_songs.htm
Seeger’s “humanity” included flacking for mass murderer Stalin.
For years, the worst that Pete Seeger said about Joseph Stalin, whose regime he served without a blink for decades, was that the Soviet leader was a “hard driver.” Only half a century after Stalin’s death, and after the fall of the Soviet Union (when I personally called him out on his views and wrote a column for the New York Sun entitled “Time for Pete Seeger to Repent”), did Pete send me a letter in response, writing: “I think you’re right — I should have asked to see the gulags when I was in [the] USSR.”
Seeger did not write The Lion Sleeps Tonight, a song written by a black South African, I believe, and a song his family had to sue over to stake a claim for royalties.
Just reread what you wrote and seeing that Pete gave the song new lyrics in ‘67, I guess I should revise my question. Either of them could have followed up on the other…
no one said Seeger wrote the "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" just that it was adapted off his adaptation.
Although Pete did some adaptation, Wimoweh was based on a song called Mbube by a South African singer named Solomon Linda which Pete discovered on an African 78 which was given to him. Although the song was extremely successful through Pete's version and subsequent covers like The Tokens (and Brian Eno) eventually ending up in The Lion King, Linda died in poverty in South Africa. The story of getting credit and compensation for Linda's family is a fascinating one with Pete playing a major role. Well worth tracking down if you don't know it!
Went on national television during the Vietnam war and sang this, Waist Deep in the Big Muddy” which got him banned from TV for years thereafter. https://youtu.be/uXnJVkEX8O4?si=kbKLVyU7frBsQnNC
I'm old enough that I bought that record when it was new while in college
I believe that Pete is as close to a modern day saint as we have known. Not only his joyous gift of bringing people together with his music, but his championing of the poor and his leadership in the cleanup of the Hudson River.
Oh my the snow is getting heavy outside and Pete Singer singing we shall overcome begins my day of endless hope that it is true. That we shall overcome all that is indecent and wrong. Peace and some more Peace.. Bless his soul.
I really liked the film A Complete Unknown. Timothée Chalamet is superb at distilling my favorite poet and singer/songwriter. My biggest takeaway from the movie was Edward Norton's portrayal of Pete Seeger. Brilliant. I knew of him as a folksinger, and a bit about his activism. But I did not know how extensive, and thorough, his progressive self was in championing civil rights, the environment, fellow artists, and humanitarian causes. I am so glad the film showcased many of those attributes of a fine, honorable, human being.
Oh! And P.S., thank you for your summary of talented and brave editorial cartionist Ann Telnaes, and other such artists. I am so glad she ia receiving huge, thankful, coverage about her since she left the execrable WaPo.
What was the connection between Pete and Guy Carawan re: We Shall Overcome? I remember learning that Guy, who lived for ages at Highlander, with his wife, Candy, who still is there, I think, had played an important role in popularizing the song. Did he and Pete work together? Or did he take Pete’s version to the civil rights movement?
This says that Pete learned it at Highlander: https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/media-and-interactives/media/music/story-behind-the-song/the-story-behind-the-song/we-shall-overcome/
Not the best source I guess, but Wiki says Guy introced it to Highlander when he became
Music Director there in 1959, and to SNCC in 1960. And that Guy and Pete and two others are listed together on the copyright. But its roots go way back before either of them. As both a spiritual and a union organizing song. I wonder what transforms a traditional song that’s been uncredited into one that’s copyright worthy. Maybe recording it? Changing it? Both?
From the Kennedy Center article:
“We’ll Overcome” first appeared as a protest song during a 1945–1946 labor strike against American Tobacco in Charleston, South Carolina. African American women strikers seeking a pay raise to 30 cents an hour sang as they picketed. “I Will Overcome” was a favorite song of Lucille Simmons, one of the strikers. But she gave the song a powerful sense of solidarity by changing the “I” into “We” as they sang together. Other lyrics were improvised for pro-union purposes, including “We will organize,” “We will win our rights,” and “We will win this fight.”
In 1947, Simmons brought the song to Highlander Folk School and shared it with other labor activists there. Zilphia Horton, head of the school’s cultural program, learned it and later taught it to Pete Seeger. At some point, the nationally known folk singer revised the lyrics “We will” to “We shall.”
There isn't a clear standard. I thought I was just reading an article about how some people in the 60s would copyright traditional songs without much basis -- I can't find that, but has some interesting discussion: https://creekdontrise.com/folk_songs/who_owns/who_owns_folk_songs.htm
Thanks!
You might be interested in this piece I wrote recently about Toshi Seeger. https://substack.com/home/post/p-153990592
Seeger’s “humanity” included flacking for mass murderer Stalin.
For years, the worst that Pete Seeger said about Joseph Stalin, whose regime he served without a blink for decades, was that the Soviet leader was a “hard driver.” Only half a century after Stalin’s death, and after the fall of the Soviet Union (when I personally called him out on his views and wrote a column for the New York Sun entitled “Time for Pete Seeger to Repent”), did Pete send me a letter in response, writing: “I think you’re right — I should have asked to see the gulags when I was in [the] USSR.”
https://www.providencejournal.com/story/opinion/2014/02/06/20140206-ronald-radosh-seeger-was-a-useful-idiot-for-stalin-ece/35368259007/
Seeger did not write The Lion Sleeps Tonight, a song written by a black South African, I believe, and a song his family had to sue over to stake a claim for royalties.
And I love these cartoons. I hope Bezos has seen them and has at least a moment of suffering of the disdain we all feel towards him.
Just reread what you wrote and seeing that Pete gave the song new lyrics in ‘67, I guess I should revise my question. Either of them could have followed up on the other…