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alarimer

(17,146 posts)
28. A lot of Phil Ochs could be uncomfortable
Fri May 10, 2013, 11:10 PM
May 2013

"Love Me, I'm a Liberal" is one, though it's a bit dated now. And a lot of his songs do seem dated but that's the problem with a lot of songs that are topical at the moment.

Some of these lyrics I've never heard. I guess they didn't make it to the album version or whatever. Or he updated them from time to time. But, yeah, they get a little close to the truth about liberal hypocrisy, especially the part at the end about "turning you in." And about "those people" moving next door. We all know liberals like that and probably we are liberals like that, even though we think we aren't.

I cried when they shot Medgar Evers
Tears ran down my spine
I cried when they shot Mr. Kennedy
As though I'd lost a father of mine
But Malcolm X got what was coming
He got what he asked for this time
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I go to civil rights rallies
And I put down the old D.A.R.
I love Harry and Sidney and Sammy
I hope every colored boy becomes a star
But don't talk about revolution
That's going a little bit too far
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I cheered when Humphrey was chosen
My faith in the system restored
I'm glad the commies were thrown out
of the A.F.L. C.I.O. board
I love Puerto Ricans and Negros
as long as they don't move next door
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

The people of old Mississippi
Should all hang their heads in shame
I can't understand how their minds work
What's the matter don't they watch Les Crain?
But if you ask me to bus my children
I hope the cops take down your name
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I read New republic and Nation
I've learned to take every view
You know, I've memorized Lerner and Golden
I feel like I'm almost a Jew
But when it comes to times like Korea
There's no one more red, white and blue
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

I vote for the democratic party
They want the U.N. to be strong
I go to all the Pete Seeger concerts
He sure gets me singing those songs
I'll send all the money you ask for
But don't ask me to come on along
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

Once I was young and impulsive
I wore every conceivable pin
Even went to the socialist meetings
Learned all the old union hymns
But I've grown older and wiser
And that's why I'm turning you in
So love me, love me, love me, I'm a liberal

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

There's no point for democracy when ignorance is celebrated... Gravitycollapse May 2013 #1
Politically uncomfortable? As in offensive stuff we disagree with? JaneyVee May 2013 #2
I Put "Uncomfortable"...In Quotes... For A Reason... WillyT May 2013 #7
Two by Steppenwolf, neither of which is well known Fumesucker May 2013 #3
Tie between Deutschland Uber Alles and the Marseillaise. n/t dimbear May 2013 #4
Corporate Cannibal DJ13 May 2013 #5
War Pigs - Black Sabbath IDemo May 2013 #6
That and "Disposable Heroes" for me. PeaceNikki May 2013 #19
What is uncomfortable or controversial about War Pigs?? Ghost in the Machine May 2013 #39
Melanie Safka - I Don't Eat Animals NoPasaran May 2013 #8
i love(d) melanie--had most of her album--yes vynil those days dembotoz May 2013 #10
pretty much anything by ray stevens......... lunasun May 2013 #9
OOPs= sorry I see not offensive but uncomfotable in thought -Anything about war lunasun May 2013 #14
Holy crap, do people actually listen to that? Bjorn Against May 2013 #17
he has so many it sort of gets me ill lunasun May 2013 #21
It is really hard not to laugh at right-wing music it is so awful Bjorn Against May 2013 #25
Oh Sweet Cheeses lunasun May 2013 #29
I wonder what happened to him? LeftInTX May 2013 #47
Either "Subterranean Homesick Blues" or "Masters of War".... Junkdrawer May 2013 #11
Hateful Hate - 10000 Maniacs JustAnotherGen May 2013 #12
Four Dead in Ohio really shook me up loyalsister May 2013 #13
I was 15 when those shootings occurred Cirque du So-What May 2013 #20
I was actually 5 mos. old loyalsister May 2013 #26
Roger Waters - Watching TV Bjorn Against May 2013 #15
Two baldguy May 2013 #16
Slayer ismnotwasm May 2013 #18
+1 lunasun May 2013 #22
Global: Rise Against, "Hero of War" flvegan May 2013 #23
"The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" (Pogues version) nomorenomore08 May 2013 #24
Waltzing Matilda is an excellent choice BainsBane May 2013 #50
Country Joe McDonald - "Feel Like I'm Fixing To Die" Lint Head May 2013 #27
A lot of Phil Ochs could be uncomfortable alarimer May 2013 #28
That song kind of weeds out the people who are invested in an overly idealized image of themselves. nomorenomore08 May 2013 #51
The Star Spangled Banner. Bonobo May 2013 #30
+ a million truebluegreen May 2013 #31
Yep... WillyT May 2013 #33
On some kind of a Phil Ochs roll tonight, so Love Me I'm A Liberal ... DreamGypsy May 2013 #32
Inna Gadda Da Vida jberryhill May 2013 #34
In the Garden of Eden baby LeftInTX May 2013 #48
Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town thelordofhell May 2013 #35
Margaret Thatcher getting hot to a phone call from the US Secretary of War. Fire Walk With Me May 2013 #36
Good video, man, thanks! AverageJoe90 May 2013 #44
Glad you liked it. I'm sure there are some who somehow imagine that I don't understand that Fire Walk With Me May 2013 #59
Clash: Washington Bullets MannyGoldstein May 2013 #37
This one sets my teeth on edge...such a sweet melody, such a dark subtext... MADem May 2013 #38
Buffy Sainte-Marie - Universal Soldier redqueen May 2013 #40
Seven a.m., waking up in the morning..... Nye Bevan May 2013 #41
Southern Polititian by Willie Deville olddots May 2013 #42
Sky Pilot by Eric Burdon and the Animals lumberjack_jeff May 2013 #43
Definitely Metallica...And Justice For All... Zorra May 2013 #45
I always liked "One" - went through a big Metallica phase in 8th grade. nomorenomore08 May 2013 #52
A Perfect Circle (via Joni Mitchell) "Fiddle and the Drum" opiate69 May 2013 #46
Iris Dement "Wasteland of the Free" Little_Wing May 2013 #49
"Land: Horse/ Land of a Thousand Dances/La Mer (de)," Patti Smith BainsBane May 2013 #53
Don McClean's, "Vincent" BainsBane May 2013 #54
This is the best version Generic Other May 2013 #60
Very cool BainsBane May 2013 #65
"Polly," Nirvana (Trigger Warning) BainsBane May 2013 #55
STATE RADIO Democracyinkind May 2013 #56
Dear God Beearewhyain May 2013 #57
"Hitler's Brothers" by Paula Cole and "Pieces of You" by Jewel Behind the Aegis May 2013 #58
The song Sinéad O'Connor had to sing after tearing up the pope's photograph? Generic Other May 2013 #61
every now and then i look the thing up on youtube dembotoz May 2013 #63
"Okie from Muskogee" or something like that by some Country Music shitball 1-Old-Man May 2013 #62
I was thinking of Mearle Haggard as well... but "Fightin' Side of Me" Rhythm May 2013 #66
Roger Waters-When the Tigers Broke Free. ArnoldLayne May 2013 #64
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