Phil Ochs Critical Essay | Critical Essay by John Berendt

Critical Essay by John Berendt

Ochs was known as the troubadour of the New Left. He was the most radically committed performer of the Sixties, several steps beyond Jane Fonda and about on a par with Dick Gregory. He wrote topical songs of protest and was as happy singing them at the barricades as at Carnegie Hall. They were, as he well understood, a form of political theater. They could stir emotions and, under the right circumstances, provoke action. This is what he deeply hoped would happen.

Ochs wrote songs with lyrics worth listening to. They were simple and direct and made their point whether with a heavy or a gentle touch. Bluntly honest, three of his funniest songs were actually directed at the hypocrisy of his own audience. Outside of a Small Circle of Friends was a rebuke to those who make excuses not to get involved….

Draft Dodger Rag, written in the style...
(read more)