The late and great Christopher Hitchens put it best when he said that "there's a difference between those who like Bob Dylan... and those who even knew about Phil Ochs". This quote is not meant to insult Bob Dylan, or anyone who likes his music, but rather to illustrate the difference in Ochs' music, even though he and Dylan came from the same era. The now Nobel Prize winning Bob Dylan was a speaker for a generation; his hit song "The Times They Are A Changing" spoke more about the general political climate that his generation found themselves in. Ochs, on the other hand, spoke about very specific issues, choosing not to hide behind nuance or symbolism. His 1965 album, I Ain't Marching Anymore, could be considered the most political and controversial of the decade.
The album begins off with the title track, a rallying cry of the anti-war movement during the 1960's. The song takes the listener through a history of all the wars and conflicts America had involved itself in up to that point. Ochs perfectly describes the attitudes that young people felt during this time, a feeling of no longer willfully obeying the government's demands. Even the most hardened and red-blooded American can not help but question the actions of their United States after hearing this song. Like many songs on the album, this one is most definitely a protest song, and Ochs performs the part perfectly. His voice echoes with a sincerity that can only be mimicked through a megaphone during a rally.
However, not all of his songs, speak to a counterculture sentiment. One of the best tracks on the album, "The Highwayman", contains more traditional folk lyrics, passionately speaking about the tragic story of a lonely desperado and the beautiful girl he meets in a small town. It is a story told a thousand times, but yet you can not help but root for the characters in Ochs' song, as though you were watching a dramatic Clint Eastwood drama. He alternates between a very soft and tender voice, as though he were speaking to a child, and a raspy yell, his eyes closed and pointed towards the night sky. Again, this song is sung with such raw emotion, it is as though he was the highwayman he speaks of and he is retelling his story.
Of course, not every song is an emotional sucker punch. "Draft Dodger Rag" is a cheery and upbeat tune, which talks about the serious issue that many young men faced during the Vietnam War, avoiding the draft. Some methods, like pretending to be gay and addicted to a thousand drugs, may sound ridiculous, but many actually tried using these excuses and man others in order to escape a war that they did not want to participate in.
Of all of his songs, "Here's to the State of Mississippi" is by far the most angry. At the time when the song was released, Mississippi was still dealing with the Ole Miss riot of 1962 that occurred when African-American James Meredith attended the previously segregated University of Mississippi. This track very darkly portrays the level of racism that existed in the state on every level, even painting very disturbing images of bodies piled up on the bottom of rivers. After unleashing his full fury at each Mississippian institution, Ochs ends every verse by demanding that the state "find another country to be apart of". His sings the song in such an appropriate way, not with blind fury, but with restrained anger, letting the listener focus more on what he is saying than how he is saying it.
I Ain't Marching Anymore is a catalog of the political events that shaped the 1960's. One could honestly skip this section of their U.S. History class, only listen to this album, and still receive a decent understanding of the decade. What makes this album stand out to me, is that fact that even though all of the events that he references can still very much be applied to today. Unjust wars, racism, and the greed of politicians are not mistakes of the past; they very much make up the political discussions in universities around the country.
I found this album just after the election, and like many other Americans at the time, I was not feeling too good about the state of our country. Every song helped me realize that if I wanted to change society for the better, it was not going to be done by wallowing in my room, but my taking action and making my voice heard. If anyone is feeling disenchanted by the political system, give Phil Ochs a listen, because it will fire you up to fight for what you believe in. Art has always been there to criticize the world we live in, and Phil Ochs gives us one of the best examples of how to do that.
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