Artist & Tune
Version by Phil Ochs
Version by The Blues Project
Version by Cathy Richardson
Version by Tom Prasada-Rao
Version by Colleen Kattau
Version by Jim Glover
Version by Zachary Stevenson
Reference
About the Song
Ochs' antiwar anthem was first released as the title track of his second album in 1965. Ochs frequently performed the song at antiwar rallies around the country. He performed it at the Chicago protests at the Democratic National Convention in 1968 as hundreds of men burned their draft cards. He was to describe this as the "highlight of his career". He was later called as a defense witness at the trial of the Chicago 7 and asked to sing this song he had sung at the protests. Judge Hoffman would not allow him to sing it so he recited the words.
In 1966 he recorded a folk rock version of the song with the Blues Project and a bagpipe. The song was released as a 45rpm single in the UK.
Ochs performed the song (one of the only times he appeared on network TV) in 1967 for an ABC special "Dissent or Treason".
Alt Lyrics
new final verse by Cathy Richardson (of Jefferson Starship):
For I saw into the hearts of the President's men
I saw money pile Black bodies on the floor
I saw tears traded for diamonds, fears made for the buyin'...
new final verse by Colleen Kattau:
They want us all to fight in an infinite war
They say all of us should hold a gun
But the crying earth is telling me that this is no democracy
And I ain't a marching anymore