Pophistory: music, movies, history, and life.
Scenes of my young years were warm in my mind, Visions of shadows that shine. Til one day I returned and found they were the Victims of the vines of changes. — Phil Ochs, “Changes” Most movies about heroes usually end in triumph with the hero accomplishing great things, making the feats seem easy in … Continue reading “The Tragic Heroism of Curt Flood and Phil Ochs”
Chilean singer-songwriter and activist Victor Jara left a fascinating legacy beyond his heroic death, inspiring many around the world, including Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen.
On June 21, 1964, three civil rights workers traveling in Mississippi disappeared. James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner had been working in the state as part of efforts by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) to do civil rights work and help register African-Americans to vote. Goodman and Schwerner had originally traveled from New … Continue reading “Three Missing Civil Rights Workers in 1964 Mississippi”
Neil Young is releasing A Letter Home, an album of cover songs from artists like Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, and Gordon Lightfoot. For Record Store Day, Young’s album in vinyl form is already available for order from Third Man Records. The independent record label was founded by musician-singer-songwriter Jack White, who helps out … Continue reading “Wander in My Words: Neil Young Releases Record of Covers”
On October 21 in 1967, one of the most significant signs of public disgruntlement with the Vietnam conflict began. Nearly 100,000 people showed up in D.C. to protest the U.S. role in the war. The March on the Pentagon to Confront the War Makers started near the Lincoln Memorial, and approximately 50,000 of the protesters … Continue reading “You Only Are What You Believe: 1967 Anti-War Protest and the Year’s Music”