Happy Birthday, Pete Seeger!
“He’s had one of the most perfect lives of anybody I know.”
That was filmmaker Jim Brown’s response when asked why he profiled Pete Seeger in a PBS “American Masters” documentary. Few would disagree with Brown’s assessment. In a career that’s spanned over 70 years, the 94-year-old Seeger has embodied the idealism that once defined the American spirit. A tireless crusader for social justice, world harmony and environmental causes, Seeger was even called, at the height of his activism, “America’s tuning fork.”
The trajectory of Seeger’s life is dazzling. Born May 3, 1919, he first wanted to become a journalist. Music beckoned, however, and following a period where he assisted folk-song archivist Alan Lomax, he teamed with legendary songwriter Woody Guthrie to form the politically oriented Almanac Singers. Drafted into the Army in 1942, Seeger served out his duty and then co-founded the folk group, the Weavers. In addition to popularizing the Guthrie classic “This Land Is Your Land,” the Weavers topped the charts in 1950 with their version of Leadbelly’s “Goodnight, Irene.”
Blacklisted during the McCarthy era, the Weavers disbanded in 1953. Informally banned from TV programs and radio shows—as well as from many concert stages—Seeger began performing at high schools and on college campuses. Concurrent with the folk revival of the early ’60s, his songs became better known to the public at large. Thanks to hit versions by the Kingston Trio, Peter, Paul & Mary, and the Byrds, the Seeger-written songs “If I Had a Hammer,” “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” and “Turn! Turn! Turn!” have become part of the American lexicon.
These days Seeger remains vibrant, creative and deeply attuned to social and environmental issues. He and his wife, Toshi, continue to live on a wooded hillside in New York overlooking the Hudson River, in a cabin they built with their own hands decades ago. Since 1969, Seeger has worked closely with the Clearwater organization, an environmental group that seeks to protect the Hudson River, its tributaries and related waters. Each year he invites more than 10,000 children and adults onto his sailboat, where they sing and discuss the history of the Hudson.
To celebrate his birthday today, here is Pete’s story behind his timeless “Where Have All the Flowers Gone.”
“I had been reading a long novel—”And Quiet Flows the Don”—about the Don River in Russia and the Cossacks who lived along it in the 19th century. It describes the Cossack soldiers galloping off to join the Czar’s army, singing as they go. Three lines from a song are quoted in the book: ‘Where are the flowers? The girls plucked them / Where are the girls? They’re all married / Where are the men? They’re all in the army.’ I never got around to looking up the song, but I wrote down those three lines.
“Later, in an airplane, I was dozing, and it occurred to me that the line ‘long time passing’—which I had also written in a notebook—would sing well. Then I thought, ‘When will we ever learn.’ Suddenly, within 20 minutes, I had a song. There were just three verses. I Scotch-taped the song to a microphone and sang it at Oberlin College. This was in 1955.
“One of the students there had a summer job as a camp counselor. He took the song to the camp and sang it to the kids. It was very short. He gave it rhythm, which I hadn’t done. The kids played around with it, singing ‘Where have all the counselors gone? / Open curfew, everyone.’
“The counselor added two actual verses: ‘Where have all the soldiers gone? / Gone to graveyards every one / Where have all the graveyards gone? / Covered with flowers every one.’ Joe Hickerson is his name, and I give him 20 percent of the royalties. That song still brings in thousands of dollars from all around the world.”
— By Russell Hall
—Photo by Econosmith
Excerpted from Performing Songwriter Issue 113
Category: In Case You Haven't Heard
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I learned this song for the first time at Camp Redwood, Lake Sequoia, California, in 1957. It is one of my centerpiece, core songs of love and hope for humans. I love all of you precious people. I am one of the men who started Doctors Without Borders. Blessings on all of you. John
Bob Dylan has been honoured with the Nobel Prize but it was Pete Seeger who led the way for so many and achieved
so much. An extraordinary life. RIP.
Yeah.Years ago I met Pete along with Paul and Mary at the Hollywood Bowl. What a blessing. Go Pete go.
The lesson here is that poets/song writers lead us to truth by putting the question to us. Answers will never come from the politicians unless we,in turn, challenge them with these questions.Vietnam has shown us that there is hope if enough us who have been inspired find our voice.
We need men of Peace now like Pete Seeger. These are bad times,sorry that he has passed on.
Tears,and always go to my knees. One of the most soul searching lyrics of many generations.♡
I still remember the first time I heard this song; it was sung by the Kingston Trio. I still stop whatever I’m doing to listen when I hear. It only becomes more meaningful the more you learn about it and the lives it has touched.
I can’t think of any other person who could have written this except Pete Seeger. Like his songs the more you learn about him the greater the admiration and respect he deserves.
I’m an American teacher working in Abu Dhabi. Today I’ve been asked to play and lead songs for peace day at GEMS World Academy. I’ll tell Pete’s story to 3rd graders and lead them in “Where Have All the Flowers Gone.” There could be no more appropriate song to share with these wonderful little people…
A very poignant song which echoes down the centuries. I am researching the lives of the 47 young men from the Hampshire hamlet in which I live today, who served during the Great War of 1914-1918 & this song says it all. When will we ever learn? (UK)
I grew up in the 60-70 era of folk songs and black pride. My youngest sister and I sang these song at camp or just walking the neighborhood. Dont know where we first heard them. At 60 yo they still touch my heart.
I no longer sing with my sister. She died earlier this year. I hadn’t sung any of our songs since then because there was no one to harmonize with me and I would cry. then a couple of nights ago my 6yo grandaughter wanted a bedtime story and a song. I sang Puff the Magic Dragon and Where Have All the Flowers Gone to her. She loves them. Some like Hushaby makes her cry. But yet a new generation will know these great songs as sung by Peter, Paul and Mary, the Kingston Trio and Pete Seeger. 09/26/2014 San Antonio
I first met Pete at the Fox Hollow Folk Festival in Petersburgh NY. I was just a teen and he inspired me so much. Over the years , Pete continued to be a major icon for all of us. What a blessed life he led.
HE WAS A GREAT AMERICAN HERO , FOR SURE !!!!
Yes, but I didn’t know Pete until recently,…all of those songs I knew from that time frame! Great work!
My first recollection of this song was from the Kingston Trio’s version. I have ” learned” from it and I’m a relentless and tenacious advocate of peace, a tree hugging liberal and have a social awareness that inspired me to write this note from this song. RIP Pete, You are my hero.
The more we give the more comes back to us and that is what Pete did with his music. Writting a column about the valueable role of trees play I was reminded of Pete Seegers envoirmental concerns. His words made it sound so simple but his actions were relentless in showing how important our part was to take action, speak out and be part of something bigger than ourselves. His words made it all seem so simple and we thank you for showing we are all part of something bigger than ourselves. Thanks and sleep well under the stars and sweet pines. St. Augustine Beache
The more you hear more you admire the person. A prophet is seldom admired in his land. I think he would have gathered more fame if he did not choose the path he had taken, but he had proved that truth prevails in the long run and since he lived long he saw it from his own eyes.
He is a unsung or rather less-sung great personality perhaps among the greatest of the century like Mandela or Ghandhi or any other lesser known but larger than life persons we do not hear often.
Pete saw the ludicrousness of human instituted “status quo” – he was, in a sense, a iconoclast of flimsy ideals, and in retrospect we see how right he was. Thanks Pete for making us stand back and think
my favourite song of all time
I just returned from Vietnam after spending two weeks traveling from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City with TOP (Tours of Peace) Vietnam Veterans. On our last day in Vietnam we had the privilege of having lunch with our counterpart, a North Vietnamese Army veteran by the name of Mr. Son and his daughter Mai. Imagine our surprise and delight when, after lunch, Mr. Son took out his guitar and he and his daughter sang Where Have All The flowers Gone! It was very moving. It brought tears to our eyes. I think Pete would be pleased to know that his song has made it half way around the world to Vietnam and brought veterans on both sides together in peace.
As someone very happily married to a Vietnamese wife, those words brought tears to my eyes, too …
Still brings tears to my eyes
I have been playing Where Have All The Flowers Gone? for 48 years. I will lead it for our Memorial Day Service at the Evergreen Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Marysville, Washington. I will dedicate this beautiful song to this beautiful Man!
Love the story about “where have all the flowers gone”
My much older brother Richard Thrift ( still playing folk and country) taught me all the words and I sang it with him and the whole family when I was a little girl along with many other songs by Pete. I still sing it sometimes. It is simple and poignant and easy to play.
Much love to Pete xxx
“Where have all the flowers gone” has been one of my all time favorite songs…. Great Song, Great Man!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!
What a wonderful story
what a perfect way to write a song
what a wonderful man