Am 27. Januar 2014 starb Pete Seeger im Alter von 94 Jahren		02-2014 trend onlinezeitung
Peter R. "Pete" Seeger (Komponist, Texter, Sänger, Banjo- und Gitarrenspieler) wurde am 3. Mai 1919 in New York City geboren. Sein Vater, der 1886 in Mexico City geborene Dirigent, Musikprofessor und Ethnologe Charles Louis Seeger, gehörte zu den ersten systematischen Sammlern ethnischer US-Folklore. Petes 1933 und 1935 geborenen Geschwister Mike und Peggy machten mit Banjo, Gitarre und Folksongs eigene Karrieren. Pete jedoch, Ex-Soziologie-Student der Harvard University, wurde zur Symbolfigur des Folksong-Revivals. Als Assistent der Forscher John und Alan Lomax konservierte er 1939/40 vornehmlich in den Südstaaten halbvergessene Volkslieder und Blues. 1941 gründete Seeger gemeinsam mit Millard Lampell und Lee Hays die "Almanac Singers" als eine Art "singende Zeitung" für Gewerkschaftsfragen und andere progressive politische Aktivitäten. Zu der Gruppe gehörten zeitweise auch Woody Guthry, Josh White, Bess Lomax Hawes und die Blueser Brownie McGhee und Sonny Terry. Um die Karriere seines Vaters in der Regierung nicht zu gefährden, trat Seeger bei den Almanacs, die mit den Kommunisten sympathisierte als Pete Bowers auf.  1942 wurde Pete Seeger zur Armee einberufen und für drei Jahre als Truppen-Entertainer in den Pazifik entsandt wurde. Dort trater  mit seinen Almanac Singers sowie im Duo mit Woody Guthrie vor. Nach dem Krieg gründete er 1945 die "People's Songs Inc.", der zeitweilig etwa 3000 Komponisten und Interpreten angehörten. In sogenannten Hootenannys machten Seeger und seine Freunde alte Weisen und neue Stücke populär. Musikalisch aktiv war er weiterhin vor allem im Bereich der Gewerkschaftsbewegung und im Umfeld der amerikanischen Kommunisten. Nach dem didaktischen Versvortrag Seegers,  stimmten seine Zuhörer über Banjoakkorde angeregt in den Refrain ein. Seegers Slogan lautete: "Selbst wenn Sie das Lied noch nie gehört haben, können Sie es singen." Seine Songs wie "If I Had A Hammer" oder "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" wurden weltweit nachgesungen Zur Verstärkung seines Gesangsvortrags gründete Pete Seeger 1948 das Quartett The Weavers - eigentlich die Neugründung der "Almanac Singers", das bis zu seiner ersten Auflösung 1952 rund vier Millionen Schallplatten verkaufte. Mit ihrer Fassung von Leadbelly's "Good Night, Irene" okkupierten "The Weavers" 1950 für 13 Wochen Platz 1 der Hitparade. Die Band um Pete Seeger zählte zu den erfolgreichsten Bands des frühen Folkrevivals. Auf diese Weise hob Pete Seeger die "Amerikanische Volksmusik und ihre Ursprünge" (so der Titel einer Konzertfolge an der New Yorker Columbia University 1954/55)  wieder ins Bewußtsein der Zeitgenossen. Er drehte Filme wie z.B. "And Hear My Banjo Play", brachte in Los Angeles ein Folk-Musical "Dark of the Moon" heraus. Von 1955 an wurde Pete Seeger, der seine Songs stets mit politischer Aufklärung verband, 17 Jahre lang von den US-Kommerzsendern boykottiert. In der McCarthy-Ära in den Verdacht kommunistischer Umtriebe geraten, hatte er sich geweigert, vor einem Kongreßausschuß in Washington auszusagen. Daher mussten seine Komposition wie z.B. "Where Have All The Flowers Gone", "If l Had A Hammer", oder "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" in dieser Zeit in Funk und Fernsehen durch andere Interpreten gesungen werden. Mitte der 1960er Jahre im Rahmen der amerikanischen Folk Music entstanden die Protestsongs, mit denen vor allem Jugendliche ihrer Gegnerschaft gegen die US-lntervention in Vietnam und die rassistischen Strukuren in den USA Ausdruck verliehen. Zwar gelangte diese Bewegung kaum über einen romantisch-utopischen Antikapitalismus hinaus, hatte aber im Prozess des politischen Bewusstwerdens der jungen Generation nicht nur in den USA eine wichtige Funktion. Zu den Begründern und Hauptvertretern gehörten Bob Dylan (geb. 1941), Joan Baez (geb. 1941), Phil Ochs (1940-1976), für die Pete Seeger ein wichtiges Vorbild war. In den 60ern konnte Pete Seeger auch wieder im Fernsehen auftreten. Er präsentierte in seiner in der New Yorker Region ausgestrahlten Sendung "Rainbow Quest" Musiker wie Johnny Cast, Mississippi John Hurt aber auch Donovan oder Judy Collins. Insgesamt 39 Folgen der einstündigen Sendung wurden 1965 und 66 von ihm und seiner Frau Toshi produziert [etliche zu finden bei Youtube]. Am 2. Januar 1967, inmitten der sich entwickelnden Protestbewegung der sechziger Jahre, gab Pete Seeger sein erstes Konzert in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Der Ort dieses historischen Auftritts war nicht zufällig die „Schaubühne“ in Westberlin, damals noch „am Halleschen Ufer“ in Kreuzberg. Pete Seeger bot den mehreren Hundert Zuhörern, die sich in den viel zu kleinen Saal quetschten und auch die Bühne belagerten, kein ausdrücklich politisches, auf die zugespitzte Situation in Berlin ausgerichtetes Programm.[Hier seine Setliste] Am 4. Januar 1967 war er dann zu Gast im ostberliner "Oktoberklub", wo er in in der Sporthalle an der Karl-Marx-Allee auftrat. 1969 war er Mitbegründer der Umweltschutzorganisation Clearwater. 1972 erschien sein Buch "The Incompleat Folksinger", das ein Standardwerk über die amerikanische Folkmusik wurde. Beim 16. Festival des politischen Liedes  - organisiert vom "Oktoberklub" vom 16.–23. Februar 1986 - trat Pete Seeger  in der DDR auf. 1996 wurde Pete Seeger in die "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" aufgenommen und 1998 erhielter für sein politisches Engagement den "War Resisters League Peace Award". 2008 im Alter von 89 Jahren überraschte Pete Seeger die Öffentlichkeit mit einem neuen Studioalbum, names "At89", worauf sich z.B. der alte Weavers-Hit „Tzena, Tzena, Tzena“ oder ein israelisches Tanzlied mit hebräischen und arabischen Versen befinden. Vier Jahre später brachte er noch ein weiteres Album " „A More Perfect Union“, an dem auch Emmylou Harris, Bruce Springsteen, Steve Earle und Tom Morello mitwirkten. 2009 verlieh ihm schließlich die Menschenrechtsorganisation "Freemuse" für seinen jahrzehntelangen Einsatz für die musikalische Meinungsfreiheit den Freemuse Award, der von seinem Enkel Tao Rodriquez-Seeger entgegengenommen wurde. Am 14. Dezember 2012 trat Pete Seeger zusammen mit Harry Belafonte und anderen in dem Solikonzert "Bring Leonard Peltier Home" auf./ khs Pete Seeger - If I Had a Hammer Songs of Hope & Struggle •01. If I Had a Hammer (introduction) - 1:56 •02. Banks of Marble - 1:56 •03. Which Side Are You On - 5:12 •04. Casey Jones (The Union Scab) - 7:24 •05. Talking Union - 9:20 •06. Joe Hill - 12:26 •07. Union Maid - 15:00 weitere Texte folgen....... •08. Step by Step - 17:15 •09. Solidarity Forever - 18:54 •10. Where Have All the Flowers Gone - 21:48 •11. Talking Atom - 23:54 •12. Crow on the Cradle - 26:20 •13. Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream - 28:48 •14. Study War No More - 31:19 •15. Bourgeois Blues - 34:31 •16. River of My People - 36:40 •17. Hold on (Hand on the Plow) - 39:46 •18. We Shall Overcome - 43:06 •19. He Lies in the American Land - 47:50 •20. Well May the World Go - 49:52 •21. Turn, Turn, Turn - 52:32 •22. Tomorrow Is a Highway - 55:18 •23. Oh, Had I a Golden Thread - 58:51 •24. We'll be A-Doubling - 62:20 •25. Arrange and Rearrange - 64:20 •26. If I Had a Hammer - 69:12 If I Had a Hammer (introduction) If I had a hammer, I'd hammer in the morning I'd hammer in the evening, all over this land I'd hammer out danger, I'd hammer out a warning I'd hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters all over this land If I had a bell, I'd ring it in the morning I'd ring it in the evening, all over this land I'd ring it in danger, I'd ring out a warning I'd ring in love between my brothers and my sisters all over this land If I had a song, I'd sing it in the morning I'd sing it in the evening, all over this land I'd sing it in danger, I'd sing out a warning I'd sing in love between my brothers and my sisters all over this land Well I got a hammer and I got a bell And I got a song to sing all over this land It's the hammer of justice, it's the bell of freedom It's the song about love between my brothers and my sisters all over this land zurück Banks are made of marble I've traveled round this country From shore to shining shore. It really made me wonder The things I heard and saw. I saw the weary farmer, Plowing sod and loam; I heard the auction hammer A knocking down his home. CHORUS: But the banks are made of marble, With a guard at every door, And the vaults are stuffed with silver, That the farmer sweated for. I saw the seaman standing Idly by the shore. I heard the bosses saying, Got no work for you no more. But the banks are made of marble, With a guard at every door, And the vaults are stuffed with silver, That the seaman sweated for. I saw the weary miner, Scrubbing coal dust from his back, I heard his children cryin', Got no coal to heat the shack. But the banks are made of marble, With a guard at every door, And the vaults are stuffed with silver, That the miner sweated for. I've seen my brothers working Throughout this mighty land; I prayed we'd get together, And together make a stand. FINAL CHORUS: Then we'd own those banks of marble, With a guard at every door; And we'd share those vaults of silver, That we have sweated for. zurück Which Side Are You On Come all of you good workers, Good news to you I'll tell Of how the good old union Has come in here to dwell. [Chorus:] Which side are you on? Which side are you on? Which side are you on? Which side are you on? My daddy was a miner And I'm a miner's son, And I'll stick with the union 'Til every battle's won. [Chorus] They say in Harlan County There are no neutrals there; You'll either be a union man, Or a thug for J. H. Blair. [Chorus] Oh workers can you stand it? Oh tell me how you can. Will you be a lousy scab Or will you be a man? [Chorus] Don't scab for the bosses, Don't listen to their lies. Us poor folks haven't got a chance Unless we organize. [Chorus] zurück Casey Jones (The Union Scab) Come all you rounders if you wanna hear The story of a brave engineer Casey Jones was the rounder's name On the big six-wheeler boys he made his fame Well the caller called Casey 'bout half past four He kissed his wife at the station door He stepped into the cabin with the orders in his hand Said I'm gonna take my trip to the Promised Land Casey Jones, stepped into the cabin Casey Jones, orders in his hand Casey Jones, stepped into the cabin Said I'm gonna take my trip to the Promised Land He looked at the water and the water was low He looked at his watch, the watch was slow He looked at the fireman, the fireman said Boy we're gonna reach 'Frisco but we'll all be dead Casey pulled up that Reno hill He flew at the crossing with an awful shrill The switchman knew, by the engine's moan That the man at the throttle was Casey Jones Casey got to that certain place Ol' number nine stared him straight in the face He said to the fireman, boy you better jump Cos they're two locomotives and they're bound to bump Casey Jones, two locomotives Casey Jones, and they're bound to bump Casey Jones, two locomotives Two locomotives and they're bound to bump Well Mrs. Casey Jones she sat there on the bed She got the telegram that her poor husband was dead She said go to bed children and hush your cryin' You got another papa on the Salt Lake line Casey Jones, got another papa Casey Jones, on the Salt Lake line Casey Jones, got another papa Ya got another papa on the Salt Lake line zurück Talking Union Now, if you want higher wages let me tell you what to do You got to talk to the workers in the shop with you You got to build you a union, got to make it strong But if you all stick together, boys, it won't be long You get shorter hours, better working conditions Vacations with pay. Take your kids to the seashore It ain't quite this simple, so I better explain Just why you got to ride on the union train 'Cause if you wait for the boss to raise your pay We'll all be a-waitin' 'til Judgment Day We'll all be buried, gone to heaven St. Peter'll be the straw boss then Now you know you're underpaid but the boss says you ain't He speeds up the work 'til you're 'bout to faint You may be down and out, but you ain't beaten You can pass out a leaflet and call a meetin' Talk it over, speak your mind Decide to do somethin' about it Course, the boss may persuade some poor damn fool To go to your meetin' and act like a stool But you can always tell a stool, though, that's a fact He's got a yaller streak a-runnin' down his back He doesn't have to stool, he'll always get along On what he takes out of blind men's cups You got a union now, and you're sittin' pretty Put some of the boys on the steering committee The boss won't listen when one guy squawks But he's got to listen when the union talks He'd better, be mighty lonely Everybody decide to walk out on him Suppose they're working you so hard it's just outrageous And they're paying you all starvation wages You go to the boss and the boss would yell "Before I raise your pay I'd see you all in hell." Well, he's puffing a big cigar, feeling mighty slick 'Cause he thinks he's got your union licked Well, he looks out the window and what does he see But a thousand pickets, and they all agree He's a bastard, unfair, slavedriver Bet he beats his wife Now, boys, you've come to the hardest time The boss will try to bust your picket line He'll call out the police, the National Guard They'll tell you it's a crime to have a union card They'll raid your meetin', they'll hit you on the head They'll call every one of you a goddam red Unpatriotic, Japanese spies, sabotaging national defense But out at Ford, here's what they found And out at Vultee, here's what they found And out at Allis-Chalmers, here's what they found And down at Bethlehem, here's what they found That if you don't let red-baiting break you up And if you don't let stoolpigeons break you up And if you don't let vigilantes break you up And if you don't let race hatred break you up You'll win. What I mean, take it easy, but take it zurück Joe Hill I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night Alive as you or me. Says I, "But Joe, you're ten years dead." "I never died," says he, "I never died," says he "In Salt Lake, Joe," says I to him, Him standing by my bed. "They framed you on a murder charge." Says Joe, "But I ain't dead, Says Joe, "But I ain't dead." "The copper bosses killed you, Joe, They shot you, Joe," says I. "Takes more than guns to kill a man." Says Joe, "I didn't die," Says Joe, "I didn't die." And standing there as big as life, And smiling with his eyes, Joe says, "What they forgot to kill Went on to organize, Went on to organize." "Joe Hill ain't dead," he says to me, "Joe Hill ain't never died. Where working men are out on strike, Joe Hill is at their side, Joe Hill is at their side." "From San Diego up to Maine In every mine and mill, Where workers strike and organize," Says he, "You'll find Joe Hill." Says he, "You'll find Joe Hill." I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night Alive as you or me. Says I, "But Joe, you're ten years dead." "I never died," says he, "I never died," says he. zurück Union Maid There once was a union maid, she never was afraid Of goons and ginks and company finks and the deputy sheriffs who made the raid. She went to the union hall when a meeting it was called, And when the Legion boys come 'round She always stood her ground. CHORUS: Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union, I'm sticking to the union, I'm sticking to the union. Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union, I'm sticking to the union 'til the day I die. This union maid was wise to the tricks of company spies, She couldn't be fooled by a company stool, she'd always organize the guys. She always got her way when she struck for better pay. She'd show her card to the National Guard And this is what she'd say: CHORUS You gals who want to be free, just take a tip from me; Get you a man who's a union man and join the ladies' auxiliary. Married life ain't hard when you got a union card, A union man has a happy life when he's got a union wife. zurück