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Songs/music on the theme of peace/anti-war

(52 Posts)
Mishap Mon 17-Feb-14 17:46:17

I am once again setting the local pub quiz and we will do it in aid of Parkinsons UK, as my OH has PD.

I usually have a music round, which consists of playing music and asking people to identify something - title, performer, composer etc. This time I would like the round to be a tribute to Pete Seeger who has recently died, so I thought a peace/anti-war theme would be good.

I am interested in any suggestions that people might have for this. I have all the usual suspects, but would be glad to hear your ideas, particularly classical pieces/songs that have this as their theme.

Lots of thanks for your help.

absent Mon 17-Feb-14 17:54:27

I was just about to make a suggestion when a little bell rang in the back of my mind, so I googled the song. It turned out to be Phil Ochs, not Pete Seeger. My excuse is that I haven't heard it for about 40 years. I wouldn't be much good in your quiz then. I hope it goes well.

merlotgran Mon 17-Feb-14 18:02:32

Do you just want Pete Seeger songs, Mishap?

My favourite anti-war song is Goodnight Saigon - Billy Joel.

Ana Mon 17-Feb-14 18:02:51

I don't think Mishap meant all the songs had to be by Pete Seeger, absent! As you have all the usual subjects, Mishap, I don't think I'd be much use, although it might help if you could let us know which ones you do have.

Tegan Mon 17-Feb-14 18:08:04

This is my opportunity to come clean about the fact that I thought Bruce Springsteens 'Born in the USA' was a 'gung ho lets bomb the world' song and not an anti war one [I know the Republican Party made the same mistake]. But I read an article pointing out all the good things he's done over the years and I'm feeling really guilty about it. Feel as if I need to do some sort of penance for it [also never understood why he was so revered on a folk forum I go on blush].

ffinnochio Mon 17-Feb-14 18:09:08

“Travelin’ Soldier,” Dixie Chicks (2002)

The Dixie Chicks famously got in trouble for daring to speak out during the run-up to the war in Iraq, but the country superstars had made their views on the subject clear months before by cutting a version of Bruce Robison‘s sad ballad for the return-to-roots album Home. Set during the Vietnam war, the song is a heartbreaking portrait of the loss a community experiences by sending its best and brightest off to die.

ffinnochio Mon 17-Feb-14 18:09:56

Not classical but relevant to the time....

KatyK Mon 17-Feb-14 18:24:01

Not classical but of my era - Eve of Destruction. Barry Maguire

annodomini Mon 17-Feb-14 18:38:31

I've sent you a pm, mishap. Another suggestion is Tom Lehrer's nuclear war song: 'We'll all go together when we go'.

Mishap Mon 17-Feb-14 18:39:00

No - not all Pete Seeger. I jut wanted the round to reflect his anti-war stance and wanted to do that from different musical genres and eras.

Born in the USA is very powerful.

Here is the list a it stands - I have to try and track down 20 of them to put in a CD. It is bringing back memories of the whole anti-Vietnam war era. How involved we all were! I do not know whether that degree of involvement and concern is still around.

Anti-war music – tribute to Pete Seeger

1. Masters of War – Bob Dylan
2. We shall overcome – Pete S
3. Where have all the flowers gone? - Pete S
4. Britten – War Requiem
5. A Child of our Time – Michael Tippett
6. Imagine – Lennon
7.Deep Peace – John Rutter
8. With God on our side - ?Dylan
9. The Armed Man (A Mass for Peace) – Karl Jenkins
10. Dona Nobis Pacem
11. Shostakovich 3rd symphony – The First of May – about “peaceful reconstruction
12. Blowin' in the wind
13. There but for fortune
14. Universal Soldier
15. Paul Robeson
16. The Times they are a-changin'
17. "Ohio," was written in response to thedeaths of four students at Kent State University. The students were shot by Ohio National Guardsmen during an anti-war protest on the campus in May 1970. Crosby Stills Younga and Nash
18. Seven o'clock news/Silent Night – Simon and Garfunkel
19. All along the watchtower – Bob Dylan or Jimi Hendrix
20. Bring them home – Pete Seeger
21. Child In Time – Deep Purple
22. Eve of Destruction
23. Leaving on a jet plane
24. Peace Train – Cat Stevens
25. Peace will come – Tom Paxton
26. Question – Moody Blues
27. Soldier – Neil Young
28. The Unknown Soldier – The Doors
29. Us and Them – Pink Floyd
30. We gotta get out of this place – The Animals
31. Where are you now my son – Joan Baez
32. “Travelin’ Soldier,” Dixie Chicks (2002)
33. Bruce Springsteens 'Born in the USA'
34.

Tegan Mon 17-Feb-14 18:54:17

Kate Bush; Army Dreamers. The Isley Brothers did an amazing version of Ohio.

Mishap Mon 17-Feb-14 18:55:40

Thanks.

Does anyone know if there are any recordings of the Greenham Common women songs?

Ana Mon 17-Feb-14 19:00:25

Yes, there are, just Google it. I'd post a link, but there are so many and some are PDFs.

Ana Mon 17-Feb-14 19:01:08

For the lyrics, that is. There are some Youtube recordings.

petra Mon 17-Feb-14 19:02:38

My first thought was, Masters of War, but I see it has been mentioned.
The hate that Bob put into that song was brilliant.
My other choice is, What's going on, by Marvin Gaye. He wrote this song after listening to his brother's tales of the war in Vietnam.

feetlebaum Mon 17-Feb-14 19:05:00

Johnny I Hardly Knew You...

'With your guns and drums, your drums and guns, The enemy nearly slew yer,
Arrah darlin' dear, You look so queer. Johnny I hardly knew yer...'

Sel Mon 17-Feb-14 19:17:54

mishap my OH who is American and was drafted at 17 to serve in Vietnam has an astounding knowledge of music and just how much it meant to him as a scared conscript in an alien country where music was the only comfort. John Lennon's 'imagine' was his anthem of choice.

KatyK Mon 17-Feb-14 19:18:08

the green fields of france, the fureys and davey arthur. very sad.

Grannyknot Mon 17-Feb-14 19:27:53

For What it's Worth - Buffalo Springfield. "Something is happening here, what it is, isn't exactly clear, there's a man with a gun over there ... I think it's we stop, everyone, look around" etc etc.

What a good idea, Mishap.

Grannyknot Mon 17-Feb-14 19:29:02

Should be "It's time we stop" etc.

wisewoman Mon 17-Feb-14 19:39:40

grannyknot I was just about to google a line from that. Didn't know who it was by but even now it gives me a shiver to listen to it. I will download it from iTunes now I know the singer! There were so many good songs. I don't know if people are still writing and singing anti war songs. Maybe I am just not hearing them.

Tegan Mon 17-Feb-14 19:43:37

Benny and Bjorn did a peace themed introduction to last years Eurovision song contest along with Avicci, whose song, Hey Brother has me in tears whenever I listen to it/watch the video.,

Tegan Mon 17-Feb-14 19:44:56

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaCBXxGsOvo

Tegan Mon 17-Feb-14 19:46:40

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Kjj-XS2dHs

annodomini Mon 17-Feb-14 19:47:40

Jim Reeves: 'Distant Drums'.