Here's to the State of Richard Nixon

Annotation

Phil Ochs, a leading protest / topical singer, born 19 December 1940 in El Paso, Texas, USA, and died on 9 April 1976, in Far Rockaway, New York, USA. He often played songs at anti-war and civil rights rallies in the 1960s and early 1970s, including outside the Democratic National Convention in 1968. (1) He released many anti-Vietnam War songs during the era, which included "Talking Vietnam", one of the first Vietnam songs released, on his 1964 album All the News That's Fit to Sing. Other prominent songs included "I Ain't Marching Anymore", "Draft Dodger Rag", and "Days of Decision" on I Ain't Marching Anymore (1965), "White Boots Marching in a Yellow Land" and "The War Is Over" on Tape From California (1968), "William Butler Yeats Visits Lincoln Park and Escapes Unscathed", "Where Were You in Chicago" and "Another Age" on Rehearsals for Retirement (1969), "What Are You Fighting For", on Sings for Broadside (1976), the single Here's to the State of Richard Nixon (1974), and spoken-word tracks on the album Interviews With Phil Ochs (1976). He also recorded the song "We Seek No Wider War" in 1965, which appeared on the compilation The Best of Broadside 1962-1988 (2000).Here's to the…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Phil Ochs

The contemporary folk song song "Here's to the State of Richard Nixon" (A&M Records # 1509) by Phil Ochs - anti-war, anti-Richard Nixon (President 1968-1972), which criticised his administration and policies, including secret wars, such as Cambodia and Laos: "where the wars are fought in secret". This is of course updated lyrics to Ochs' famous "Here's to the State of Mississippi" (1965), a biting critique of a segregated and corrupt America during the Civil Rights era.

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

About the artist

born 19 December 1940 in El Paso, Texas, USA, and died on 9 April 1976, in Far Rockaway, New York, USA

Themes

Anti-War · Nixon · Watergate

In collections

Phil Ochs