I Ain't Marching Anymore
1965 · Elektra EKSN 45002 · New York City, New York
- Artist
- Phil Ochs
- Title
- I Ain't Marching Anymore
- Release
- I Ain't Marching Anymore
- Year
- 1965
- Label
- Elektra # EKSN 45002
- Format
- LP · Album
- Language
- English
- Country
- New York City, New York, USA
- Songwriter
- Phil Ochs
- Genre
- Singer Songwriter · Contemporary Folk
- Primary theme
- Peace, Protest & Anti-War
Annotation
The song "I Ain't Marching Anymore" (Elektra Records # EKSN 45002) cataloged a series of US military interventions. The narrator concluded that war was futile, and thus, taking an anti-war stance, declared that he would not be marching off to war. Also of significance, the chorus portrayed the war as a generational problem: "It's always the old that leads us to wars, always the young that fall". This became a signature song for Ochs. He famously performed it outside the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, 1968, leading to people to burn their draft cards. Following the arrest of seven protesters, called the "Chicago Seven", Ochs had to appear at their trial as a witness, where the judge requested that he recite the song. (1) Originally published in Broadside # 54 on 20 January 1965, with notation and lyrics, the song featured on the album I Ain't Marching Anymore (Elektra Records # EKS 7287), which contained a few more Vietnam War / protest related tracks, including the humorous "Draft Dodger Rag" (dealt with below in the draft section) and "Days of Decision". Produced by Paul A. Rothchild & Jac Holzman.Phil Ochs, a leading protest / topical singer, born 19 December 1940 in…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation — Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs
The song "I Ain't Marching Anymore" (Elektra Records # EKSN 45002) cataloged a series of US military interventions. The narrator concluded that war was futile, and thus, taking an anti-war stance, declared that he would not be marching off to war. Also of significance, the chorus portrayed the war as a generational problem: "It's always the old that leads us to wars, always the young that fall". This became a signature song for Ochs. He famously performed it outside the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, 1968, leading to people to burn their draft cards. Following the arrest of seven protesters, called the "Chicago Seven", Ochs had to appear at their trial as a witness, where the judge requested that he recite the song. (1) Originally published in Broadside # 54 on 20 January 1965, with notation and lyrics, the song featured on the album I Ain't Marching Anymore (Elektra Records # EKS 7287), which contained a few more Vietnam War / protest related tracks, including the humorous "Draft Dodger Rag" (dealt with below in the draft section) and "Days of Decision". Produced by Paul A. Rothchild & Jac Holzman.
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