What Are You Fighting For
1976 · Folkways FD 5320 · New York City, New York
- Artist
- Phil Ochs
- Title
- What Are You Fighting For
- Release
- Sings for Broadside
- Year
- 1976
- Label
- Folkways # FD 5320
- Format
- LP · Archival
- Language
- English
- Country
- New York City, New York, USA
- Songwriter
- Phil Ochs
- Genre
- Folk · Contemporary Folk
- Primary theme
- Peace, Protest & Anti-War
Annotation — Phil Ochs
The Phil Ochs songs "What Are You Fighting For?" was originally published in Broadside # 40, February 1964, so one of the earliest anti-Vietnam War songs. However, it was not recorded on an album at the time. A live version later appeared on the LP Sings for Broadside, released by Folkways Records (# FD 5320) after Ochs' death. The lyrics noted the war industry: "watch them build the war machines right beside your home". It targeted the actions of the US president, Lyndon B. Johnson: "watch the fool a smiling there and tell me that you're proud". The title of the song was a popular term used during the war period, from both sides of the political spectrum, referenced in 100s of songs.
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: Oh you tell me that there's danger to this land you call your own / And you watch them build the war machines right beside your home / And you tell me that you're ready to go marching to the war / Oh, I know you're set for fighting, but what are you fighting for? / Before you pack your rifle and sail across the sea / Just think upon the southern part of the land that you call free / Oh, there's many kinds of slavery and we've found many more / Yes, I know you're set for fighting, but what are you fighting for? / And before you walk out on your job and answer to the call / Just think about the millions who have no job at all / And the men who wait for handouts with their eyes upon the floor / I know you're set for fighting, but what are you fighting for? Turn on your TV, turn it on so loud / And watch the fool a smiling there and tell me that you're proud / And listen to your radio, the noise it starts to pour / Oh, I know you're set for fighting, but what are you fighting for? / Read your morning papers, read every single line / And tell me if you can believe that simple world you find / Read every slanted word till your eyes are getting sore / I know you're set for fighting, but what are you fighting for? / And listen to your leaders, the ones that won the race / As they stand right there before you and lie into your face / If you ever try to buy them, you know what they stand for / I know you're set for fighting, but what are you fighting for? Put ragged clothes…
About the artist
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. 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…