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