I'm currently watching (yes, watching, downloading songs from itunes, and bloggin = multitasking) a show on PBS tonight called "American Masters" with the focus on Pete Seeger (wikipedia). Really neat show, Really cool guy. It's funny... If you had asked me just prior to seeing this show, if I could name one Pete Seeger song, I would not have been able to do it. I'd heard his name before, and knew that he was a singer from the 60's/70's but I knew nothing about him. What amazes me is that as the show is playing a LOT of his songs, I know a ton of them! Perhaps because some have been re-recorded, but still. They just played this one song called "Bring 'em home" about the war in Vietnam. It almost gave me the chills because if you just substituted the word Iraq with Vietnam it would be the same song with the same meanings.
In a small way... this show makes me sad though... Where are the "Pete Seegers" of 2008? Why are the songs today so purely pop and bubblegum? Why does it seem like musicians now have no real voice or influence like they did back then? I have to wonder is it because of the singers and songwriters today that may have different frames of mind, or is it because we as consumers of music don't want to listen to that sort of thing anymore.
Anyway... If you can catch a re-run of this show on PBS I encourage you to watch it. If not, here's the link to PBS's website for Pete.
1 comment:
Welcome to power of song. You raise a good point..about where are the Pete's of today? He would probably be able to name quite a few.
Post a Comment