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All The News Thats Fit To Sing

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a CLIFFORD HODGE review

Phil Ochs died much too young and underappreciated. A folk/protest singer of the first magnitude, the equal of any American folk artist with his made-for-folk voice, the audacity of his lyrics make others seem tame. But Phil Ochs was not interested in selling millions of records and making billions of dollars; and in a way that's too bad, because if he had been, maybe more people would be familiar with his work today. "All The News..." has some of his finest, including, "One More Parade", an ironic piece which is nonetheless quite sincere in honoring the soldiers of the Viet Nam era, for he was quite careful about separating the soldiers from the war they were fighting. "The Bells," is a peaceful, mesmerizing song that was inspired by the Poe poem. Ochs had a talent for melody nearly unmatched in American folk music of the 60's, and aside from Tim Buckley, in order to find comparisons for the sheer beauty of his songs you have to turn to the UK and people like Nick Drake or Roy Harper. This will appeal if you like Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul & Mary, and a broader pop music genre. Imagine the smooth-throated vocals of Bing Crosby or Nat King Cole with a bit of an edge added for the protest style, and you have Phil Ochs. But ultimately the FM stations decided Phil Ochs' music was not among all the music that was fit to play, and he did not get exposure commensurate with the quality of his music. Phil's brother Michael is the same Michael Ochs you see cited for so many rock documentaries. Michael has what is conceded to be the largest record collection in the world. I heard 60,000 albums around 1984; I'd guess he's hit 6 figures by now. You better get busy working on that record and CD collection. After you buy this one, get "Chords of Fame" a compilation album. I rank it as one of my top 10 U.S. folk albums, with "All The News..." just outside the top 10.

Phil Ochs experienced a rather tumultuous career, and to the world at large, only after his death has his immense talent been recognized for its rich value. I was completely captivated the very first time I heard this album - all of less than two months ago. The voice wasn't a typically smooth, polished gloss of studio fabrication. There weren't huge orchestrations. But those ingenious words and infectious passion hurled notes from the speakers that insisted on holding my ears hostage.

From the biographies that I've read, Phil Ochs was an extremely ardent man, and these songs are the proof in the pudding. "The Power and Glory" should, if it isn't already, be a staple of American folk music. The beginning guitar riff is simply awesome, like little sparks of magic that cast a spell over the listener. The words that follow are extremely patriotic, which may surprise some since many of the songs are quite anti-government. But that's the message: we don't have to agree with the government to appreciate the power and glory of our land. From the song, "Her power shall rest on the strength of her freedom. Her glory shall rest on us all."

"Talking Vietnam" could be perceived as a folk rap song. Phil's wicked sense of humor and keen political opinions combine to produce a sharp commentary on our then involvement in Vietnam. Even if you don't agree with his politics, it's hard to argue that his words are not marvelously profound. An excerpt:

"Sailing over to Vietnam,
Southeast Asian Birmingham.
Well training is the word we use,
Nice word to have in case we lose.
Training a million Vietnamese
To fight for the wrong government and the American Way."

A few verses later, speaking about then President Diem of South Vietnam:

"He said: 'meet my sister, Madam Nhu
The sweetheart of Dien Bien Phu'
He said: 'Meet my brothers, meet my aunts
With the government that doesn't take a chance.
Families that slay together, stay together.'

Said: 'If you want to stay you'll have to pay
Over a million dollars a day.
But it's worth it all, don't you see?
If you lose the country you'll still have me.
Me and Syngman Rhee, Chiang Kai-shek, Madam Nhu.
Like I said on _Meet the Press_
"I regret that I have but one country to give for my life." ' "

Phil scored music to one of Edgar Allan Poe's most hauntingly beautiful poems, "The Bells," from 1849. The song is a perfect answer to those who claim that Phil was nothing more than a singing journalist. Amazingly, he propels his guitar to mimic bells. No doubt exists that Phil definitely did justice to Poe's spectacular poem. Poe would be impressed.

From the moving tribute to the legendary Woody Guthrie in "Bound for Glory," to the working man's lament in "Automation Song," to the anti-war sentiment in "One More Parade," to the encomium to the US submarine "The Thresher (which tragically sank in 1963, taking the lives of all 129 lives onboard)," and eleven more songs that one biographer says comprise what Phil called a musical newspaper, this is, the first solo album that introduced Phil Ochs to the world outside of the intimate circle of Greenwich Village. It showcased a luminous talent who never received the recognition he deserved. Phil would later branch out as his musical talents grew, but if you're new to the world of Phil Ochs or simply hunger for a slice of nourishing Americana, this is a delicious treat.