Pete Seeger
dalszövegek/lyrics

ALL MY CHILDREN OF THE SUN

The navigator said to the engineer,
I think our radio's dead.
I can hear but I can't send,
And there's bad weather ahead.
The pilot said to the co-pilot,
Our right engine's gone.
But if we can make it over these mountains,
Perhaps I can set her down.
All my children of the sun!

Five hundred miles from nowhere
We bellylanded on a river.
We bid a quick goodbye
To that ship of silver.
Twenty-five piled out the window,
Twenty reached the shore.
We turned to see our metal bird
Sink to rise no more.
All my children of the sun!

We found some floating logs,
We found some sharp stones,
We cut some vines and made a raft.
It was our only hope.
The navigator said he thought there was
A town somewhere downstream.
So now each tried to do his best
To paddle as a team.

All except one young guy
Who kept arguing with the navigator.
He said he'd read about a waterfall
We would come to sooner or later.
At a river's bend he persuaded us
To bring our craft to beach.
But a search party found the river smooth
As far as eye could reach.
All my children of the sun.

Once again he persuaded us to stop.
We cursed at the delay.
Once again we found the river
Flowing on the same old way.
We said, shut up your arguing.
You give us all a pain.
Why don't you pitch in and go your part--
Be constructive for a change?
All my children of the sun.

Still egghead kept on talking
In the same longwinded way,
We said, if you won't paddle,
Get the hell out of our way.
We told him to go sit
Far back at the stern.
Then we strained to paddle harder,
And then the river made a turn.
All my children of the sun.

One paddler heard sound of tapping
And what he saw, when he did turn,
Was egghead with a sharp stone,
Cutting the vines that bound the stern.
With a cry of rage the paddler
Leaped up to his feet,
He swung his long pole
Knocked egghead into the deep.
But now the logs were splaying out.
The raft had come unbound.
Like mad we paddled for the shore,
Before all would drown.
All my children of the sun.

A search party went out to find more vines
To tie the raft up tight.
In twenty minutes they returned,
Their faces pale with fright.
They said a quarter mile down river
We DID find a waterfall.
It's over a hundred feet in height.
It would have killed us all.
All my children of the sun.

And that is why on the banks
Of a far off wilderness stream,
Which none of us, none of us,
Will ever see again,
There stands a cross for someone,
Hardly older than a boy.
Who, we thought, was only
Trying to destroy.
All my children of the sun.

BALLAD OF THE FORT HOOD THREE

Come all you brave Americans and listen unto me,
If you can spare five minutes in this 20th century,
I'll sing to you a story true as you will plainly see
It's about three U.S. soldiers they call the "Fort Hood Three."

First, Pvt. Dennis Mora, he hails from New York town
A good student in Spanish Harlem, and a student a while at Brown
He cast his vote for Johnson in 1964
But let me quote his own words on the subject of this war:

"I call this a war of aggression, the whole world knows it's so;
"We're supporting a dictator who holds Hitler his hero.
"There is a war we ought to fight: it's the war on poverty,
"With jobs for all, no matter who, in this democracy."

Next, Pvt. Jimmy Johnson, he comes from Harlem, too
He wanted to be a lawyer but left college before he was through;
He had to bring his family income, worked as teller in a bank,
Now listen to his own words and tell me what you think:

"I've spent a lot of time reading and discussing Vietnam,
"The government's not been honest in telling us about Saigon
"Too long I followed blindly; I had to take a stand.
"The fight for freedom can be made right here in our own land."

Next, Pvt. David Samas, a Californian
His background, Lithuanian, also Italian
The policemen told his father something quite absurd
They'd arrange for him a discharge if he'd just retract these words:

"We've been told in training that in Vietnam we must fight
"And we may have to kill women and children, and that is quite all right;
"We say this war's illegal, immoral, and unjust;
"We're taking legal action, just the three of us.

"We'll report for duty but we won't go overseas.
"We're prepared to face court martial, but we won't fight for Ky.
"We three have talked it over, our decision now is clear,
"We will not go to Vietnam, we'll fight for freedom here."

The army tried cajolery, and later on came threats
They were taken into custody, told jail was what they'd get.
At the moment that I'm singing, the story's far from through;
The next verses in the ballad may be partly up to you.

Now if you don't believe me, you can read about it more,
About the Fort Hood Three who have refused to fight this war;
We can help them set our country straight on the right track again,
When a man can hold his head with pride and say: "I'm an American!"

DEAR MR. PRESIDENT

Dear Mr. President, I set me down,
To send you greetings from my home town,
And send you best wishes from all the friends I know
In Texas, Alabama, Ohio,
And affiliated places. Brooklyn, Mississippi.

I’m an ordinary guy, worked most of my life,
Sometime I’ll settle down with my kids and wife,
And I like to see a movie or take a little drink.
I like being free to say what I think,
Sort of runs in the family...
My grandpa crossed the ocean for the same reason.

Now I hate Hitler and I can tell you why,
He’s caused lots of good folks to suffer and die.
He’s got a way of shoving folks around,
I figure it’s about time we slapped him down,
Give him a dose of his own medicine...
Lead poisoning.

Now Mr. President, we haven’t always agreed in the past, I know,
But that ain’t at all important, now,
What is important is what we got to do,
We got to lick Mr. Hitler, and until we do,
Other things can wait,
In other words, first we got a skunk to skin.
War means overtime and higher prices,
But we’re all willing to make sacrifices,
Hell, I’d even stop fighting with my mother-in-law,
‘Cause we need her too, to win the war...
Old battle axe.

Now as I think of our great land,
Of the cities and towns and farming land,
There’s so many good people working every day,
I know it ain’t perfect but it will be some day,
Just give us a little time.

This is the reason that I want to fight,
Not because everything’s perfect or everything’s right.
No. it’s just the opposite... I’m fighting because I want
A better America with better laws,
And better homes and jobs and schools,
And no more Jim Crow and no more rules,
Like you can’t ride on this train ‘cause you’re a Negro,
You can’t live here ‘cause you’re a Jew
You can’t work here ‘cause you’re a union man.

There’s a line keeps running through my head,
I think it was something Joe Louis once said,
Said, "There’s lots of things wrong,
But Hitler won’t help 'em."

Now Mr. President, you’re commander-in-chief of our armed forces,
Ships and planes, and the tanks and horses.
I guess you know best just where I can fight,
All I want to be is situated right...
To do the most damage.

I never was one to try and shirk,
And let the other fellow do all the work,
So when the time comes, I’ll be on hand,
And make good use of these two hands.
Quit playing this banjo around with the boys,
And exchange it for something that makes more noise.

So Mr. President, we’ve got this one big job to do,
That’s lick Mr. Hitler and when we’re through,
Let no one else ever take his place,
To trample down the human race.
So what I want is you to give me a gun,
So we can hurry up and get the job done.

FALSE FROM TRUE

When my songs turn to ashes on my tongue,
When I look in the mirror and see I'm no longer young,
Then I got to start the job of separating false from true,
And then I know, I know I need the love of you.

When I found tarnish on some of my brightest dreams,
When some folks I trusted turned out not quite what they seemed;
Then I got to start the job of separating false from true,
Then once more I know, I know I need the love of you.

No song I can sing will make Governor Wallace change his mind,
No song I can sing will take the gun from a hate-filled man;
But I promise you, and you, brothers and sisters of evry skin,
I'll sing your story while I've breath within.

We got to keep on keeping on, even when the sun goes down,
We got to live, live, live until another day comes 'round;
Meanwhile, better start over, separating false from true,
And more and more, I know I need the love of you.

FESTIVAL OF FLOWERS

One sudden warm day in June,
We drove far out in the country,
We parked our car along the highway,
And strolled across the meadows.

Just the two of us hand in hand,
Gathering armfuls of flowers,
The sun rose high above us,
We left our cares behind us.

There was a pool of clear water,
Between the meadow and the forest,
We stripped and bathed all over,
And stretched out in the sunlight.

I'll remember this day forever -
Our festival of flowers.
Those short moments in our lifetime
When we were one with nature.

Just two of us, hand in hand,
Spending a few precious hours
The sun rose high above us,
In our festival of flowers.

IF I HAD A HAMMER

If I had a hammer,
I'd hammer in the morning
I'd hammer in the evening,
All over this land.

I'd hammer out danger,
I'd hammer out a warning,
I'd hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.

If I had a bell,
I'd ring it in the morning,
I'd ring it in the evening,
All over this land.

I'd ring out danger,
I'd ring out a warning
I'd ring out love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.

If I had a song,
I'd sing it in the morning,
I'd sing it in the evening,
All over this land.

I'd sing out danger,
I'd sing out a warning
I'd sing out love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.

Well I got a hammer,
And I got a bell,
And I got a song to sing, all over this land.

It's the hammer of Justice,
It's the bell of Freedom,
It's the song about Love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.

I COME AND STAND AT EVERY DOOR

I come and stand at every door
But none can hear my silent tread
I knock and yet remain unseen
For I am dead, for I am dead.

I'm only seven, although I died
In Hiroshima long ago.
I'm seven now, as I was then –
When children die, they do not grow.

My hair was scorched by swirling flame;
My eyes grew dim, my eyes grew blind.
Death came and turned my bones to dust,
And that was scattered by the wind.

I need no fruit, I need no rice.
I need no sweets, or even bread;
I ask for nothing for myself,
For I am dead, for I am dead.

All that I ask is that for peace
You fight today, you fight today.
So that the children of this world
May live and grow and laugh and play!

MAPLE SYRUP TIME

First you get the buckets ready, clean the pans and gather firewood,
Late in the winter, it’s maple syrup time.
You need warm and sunny days but still a cold and freezing nighttime
For just a few weeks, maple syrup time.
We boil and boil and boil and boil it all day long,
Till ninety sev’n percent of water evaporates just like this song
And when what is left is syrupy don’t leave it too long -
Watch out for burning! Maple syrup time.

I know it’s not the quickest system but each year I can’t resist it.
Get out the buckets, and tap the trees in time -
Making it is half the fun, and satisfaction when it’s done.
Keep up the fire! Maple syrup time.
My grandpa says perhaps it’s just a waste of time.
Ah! but no more than this attempt to make a happy little rhyme,
So pat your feet or swing your tail, but keep in good time.
Keep up the fire! Maple syrup time.

I’ll send this song around the world with love to ev’ry boy and girl,*
Hoping they don’t mind a little advice in rhyme.
As in life or revolution, rarely is there a quick solution,
Anything worthwhile takes a little time.
We boil and boil and boil and boil it all day long.
When what is left is syrupy, don’t leave it on the flame too long.
But seize the minute, build a new world, sing an old song.
Keep up the fire! Maple syrup time.

OLD DEVIL TIME

Old devil time, I'm goin' to fool you now!
Old devil time, you'd like to bring me down!
When I'm feeling low, my lovers gather 'round
And help me rise to fight you one more time!

Old devil fear, you with your icy hands,
Old devil fear, you'd like to freeze me cold!
When I'm sore afraid, my lovers gather 'round
And help me rise to fight you one more time!

Old devil pain, you often pinned me down,
You thought I'd cry, and beg you for the end
But at that very time, my lovers gather 'round
And help me rise to fight you one more time!

Old devil hate, I knew you long ago,
Then I found out the poison in your breath.
Now when we hear your lies, my lovers gather 'round
And help me rise to fight you one more time!

No storm nor fire can ever beat us down,
No wind that blows but carries us further on.
And you who fear, oh lovers, gather 'round
And we can rise and sing it one more time!

OUR GENERATION

Our generation has sandals like Vietnamese.
Our generation wears long hair.
With our clobbered minds, we still wink an eye to say
Meet me, meet me at the bottom of the stairs.

Our generation whistles in the dark,
Has faith in faithlessness and in blue sky.
Our heroes now are either none, or ev'ryone.
Our saints also are only you and I.

Our generation won't remake this ravished world.
Our generation can only try
To wink an eye at ev'ryone, yes, ev'ryone.
Saying meet me at the beginning of the sky!

RING LIKE A BELL

Oh, if I could ring like a bell,
If I could swing like the clapper on a bell,
To tell the world that the wars are over,
Wouldn't that be the day!

Oh, if I could sound like the thunder,
If I could sing out the glory and the wonder,
To tell the world that the wars are over,
Wouldn't that be the day!

Wouldn't that be the morning!
Wouldn't that be the day!
The faces of men would smile again,
And the and the bombs and the missiles would rust away.
The news would sound the world around
And the stars would dance in the Milky Way.

Oh, oh, oh, if I could ring like a bell,
If I could swing like the clapper on a heavenly bell,
To tell the world that the wars are over,
Wouldn't that be the day!
And won't that be the day!

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Pete Seegerdalszövegek/lyrics

Pete Seeger
dalszövegek/lyrics