Innovative and inspiring, both collecting traditional songs, as well as writing new ones. He was, and remains, a very influential artist, writer and singer, committed to social issues. He travelled around the world collecting and recording songs.
Married to Peggy Seeger, he reportedly sang his most famous song - 'The first time ever I saw your face' - to her over the telephone during a transatlantic phone call.
His song 'Dirty Old Town' has been recorded hundreds of time, notably by The Spinners (the British folk group), Rod Stewart, The Pogues, Townes Van Zandt, The Specials, the Mudmen.
He was father to musicians Kirsty MacColl, Neill MacColl and Calum MacColl, and grandfather to Bombay Bicycle Club's Jamie MacColl.
MacColl and Seeger recorded several albums of political commentary songs. MacColl himself wrote over 300 songs, some of which have been recorded by as diverse as Roberta Flack, Planxty and Johnny Cash. In 2001, The Essential Ewan MacColl Songbook was published, which includes the words and music to 200 of his songs.
There is a plaque dedicated to MacColl in Russell Square in London. The inscription includes: "Presented by his communist friends 25.1.1990 ... Folk Laureate - Singer - Dramatist - Marxist ... in recognition of strength and singleness of purpose of this fighter for Peace and Socialism". In 1991 he was awarded a posthumous honorary degree by the University of Salford.
MacColl was very politically active and as well as political song he was a playwright and one of the founders of the Communist backed 'Edinburgh People's Festival' from 1951-54. The EPF was a victim of McCarthyism but provided the blueprint for today's Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Ballad Of Accounting
Ewan MacColl Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the afternoon walked through its streets
Evening saw us leaving
We wandered through our days as if they would never end
All of us imagined we had endless time to spend
We hardly saw the crossroads and small attention gave
To landmarks on the journey from the cradle to the grave,
Did you learn to dream in the morning?
Abandon dreams in the afternoon?
Wait without hope in the evening?
Did you stand there in the traces and let 'em feed you lies?
Did you trail along behind them wearing blinkers on your eyes?
Did you kiss the foot that kicked you, did you thank them for
their scorn?
Did you ask for their forgiveness for the act of being born,
act of being born, act of being born?
Did you alter the face of the city?
Make any change in the world you found?
Or did you observe all the warnings?
Did you read the trespass notices, did you keep off the grass?
Did you shuffle up the pavements just to let your betters pass?
Did you learn to keep your mouth shut, were you seen but never heard?
Did you learn to be obedient and jump to at a word,
jump to at a word, jump to at a word?
Did you demand any answers?
The who and the what and the reason why?
Did you ever question the setup?
Did you stand aside and let 'em choose while you took second best?
Did you let 'em skim the cream off and give to you the rest?
Did you settle for the shoddy and did you think it right
To let 'em rob you right and left and never make a fight,
never make a fight, never make a fight?
What did you learn in the morning?
How much did you know in the afternoon?
Were you content in the evening?
Did they teach you how to question when you were at the school?
Did the factory help you, were you the maker or the tool?
Did the place where you were living enrich your life and then
Did you reach some understanding of all your fellow men,
all your fellow men, all your fellow men?
The lyrics of Ewan MacColl's "Ballad of Accounting" delve into the human experience of living a mundane life and failing to question the system around them. The song is divided into four stanzas, each of which ask the listener whether they have truly lived their life to make a change in the world or merely accepted their fate.
The first stanza describes the common human experience of living through life passively, without any awareness of the small details on the journey from "the cradle to the grave." The second stanza addresses the listener's willingness to accept lies from authority figures blindly, and questioning whether they have ever stood up for themselves or asked for answers. The third stanza asks whether the listener has ever truly made a change or simply followed the rules, while the fourth encourages introspection about one's own understanding of the world and fellow man.
Through these questions, the song emphasizes the need to question the system and to actively take part in making a change in the world - rather than just accepting the status quo.
Line by Line Meaning
In the morning we built the city
We started our lives with high aspirations and built a world of our own.
In the afternoon walked through its streets
We enjoyed the fruits of our labor and savored the tangible rewards of our lives.
Evening saw us leaving
But, eventually, it all had to come to an end, and we were forced to leave behind everything we had built.
We wandered through our days as if they would never end
We lived our lives carelessly, never thinking that our time on earth was finite.
All of us imagined we had endless time to spend
We were convinced that there would always be more time to do everything we want in life.
We hardly saw the crossroads and small attention gave
We were so caught up in our own pursuits that we didn't realize that we were on the path to death.
To landmarks on the journey from the cradle to the grave,
cradle to the grave, cradle to the grave
Our journey began at birth and ended at death, and everything in between was just a blur.
Did you learn to dream in the morning?
Did you have big ambitions and dreams for your life?
Abandon dreams in the afternoon?
Did you give up on your dreams when faced with the harsh realities of life?
Wait without hope in the evening?
Did you lose all hope when you realized that your time was running out?
Did you stand there in the traces and let 'em feed you lies?
Did you blindly accept what society told you, without questioning its validity?
Did you trail along behind them wearing blinkers on your eyes?
Did you follow others blindly, without thinking for yourself?
Did you kiss the foot that kicked you, did you thank them for their scorn?
Did you allow those who mistreated you to continue doing so, without standing up for yourself?
Did you ask for their forgiveness for the act of being born,
act of being born, act of being born?
Did you feel guilty for even existing, for being a burden to others?
Did you alter the face of the city?
Did you make a positive impact on the world, leaving it a better place than you found it?
Make any change in the world you found?
Did you leave a lasting legacy, something that future generations could be proud of?
Or did you observe all the warnings?
Did you play it safe, never taking any risks or challenging the status quo?
Did you read the trespass notices, did you keep off the grass?
Did you follow the rules blindly, never questioning their validity or purpose?
Did you shuffle up the pavements just to let your betters pass?
Did you submit to those in positions of power, letting them take advantage of you?
Did you learn to keep your mouth shut, were you seen but never heard?
Did you never speak up against injustice, and let others walk all over you?
Did you learn to be obedient and jump to at a word,
jump to at a word, jump to at a word?
Did you become a mindless drone, following orders without questioning their validity or morality?
Did you demand any answers?
Did you seek the truth, and demand explanations for the injustices you witnessed?
The who and the what and the reason why?
Did you question the motives and actions of those in power, seeking to expose their true intentions?
Did you ever question the setup?
Did you challenge the status quo and seek to bring about meaningful change?
Did you stand aside and let 'em choose while you took second best?
Did you let others decide your fate, settling for less than you deserved?
Did you let 'em skim the cream off and give to you the rest?
Did you allow those in power to take advantage of you, while they enjoyed the best life had to offer?
Did you settle for the shoddy and did you think it right
Did you accept subpar treatment, and convince yourself that it was deserved?
To let 'em rob you right and left and never make a fight,
never make a fight, never make a fight?
Did you allow the powers that be to take advantage of you, never standing up for yourself or others?
What did you learn in the morning?
Did you begin your day with a sense of purpose, striving to make a difference?
How much did you know in the afternoon?
Did you make the most of your time, learning as much as you could and striving for excellence?
Were you content in the evening?
Did you live a life that brought you fulfillment and happiness, or did you leave this world with regrets?
Did they teach you how to question when you were at the school?
Did your education encourage you to question the world around you, and seek out answers to difficult questions?
Did the factory help you, were you the maker or the tool?
Did the work you did give you a sense of pride and purpose, or were you just a cog in the machine?
Did the place where you were living enrich your life and then
Did the community where you lived provide you with opportunities to learn and grow, and make meaningful connections?
Did you reach some understanding of all your fellow men,
all your fellow men, all your fellow men?
Did you come to appreciate and understand the complexities of the human experience, and the diversity of the people around you?
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: EWAN MACCOLL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Soundwave._
Lyrics:
In the morning we built the city.
In the afternoon walked through its streets.
Evening saw us leaving.
We wandered through our days as if they would never end
All of us imagined we had endless time to spend
We hardly saw the crossroads and small attention gave
To landmarks on the journey from the cradle to the grave,
Cradle to the grave, cradle to the grave
Did you learn to dream in the morning?
Abandon dreams in the afternoon?
Wait without hope in the evening?
Did you stand there in the traces and let 'em feed you lies?
Did you trail along behind them wearing blinkers on your eyes?
Did you kiss the foot that kicked you, did you thank them for their scorn?
Did you ask for their forgiveness for the act of being born,
Act of being born, act of being born?
Did you alter the face of the city?
Make any change in the world you found?
Or did you observe all the warnings?
Did you read the trespass notices, did you keep off the grass?
Did you shuffle up the pavements just to let your betters pass?
Did you learn to keep your mouth shut, were you seen but never heard?
Did you learn to be obedient and jump to at a word,
Jump to at a word, jump to at a word?
Did you demand any answers?
The who and the what and the reason why?
Did you ever question the setup?
Did you stand aside and let 'em choose while you took second best?
Did you let 'em skim the cream off and give to you the rest?
Did you settle for the shoddy and did you think it right
To let 'em rob you right and left and never make a fight,
Never make a fight, never make a fight?
What did you learn in the morning?
How much did you know in the afternoon?
Were you content in the evening?
Did they teach you how to question when you were at the school?
Did the factory help you grow, were you the maker or the tool?
Did the place where you were living enrich your life and then
Did you reach some understanding of all your fellow men,
All your fellow men, all your fellow men?
@joannoflanagan5229
You might like this too-
Little Nothing
by Joann Flanagan
St. Zita,pray for us,
So we'll get to Heaven
Without a fuss!
Syf was your name origonally
Till you took service in the House of di Fatinelli.
Syf they christened you in your hometown.
In Lucca you lost your name and gained renoun.
St. Zita,pray for us,
So we'll get to Heaven
Without a fuss!
In the Italy of your day
When girlchildren went out to play
At their innocent childlike games
Folks added "Zita" to their names.
St. Zita,pray for us,
So we'll get to Heaven
Without a fuss!
In the di Fatinelli House they showered you with blame.
They never called you "Sif" Or "Sifzita",
Only Zita as if you had no name-
As if you were "Noone" or "Nobodyzita".
St. Zita,pray for us,
So we'll get to Heaven
Without a fuss!
It's such a pity
You lost your name in the City
Of Lucca where you found a job
Under conditions that tempted anyone to sob!
Would tempt anyone to kill,to rob!
St. Zita,pray for us,
So we'll get to Heaven
Without a fuss!
It was Nobodyzita do this!
Noonezita do that!
Your ignorance is a bottomless abyss,
You illiterate hick! You Scullian brat!
St. Zita,pray for us,
So we'll get to Heaven
Without a fuss!
Now great folk pray to you,
Name their daughters Zita
with no great ado ,
Light candles to you too!
St. Zita,pray for us,
So we'll get to Heaven
Without a fuss!
We don't say "St. Zita of Lucca",
But rather "Lucca,St.Zita's city."
Where she led a hard but holy life,
As we request not offer pity.
St. Zita,pray for us,
So we'll get to Heaven
Without a fuss!
@xrxs1020
Yes, by all means, rise up, AS LONG AS it doesn't mean the embracing of absolutist and authoritarian ideology "for the good of the revolution."
If the new system is only a revamp of the old, with the authoritarian seeds of the old included, however subtle, all will be for naught.
Whatever the form, it must involve a mass shift in consciousness emphasizing individual freedom, love, and creativity. Anything less will yield the same old grisly results.
Any rigid ideology of the Left or Right will spoil it. If psychopaths take over (which tends to occur), forget it.
For examples of how not to do it, see the French Revolution and the Bolshevik revolution. Note that the manner in which the revolution is carried out dictates the essence of what is to come. Bloody revolution equals bloody future.
Best.
@UnknowableThen
Ewan MacColl is the only singer to have stayed consistently in my mind after all these years.
@sometimessemhar
Just discovered this after all this time and I can't believe how this gave me chills realizing how the truth will remain the truth throughout time... I'm only 18 and even I can see that fact
@ggbpartystarter5958
21, hope you still learn
@paleologue
this is part of the wisdom we need to teach children to ensure a functioning democracy. poetic, prophetic, and smart.
@sanskritic7434
Democracy is a façade for the communist reprobates who somehow managed to take charge of the entire plane a long time ago.
@babygorilla4233
I left the U.S public education system unable to question. Today I'm glad to say the German factory I went to next made me a maker, not a tool
@austin2245psn
Mark devlin sent me here , great song
@sanskritic7434
Conjob19 brings me here via Mark Devlin.
The words in this ditty have never been more apt than in 2020.
@Ashathefree8
Ewan MacColl and Patie Seager were ardent socialists, who would prioritize peoples lives over numbers in an elites account, or listen to a delusional self obsessed demagogue.
@jimr3998
@@Ashathefree8 refreshing to see one to put it into a such a succinct statement. Couldn’t agree more - these self-professed ‘rebels’ are intent at maintaining corporate profit by any means necessary, even if they don’t realise that’s exactly what they’re facilitating. I wonder if we would have seen them at the Iraq or austerity marches?