As a member of The Weavers, Seeger had a string of hits, including a 1949 recording of Leadbelly's "Goodnight Irene" that topped the charts for 13 weeks in 1950. He was formerly a member of the Communist Party of the United States of America and was a major contributor to folk and protest music in the 1950s and the 1960s.
Perhaps best known today as the author or co-author of the songs Where Have All the Flowers Gone, If I Had a Hammer, and Turn, Turn, Turn, songs that have been recorded by many artists both in and outside the folk revival movement and which are still sung all over the world. Flowers was a hit recording for The Kingston Trio (1962), Marlene Dietrich, who recorded it in English, German and French (1962), and Johnny Rivers (1965). "If I Had a Hammer" was a hit for Peter, Paul & Mary (1962) and Trini Lopez (1963), while The Byrds popularized "Turn, Turn, Turn" in the mid-1960s.
Early work
Seeger dropped out of Harvard (where he had been studying journalism) in 1939, and he took a job in Washington, D.C. at the Archive of American Folk Song in the Library of Congress. In that capacity, he met and was influenced by many important musicians such as Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly. He met Woody at a "Grapes of Wrath" migrant workers concert on March 3, 1940 and the two thereafter began a musical collaboration.
In 1948, Seeger wrote the first version of his now-classic How to Play the Five-String Banjo, a book that many banjo players credit with starting them off on the instrument. He went on to invent the Long Neck or Seeger banjo. This instrument is three frets longer than a typical banjo, and slightly longer than a bass guitar at 25 Frets, and is tuned a minor third lower than the normal 5-string banjo.
As a self-described "split tenor" (between an alto and a tenor), he was a founding member of the folk groups the Almanac Singers with Woody Guthrie and the Weavers with Lee Hays, Ronnie Gilbert and Fred Hellerman. The Weavers had major hits in the early 1950s, before being blacklisted in the McCarthy Era.
On August 18, 1955, Pete was subpoenaed to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) where he refused to name personal and political associations stating it would violate his First Amendment rights... "I am not going to answer any questions as to my association, my philosophical or religious beliefs or my political beliefs, or how I voted in any election, or any of these private affairs. I think these are very improper questions for any American to be asked, especially under such compulsion as this." Seeger's refusal to testify led to a March 26, 1957 indictment for contempt of Congress; for some years, he had to keep the federal government apprised of where he was going any time he left the Southern District of New York. He was convicted in a jury trial in March 1961, and sentenced to a year in jail, but in May 1962 an appeals court ruled the indictment to be flawed and overturned his conviction.
Seeger started a solo career in 1958, and is known for songs such as "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?," "If I Had a Hammer" (co-written with Lee Hays), "Turn, Turn, Turn," adapted from the Book of Ecclesiastes, and "We Shall Overcome" (based on a spiritual and later became the unofficial anthem for the civil rights movement). Seeger became influential in the 1960s folk revival centered in Greenwich Village. He helped found Broadside Magazine and Sing Out!. He was strongly associated with Moses Asch and Folkways Records. To describe the new crop of folk singers, many of whom were politically minded in their songs, he coined the phrase "Woody's children", alluding to his former bandmate Woody Guthrie, who by this time had become a legendary figure. He has often sung and is associated with the song "Joe Hill".
In the mid-sixties he hosted a regional folk music TV show called Rainbow Quest which featured folk musicians playing traditional folk music. Among his guests were Johnny Cash, June Carter, Mississippi John Hurt, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Roscoe Holcomb, The Stanley Brothers, Doc Watson, Tom Paxton, Judy Collins, Richard Fariña and Mimi Fariña, and many others. Thirty-eight hour-long programs were recorded at new UHF station WNJU's Newark studios in 1965 and 1966, produced by Seeger and his wife Toshi with Sholom Rubinstein.
An early advocate of Bob Dylan, Seeger was supposedly incensed over the distorted electric sound Dylan brought into the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, especially with the inability to clearly hear the lyrics. There are many conflicting versions of exactly what ensued, some claiming that he actually tried to disconnect the equipment. He is often cited as one of the main opponents to Dylan at Newport 1965, but claimed in 2005:
"There are reports of me being anti-him going electric at the '65 Newport Folk festival, but that's wrong. I was the MC that night. He was singing 'Maggie's Farm' and you couldn't understand a word because the mic was distorting his voice. I ran to the mixing desk and said, 'Fix the sound, it's terrible!' The guy said 'No, that's how they want it.' And I did say that if I had an axe I'd cut the cable! But I wanted to hear the words. I didn't mind him going electric.
Later work
Seeger achieved some notoriety in 1967 and 1968 for his song "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy", about a captain—a "big fool"—who drowned while leading a platoon on maneuvers in Louisiana during World War II. Seeger performed the song on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour after some arguments with CBS about whether the song's lyrics were objectionable. Although the song was cut from the Smothers Brothers show in September 1967, Seeger returned in January 1968 and sang the entire song. It was clearly an allegory about the U.S. under the leadership of Lyndon Johnson which was in over its head in the Vietnam War.
Another slight against Lyndon Johnson can be heard in his singing of Len Chandler's seemingly juvenile song, "Beans in My Ears" from his 1966 album Dangerous Songs!? in which he accuses "Mrs. Jay's little son Alby" (Alby Jay is meant to sound like LBJ) of having beans in his ears, or of not listening to the people.
In 1998 a double-CD tribute album was released - "Where Have All the Flowers Gone: the Songs of Pete Seeger". It contained contributions from Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Ani DiFranco, Billy Bragg, Eliza Carthy, Bruce Springsteen, Roger McGuinn, Judy Collins, Indigo Girls, Dick Gaughan, Martin Simpson, Odetta and others.
Pete Seeger still performed occasionally in public until his death, and for a number of years appeared at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough Tennessee to tell stories, mostly children's stories such as Abiyoyo. He performed at MerleFest April 27-30, 2006 in Wilkesboro, NC.
On March 16, 2007, the 88-year old Pete Seeger performed with his siblings Mike Seeger and Peggy Seeger, and other Seeger family members at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., where he had been employed as a folk song archivist 67 years earlier.
In April 2006, Bruce Springsteen released a collection of songs associated with Seeger or in Seeger's folk tradition, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions. Bruce Springsteen performed a series of concerts based on those sessions, to sellout crowds. Springsteen had previously recorded one Seeger favorite, "We Shall Overcome," on the 1998 "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" tribute album.
Seeger lived in the hamlet of Dutchess Junction in the Town of Fishkill, NY and remained very politically active in the Hudson Valley Region of New York, especially in the near-by City of Beacon, NY. He and Toshi purchased their land in 1949, and lived there first in a trailer, then in a log cabin they built themselves, and eventually in a larger house. Seeger joined the Community Church (a church practicing Unitarian Universalism), is considered a famous Unitarian Universalist, and often performed at functions for the Unitarian Universalist Association.
Seeger died in 2014 of natural causes.
Awards
Seeger has been the recipient of many awards and recognitions throughout his career, including:
A Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1993)
The National Medal of Arts from the National Endowment for the Arts (1994)
Kennedy Center Lifetime Achievement Honor (1994)
The Harvard Arts Medal (1996)
Induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1996)
Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album of 1996 for his record "Pete" (1997)
Barbara Allen
Pete Seeger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When green buds all were swelling,
Sweet William on his death bed lay
For love of Barbara Allen.
He sent his servant to the town
To the place where she was dwelling,
Saying you must come, to my master dear
So slowly, slowly she got up
And slowly she drew nigh him,
And the only words to him did say
Young man I think you're dying.
He turned his face unto the wall
And death was in him welling,
Good-bye, good-bye, to my friends all
Be good to Barbara Allen.
When he was dead and laid in grave
She heard the death bells knelling
And every stroke to her did say
Hard hearted Barbara Allen.
Oh mother, oh mother go dig my grave
Make it both long and narrow,
Sweet William died of love for me
And I will die of sorrow.
And father, oh father, go dig my grave
Make it both long and narrow,
Sweet William died on yesterday
And I will die tomorrow.
Barbara Allen was buried in the old churchyard
Sweet William was buried beside her,
Out of sweet William's heart, there grew a rose
Out of Barbara Allen's a briar.
They grew and grew in the old churchyard
Till they could grow no higher
At the end they formed, a true lover's knot
And the rose grew round the briar.
Pete Seeger's song Barbara Allen is a lamentation about a tragic love story. Sweet William is dying of love for Barbara Allen, and sends his servant to fetch her to see him before he dies. Barbara, slow to respond, finally comes and only remarks on his impending death. William dies and is buried with a rose growing out of his grave, while Barbara dies shortly after of sorrow and is buried with a briar growing out of hers. The two plants intertwine to form a true lover's knot.
The song is a ballad, a form of storytelling that was used to pass down history and folklore through generations. Pete Seeger often performed songs that had a strong cultural or historical significance. Barbara Allen is one of the most popular ballads in folk music, and some believe there are hundreds of variations on the story's origins. Like many ballads, the song focuses on the emotions of the characters and a few key events rather than a detailed narrative.
The ballad's themes are universal and timeless: the power of love, the devastation of heartbreak, and the inevitable passage of time. It's a cautionary tale, showing how true love can bring both joy and pain. The song highlights the importance of forgiveness and kindness towards others; even as William is dying, he pleads for his friends to be good to Barbara Allen. The plant imagery, with the rose and briar, shows how love can be beautiful but also prickly and difficult to navigate.
Line by Line Meaning
Twas in the merry month of May
In the pleasant month of May
When green buds all were swelling,
When trees and plants were blooming and new growth was evident
Sweet William on his death bed lay
William, the man Barbara Allen loved, lay dying
For love of Barbara Allen.
Because he loved her deeply
He sent his servant to the town
William sent his servant to find Barbara
To the place where she was dwelling,
To the house where she lived
Saying you must come, to my master dear
Asking her to come see him, as he was gravely ill
If your name be Barbara Allen.
If she was indeed the woman named Barbara Allen
So slowly, slowly she got up
She rose from her bed slowly and deliberately
And slowly she drew nigh him,
She approached his bedside slowly and carefully
And the only words to him did say
The only thing she said to him
Young man I think you're dying.
I believe that you are near death
He turned his face unto the wall
He turned his face away from her
And death was in him welling,
He was close to death
Good-bye, good-bye, to my friends all
Farewell to all my friends
Be good to Barbara Allen.
Take good care of Barbara Allen in my absence
When he was dead and laid in grave
After he died and was buried
She heard the death bells knelling
She heard the sound of the bells that signaled his death
And every stroke to her did say
Each toll of the bell reminded her of his death
Hard hearted Barbara Allen.
People thought she was cruel for not showing more emotion
Oh mother, oh mother go dig my grave
Asking her mother to dig a grave for her
Make it both long and narrow,
Asking for a grave that is long and narrow
Sweet William died of love for me
William died because of his love for her
And I will die of sorrow.
Her own heartbreak will be the end of her
And father, oh father, go dig my grave
Asking her father to dig a grave for her as well
Make it both long and narrow,
Asking for a similarly shaped grave
Sweet William died on yesterday
Reminding her father of William's recent death
And I will die tomorrow.
Implying that she will die very soon as well
Barbara Allen was buried in the old churchyard
She was buried in the churchyard by the first man she ever loved
Sweet William was buried beside her,
William was buried next to her in the churchyard
Out of sweet William's heart, there grew a rose
A rose sprouted from William's grave
Out of Barbara Allen's a briar.
A prickly shrub grew from Barbara's grave
They grew and grew in the old churchyard
The plants continued to grow taller
Till they could grow no higher
They stopped growing at their full height
At the end they formed, a true lover's knot
The rose and briar ended up growing together and intertwining
And the rose grew round the briar.
The rose and briar continued to grow together and were intertwined
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MERLE TRAVIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Blackearth Sindustries Records
Less words, more lyrics
Twas in the merry month of May
When green buds all were swelling,
Sweet William on his death bed lay
For love of Barbara Allen.
He sent his servant to the town
To the place where she was dwelling,
Saying you must come, to my master dear
If your name be Barbara Allen.
So slowly, slowly she got up
And slowly she drew nigh him,
And the only words to him did say
Young man I think you're dying.
He turned his face unto the wall
And death was in him welling,
Good-bye, good-bye, to my friends all
Be good to Barbara Allen.
When he was dead and laid in grave
She heard the death bells knelling
And every stroke to her did say
Hard hearted Barbara Allen.
Oh mother, oh mother go dig my grave
Make it both long and narrow,
Sweet William died of love for me
And I…
Mor Stoler
ברברה אלן
מילים: יעקב שבתאי
לחן: עממי
קיים ביצוע לשיר זה
בסקרלט טאון, עירי שלי
היתה עלמה בת חמד
שלב כל גבר רק בה חשק
ושמה הוא ברברה אלן
ביום צלול של חודש מאי
בו ג'ימי גרוב העלם
נוטה למות כי מאוד אהב
אהב את ברברה אלן
את משרתו שלח לעיר
שלח הוא איש אליה
הו, אנא בואי אל ג'ימי גרוב
אם שמך הוא ברברה אלן
לאט לאט לבשה מעיל
לאט קשרה זרדיה
ובבואה אמרה רק זאת:
"הו, ג'ים, אתה גווע"
"לבי נשבר, גופי חולה
ולא אקום מאלה
אם לא תהיי, תהיי שלי
שלי את ברברה אלן"
"לבך נשבר, גופך חולה
ולא תקום מאלה
כי לא תהיה, תהיה שלך
שלך, הו, ברברה אלן
הן עוד תזכור פונדק נידח
ואיך שתית יין
שתית יין עם כל אחת
רק לא עם ברברה אלן"
"כן, עוד אזכור פונדק נידח
ואיך שתיתי יין
אך כל לבי הן היה רק לך
רק לך הוא ברברה אלן"
ובלכתה שמעה את צלילי
פעמוני האבן
שבין ערביים קראו בקול
אבוי לך ברברה אלן
"אמי, אמי, חפרי לי בור
בגיא בקצה היער
הו, ג'ימי גרוב מת מאהבה
אני אמות מצער"
https://shironet.mako.co.il/artist?type=lyrics&lang=1&prfid=538&wrkid=16339
Linda Berg
This is such a simple yet hauntingly beautiful song. I've heard so many versions of this song and love them all. It was used at the end of the Alastair Simm version of A Christmas Carol, when he goes to visit his nephew, they were singing this song.
Chris Kunzler
This is so beautiful, it's going to have to be on repeat for a while
Logan Nicholson
My mother sang this song to me in the 40'S from the mountains of North Georgia. I have hummed it for the last 70-something years. Thank you Pete.
peggotty23
one if the rare versions where the melody can actually be heard. Its a simple tune. It ought to be allowed to stay that way and not many singers manage that.
creativefoes
Fantastic - not as sickly sweet as some other versions - thanks for this!
Stephanie Gould
RIP Pete Seeger. You were an amazing musician.
Moe Wadle
Yes, he was.
georgedehayen
Stephanie Go
SANDY HARLOW
I've always loved this song. I love the melody!!! It's lovely. I also love Pete Seeger.
Mott Hoople
Great version. Mr. Seeger really does it justice. The song makes a haunting mashup to the last part of the animated movie Avatar. The climactic final battle scene is inspired by Custer's defeat at the Battle of the Little Big Horn and the song was the official song of General Yellowhair.