Ochs performed at many political events, including anti-Vietnam War and civil rights rallies, student events, and organized labor events over the course of his career, in addition to many concert appearances at such venues as New York City's Town Hall and Carnegie Hall. Politically, Ochs described himself as a "left social democrat" who became an "early revolutionary" after the protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago led to a police riot, which had a profound effect on his state of mind.
After years of prolific writing in the 1960s, Ochs's mental stability declined in the 1970s. He eventually succumbed to a number of problems including alcoholism, and took his own life in 1976.
Some of Ochs's major influences were Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Bob Gibson, Faron Young, Merle Haggard, John Wayne, and John F. Kennedy. His best-known songs include "I Ain't Marching Anymore", "Changes", "Crucifixion", "Draft Dodger Rag", "Love Me I'm a Liberal", "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends", "Power and the Glory", "There but for Fortune", and "The War Is Over".
For a more thorough and interesting bio on Phil visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Ochs
A Toast to Those Who Are Gone
Phil Ochs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Many's the hour I've lain by my window
See am
And thought of the people who carried the burden
See am
Who marched in the strange fields in search of an answers
See am g
And ended their journeys an unwilling hero
Am em am g
Here's a song to those who are gone with never a reason why
Em am
And a toast of the wine at the end of the line
D7 g
And a toll of the bell for the next one to die
Back in the coal fields of old harlan county
Some talked of the union, some talked of good wages
And they lined them up in the dark of the forests
And shot them down without asking no questions
Here's a song to those who are gone with never a reason why
And a toast of the wine to the end of the line
And a toll of the bell for the next one to die
And over the ocean, to the red spanish soil
Came the lincoln brigade with their dreams
But they fell in the fire of germany's bombing
And they fell 'cause no one would hear their sad warning
Here's a song to those who are gone with never a reason why
And a toast of the wine at the end of the line
And a toll of the bell for the next one to die
In old alabama, in old mississippi
Two states of the union so often found guilty
They came on the busses, they came on the marches
And they lay in the jails or they fell by the highway
Here's a song to those who are gone with never a reason why
And a toast of the wine at the end of the line
And a toll of the bell for the next one to die
The state it was texas, the town it was dallas
In the flash of a rifle a life was soon over
And nobody thought of the past million murders
And the long list of irony(? ) had found a new champion
Here's a song to those who are gone with never a reason why
And a toast of the wine at the end of the line
And a toll of the bell for the next one to die
/pre>
The song "A Toast to Those Who Are Gone" by Phil Ochs pays tribute to the individuals who sacrificed their lives for various causes. The central theme of the song is mourning the loss of people who stood up against suppression and injustice, but never received the recognition they deserved. The opening lines of the song describe the singer metaphorically staring out the window, lost in thought about people who took on a burden and marched to unknown fields in search of answers. The individuals that Ochs refers to in the song served as symbols for various instances, including the union workers from Harlan County, victims of the Spanish Civil War, and those jailed or killed in the struggles for civil rights in Alabama and Mississippi.
Ochs uses the lyrics to paint a depressing picture of how the people, who deserved to live long and happy lives, met violent ends because of their commitments to social and political causes. The song particularly focuses on the fact that these people were not given any reasons for their deaths. Instead, they were unjustly eliminated before their contributions could be fully realized. The rhythm of the song, combined with Ochs's earnest voice, strikes an emotional chord, creating a sense of sadness and empathy in the listener. Overall, "A Toast to Those Who Are Gone" is a powerful song that recognizes the brave and selfless souls who lost their lives fighting for what they believed in.
Line by Line Meaning
Many's the hour I've lain by my window
I have spent many hours in contemplation by my window
And thought of the people who carried the burden
And during that time, I have reflected on the people who bore the weight of their struggles
Who marched in the strange fields in search of an answers
People who marched through unfamiliar and difficult terrain in search of answers
And ended their journeys an unwilling hero
Only to meet an untimely end as an unwilling hero
Here's a song to those who are gone with never a reason why
This song is dedicated to those who have passed away without a clear explanation for their deaths
And a toast of the wine at the end of the line
And let us raise a glass of wine in their honor
And a toll of the bell for the next one to die
As we mourn their loss, let us also remember that there will inevitably be others who will follow in their footsteps
Back in the coal fields of old harlan county
Returning to the coal mining towns in Harlan County in the past
Some talked of the union, some talked of good wages
Some miners spoke of joining a union, while others hoped for better pay
And they lined them up in the dark of the forests
Regardless, they were all rounded up in the darkness of the forests
And shot them down without asking no questions
And without any inquiry or justification, they were brutally murdered
And over the ocean, to the red spanish soil
Going over the ocean, to red Spanish soil
Came the lincoln brigade with their dreams
The Lincoln Brigade arrived with high hopes and dreams
But they fell in the fire of germany's bombing
But their dreams were shattered when Germany bombed them mercilessly
And they fell 'cause no one would hear their sad warning
And they fell because no one would listen to their warnings or pleas
In old alabama, in old mississippi
In the old states of Alabama and Mississippi
Two states of the union so often found guilty
Two states that were frequently found guilty of wrongdoing
They came on the busses, they came on the marches
People traveled by bus and marched to protest their treatment
And they lay in the jails or they fell by the highway
But unfortunately, they were met with either imprisonment or death along the way
The state it was texas, the town it was dallas
The incident occurred in the state of Texas, in the city of Dallas
In the flash of a rifle a life was soon over
In a sudden and violent moment, a life was ended by a gunshot
And nobody thought of the past million murders
And tragically, nobody seemed to remember the countless murders that had happened before
And the long list of irony(? ) had found a new champion
And the long list of ironic tragedies had found a new addition
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