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
On My Way
Phil Ochs Lyrics
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Thinkin' of the good times I have had,
Thinkin' of the places I have been --
Sometimes down, sometimes up, sometimes in.
On my way -- to another workin' day.
On my way -- and I wish that I could stay.
On my way -- but I have no time to play,
And I got me a job in Buffalo,
And it's cold when those chilly lake winds blow,
And it's hot when that steel furnace glows;
It was dirty when that steel smoke rose.
On my way -- to another workin' day.
On my way -- and I wish that I could stay.
On my way -- but I have no time to play,
And I hope that I will see you on my way.
Then California called me for a while,
And the sun was shinin' every single mile.
It was gettin' so darned crowded I could cry,
Crossin' land and sea and fallin' from the sky.
On my way -- to another workin' day.
On my way -- and I wish that I could stay.
On my way -- but I have no time to play,
And I hope that I will see you on my way.
And I've been all along the Southern shore,
And the people there were lookin' mighty poor.
They were waitin' for the factories to arrive,
And some of them were fightin' to survive.
On my way -- to another workin' day.
On my way -- and I wish that I could stay.
On my way -- but I have no time to play,
And I hope that I will see you on my way.
Yes, I've been all up and down the line,
But somehow my money stayed behind.
A good payin' job is hard to find,
And the graveyard's lookin' for another sign.
On my way -- to another workin' day.
On my way -- and I wish that I could stay.
On my way -- but I have no time to play,
And I hope that I will see you on my way.
Notes:
Phil Ochs’s song “On My Way” is about the hardships and struggles of a worker constantly moving from place to place in search of work. The lyrics talk about the experiences of a person who has been to different places and has had to deal with different working conditions. In the first verse, the singer talks about the different emotions they feel while moving from place to place. They say that sometimes they are happy, and other times they are sad, thinking of the good times they had in different places. The verse also talks about the singer's hope of seeing people they have known on their journey again.
In the second verse, the singer talks about their time working in Buffalo, and the difficult working conditions they faced. They describe the weather and the working environment as being extreme, with cold winds blowing and hot steel furnaces glowing. The singer also talks about the pollution caused by the steel factories, as the smoke from the factories was dirty and unhealthy.
In the third verse, the singer talks about their experiences in California, with the sun shining and the weather being warm. They also mention the crowdedness of the state, and the difficulties of traveling long distances. The fourth verse moves the discussion to the southern shore, where the singer experienced the poverty of the region and the wait for factories to arrive. The last verse talks about the grind of living paycheck to paycheck and the difficulties of finding stable employment, hinting at the possibility of ending up in the graveyard, looking for work.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, sometimes I am happy, sometimes sad,
My emotions fluctuate between happiness and sadness.
Thinkin' of the good times I have had,
I reflect on the enjoyable moments of my past.
Thinkin' of the places I have been --
I reminisce about the different locations I've visited.
Sometimes down, sometimes up, sometimes in.
I experience ups and downs, and changes in my life.
On my way -- to another workin' day.
I am on my way to another day of work.
On my way -- and I wish that I could stay.
I wish I could stay instead of going to work.
On my way -- but I have no time to play,
I do not have time for leisure activities because I have to work.
And I hope that I will see you on my way.
I hope to run into someone I know during my travels to and from work.
And I got me a job in Buffalo,
I found a job in Buffalo.
And it's cold when those chilly lake winds blow,
The weather in Buffalo is cold and windy.
And it's hot when that steel furnace glows;
The steel furnace makes the environment hot.
It was dirty when that steel smoke rose.
The steel factory produced dirty smoke.
Then California called me for a while,
I went to California for a period of time.
And the sun was shinin' every single mile.
The California sunshine was present throughout my travels.
It was gettin' so darned crowded I could cry,
The crowds in California were overwhelming and made me sad.
Crossin' land and sea and fallin' from the sky.
I traveled across various terrains to get to California.
And I've been all along the Southern shore,
I traveled all along the coast of the southern United States.
And the people there were lookin' mighty poor.
The people I encountered along the southern coast were struggling financially.
They were waitin' for the factories to arrive,
The people were anticipating the arrival of factories for job opportunities.
And some of them were fightin' to survive.
Some people were struggling to make ends meet.
Yes, I've been all up and down the line,
I've traveled extensively.
But somehow my money stayed behind.
Despite traveling, I was not able to accumulate much wealth.
A good payin' job is hard to find,
It is difficult to find a well-paying job.
And the graveyard's lookin' for another sign.
The cemetery is looking for another corpse to bury due to the hardships of finding a good job and making ends meet.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PHIL OCHS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind