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
The Crucifixion
Phil Ochs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The stars settle slowly, in lonliness they lie
'Till the universe expodes as a falling star is raised
Planets are paralyzed, mountains are amazed
But they all glow brighter from the briliance of the blaze
With the speed of insanity, then he dies.
In the green fields a turnin', a baby is born
An assault upon the order, the changing of the guard
Chosen for a challenge that is hopelessly hard
And the only single sound is the sighing of the stars
But to the silence and distance they are sworn
So dance dance dance
Teach us to be true
Come dance dance dance
'Cause we love you
Images of innocence charge him go on
But the decadence of destiny is looking for a pawn
To a nightmare of knowledge he opens up the gate
And a blinding revelation is laid upon his plate
That beneath the greatest love is a hurricane of hate
And God help the critic of the dawn.
So he stands on the sea and shouts to the shore,
But the louder that he screams the longer he's ignored
For the wine of oblivion is drunk to the dregs
And the merchants of the masses almost have to be begged
'Till the giant is aware, someone's pulling at his leg,
And someone is tapping at the door.
To dance dance dance
Teach us to be true
Come dance dance dance
'Cause we love you
Then his message gathers meaning and it spreads across the land
The rewarding of his pain is the following of the man
But ignorance is everywhere and people have their way
Success is an enemy to the losers of the day
In the shadows of the churches, who knows what they pray
For blood is the language of the band.
The Spanish bulls are beaten; the crowd is soon beguiled,
The matador is beautiful, a symphony of style
Excitement is estatic, passion places bets
Gracefully he bows to ovations that he gets
But the hands that are applauding are slippery with sweat
And saliva is falling from their smiles
So dance dance dance
Teach us to be true
Come dance dance dance
'Cause we love you
Then this overflow of life is crushed into a liar
The gentle soul is ripped apart and tossed into the fire.
First a smile of rejection at the nearness of the night
Truth becomes a tragedy limping from the light
All the heavens are horrified, they stagger from the sight
As the cross is trembling with desire.
They say they can't believe it, it's a sacreligious shame
Now, who would want to hurt such a hero of the game?
But you know I predicted it; I knew he had to fall
How did it happen? I hope his suffering was small.
Tell me every detail, for I've got to know it all,
And do you have a picture of the pain?
So dance dance dance
Teach us to be true
Come dance dance dance
'Cause we love you
Time takes her toll and the memory fades
but his glory is broken, in the magic that he made.
Reality is ruined; it's the freeing from the fear
The drama is distorted, to what they want to hear
Swimming in their sorrow, in the twisting of a tear
As they wait for the new thrill parade.
Yes, the eyes of the rebel have been branded by the blind
To the safety of sterility, the threat has been refined
The child was created to the slaughterhouse he's led
So good to be alive when the eulogy is read
The climax of emotion, the worship of the dead
And the cycle of sacrifice unwinds.
So dance dance dance
Teach us to be true
Come dance dance dance
'Cause we love you
And the night comes again to the circle studded sky
The stars settle slowly, in lonliness they lie
'Till the universe expodes as a falling star is raised
Planets are paralyzed, mountains are amazed
But they all glow brighter from the briliance of the blaze
With the speed of insanity, then he died.
The song "The Crucifixion" by Phil Ochs is a reflection of the life and death of a revolutionary. The lyrics draw a parallel between his life and the cosmic events unfolding in the sky above. The song starts with the night falling on a star-studded sky, symbolizing the end of an era. The revolutionary's death causes an explosion in the universe as a falling star is raised, planets are paralyzed, and mountains are amazed. The line "...they all glow brighter from the brilliance of the blaze" suggests that the revolutionary's legacy will outshine his death.
The next verse speaks of a baby being born in green fields, representing the dawn of a new era. The birth is an "assault upon the order" and the baby is "chosen for a challenge that is hopelessly hard." The verse also speaks of the only single sound being the sighing of the stars, as though the universe is waiting for the baby to fulfill his destiny.
The chorus of the song speaks of dancing and asking the revolutionary to teach them to be true. It's a call for action and a plea to continue his legacy.
The next few verses speak of the revolutionary's message spreading across the land, the ignorance of the masses, and the tragedy of truth fading into the darkness. It speaks of the hero's fall and the disbelief of those who supported him, and the eventual cycle of sacrifice starting anew.
Overall, the song is a powerful commentary on the life of a revolutionary, his impact on the world, and the cycle of life and death. It's a call to action, urging listeners to continue the work of those who have sacrificed for a better world.
Line by Line Meaning
And the night comes again to the circle studded sky
As night falls, the sky becomes dotted with stars once again
The stars settle slowly, in loneliness they lie
The stars appear to be peaceful, but they are truly alone
'Till the universe explodes as a falling star is raised
The universe appears to be calm until it is disrupted by a falling star
Planets are paralyzed, mountains are amazed
The impact of the falling star causes shock and stillness throughout the universe
But they all glow brighter from the brilliance of the blaze
The universe becomes more vibrant as a result of the falling star's impact
With the speed of insanity, then he dies.
The falling star meets its end quickly
In the green fields a turnin', a baby is born
In a peaceful world, a baby is born
His cries crease the wind and mingle with the morn
The baby's cries become part of the morning's soundscapes
An assault upon the order, the changing of the guard
The baby's arrival causes a shift in the status quo
Chosen for a challenge that is hopelessly hard
The baby is given a nearly impossible mission
And the only single sound is the sighing of the stars
The stars continue to exist alone, far from the baby's influence
But to the silence and distance they are sworn
The universe is bound to distance and silence
So dance dance dance
Teach us to be true
Come dance dance dance
'Cause we love you
People want the baby to bring truth and love into their lives
Images of innocence charge him go on
The baby is associated with innocence
But the decadence of destiny is looking for a pawn
However, fate is looking for someone to exploit
To a nightmare of knowledge he opens up the gate
The baby gains knowledge of the darker aspects of life
And a blinding revelation is laid upon his plate
This realization is overwhelming
That beneath the greatest love is a hurricane of hate
Love can sometimes hide great anger or resentment underneath
And God help the critic of the dawn.
Critics of new ideologies are not often well-received by those who follow them
So he stands on the sea and shouts to the shore,
The baby tries to make his message heard
But the louder that he screams the longer he's ignored
Despite his efforts, he is still ignored
For the wine of oblivion is drunk to the dregs
People would rather forget about the baby's message
And the merchants of the masses almost have to be begged
The people in power don't want to listen
'Till the giant is aware, someone's pulling at his leg,
Eventually, someone gets the giant's attention
And someone is tapping at the door.
A metaphorical door is opened to the baby's message
Then his message gathers meaning and it spreads across the land
The baby's message begins to catch on and become more popular
The rewarding of his pain is the following of the man
Despite his struggles, people begin to look up to him
But ignorance is everywhere and people have their way
Despite growing support for the baby, ignorance is still prevalent
Success is an enemy to the losers of the day
People who are losing their power see the baby's success as threatening
In the shadows of the churches, who knows what they pray
Many religious institutions remain skeptical of the baby's message
For blood is the language of the band.
Conflict and violence seem to be the norm
The Spanish bulls are beaten; the crowd is soon beguiled,
People become excited by the spectacle of bullfighting
The matador is beautiful, a symphony of style
The bullfight is essentially art
Excitement is ecstatic, passion places bets
People become addicted to the rush of these types of events
Gracefully he bows to ovations that he gets
The matador receives praise and validation from the crowd
But the hands that are applauding are slippery with sweat
Praise can easily turn into fear or disdain
And saliva is falling from their smiles
People's happiness and excitement can lead to physical reactions
Then this overflow of life is crushed into a liar
Eventually, the excitement and passion fade away
The gentle soul is ripped apart and tossed into the fire.
The baby is met with hostility and violence
First a smile of rejection at the nearness of the night
The baby initially tries to deny the harsh reality of the situation
Truth becomes a tragedy limping from the light
The truth of the baby's message is difficult to accept
All the heavens are horrified, they stagger from the sight
Even the heavens are shocked and saddened by the baby's fate
As the cross is trembling with desire.
The baby is ultimately met with the same fate as Jesus on the cross
They say they can't believe it, it's a sacrilegious shame
The baby's death is seen as a great tragedy
Now, who would want to hurt such a hero of the game?
People can't understand why anyone would want to hurt someone so seemingly innocent
But you know I predicted it; I knew he had to fall
Others saw the baby's downfall coming
How did it happen? I hope his suffering was small.
People want to know the details of the baby's death
Tell me every detail, for I've got to know it all,
People are consumed with knowing the facts of the baby's death
And do you have a picture of the pain?
People almost want to see how the baby suffered
Time takes her toll and the memory fades
As time goes on, people forget about the baby
but his glory is broken, in the magic that he made.
However, the message the baby spread is powerful and long-lasting
Reality is ruined; it's the freeing from the fear
The baby's death is a reminder that reality is cruel and unpredictable
The drama is distorted, to what they want to hear
People twist the baby's story to fit their own personal narratives
Swimming in their sorrow, in the twisting of a tear
People become swept up in their own emotions surrounding the baby's death
As they wait for the new thrill parade.
Eventually, people will move on and seek out new forms of excitement and entertainment
Yes, the eyes of the rebel have been branded by the blind
Those who try to rebel against the status quo are often demonized by those who blindly follow it
To the safety of sterility, the threat has been refined
Those in power try to neutralize potential threats to maintain their own security
The child was created to the slaughterhouse he's led
Some people believe that those who challenge the status quo are destined to be oppressed and destroyed
So good to be alive when the eulogy is read
People often only appreciate the value of someone or something once it's gone
The climax of emotion, the worship of the dead
People have a tendency to become obsessive and dramatic after someone's death
And the cycle of sacrifice unwinds.
This death becomes a part of the continuous cycle of human suffering and sacrifice
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PHIL OCHS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Manny Enviado
(JustSawThisWasReleasedOctober1967--thus written during Summer of Love-momentous year for songs that transcended Just Songs--this Phil's most brilliant deep and disturbing a song he ever wrote--a masterpiece,)
lyrics And the night comes again to the circle studded sky
The stars settle slowly, in loneliness they lie
'Til the Universe explodes as a falling star is raised
Planets are paralyzed, mountains are amazed
But they all glow brighter from the brilliance of the blaze
With the speed of insanity then He died
In the green fields a turnin', baby is born
His cries crease the wind and mingle with the morn
An assault upon the order, changing of the guard
Chosen for a challenge that is hopelessly hard
And the only single sound is the sighing of the stars
But to the silence of distance they are sworn
So dance, dance, dance
Teach us to be true
Come, dance, dance, dance
'Cause we love you
Images of innocence charge Him go on
But the decadence of destiny is looking for a pawn
To a nightmare of knowledge he opens up the gate
Blinding revelation is laid upon His plate
That beneath the greatest love is a hurricane of hate
And God help the critic of the dawn
So he stands on the sea and He shouts to the shore
But the louder that He screams, longer He's ignored
For the wine of oblivion is drunk to the dregs
And the merchants of the masses almost have to be begged
'Til the giant is aware, someone's pulling at His leg
And someone is tapping at the door
To dance, dance, dance
Teach us to be true
Come, dance, dance, dance
'Cause we love you
Then His message gathers meaning and it spreads across the land
The rewarding of His pain is the following of the man
But ignorance is everywhere and people have their way
Success is an enemy to the losers of the day
In the shadows of the churches, who knows what they pray
For blood is the language of the band
The Spanish bulls are beaten, the crowd is soon beguiled
The matador is beautiful, a symphony of style
Excitement is ecstatic, passion places bets
Gracefully He bows to ovations that He gets
But the hands that are applauding are slippery with sweat
And saliva is falling from their smiles
So dance, dance, dance
Teach us to be true
Come, dance, dance, dance
'Cause we love you
Then this overflow of life is crushed into a liar
The Gentle Soul is ripped apart and tossed into the fire
First, a smile of rejection at the nearness of the night
Truth becomes a tragedy limping from the light
All the canons are horrified, they stagger from the sight
As the Cross is trembling with desire
They say they can't believe it, it's a sacrilegious shame
Now, who would want to hurt such a Hero of the game?
But you know I predicted it, I knew He had to fall
How did it happen? I hope His suffering was small
Tell me every detail, I've got to know it all
And do you have a picture of the pain?
So dance, dance, dance
Teach us to be true
Come, dance, dance, dance
'Cause we love you
Time takes her toll and memory fades
But His glory is broken in magic that He made
Reality is ruined, it's the freeing from the fear
Drama is distorted, what they want to hear
Swimming in their sorrow, in the twisting of a tear
As they wait for a new thrill parade
Yes, the eyes of the rebel have been branded by the blind
To the safety of sterility, the threat has been refined
The child was created, to the slaughterhouse he's led
So good to be alive when the eulogy is read
Climax of emotion, the worship of the dead
And the cycle of sacrifice unwinds
So dance, dance, dance
Teach us to be true
Come, dance, dance, dance
'Cause we love you
And the night comes again to the circle studded sky
The stars settle slowly, in loneliness they lie
'Till the universe explodes as a falling star is raised
Planets are paralyzed, mountains are amazed
But they all glow brighter from the brilliance of the blaze
With the speed of insanity then He died
Paul Trusten
The most underappreciated artist of his genre. His lyrics rank with some of the finest poetry and his songs of deepest reverie. He was too high up and too far away to be widely appreciated. He is among the best performers of his kind for me, among the top five. Actually, “Pleasures Of The Harbor” has become my favorite Ochs song.
(Tashunka Witco)
I saw a clip of Neil Young doing a small venue concert and he was playing that song but before the song he was trying to tell the audience a little bit about the incredibly artistic man that wrote and sang that song somebody yelled out something about Play the song already or something. You could tell Neil Young was very agitated by that if you got somebody like Neil Young admires you as a folk singer and there's no doubt Phil. I wasn't born till 68 and I love his music and he was a little bit before my time. It was my parents' generation but he is my favorite Neil Young was just trying to share a little bit of history with them about a great man but people just wanted to hear a song I was listening to Neil Young that's why I looked up Mr Ovhs and started listening to his music I'm glad I wasn't just wanting to hear or Neil Young song and I was paying attention. Sometimes if we shut our mouths and use our ears we can really discover beautiful wonderful things. And you are correct he is way too underappreciated in my opinion he's one of the greatest singer-songwriters ever I'm surprised they're not studying some of his songs in literature classes. In researching him I found out how he died and I have to fight back tears when I hear him singing his song, "when I'm gone". But often makes me wonder what incredible music we missed out on because of his passing. Even though I am only 54 years old I appreciate finding music and I have to say his generation put out some of the best of them and I like all genres of music except for gangster rap blues jazz some old Nazareth Uriah he Janis Joplin Bobby Gentry that generation lit a fire when it came to music and songs it was just their spirits were on fire some of the most incredible music came out of that generation
(Tashunka Witco)
PS the words you said in your comment or eloquent and lyrical also as a bipolar manic depressive I could feel them when you were talking about he was way too high up or way down too low you have quite a gift for writing yourself those were beautiful words of tribute to him.
Xaxtarr NeonRaven
When this song, on one of the greatest under-rated albums ever, begins to play, one can only be puzzled; but, the lyrics and the existential poetry of Ochs shines through and it becomes the perfect anthem to the 60's and the endless turmoil unfolding in US history. He is right about the spectacle tearing down of our idols, sadly he himself described and prophesized many a fate.
(Tashunka Witco)
Master poet and musician his words are so lyrical and fluent. Changes is one of my favorites rest in peace thanks for the poetry and music
FromtheWordsofBR
While I do understand why certain people prefer the versions of this song without all of the production, I personally LOVE it. It turns what's already a fantastically-written song into a haunting, spine-tingling epic.
AGGeiger
I'm glad Ochs recorded this song this way, though even he later came to regard the production as a mistake, a failed experiment -- the album on which it appeared was his first for A&M, by then well on its way to becoming a major pop/rock label (which Elektra Records had not been at the time he was with them); and he was obviously under the spell of a lot of what was going on in what soon came to be referred to as "rock" music (as opposed to rock & roll), in terms of production. It drips with elements of baroque pop and classical ornamentation, all of which probably seemed wonderful in the studio, and makes for a fascinating listening experience, if not one entirely relevant or germane to the underlying song. During his lifetime, there was no way to hear the song on record the way he came to really want it represented (i.e., just his voice and guitar), which was very unfortunate for his fans (and would-be fans) during that period.
oughts sought
Appreciating the context you've delivered here, & being explicit beforehand that what is or isn't apt in any musical performance, live or studio, is of course a matter of personal individual taste, I have to dispute that the "fascinating listening experience" a phrasing I agree with, is "not one entirely relevant or germane to the underlying song". While I'm at it I may as well express my similar dissatisfaction with T.J.Phoenix's opine elsewhere in these comments that the "dissonance in this clearly reflects Ochs sorrow at his own life", which it may or may not but if so I think it entirely misses the point of the dissonance is that it is an absolutely spot on conveyance of the feelings to how twisted the long litany of very relevant, very self-elevatingly self-dissonant behaviors this song is very specifically illuminating in every stanza of The Greatest Story Ever Told's dramatic evolution of tragic elements. Mind you I am NOT disputing that Phil Ochs had a right to his own afterthoughts in the matter, and you may or may not be surmising accurately as to why A&M & Ochs went with this flavor of arrangement. My only comment about that would be at this particular moment in music industry history this particular artist would have regarded control over his sound as a first (or at least second) priority (cash% being the only potential competing priority).
Personally, I think this musical setting is about as close to perfect as anything ever gets for conveying the complex range of feelings the song's brilliantly precise and ironic lyrical phrasing expresses so complexly yet clearly; that the beautiful, eerie, spooky, dissonance of the musical arrangement is entirely "relevant" to each specific verse, and the lyrics brilliantly relevant to the time of the events the tale tells, as well as the time the song was written, when, as Larry Slack says, it tasted like a comment on the John Kennedy assassination and its aftermath.
1965-1974 is by far the most pregnant era for thoroughly expressive lyrics, and it is sad but expectable that so much of the best of that period never reaches the attention of subsequent generations. This song is a prime example of that. It is my prime nominee for most powerful lyrical creation of the '60s, despite all the wonderful competition. Of course such a silly notion depends entirely on criteria and taste, so I'm only willing to have nominees for the honor, but no final (s)election. Apologies for the length of what i maybe could have said in one sentence, and is just an opinion. But to me this song & its music deserve it.
Boot Leg
The arrangement is sick. I love it
f10
It's an adventure into dissonance, kind of the lyrical theme..so, yeah-