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Show me the prison, Show me the jail, Show me the prisoner whose life has gone stale. And I'll show you a young man with so many reasons why And there, but for fortune, go you or I.

Phil Ochs

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Phil Ochs
Age: 35 †
Born: 1940
Born: December 19
Died: 1976
Died: April 9
Guitarist
Poet
Singer
Singer-Songwriter
Songwriter
El Paso
Texas
Philip David Ochs
Many
Prison
Men
Fortune
Life
Whose
Gone
Stale
Show
Prisoner
Shows
Jail
Young
Tyranny
Reason
Reasons

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I wonder who I left behind on the other side of fame.
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The only possibility in the United States for a humane society would be a revolution with Elvis Presley as leader.
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In every political community there are varying shades of political opinion. One of the shadiest of these is the liberals. An outspoken group on many subjects. Ten degrees to the left of center in good times. Ten degrees to the right of center if it affects them personally. Here, then, is a lesson in safe logic.
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In the state of Mississippi, Many Years Ago, a boy of 14 years got a taste of Southern law.
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A protest song is a song that's so specific that you cannot mistake it for bullshit.
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Step outside the guidelines of the official umpires and make your own rules and your own reality.
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Some people never get their feet on the ground, They're either sitting in a chair or theyre laying down.
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Show me a country where the bombs had to fallShow me the ruins of buildings so tallAnd I'll show you a young landWith many reasons whyThere but for fortune, go you or IYou or I.
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Leaving America is like losing twenty pounds and finding a new girlfriend.
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I can spare a dime, brother, but in these morally inflationary times, a dime goes a lot farther if it's demanding work rather than adding to the indignity of relief.
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One good song with a message can bring a point more deeply to more people than a thousand rallies.
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Beneath the greatest love lies a hurricane of hate.
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It's always the old to lead us to the war. It's always the young to fall.
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Is there anybody here who thinks that following the orders takes away the blame Is there anybody here who wouldn't mind a murder by another name?
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I'm gonna give all I've got to giveCross my heart, and I hope to live.
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I write all my own songs and they are just simple melodies with a lot of lyrics. They usually have to do with current events and what is going on in the news. You can call them topical songs, songs about the news, and then developing into more philosophical songs later.
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Call it peace or call it treason / call it love or call it reason / but I ain't marching anymore
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I like Hitler, jolly jolly Hitler.
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Maybe we should raise our voices, ask somebody why. But demonstrations are a drag, besides we're much too high.
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There is an urgent need for Americans to look deeply into themselves and their actions, and musical poetry is perhaps the most effective mirror available. Every newspaper headline is a potential song.
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