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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
Life
Whose
Gone
Stale
Show
Prisoner
Shows
Jail
Young
Tyranny
Reason
Reasons
Many
Prison
Men
Fortune

More quotes by Phil Ochs

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It is wrong to expect a reward for your struggles. The reward is the act of struggle itself, not what you win. Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt. That's morality, that's religion. That's art. That's life.
Phil Ochs
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I'm gonna give all I've got to giveCross my heart, and I hope to live.
Phil Ochs
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America is two Mack trucks colliding on a superhighway because all the drivers are on amphetamines.
Phil Ochs
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A protest song is a song that's so specific that you cannot mistake it for bullshit.
Phil Ochs
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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.
Phil Ochs
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One good song with a message can bring a point more deeply to more people than a thousand rallies.
Phil Ochs
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Call it peace or call it treason / call it love or call it reason / but I ain't marching anymore
Phil Ochs
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It's always the old to lead us to the war. It's always the young to fall.
Phil Ochs
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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.
Phil Ochs
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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.
Phil Ochs
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In the courtroom, watch the balance of the scalesIf the price is right, there's time for more appealsThe strings are pulled, the switch is stayedThe finest lawyers fees are paidAnd a rich man never died upon the chair
Phil Ochs
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The fortunes of the entire world may well ride on the ability of young Americans to face the responsibilities of an old America gone mad.
Phil Ochs
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Love is a rainbow curving down from the sky, falling crystals of color, shades of warm that never die.
Phil Ochs
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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.
Phil Ochs
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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.
Phil Ochs
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Step outside the guidelines of the official umpires and make your own rules and your own reality.
Phil Ochs
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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?
Phil Ochs
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One legged veterans will greet the dawn, and they're whistling marches as they mow the lawn, and the gargoyles on sit and grieve.
Phil Ochs
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The only possibility in the United States for a humane society would be a revolution with Elvis Presley as leader.
Phil Ochs
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Oh you tell me that there's danger to the land you call your own, And you watch them build the war machine right beside your home, And you tell me that you're ready to go marchin' to the war, I know you're set for fighting, but what are you fighting for?
Phil Ochs