Pete Seeger, RIP

When I learned that Pete Seeger had died, I spent much of the day watching videos of him. It was fascinating to be reminded of the songs he had sung, including some he had written, through his long life, and to learn of all he had done, as told, above all, on a video from PBS in 2008. It's nearly an hour and a half long, but well worth the time, IMO. It has been updated to include a few minutes at the end that note his passing.

Last Saturday evening, my younger brother called from Japan as usual and my older brother, who visits almost every weekend, and I were talking with him. I began to speak about Pete Seeger, and after a moment my older brother interjected, "Was he a Communist." I said that he had been, but moved away from the party when he recognized the evil of Stalin. He was unwilling to have the Party tell him what to think or do. My younger brother added that "The Economist" said he stopped being a Communist but remained a communist. It was my understanding from the video above that he stopped believing in violent revolution, so I was surprised to find the video below of him singing "L'Internationale" in 1984.
Here is a partial transcript of his testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1955. Here's a full transcript.

His parents were trained in classical music, and they encouraged his interest in all music. So he discovered folk music as a teenager. When he became interested in championing the cause of workers and unions that added to his inventory of music, as well as attracting him to Communism, which (falsely) presented itself as the champion of workers. His career was hampered by being blacklisted for a number of years, but he continued to perform, both as a member of The Weavers and solo. Unsurprisingly, he opposed the Viet Nam war. He also supported environmentalism, especially in campaigning for the clean up of the Hudson River, where he lived for much of his later life.

The basic thing that I have come to admire about him over the past week — I always enjoyed his ability as a musical performer — is his concern for people. It shows in a number of ways in the video. There is his encouragement of his audiences to sing along: he isn't there just to show his talent; he's there to participate with the other people there. There's his interaction with people on the streets of New York during the filming of the video. And there is, toward the end, the story of his encounter with a man who was so enraged by Pete's trip to North Viet Nam that he went to one of his concerts with the intention of killing him.

Here are a few videos of Pete Seeger.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhnPVP23rzo&list=AL94UKMTqg-9BErVghzNetF_L6bOqQyzjH
"Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd_5-2kCzfs
"Michael, Row the Boat Ashore"
 — improvising harmonies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9eDU045u_E
"Down by the Riverside"
— on his TV show, Rainbow Quest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj3s8qq3kU4
"Good Night Irene"
 — The Weavers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHNsRZ8iqFc&list=AL94UKMTqg-9BErVghzNetF_L6bOqQyzjH
"L'Internationale"
 — the anthem of the international communist movement (not the most polished performance, but showing that side of his thought)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ06MuB8_04
"Wimoweh"
— The Weavers reunion at Carnegie Hall, November 28, 1980. (Pete could still hit the high notes.)

You can find lots more, from all stages of his life, by following links from those.

Finally, here's a link Mark sent me to a TV show which was aired the day after he died; but most of it is taken from an interview he did with them ten years ago. There are interesting accounts of his writing "Turn, Turn, Turn" and helping "We Shall Overcome" become famous, and he explains his notion of the importance of even small efforts by individuals to make the world better.