From the article: Essential Phil Ochs Songs
Phil Ochs was one of the best topical singers of his time, focusing heavily on political and protest music. While his life and career were tragically abbreviated when he committed suicide in 1976 at the age of 35, he managed to pen some of American folk music's finest topical songs. What's your favorite song by Phil Ochs? Cast your vote
Days of Decision
- Phil wrote so many great songs, but this one has meant so much to me both then and now.
- —PatrickOates
Pleasures of the Harbor
- It's so easy to hear Phil Ochs voice, when any of his songs are mentioned..but if I just hear his name, I always hear him singing Pleasures of the Harbor.
- —Guest BJ Fulford-Stewart
The Crucifixion
- The person doing the rating got it all wrong! Ochs wrote songs that were so far above and beyond folk music that they went "unsung" except by him. Too bad he is only knows as a protest song writer. In his 1967 album "Pleasures Of The Harbor," he wrote about things human, not as much political In this This misty song "The Crucifixion", supposedly comparing two martyrdoms (Jesus and JFK) still rockets across my mind more than 40 year after it waw released: "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 dies." I have fantasized running into him in time to tell him, "Phil, please don't die. You have so much more to do."
- —trusten
The Party
- The party must be over, even the Losers are leaving. But just one doubt is nagging at my caustic mind: So I snuck up close behind me and I gave myself a kiss, And I led myself to the mirror to expose what I had missed. There I saw a laughing maniac who was writing songs like this. And my shoulders had to shrug As I crawl beneath the rug And retune my piano.
- —Guest dlanodwhite
