Pete Seeger Research Paper

Folk singer Pete Seeger was born in New York, New York in 1919. His father was a musical man and taught at the University of California in Berkeley, as well as Julliard. His mother taught violin at Julliard as well, although she would have preferred to be a traveling violinist if she did not have a family to care for. Seeger’s brother and sister became musicians as well. It seems Seeger was destined to be a musician himself. However, his parents did not agree on how to educate Seeger about music. His mother wanted Seeger to be a classically trained musician, where as his father wanted him to “enjoy himself” then “see what happens.” Seeger was surrounded by instruments in his home, and joined the jazz band in prep school. Seeger recalls when his father took him to a square dance – which is when he said he realized there was a wealth of music in the U.S. He recalls meeting Woody Gunthrie, a man who
influenced his music and also worked with him, and Seeger noted how Gunthrie was able to captivate the audience with storytelling. Seeger claims to have had many opinions on social and political problems his entire life, and began writing music when he let his grades slip and dropped out of Harvard.
He had worked with folk singers like Gunthrie before World War II, but after the war ended he formed “The Weavers.” Some of these songs are still played today, such as “Turn! Turn! Turn!” Seeger commented on this particular song, referencing the line “a time to kill,” noting, “we are all descendants of good killers.” This was one of the most profound statements I have ever heard, and speaks to his opinions of society as a whole. Another one of his songs, “If I had a Hammer,” is one of those songs I’m sure anyone who has taken piano or guitar lessons, can play by heart. It is one of those classics everyone knows. We still see Seeger’s influence today – whether it is the elementary music teacher playing one of his songs on the guitar, or the teenager who thinks they are going to bring peace to the world listening to “Turn! Turn! Turn!” He is an unforgettable icon in American history, and in
music. I also thought it was interesting when he reminisced about his grandparents’ farm in upstate New York, camping out in a teepee, noting he was a “big fan of Native Americans,” I thought this spoke to Seeger’s activism regarding social equality because he mentions how Native American society functions as a unit, food is shared among all – and when food is scarce, no one eats. In Seeger’s interview on the Colbert Report, I think Stephen Colbert accurately compares interviewing Pete Seeger to being able to interview a figure like “Paul Bunyan” or “Johnny Appleseed.” He is simply that legendary. Regarding censorship, Seeger’s performance “Waist Deep in the Big Muddy,” was censored from The Smother’s Brothers Comedy Hour. It was censored because Seeger refused to perform the song without the last line, which is what CBS had requested. The song recounts a World War II captain who leads his men deeper and deeper into the “big muddy” as the “big fool” tells them to push on until the captain gets sucked into the mud. The song was obviously making comments about Seeger’s negative view of the Vietnam War as well as President Lyndon Johnson. Seeger’s music has survived the test of time, and inspires generation after generation to stand up for whatever cause it is they support. Seeger was active in music and political and social movements until his death in January 2014.