I knew Pete Seeger. Pete would love Joe Purdy! Joe Purdy is the most important singer/songwriter in America today, because today we need singers like him just like we needed those like him during the Great Depression, during the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights struggle.
On his album “Who Will Be Next” he sings out and continues the long and proud tradition of socio-critical folk singing, unafraid, unabashed and with the full and complete understanding that he could play it safe, be quiet, go for the money and keep his mouth shut in fear of alienating that 30% of the American population that supports Trump. Instead he persists!
And I hope I can find the courage to speak
When there’s something that needs being said
And I hope that my words will not tear us apart
But to bring people closer instead
It’s normally a kiss-of-death to be compared to Dylan, but Purdy has distinct Dylanesque influences, but let’s instead and fittingly compare him to Woody Guthrie. Protest songs testify about suffering and hope, the tenacity of survival and the gritty determination to overcome injustice – and a yearning for freedom. In these perilous times, very few artists have the courage to lay bare testimony and to protest, to raise their voices the way that Woody Guthrie did in his time, or Phil Ochs and Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Pete Seeger. Musically, Purdy is a fine straight ahead folk singer/songwriter as good as any, be it John Prine or Greg Brown, except that Purdy take on the hard topics and is willing to raise his voice, because lyrically he is an emancipatory singer in a needed time.
This one tells it all:
Well listen all you children of privilege
‘Cause I am one of you
I was born on a dirt road
Out in the country
And I wanted for nothing
No trouble did I see
So do not pretend
That you understand
All the troubles that others been through
Don’t point your fingers and so freely judge all the ones
Who ain’t as privileged as you
If you never had to fight for your life or your family
If you never had to live on the streets all alone
If you’ve never been harassed by the ones who should protect you
If you’ve never been mistreated for the colour of your skin
Then listen all your children of privilege
‘Cause I am one of you
I had a good mother and I had a good father
And together they showed me respect for all people
Regardless of class and
Regardless of background
Regardless of race
No matter their religion or
Their preference of partner
‘Cause every human being will have their own story as
Important as the other who walks right beside or
Across their own city
Across this great country
Across the blue water to lands far and wide
Well I ain’t saying that I can equip you
I ain’t saying I ain’t already fought
I am just trying to have more compassion
To lead by example and to
Turn from my temper not to
Add to the anger not to
Give in to violence and
‘Cause great divide between me and my neighbour
Between me and my brother
Between me and my sister
There’s too many suffering and
There’s too many dying in this
World without reasons in this
World without reason in this
World without reason
So don’t turn tour back on the ones with less fortune
The ones with less privilege that could have been you
With a slight twist of fate if they were born lucky or
Born into money or
Born with white skin
Well I’ll tell you plainly what I’m trying to do
I’m just trying to be better
Changing my own life
And look towards the future
And find understanding
So that I might inspire you to
Look at your own life and
Think for yourself
So listen all you children of privilege
‘Cause I am one of you
Purdy has got it all, powerful lyrics, excellent songwriting, deep passion and swift instrumental chops, all performed in the true folk tradition. Listen to this courageous young guy. Yes, he carries on where Dylan, Guthrie and Seeger left off.
Here he is, standing up against the guy in the White House, when so many fail to stand:
There’s a man who wants the White House
For his personal TV show
Wants his face on all the money
Wants his name on all the roads
Says he can make us great again
Says that he knows how
He’s gonna build a wall big and tall
And kick everybody out
It’s just another reason that people can’t get along
Pickin’ sides of the USA
Treat me like a human
I’ll treat you like the same
Maybe we’ll all get along someday
Well they’re changing up the districts
To keep the white kids white
To keep the black kids poor
And Spanish speakers out
They say that it’s all equal
Just like it used to be
Just stay on your own side of town
With help just out of reach
It’s just another reason that people can’t get along
Hangin’ on to their same old ways
Treat me like a human
I’ll treat you like the same
Maybe we’ll all get along someday
I don’t know much about politics
Don’t know much about war
Don’t know much about killin’
Or what all this killin’s for
Don’t know much about weapons
But it seems like common sense
The more bullets in a rifle
The more bullets gettin’ spent
It’s just another reason that people can’t get along
Fightin’ over the American way
Treat me like a human
I’ll treat you like the same
Maybe we’ll all get along someday
Maybe we’ll all get along someday
Check him out. Go to his shows. Buy his records. Make him big. Keep his voice loud.
