Category: Reflections and Memories

Phil Ochs and the States of Nixon and Trump -Still Relevant!

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Phil Ochs I Ain't Marching Anymore. Album where Here to the State of Mississippi appears

Daily Roots will be a recurring feature of this site. It is a a way of revisiting music, books, and ideas that first took hold decades ago — not out of nostalgia, but because some things refuse to stay in the past. This felt like the right place to begin, because Phil Ochs wrote songs that keep rewriting themselves every time history circles back on itself.

This post was originally written in 2017 during the first Trump administration but it’s even more relevant here in 2026!

Phil Ochs and “Here’s to the State of Mississippi “

As I have watched the unfolding of the events surrounding the President over the last few weeks the similarities to Trump and Nixon get stronger every day. These similarities led me to the songs of Phil Ochs. Well at least to one song “Here’s to the State of Mississippi”

Way back in the mid-60s during the height of the Civil Rights struggle many people were aghast at the actions of the people of Mississippi. Folksinger Phil Ochs responded through song and wrote the classic “Here’s to the State of Mississippi”. In the song Ochs sang….

Here’s to the state of Mississippi,
For underneath her borders, the devil draws no lines,
If you drag her muddy river, nameless bodies you will find.
whoa the fat trees of the forest have hid a thousand crimes,
the calendar  is lyin’ when it reads the present time.
Oh here’s to the land you’ve torn out the heart of,
Mississippi find yourself another country to be part of!….

Complete Lyrics Here

Updating the Song “Here’s to the State of Richard Nixon”

Fast forwarding several years and Phil needed to update the song and change Mississippi to Richard Nixon. In updating the song he added a new versus just for Tricky Dick…..

And here’s to the government of Richard Nixon
In the swamp of their bureaucracy
They’re always bogging down
And criminals are posing
As advisors to the crown
And they hope that no one sees the sights
And no one hears the sounds
And the speeches of the president
Are the ravings of a clown

Complete lyrics Here. Here’s Phil performing the song……

Hmm, seem like any government we may know??? Yep! Old Tricky Dick and Donald are like twin sons of different mothers!!

And Now – Here’s to the State of Donald Trump

While I was searching YouTube for Phil’s version of the song I can across this updated version of the song. It includes verses for Steve Bannon and Jeff Sessions along with dear Donald! Enjoy!

And after 50 plus years the question remains “why do Republicans hate poor people?”

Links

Remembering Phil Ochs
Facebook
Instagram
AllMusic

Youtube
Amazon

About Phil Ochs

Philip David Ochs was an American songwriter, protest singer, and political activist. Ochs was known for his sharp wit, sardonic humor, and political commentary. He wrote about 200 songs in the 1960s and 1970s and released eight albums. Wikipedia

Born: December 19, 1940, El Paso, TX

Died: April 9, 1976 (age 35 years), Far Rockaway, New York, NY

Spouse: Alice Skinner (m. 1962–1976)

Parents: Jacob Ochs, Gertrude Phin Ochs

Siblings: Michael Ochs, Sonny Ochs

 

The Birthday Celebration for JJW Continues with “Ramblin’ Scramblin'” and “Morning Song to Sally”

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JJW- Driftin' Way of Life

First Posted March 2014 revised and updated Junw 2026

So return with me now to those thrilling days of yesteryear, the year was 1969, I was a naïve eighteen year-old and sometime during that year. probably on Gen Shay’s show on WDAS-FM this song from Jerry Jeff Walker.

Reflections about Ramblin’ Scrambblin’ from JJW

You know I don’t think I’d ever heard a song that included a drop kick in the crotch or someone getting rolled, let alone in the same song!!

The song came from Jerry Jeff’s second album, Driftin’ Way of Life. ” Through the years, “Ramblin’ Scramblin'” along with “Drifting Way of Life” and “Morning Song to Sally” became my my favorite songs from the album

And About the Diversity o the Music of JJW

. Thinking about JJW and his music, one thing I like about his music is that in one song he can be all “Gonzo” and the next minute he can be singing something as nice and beautiful as “Morning Song to Sally” and a bonus song “I Makes Money” from the album Mr Bojangles

So before we break out the “Sangria Wine” and “Redneck Mother”, let’s go “into the night” with “Morning Song to Sally”

2026 Post Update

Jerry Jeff Walker passed away in 2020, but for those of us who first heard him back in those late-sixties and early-seventies days, the music still sounds just as alive, funny, reckless and heartfelt as it did coming out of the FM radio all those years ago.

If you are just discovering the music of Jerry Jeff or If you’re a fan visit Jerry Jeff’s website to see What’s New

Musical Thoughts about that Parent Child Relationship (Videos)

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Oliver 3

As I was working along last night at Target, my thoughts drifted back to Andrew, Meaghan and little Oliver and the perilous journey that they are embarking on.

We took that trip four times, well maybe we’re still on the journey, and it seems that the results so far, have been very successful! But it’s a tough trip. There are many obstacles along the way. Many wrong words to say, many wrong actions to take. All you can do is try to keep them safe and try to help them develop a strong moral character.

Often as my children were growing I told them, “you know what’s right and what’s wrong so do the right thing! Finally love them unconditionally. That doesn’t mean that they can’t be wrong, or do things that you don’t like. At that point in time, you may not like them very much but you never stop loving them!!

And beyond those things you just hope for the best! And I think we got it right so far!!

Anyway, here are three songs that floated into the jukebox in my head!

The first one “Younger Generation” was a part of my life in the early 70s, at a time when I was in college and maybe a bit rebellious, but it always made me stop and think about what it would be like to look at the relationship from the other side!

The last two first “Father and Son” from Yosuf Islam (Cat Stevens)and then Tom Rush “Child’s Song” talk about those middle stages of the parent child relationship, again these songs came into my life in the 70s when I was in those stages and made me think about what it’s like on both sides of the divide, and maybe how we never should let that divide get too wide!!

So Meg, Andrew and Oliver good luck and I know you two know the right things to do to create a loving and nurturing environment for Oliver! Beyond that Best of Luck!!

John B Sebastian – “Younger Generation”

Yusuf/Cat Stevens – “Father & Son”

Tom Rush – “Child’s Song”

Jerry Jeff Walker “Quiet Faith of Man”

Quiet Faith of Man

A baby child is born along the highway
A tiny little thing upon the land
An okie with his dreams out on the byway
Lifts the tiny baby in his hand
The woman smiles a little smile of knowing
And whispers something softly in his ear
Perhaps a little prayer to help the growing
Perhaps a word of comfort through the fears.

You trust the moon to move the mighty ocean
You trust the sun to shine upon the land
You take the little that you know
And you do the best you can
You see the rest with the quiet faith of man.

Words and Music by Bill Staines

Post Update 2026

Since this post was written in Marh of 2014 four more grandchildren have been added to our family

Zoe – daughter of son Peter and Melissa (Sept 2014)

Logan – son of Peter and Melissa (Jan 2017)

Emma – daugher of daughter ELizabeth and Marcus Rego (Feb 2023)

Lucas – son of daughter Elizabeth and Marcus (May 2025)

I have had the honor to babysit all of them! And watched them grow with the Quiet Faith of this man, So far so good!

Abiyoyo, Pete Seeger, and Books for Grandson Oliver Edward Karn

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Originally Posted 2014 Update June 2026

So sometime this month, my wife and I will become grandparents for the first time, when my son Andrew and his wife Meaghan have their baby, Oliver Edward Karn!

Well, it’s actually Meaghan doing all the work right now and Andrew just gets the congratulations!!

A couple of weeks ago, they had Meaghan’s baby shower.and Oliver’s gifts from Andrew’s brothers and sister and my wife and I were books and not just any books, but ones that were special to us.

The kids picked ones that were read to them and my wife and I picked either ones that were read to us or ones that we read to the kids!

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After my wife, whose idea it was first announced the idea. Peter immediately said “I’ll get Where the Wild Things Are” – though Bossy Boots may have been a better choice!

Elizabeth’s Pick Abiyoyo??

What surprised my wife and I, was the first book that Elizabeth picked, which was Abiyoyo! The picture book based on the Pete Seeger song….

My Selection of Books for Oliver Edward!

Four out of the five books that I gave Oliver were ones that I read to the kids. The only one that I could think of from my childhood was The Little Engine that Could. I remember that my mother’s mother always read that one to me!!

Here’s my other four….

In the Night Kitchen – Maurice Sendak –  I always loved to read this one to the kids and I think that the controversy over the nudity of Mickey is ridiculous! (Update : Elizabeth’s Emma had no reaction to Mickey’s Nkedness@ LOL)

Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola – I always enjoyed the mayhem created by Strega Nona helper Big Anthony when he does what he is not supposed to do!

The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher – Beatrix Potter –  I had to include a Beatrix Potter book on my list I think we wore out all the copies of the many books that we had!! This one was always a favorite but they are all great!!

Runaway Bunny –  Margaret Wise Brown – Now this pick was a little controversial only in that when my wife told me that it was one of the books I had on my list, I didn’t believe her. I thought that the fifth book on my list was Ezra Jack Keats’ Maggie and the Pirate and it wasn’t until she showed me my list that I believed her. But I’m glad it is on the list because it’s a great book that talks of parental love!!

Oher Books From the Kids….

Other books included Ezra Jack Keats. The Snowy Day from Elizabeth. Gregory the Terrible Eater and The Tomten from Nick and Noisy Nora, Max’s Toys, and The Tale of Miss Moppet another Beatrix Potter favorite!

Final Thoughts

So Oliver we hope you enjoy these books, which are the start of a library that I know will get bigger and bigger, because you know Oliver, you can never have too many books

Now the reason that this all came to mind today is that I was looking at videos of Doc Watson’s music because today is his birthday (video to come soon) and while I was thinking about Doc – the other folksinger that came to mind was the late ( I hate to write that) Pete Seeger.

\ I went and found this video taken from the show Reading Rainbow with Pete telling his tale of Abiyoyo!!1