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Pete Seeger Live - New Protest Song About BP Oil Spill in Gulf Coast on Banjo w James Maddock Guitar
On July 23th 2010 Pete Seeger performed live at a Gulf Coast Oil Spill fundraiser at The City Winery in New York City. There, he unveiled to the public his new protest song about the BP oil spill entitled "God's Counting on Me, God's Counting on You." Backing up Pete's singing and banjo picking is the singer/songwriter James Maddock on acoustic guitar. All proceeds of this concert went to the Gulf Restoration Project. The show was produced and hosted by Richard Barone. The video was edited and mixed by Matthew Billy.
Lyrics:
When we look and we can see things are not what they should be
God's counting on me, God's counting on you
When we look and see things that should not be
God's counting on me, God's counting on you
Hopin' we'll all pull through, Hoping we'll all pull through,
Hopin' we'll all pull through
Me and you.
It's time to turn things around, trickle up not trickle down
God's counting on me, God's counting on you
It's time to turn things around, trickle up not trickle down
God's counting on me, God's counting on you
Hopin' we'll all pull through, Hoping we'll all pull through,
Hopin' we'll all pull through
Me and you.
And when drill, baby, drill turns to spill, baby, spill
God's counting on me, God's counting on you
Yes when drill, baby, drill turns to spill, baby, spill
God's counting on me, God's counting on you
Hopin' we'll all pull through, Hoping we'll all pull through,
Hopin' we'll all pull through
Me and you.
Don't give up don't give in, workin' together we all can win
God's counting on me, God's counting on you
Don't give up don't give in, workin' together we all can win
God's counting on me, God's counting on you
Hopin' we'll all pull through, Hoping we'll all pull through,
Hopin' we'll all pull through
Me and you.
There's big problems to be solved, let's get everyone involved
God's counting on me, God's counting on you
There's big problems to be solved, let's get everyone involved
God's counting on me, God's counting on you
Hopin' we'll all pull through, Hoping we'll all pull through,
Hopin' we'll all pull through
Me and you.
When we sing with younger folks, we can never give up hope
God's counting on me, God's counting on you
When we sing with younger folks, we can never give up hope
God's counting on me, God's counting on you
Hopin' we'll all pull through, Hoping we'll all pull through,
Hopin' we'll all pull through
Me and you.
19 Comments so far
Show AllWhenever I get to feeling old and useless, I can watch Pete, who is at least 30 years my senior, and realize that a life well-lived, in song and struggle, pays big rewards . I was a child when I first heard him sing on an old Elektra LP, and though my musical tastes morphed over the decades since then, I can listen to him sing, and feel young and optimistic again. Thank you Brother Pete, Fellow Worker, teacher, lover of children and of life. Keep singing.
Wow! What an inspiration Pete Seeger is. I am in my 70's and he was there doing his thing in the 60's when I was young. Have to admire his soul and inspiration that keeps him just going and doing. We should aspire to live our lives so well.
What a phenomenal person Pete Seeger is. Glad to see he is still out there bringing the message. May he be the voice of the people for yet another decade or two.
Tom Edgar
Pete, Jan Baez. Paul Robeson. Yep they did more than most.
I just hope y'all aren't relying on any of the Gods 'though. Believe me you are in this alone. The only way you will prevent yet another repeat is to start jailing the culprits, starting at the top.
A Billion dollar fine. Ho Hum. Put it on the price for the consumers to pay. Increase my bonus, and I'll retire happy.
Just a pipe dream... No way is it about to happen the only thing to dry up would be the donations to the Party funds.
When I think what it means to be an American, I think of Pete.
Sorry, Tom Edgar, but I take issue with you including Joan Baez in your comment. I admired her and still appreciate her as a singer, but she is (or, at least, was) a strong supporter of Israel. She visited Israel but not the "territories." Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Dostoevsky was a Russian Nationalist and a pan-slavist shortly before his death. Does that mean his books suck?? A lot of people have been supporters of Israel at one time or another: many have changed their mind. Regardless of Joan Baez's attitude towards Israel,she's a great artist, and none of us are perfect.
As long as such people fight on, we have hope. I salute you, Pete Seeger. I hope you'll just keep on keepin' on!
Pete is the best. In a more sane world Pete Seeger would be given the Nobel Peace Prize. I listen to him, Arlo, Joan, Woody, Harry and Phil Ochs almost everyday.
I was feeling just a bit blue this morning, not really important why, just forgot to look at the blue sky, I guess, then by chance I saw this - old Pete, my first guru, who has been teaching us what it means to sing from the heart, since time began I feel like saying
_______
We have one mother, we have one father
Therefore we all are sisters and brothers
We have but one earth, we have no other
The earth is your earth - the earth is my earth
She is the mother who gave us our birth
From the highest mountain to the deepest ocean
The earth was made for you and me
The earth was made for you and me
Pete, God love ya- you still inspire when I feel like I'm looking at a snake's belly through a telescope. You prove the point that it's the struggle, the effort that counts; results may or may not follow. 'A thousand blessings upon you, effendi'; we are all so fortunate to have you! May the Light protect you, keep you warm, and continue to illuminate your way.
Pete Seeger is great, and Paul Robeson when he was still around. They both backed Henry Wallace in 1948. if the rest of the country had we wouldn't be in the damn mess we're in now.
AD
Pete Seeger is great, and Paul Robeson when he was still around. They both backed Henry Wallace in 1948. if the rest of the country had we wouldn't be in the damn mess we're in now.
I'm from the Gulf Coast originally, therefore let me say thanks Pete!
AD
A couple of Pete's lesser-known songs, still topical 40 years on:
If You Love Your Uncle Sam, Bring 'em Home.
There's one thing I must confess
Bring 'em home, home, home.
I'm not really a pacifist
Bring 'em home.
If an army invaded this land of mine
Bring 'em home, home, home.
You'd find me out on the firing line,
Bring 'em home.
The Same Ol' Merry-Go-Round
The Donkey is tired and thin,
The Elephant thinks he'll move in.
They yell and they fuss, but they
Ain't fooling us,
'Cos they're brothers right under the skin.
It's the same ol' merry-go-round,
Which one will you ride this year?
The Donkey and Elephant bob up and down
On the same ol' merry-go-round.
The song is too rudimentary - with too much of God in it :-)
What purpose it serves? Pete Seeger has lost his edge for quite a while now.
Hi Pete, Why do you keep doing this to me? I had just decided for the 10th time or so to just give up the fight: Then here you are as you have been for many such times in my life, an old one came to mind on account of this "new situation":
"i started to sing a song
to the entire population,
but i ain't doin' a thing tonight,
on account of the NEW SITUATION!.
so i guess if you can do it at 90+ i can do it at 75+.
I think it's dumb. an imaginary being is counting on you and me to clean up after BP?
good luck to you pete, and your make believe friend
I can't prove that God exists, any more than I can prove that he (or whatever) doesn't.Pete, however, is still out there doing his thing, and that's pretty amazing.Lighten up and dig the symbolism.
CD please post this to facebook so we can LIKE it and repost.
P.S. Not all CD readers are judgemental atheistic pessimists. We are of many faiths, but like Pete we have faith.
What to get inspired? Take a peek at the pete seeger biography that's available on netflicks; it won't disappoint.