Artist:Phil Ochs
Song:Changes
Album:There But For Fortune
Phil Ochs was one of the more outspoken protest singers of the 60s and Changes was a very unusual love song for him. He was born Dec. 19, 1940 in El Paso, TX. He moved to New York in the early 60s and described himself as a singing journalist. He signed with Elektra in 1964 and his early albums addressed all kinds of topical subjects. Changes is a little bit different because it's a love song. It's from his 1966 album In Concert. After that album, Ochs went to electric instruments but continued with protest songs. He also moved to A & M Records. This comp covers his Elektra material and has a lot of material from In Concert. Rhino has released a box set covering Ochs' entire career. Ochs seemed to run out of ideas in the 70s and tried to reinvent himself as a 50s revival act complete with gold lame suit. He failed miserably and sunk further into alcoholism and depression until he hung himself on Apr. 9, 1976 at age 35. Fans of the 60s folk movement should be familiar with Phil Ochs. Here's a rather lengthy video of Phil Ochs performing Highwayman, being interviewed and then performing Changes on a 1967 TV show about poetry.
It's a great video and lucky that it survived. Most film shot for local TV stations around this time was destroyed due to costs.
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to see this. Phil is so young and charmingly boyish. I have no idea who the interviewer is, but she seemed to be ahead of her time as well.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, her comment about her English friend. Joe Strummer also once said he was heavily influenced by nursery rhymes from his childhood.
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