Kmflett's Blog

Phil Ochs Love Me I’m A Liberal was recorded in 1966 and aimed at those who were once radical or claimed be yet ended up on the side of authority. The context was the US involvement in the Vietnam War. The words remain relevant 60 years on

Phil Ochs – Wikipedia

https://youtu.be/bLqKXrlD1TU?si=T2XSRu2lp5X-cN64

Love Me, I’m A Liberal, song lyrics

I cried when they shot Medgar Evers(3);
Tears ran down my spine.
I cried when they shot Mr. Kennedy(4),
As though I’d lost a father of mine.
But Malcolm X(5) got what was coming,
He got what he asked for this time.
So love me, love me, love me, I’m a liberal.
I go to civil rights rallies.
And I put down the old D.A.R.(6)
I love Harry(7) and Sidney(8) and Sammy(9),
I hope every colored boy becomes a star.
But don’t talk about revolution,
That’s going a little bit too far.
So love me, love me, love me, I’m a liberal.
I cheered when Humphrey(10) was chosen;
My faith in the system restored.
And I’m glad the commies were thrown out,
of the A.F.L. C.I.O.(11) board.
I love Puerto Ricans and Negros,
as long as they don’t move next door.
So love me, love me, love me, I’m a liberal.
This song was originally posted on protestsonglyrics.net
The people of old Mississippi,
Should all hang their heads in shame.
Now I can’t understand how their minds work.
What’s the matter don’t they watch Les Crain(12)?
But if you ask me to bus my children,
I hope the cops take down your name.
So love me, love me, love me, I’m a liberal.
Yes, I read New Republic(13) and Nation(14),
I’ve learned to take every view.
You know, I’ve memorized Lerner(15) and Golden(16),
I feel like I’m almost a Jew.
But when it comes to times like Korea(17),
There’s no one more red, white and blue.
So love me, love me, love me, I’m a liberal.
This song was originally posted on protestsonglyrics.net
I vote for the Democratic Party,
They want the U.N. to be strong.
I go to all the Pete Seeger(18) concerts;
He sure gets me singing those songs.
And I’ll send all the money you ask for,
But don’t ask me to come on along.
So love me, love me, love me, I’m a liberal.
Once I was young and impulsive;
I wore every conceivable pin.
Even went to the socialist meetings;
Learned all the old union hymns.
But I’ve grown older and wiser,
And that’s why I’m turning you in.
So love me, love me, love me, I’m a liberal.

Notes:
1 – Included in the 1966 album, Phil Ochs in Concert.
2 – Phil Ochs (1940 – 1976) biography.
3 – The assination of Medgar Evers, in Wikipedia.
4 – The assination of President Kennedy , in Wikipedia.
5 – The assination of Malcolm X, in Wikipedia.
6 – D.A.R., the Daughters of the American Revolution, in Wikipedia.
7 – Harry Belafonte, in Wikipedia.
8 – Sidney Poitier, in Wikipedia.
9 – Sammy Davis Jr., in Wikipedia.
10 – Hubert Humphrey, in Wikipedia.
11 – American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations AFL-CIO and the expulsion of communists.
12 – Les Crane, (often incorrectly spelt at Crain instead of Craine).
13 – The New Republic magazine, in Wikipedia.
14 – The Nation magazine, in Wikipedia.
15 – Probably, Leo Lerner, in Wikipedia. If you have citations to suggest somebody else, please let us know.
16 – Probably Harry Golden. If you have citations to suggest somebody else, please let us know.
17 – The Korean War, in Wikipedia.
18 – Pete Seeger, in Wikipedia.