Biography:
Philip David Ochs (pronounced o?ks/) (December 19, 1940 – April 9, 1976) was an American protest singer (or, as he preferred, a topical singer) and songwriter who was known for his sharp wit, sardonic humor, earnest humanism, political activism, insightful and alliterative lyrics, and haunting voice. He wrote hundreds of songs in the 1960s and released eight albums in his lifetime.
Ochs performed at many political events, including anti-Vietnam War and civil rights rallies
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Other songs:
- A Toast To Those Who Are Gone
- A Year To Go By
- Another Age
- Another Country
- Automation Song
- Ballad Of Oxford
- Ballad Of William Worthy
- Bound For Glory
- Bracero
- Celia
- Changes
- Chords Of Fame
- Cops Of The World
- Cross My Heart
- Crucifixion
- Davey Moore
- Days Of Decision
- Doesnt Lenny Live Here Anymore
- Draft Dodger Rag
- Flower Lady
- Going Down To Mississippi
- Half A Century High
- Hands
- Heres To The State Of Mississippi
- Heres To The State Of Richard Nixon
- I Aint Marching Anymore
- I Shoulda Known Better
- Im Going To Say It Now
- Im Gonna Say It Now
- Im Tired
- In The Heat Of The Summer
- Is There Anybody Here
- Joe Hill
- Knock On The Door
- Links On The Chain
- Love Me Im A Liberal
- Maintaining Law And Order
- No More Songs
- One Way Ticket Home
- Outside Of A Small Circle Of Friends
- Passing Of My Life
- Pleasures Of The Harbor
- Power And The Glory
- Pretty Smart On My Part
- Rehersal For Retirement
- Remember Me
- Ringing Of Revolution
- Scorpion Departs But Never Returns
- Small Circle
- Song Of A Soldier
- Spaceman
- Spanish Civil War Song
- Street Soldier
- Ten Cents A Coup
- Thats The Way Its Gonna Be
- Thats What I Want To Hear
- The Bells
- The Cannons Of Christianity
- The Confession
- The Doll House
- The Highwayman
- The Passing Of My Life
- The Thresher
- The Trial
- The War Is Over
- There But For Fortune
- This Old World Is Changing Hands
- Too Many Martyrs
- Watch The Waterfall
- What Are You Fighting For
- Whats That I Hear
- When Im Gone
- When In Rome
- Where Were You In Chicago
- White Boots Marching In A Yellow Land
- William Butler Yeats Visits Lincoln Park And Escapes Unscathed
Four years of hard work!This month of May we celebrated four years on the air. We continue working on the dissemination of this wonderful instrument, thank you for participating in our story!
Half A Century High
By Phil Ochs
G C G
In the tube where I was born
C Bm
I could have sworn
C D
There was so much to see
C D
There was so little to be
G C G
But I was free
B7
World at my command
Em
Through the dots I ran
Am D G
Looking for a man who looked like me
Em D
And now it can be told
Em D
I'm a quarter of a century old
G F G F G
But I'm half a century high
In the tube where I was raised
I was amazed
On the pictures I would lean
That went flashing on the screen
Oh, I was dazed
But then my eyes were made
hypnotized insane (?)
Buried in my brain
In a blinding blaze
And now it can be told
I'm a quarter of a century old
But I'm half a century high
In the tube where I was grown
I was alone
The figure on the floor (Laying on the floor)
The dream behind the door (I'd lock the closet door)
The sound was low
Ballgames on the street
Disappeared behind my feet
Out of breath my heart would be
To see another show
And now it can be told
I'm a quarter of a century old
But I'm half a century high
In the tube where I was made
I was afraid
Spinning through the space
another scene, another face,
Another shade
Mirror of my mind
On electric wheels of wine
Living on the lines that were displayed
And now it can be told
I'm a quarter of a century old
But I'm half a century high
In the tube where I was fed
I lost my head
I watch the lives they led
Watch them to the end
And then again
An open kind of laugh
I gave all the mind I had
And whenever I was sad
I had my friends
And now it can be told
I'm a quarter of a century old
But I'm half a century high
In the tube where I was killed
I was fulfilled
Such an easy way to win
Talking to my twin
No sign of sin
the sacrifice was small
fascination was the fall
I was extended by the wall that held me in
And now it can be told
I'm a quarter of a century old
But I'm half a century high
In the tube where I was killed
I was fulfilled
The lies of light would bend
I'd stare until the end
And then again
Faded and the fad
I gave all the mind I had
And whenever I was sad
I had my friends
And now it can be told
I'm a quarter of a century old
But I'm half a century high
In the tube where I was born
I could have sworn
There was so much to see
There was so little to be
But I was free
World at my command
Through the dots I ran
Looking for a man who looked like me
And now it can be told
I'm a quarter of a century old
But I'm half a century high
Notes:
Due to the way this song was done on Tape From California, I could not understand some
key lyrics. But, thanks to the version on Phil Ochs at Newport, I was able to understand
those bits. The former version, consists of only verses 1, 3 and 7 The third verse had a
couple of different lines, the version in parenthesis is from the latter album. Also, on
the latter version, the word "wise" was used instead of the word "high".
Chords supplied by Danny Korman and corrected by James Barnett
http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~trent/ochs/lyrics.html
By Phil Ochs
G C G
In the tube where I was born
C Bm
I could have sworn
C D
There was so much to see
C D
There was so little to be
G C G
But I was free
B7
World at my command
Em
Through the dots I ran
Am D G
Looking for a man who looked like me
Em D
And now it can be told
Em D
I'm a quarter of a century old
G F G F G
But I'm half a century high
In the tube where I was raised
I was amazed
On the pictures I would lean
That went flashing on the screen
Oh, I was dazed
But then my eyes were made
hypnotized insane (?)
Buried in my brain
In a blinding blaze
And now it can be told
I'm a quarter of a century old
But I'm half a century high
In the tube where I was grown
I was alone
The figure on the floor (Laying on the floor)
The dream behind the door (I'd lock the closet door)
The sound was low
Ballgames on the street
Disappeared behind my feet
Out of breath my heart would be
To see another show
And now it can be told
I'm a quarter of a century old
But I'm half a century high
In the tube where I was made
I was afraid
Spinning through the space
another scene, another face,
Another shade
Mirror of my mind
On electric wheels of wine
Living on the lines that were displayed
And now it can be told
I'm a quarter of a century old
But I'm half a century high
In the tube where I was fed
I lost my head
I watch the lives they led
Watch them to the end
And then again
An open kind of laugh
I gave all the mind I had
And whenever I was sad
I had my friends
And now it can be told
I'm a quarter of a century old
But I'm half a century high
In the tube where I was killed
I was fulfilled
Such an easy way to win
Talking to my twin
No sign of sin
the sacrifice was small
fascination was the fall
I was extended by the wall that held me in
And now it can be told
I'm a quarter of a century old
But I'm half a century high
In the tube where I was killed
I was fulfilled
The lies of light would bend
I'd stare until the end
And then again
Faded and the fad
I gave all the mind I had
And whenever I was sad
I had my friends
And now it can be told
I'm a quarter of a century old
But I'm half a century high
In the tube where I was born
I could have sworn
There was so much to see
There was so little to be
But I was free
World at my command
Through the dots I ran
Looking for a man who looked like me
And now it can be told
I'm a quarter of a century old
But I'm half a century high
Notes:
Due to the way this song was done on Tape From California, I could not understand some
key lyrics. But, thanks to the version on Phil Ochs at Newport, I was able to understand
those bits. The former version, consists of only verses 1, 3 and 7 The third verse had a
couple of different lines, the version in parenthesis is from the latter album. Also, on
the latter version, the word "wise" was used instead of the word "high".
Chords supplied by Danny Korman and corrected by James Barnett
http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~trent/ochs/lyrics.html
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