Pete Seeger and the Boss Show True Patriotism

Posted by Digby, Hullabaloo at 11:26 AM on January 20, 2009.

My favorite highlight from the concert on Sunday -- Pete Seeger singing the subversive, politically incorrect lyrics to "This Land Is Your Land" that nobody ever sings ...

"As I was walkin' - I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!

In the squares of the city - In the shadow of the steeple
Near the relief office - I see my people
And some are grumblin' and some are wonderin'
If this land's still made for you and me."

Heh. He's still got it.

This was good too:

I also liked Garth Brooks leading the choir --- and the crowd --- with "Shout!" (It had to make some Republicans feel really strange to see that mega country star crossing over to the dark side.) I would have liked to see the Dixie Chicks up there too, but I suppose the people who sang "I'm Not Ready To Make Nice" aren't exactly the perfect messengers for this theme of reconciliation. But I'll always appreciate them for standing up and fighting back when it was hard to do it.

And, at the risk of being sentimental again ( I know how some of you hate that) I have to say once more just how much affection I feel for the Obama family and how verklempt I get at the thought of them being in the White House. I've been embarrassed and ashamed of a lot of things this country's done, especially in recent years. But the fact that in my lifetime we have gone from the horrors on the Edmund Pettus Bridge to inaugurating a black president gives me ... well ... hope.

Tagged as: obama, 2009, pete seeger, the boss, springstein, concert

Digby is the proprietor of Hullabaloo.