Pete Seeger is no stranger to hits – Turn Turn Turn was a # 1 hit for The Byrds
“Turn, Turn, Turn” by The Byrds
With words from the Book of Ecclesiastes, Pete Seeger wrote a timeless song that became a #1 hit for The Byrds in 1965.
A populist movement is working to give Pete Seeger his first personal # 1 hit with his cover of Bob Dylan’s Forever Young.
The California band combined the best of the British rock invasion and folk music to create # hits for both Seeger and Bob Dylan’s Mr Tambourine Man. Because if their breakthrough arrangements, The Byrds are considered one of the most influential bands of the 1960s.
The Byrds on television
Since the original words were written more than 1,000 years before Christ, “Turn Turn Turn” has the record of being the #1 hit with the oldest words. It’s a classic of all time contributed by Peter Seeger, one of the treasures of American Music.
The same song almost reached #1 again when it was included in the Forrest Gump movie soundtrack and climbed to #2 on the album charts.
Here is a folk version performed by Pete Seeger in 2012.
Quintessentially Seeger demurred on taking credit for the lyrics which are not a direct quote from the Bible. Similar modesty didn’t prevent many artists from using Biblical quotes as song lyrics. Dylan liberally used the Book of Isaiah and Revelation to create the lyrics for All Along The Watchtower, for instance.
Make “Forever Young” # 1
Pete Seeger recorded Dylan’s “Forever Young” as a contribution to Amnesty International’s 4-disk CD Chimes of Freedom – the Songs of Bob Dylan. The recording is a charming and touching version sung with The Riverside Kids.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ezyd40kJFq0]
“Forever Young” sung by Pete Seeger and the Riverside Kids for Amnesty International
If enough people buy the Pete Seeger single on iTunes or Amazon.com. Pete Seeger will make the record books as the oldest person to have a # 1 hit. Pete Seeger will be 93 in May 2012.
Seeger has been a tireless promoter of American and international folk music, the brotherhood of man and other social advocacy causes.
Driven underground by right-wing American anti-communists in the 1950’s, he survived by busking for free on American university campuses. Ironically, the McCarthy Blacklist of Pete Seeger sowed the seeds for the 50s and 60s revival of folk music and protest songs.
Bob Dylan owes much of his early success and inspiration to Pete Seeger.
You can help celebrate the life of a great American who is a musician for the people of the world –
- Spread the message by sharing this story on social media
- Download the digital download from Amnesty International for $1.29
- Download Forever Young by Pete Seeger from on Amazon.com for $0.99
- Download Pete Seeger’s Forever Young or iTunes for $1.29 – song #17
- Watch the video on YouTube
- Like Pete Seeger’s Facebook Page
- Like Make Pete Seeger # 1 on Facebook
- Like the Facebook page Forever Pete!
- Join the Facebook Group Give Pete Seeger a # 1 hit
- and Feel Good about yourself, your friends and stay forever young.
Amnesty International
You can also help Amnesty International in their fight for political freedom and human rights by purchasing the CD, which is worth having just for the 73 songs by great artists.
Follow me on Twitter at @sdpate or on Facebook at NJN Network and OyeTimes.
Leave a Reply