I Ain't Marching Anymore

I Ain't Marching Anymore was Phil Ochs' second long player, released on Elektra Records in 1965. Dispensing with second guitarist Danny Kalb, Ochs appeared all by his lonesome as he tore through twelve originals, an interpretation of Alfred Noyes' "The Highwayman" set to music (much as Poe's "The Bells" had been set to music on the previous album) and a cover of Ewan MacColl's "The Ballad of the Carpenter".

Related Topics:
Phil Ochs - Elektra Records - 1965 - Alfred Noyes - Poe - Previous album - Ewan MacColl

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Of the twelve originals, probably the most noted was the title track, with its distinctive trilling guitar part, that spoke of a soldier sick of fighting. Also of note was the album closer, "Here's to the State of Mississippi", a biting criticism of that state's lack of civil rights and general bigoted attitude. Other important songs include "Draft Dodger Rag" (assailing those "red blooded Americans" who were all too ready to stay out of Vietnam yet because they were just summer soldiers and sunshine patriots), "That Was The President" (a tribute to John Kennedy written soon after his assassination), "Talking Birmingham Jam" (which used the melody to "John Hardy" to assail the racist leaders of Birmingham) and "Links on the Chain" (attacking labor unions for not being all-inclusive).

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On the 2002 CD reissue, an alternative electric version of "I Ain't Marching Anymore" follows "Here's to the State of Mississippi". Released as the A-side of a British 45, it had first appeared in the States on the now out-of-print 1997 box set Farewells And Fantasies.

Related Topics:
2002 - 1997 - Farewells And Fantasies

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