Music and Lyrics by Alastair Moock ©2020 Moockshake Music
Click here for chords
‘Ol Pete Seeger was a man, a banjo in his hand
He spread his messages of justice all throughout the land
‘Ol Pete Seeger fought for fairness, peace, and civil rights
For working folks of every color, brown and black and white
Chorus:
Round and round, go Pete go, round and round I say
Planting seeds, fighting wrong until your dying day
Round and round, we’re up next, time to take our turn
‘Tis the season, grab your hammer, show ‘em what we’ve learned
‘Ol Pete Seeger went to Harvard for a couple years
But he dropped out and rode the rails, still wet behind the ears
He studied in the migrant camps and down inside the mines
He struck and stood for stronger unions on that picket line
Half Chorus:
Round and round, go Pete go, round and round I say
Planting seeds, fighting wrong until your dying day
‘Ol Pete Seeger sang a song, from labor rights it come
He helped to shape and turn it into “We Shall Overcome”
‘Ol Pete Seeger sang another that’s a real fine jammer
He and Lee Hayes wrote and called it “If I Had a Hammer”
Chorus
‘Ol Pete Seeger had a wife, Toshi was her name
Toshi worked as hard as Pete and kept him on his game
Toshi stood with Pete in Congress, 1955
He wouldn’t name no names or plead the fifth ‘gainst all advice
Half Chorus
‘Ol Pete Seeger was blacklisted all throughout the fifties
But ‘Ol Pete still found ways to play because ‘Ol Pete was sneaky
Pete would go to schools and sing for kids of every age
Inspired them to join the fight, some even took the stage
Chorus
‘Ol Pete Seeger stood against the war in Vietnam
He didn’t think we should’ve sent them soldiers to Saigon
He sang, “Lay down your sword and shield, no more war you’ll study”
He went on the TV, sang, “We’re waist deep in the big muddy”
Half Chorus
‘Ol Pete Seeger saw pollution up and down the Hudson
His solution was to oversee a boat’s construction
Pete and others sailed that boat, they sang and gathered cash
They helped to clean the river up by getting new laws passed
Chorus
‘Ol Pete Seeger marched with Martin, stood with Cesar Chavez
Rode with Woody, mentored Dylan, Springsteen, and Joan Baez
‘Ol Pete Seeger sang and fought ‘til he was 94
There’s never been another like him, since then or before
Chorus