It's a folk singer's job to comfort disturbed people and to disturb comfortable people
Interpretation
Folk singers play a dual role by soothing those in distress and challenging the complacency of those who are comfortable.
This quote by Woody Guthrie highlights the unique responsibility of folk singers and artists in society. They provide solace to individuals who are facing turmoil and, at the same time, provoke thought and reflection amongst those who may be too comfortable in their lives. This duality emphasizes the power of music and art as tools for social commentary and emotional support.
In practice
During a community event focused on social justice, this quote could set the tone for the importance of music in activism.
A folk song is what's wrong and how to fix it or it could be _x000D_ who's hungry and where their mouth is or _x000D_ who's out of work and where the job is or _x000D_ who's broke and where the money is or _x000D_ who's carrying a gun and where the peace is.
The world is filled with people who are no longer needed -- and who try to make slaves of all of us -- and they have their music and we have ours.
Nobody living can ever stop me. As I go walking my freedom highway. Nobody living can make me turn back. This land was made for you and me.
It's round the world I've traveled; it's round the world I've roamed; but I've yet to see an outlaw drive a family from its home
I hate a song that makes you think that you are not any good. I hate a song that makes you think that you are just born to lose. Bound to lose. No good to nobody. No good for nothing. Because you are too old or too young or too fat or too slim too ugly or too this or too that.
Do Re Mi_x000D_ California is a garden of Eden, a paradise to live in or see,_x000D_ But believe it or not, you won't find it so hot_x000D_ If you ain't got the do re mi
After all we did for Britain, selling that corduroy and making it swing, all we got was a bit of tin on a piece of leather.
Punk is musical freedom. It's saying, doing and playing what you want. In Webster's terms, 'nirvana' means freedom from pain, suffering and the external world, and that's pretty close to my definition of Punk Rock.
I never saw myself as a folk singer.
We don't want to be Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones. That type of thing wasn't what we were after. It was most important for each of us to be equal in input and output - each of us has to pull the same amount, musically, in composition and in every sense of being in the band.
I can show you that I have played with just about every jazz musician, every African musician, every blues musician. It's not like I'm cashing in on a false concept. This is what I do.
A lot of people are promoting records that are just throw-it-agains t-the-wall-see- if-it-sticks meaningless bullshit. Everybody has the responsibility to do the right thing and promote artists that mean something.
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