Recently, we lost a wonderful musician who helped change the cultural, political, and musical landscape in the US and beyond. His songs, including “If I Had a Hammer,” “Where Have All the Flowers Gone,” and “Turn! Turn! Turn!” sought to promote social justice, peace, and love for all people. Not too long ago, Pete Seeger performed at the Common Ground Music Festival in Westminster, Maryland. His message, communicated through folk music, was one of inclusion. The Festival speaks to what Seeger was all about; using music to bring people together, and somehow moving beyond the barriers and labels that divide us.
Seeger’s humility underscored his message of inclusion. According to Tom Paxton, a fellow folk singer, Seeger never talked about himself. And he did not want to be put on a pedestal. Once, Bob Dylan referred to Seeger as a “saint.” Seeger’s response was clear and direct. “What a terrible thing to call someone. I’ve made a lot of foolish mistakes over the years.”
One of my favorite quotes from Pete Seeger: “Songs are sneaky things. They can slip across borders. Proliferate in prisons.” And they can also unite us, even when finding common ground seems unreachable. While playing his banjo as part of Common Ground, he led the crowd in singing, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Before the final stanza, he asked the crowd to alter the words to the song a bit. Instead of singing, “If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why, oh why, can’t I.” Seeger changed the lyrics to “..why, oh why, can’t we? As he said, “Either we’re all going to make it over the rainbow, or we all aren’t.” It is a message we need to take to heart. Life is not simply about me. We are all in this together.