"There but for Fortune" (1963); Ochs here paraphrases a proverbial expression "There, but for the grace of God, go I", which was itself a paraphrase of John Bradford's expression on seeing other prisoners being led to their execution as heretics to be burned at the stake: There, but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford. (as quoted in Problems in the Relations of God and Man (1911) by Clement Charles Julian Webb, p. 107)
Lyrics
Variant: There but for fortune, go you or I
You or I.
Phil Ochs: Going
Phil Ochs was American protest singer and songwriter. Explore interesting quotes on going.
Phil Ochs:
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“Images of innocence charge him go on
But the decadence of destiny is looking for a pawn”
"Crucifixion"
Pleasures of the Harbor (1967)
Context: Images of innocence charge him go on
But the decadence of destiny is looking for a pawn
To a nightmare of knowledge he opens up the gate
And a blinding revelation is laid upon his plate
That beneath the greatest love is a hurricane of hate
And God help the critic of the dawn.
Testimony http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/Chicago7/ochs.html at the Chicago Seven trial (11 December 1969)