“Before the days of television and mass media, the folksinger was often a traveling newspaper spreading tales through music.”

— Phil Ochs

Introduction to "(The Marines Have Landed on the Shores of) Santo Domingo," Phil Ochs in Concert (1966)
Context: Before the days of television and mass media, the folksinger was often a traveling newspaper spreading tales through music. There is an urgent need for Americans to look deeply into themselves and their actions, and musical poetry is perhaps the most effective mirror available. Every newspaper headline is a potential song.

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Phil Ochs48

American protest singer and songwriter 1940–1976

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