“A good song can only do good, and I am proud of the songs I have sung.”

—  Pete Seeger

Statement to the court prior to his sentencing for contempt of Congress (1961); also quoted on NPR: Weekend Edition (2 July 2005)
Context: A good song can only do good, and I am proud of the songs I have sung. I hope to be able to continue singing these songs for all who want to listen, Republicans, Democrats, and independents.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "A good song can only do good, and I am proud of the songs I have sung." by Pete Seeger?
Pete Seeger photo
Pete Seeger 38
American folk singer 1919–2014

Related quotes

“They are songs which can be sung in a Christian context, but they all had to mean something to me because I was often on the edge of not believing. The songs certainly have not made my fortune, but I am still grateful for the royalties when they come in.”

Sydney Carter (1915–2004) British musician and poet

On the songs One More Step, Lord of the Dance, and When I needed a neighbour which a survey of schools in the UK found to be the first, fifth, and sixth most sung of songs under copyright used in school assemblies.
The Times [London] (29 August 1996)

Vachel Lindsay photo

“I have sung my songs to my own tunes”

Vachel Lindsay (1879–1931) American poet

What It Means to Be a Poet in America (1926)
Context: I have sung my songs to my own tunes for most of the English departments of the state universities of the forty-eight states of the nation, and the English departments of other universities and colleges; and I have been recalled to many of these seven and eight times, which matters are a source of great pride to me. And I have brought out three books where the songs were based on my own pen-and-ink pictures.

Hank Williams photo

“A good song is a good song, and if I'm lucky enough to write it, well….! I get more kick out of writing than I do singing. I reckon I've written a thousand songs and had over 300 published.”

Hank Williams (1923–1953) American country music singer

Gleason, Ralph (06-28-1969). 1952 interview of Hank Williams. Rolling Stone.

Preity Zinta photo
Halldór Laxness photo
Tom Lehrer photo

“You know, of all the songs I have ever sung, that is the one I've had the most requests not to.”

Tom Lehrer (1928) American singer-songwriter and mathematician

Afterword to "I Hold Your Hand In Mine"
Songs by Tom Lehrer (1953)

Carole King photo

“The song is the center; the song is the key. If you don't have a good song you don't have anything by my value.”

Carole King (1942) Nasa

As quoted in "The King is Still Alive" in The Birmingham Post [England] (6 November 2001)

Sarah Vaughan photo

“There's a category for me. I like to be referred to as a good singer of good songs in good taste.”

Sarah Vaughan (1924–1990) American jazz singer

Interview, The Hollywood Reporter, 1974

Kuba Wojewódzki photo

“You have sung this song as if it had been hit by a bus.”

Kuba Wojewódzki (1963) Polish journalist

Zaśpiewałaś tą piosenkę, jakby uderzył w nią autobus.
To Idol contestants

William Morris photo

“O thrush, your song is passing sweet
But never a song that you have sung,
Is half so sweet as thrushes sang
When my dear Love and I were young.”

William Morris (1834–1896) author, designer, and craftsman

Other Days, reported in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919).

Related topics