This morning, I was listening to the rebroadcast of last weekend’s Midnight Special broadcast on WFMT. And they played Pete Seeger’s rendition of “We Shall Overcome” at his Carnegie Hall concert in June, 1963. I’d heard this version before, but not for a very long time. And…it’s spectacular. Everyone here knows “We Shall Overcome.” Everybody has either heard it or sung it, and probably most have done both. But even though you know the song intimately, this is still an enthralling, emotional performance. It’s not all the verses. Or the big crowd joining in. Mostly, it’s Pete Seeger singing his ethereal harmony that soars throughout. Yes, it’s all of that together. But keep your ear honed to Seeger’s voice. It’s really special. And it's made even more special from the perspective of knowing the time we live in, with the voting rights bill just failing in Congress with zero Republican votes. After a bit of an introduction, the song lasts five minutes, and it just sucks you in. I know that it says this goes on for over eight minutes, but that’s only because when the song finishes, there is a roaring ovation for literally a minute-and-a-half! (In fairness, I don’t think that’s only for this song, but it seems like it’s the end of the concert. But it’s still the way you want this performance to end.)
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AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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