DAYS OF DECISION ~ PHIL OCHS

Phil Ochs was an American protest singer (or, as he preferred, a topical singer) and songwriter who was known for his sharp wit, sardonic humor, earnest humanism, political activism, insightful and alliterative lyrics, and haunting voice. He wrote hundreds of songs in the 1960s and released eight albums in his lifetime. Sadly his visions became too much for him, like his father had after fighting in WW2, Phil developed a bi-polar condition, and ended his life in 1976. 

The miracle of a singer like Ochs is, his voice and his words ring even clearer now than they ever did when he was young, not that he ever had the chance to grow old. Phil was one of my favourite singers when I was 10 or 11, and ...  well, his vision was clear, his voice powerful. I know he certainly influenced me and the thoughts I kept during the whole of my life ~ and still have today.

In those heady days, Bob Dylan said of Ochs, "I just can't keep up with Phil. And he just keeps getting better and better and better" Yes, Phil was just that prolific and just that addictive.

But his music lasts forever. Please enjoy ~

the days of which he sings ~  

they are finally here.

DAYS OF DECISION 

Oh, the shadows of doubt are in many a mind,
Lookin' for an answer they're never gonna find,
But they'd better decide 'cause they're runnin' out of time,
For these are the days of decision.

Oh, the games of stalling you cannot afford,
Dark is the danger that's knocking on the door,
And the far-reaching rockets say you can't wait anymore,
For these are the days of decision.

In the face of the people who know they're gonna win,
There's a strength that's greater than the power od the wind,
And you can't stand around when the ice is growing thin,
For these are the days of decision.

I've seen your heads hinding 'neath the blankets of fear,
When the paths they are plain and the choices are clear,
But with each passing day, boys, the cost is more dear
For these are the days of decision.

There's many a cross that burns in the night,
And the fingers of the fire are pointing as they bite,
Oh you can't let the smoke keep on blinding all your sight,
For these are the days of decision.

Now the mobs of anger are roamin' the street,
From the rooftops they are aimin' at the police on the beat,
And in city after city you know they will repeat,
For these are the days of decision.

There's been warnin's of fire, warnin's of flood,
Now there's the warnin' of the bullet and the blood,
From the three bodies buried in the Mississippi mud,
Sayin' these are the days of decision.

There's a change in the wind, and a split in the road,
You can do what's right or you can do what you are told,
And the prize of the victory will belong to the bold,
Yes, these are the days of decision.