Op 27 januari 2014 overleed Pete Seeger op 94-jarige leeftijd. Hij was een Amerikaanse folkzanger en activist, hetgeen ook doorklinkt in zijn composities. Hij schreef veel liedjes zelf. Deze zijn vaak gecoverd.
Ik ben altijd bewonderaar geweest van Pete Seeger, hoewel ik op latere leeftijd pas begon te begrijpen waar zijn teksten over gingen.
Het is moeilijk om een keuze te maken uit het werk van Pete Seeger. Ik begin daarom maar met een van zijn bekendste werken Where have all the flowers gone. Een lied dat in vele talen is vertaald. In het Nederlands in 1963 op de markt gebracht door Jaap Fischer onder de titel 'Zeg me waar de bloemen zijn'.
(De teksten van de liedjes vindt u onderaan.)
Heel bekend is ook de versie van Marlene Dietrich 'Sag mir wo die Blumen sind'.
Een andere bekende compositie van Pete Seeger is Turn, turn, turn, dat een hit werd van The Byrds.
Turn, turn, turn is de letterlijke tekst van het Bijbelboek Prediker (3, 1-8).
Where have all the flowers gone.
Where have all the flowers gone, long time passing?
Where have all the flowers gone, long time ago?
Where have all the flowers gone?
Young girls picked them, ev'ry one.
When will they ever learn? Oh, when will they ever learn?
Where have all the young girls gone, long time passing?
Where have all the young girls gone, long time ago?
Where have all the young girls gone?
Gone to the young men, ev'ry one.
When will they ever learn? Oh, when will they ever learn?
Where have all the young men gone, long time passing?
Where have all the young men gone, long time ago?
Where have all the young men gone?
Gone for soldiers, ev'ry one.
When will they ever learn? Oh, when will they ever learn?
Where have all the soldiers gone, long time passing?
Where have all the soldiers gone, long time ago?
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Gone to grave yards, ev'ry one.
When will they ever learn? Oh, when will they ever learn?
Where have all the grave yards gone, long time passing?
Where have all the grave yards gone, long time ago?
Where have all the grave yards gone?
Gone to flowers, ev'ry one.
When will they ever learn? Oh, when will they ever learn?
Turn, turn, turn
To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven
A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven
A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together
To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven
A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing
To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven
A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time to love, a time to hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late
