Kingston Coffee House #31 Memorial Day
Phil Ochs photographed by Fred W. McDarrah at the “War Is Over” rally Phil organized in Washington Square Park, New York City, November 25th, 1967
Show #31 “I Ain’t Marching Anymore” 5/26/26
By Mike Stevenson
Somebody once said, “If you wish someone a ‘Happy Memorial Day’ you don’t really understand the concept.” I agree. On today’s Kingston Coffee House, I’ve selected a handful of anti-war songs that illustrate the devastating human cost of war.
Songs like “Masters of War” by Bob Dylan and “Sam Stone” by John Prine separate the tragedy of war from the service and sacrifice of the troops.
It’s also been said that America is neither “red” nor blue, but purple. I agree. Purple like a bruise.
REPLAY
Replay available for 2 weeks from the original broadcast
“Swindlers Who Act Like Kings”
– Bob Dylan – “Masters of War” The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan 1963
– Phil Ochs “I Ain’t Marching Anymore” title track, 1965
– Alison Krauss “The Scarlet Tide” (E Costello/T Burnett) from 2003 film Cold Mountain *
– Jay Ungar & Molly Mason “Ashokan Farewell” from PBS documentary Ken Burns Civil War 1990
– Joan Baez “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” (R Robertson) Blessed Are 1971
– Merle Travis “Reenlistment Blues” Merle Travis in Boston 1959 *
Purple like a bruise
– John Prine “Sam Stone” Souvenirs 1972,2000
– Bob Dylan “The Ballad of Ira Hayes” (Peter La Farge) Dylan, 1973
– Nana Mouskouri “Le Garçon que J’amais” (Popp, Marnay) 1966
Crown thy good with Brotherhood
– Nellie McCay “Wooden Ships” (Crosby/Kantner/Stills) My Weekly Reader
– The Jefferson Airplane “Volunteers” (Balin/Kantner) Volunteers 1969
– Ray Charles “America the Beautiful” (S Ward/ K Bates) A Message From the People
Cat Clyde performing at Passim’s May 19, 2026
Cat Clyde
– Cat Clyde “A Man’s World” Mud, Blood, Bone 2026
– Cat Clyde “Another Time” Mud, Blood, Bone 2026
– Cat Clyde & Jeremie Albino “What Am I Living For” (C Willis) Blue, Blue, Blue
– Cat Clyde & Jeremie Albino “Been Worryin’” Blue, Blue, Blue
Vinyl from the Bargain Bin: “Truck Drivin’ Woman”
– Philomena Begley “Ramblin Man”
– Philomena Begley “Truck Drivin’ Woman”
– Philomena Begley “Here Today and Gone Tomorrow”
Philomena Begley (born 20 October 1942) was a country music singer from Northern Ireland, widely regarded as “Ireland’s Queen of Country” Before her break into music, she worked s at Fisher’s Hat Factory in Cookstown
Unfaithful, Dark, Dreams
– The Band “Unfaithful Servant” The Band 1969
– Merle Travis “Dark As a Dungeon” (Travis) Merle Travis in Boston 1969
– Merle Travis “I’ll See You In My Dreams” (G Kahn / I Jones) Merle Travis in Boston 1969
From 2003 film Cold Mountain
– Jack White “Wayfaring Stranger” (trad)
– Reeltime Travelers “Like a Songbird Has Fallen”
– Sacred Harp Sings “I’m Going Home” (trad)
– Tim Ericksen, Riley Baugus “The Cuckoo” (trad)
– Jack White “Sitting On Top of the World” (trad)
– Alison Krauss “You Will Be My Ain True Love” (Sting)
– Jack White “Never Far Away” (J White)
– Stuart Duncan, Dirk Powell “Ruby with Eyes That Sparkle” (trad)
The Hobbledehoy Set
– Shirley Collins “I Drew my Ship” (trad) False True Lovers 1969
– Shirley Collins “The Irish Boy” (trad) False True Lovers 1969
– Shirley Collins “The Spermwhale Fishery” (trad) False True Lovers 1969
Shirley Collins: “Singing English folk songs is as crucial to me as walking the Sussex landscape, where the footprints of our ancestors are everywhere. When I sing, I feel past generations standing behind me – and I hope I’m a conduit for them – those farm labourers and their wives who kept the songs going for us. The songs are social history and their beauty and power undeniable.”
– John Cale “Mfawnwy” (traditional)
– Endalf Emlyn “Nos Da” (Emlyn) Salem, 1974
– Endalf Emlyn “Aderyn Du” (Pierce/Jones) Salem, 1974
– Endalf Emlyn “Merlyn” Hiraith 1974
– Shirley Collins “Scarborough Faire” (trad) False True Lovers 1969
– Shirley Collins “The Cruel Mother” (trad) False True Lovers 1969
– Emer Kenney “Golden Brown” (the Stranglers)
– Rosemary Standley & Dom La Nena “Wish You Were Here” (Waters/Gilmour) Ramages 2020
Songs for the Troops
– George Formby “Leaning on the Lampost” (Noel Gay) from film Feather Your Nest 1937
– Joe Brown “When I’m Cleaning Windows” (Gifford/Cliffe) 1937
– George Formby “With My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock” (Gifford/Cliffe) 1937
SHOW NOTES
• Merle Travis sings “Reenlistment Blues” in a scene from the 1953 film “From Here to Eternity” which was adapted from James Jones’ bestselling novel. The film, starring Montgomery Clift, Frank Sinatra and Burt Lancaster, focuses on the lives of three US Army soldiers in Hawaii just before the Pearl Harbor attack.
• Jay Ungar & Molly Mason’s fiddle instrumental “Ashokan Farewell” is played 25 times throughout documentarian Ken Burns eleven-hour series The Civil War, including during the emotional reading of Sullivan Ballou’s letter to his wife in the first episode.
• Merle Travis performed at Jordan Hall on the campus of the New England Conservatory in Boston on November 23, 1959. The LP released by Rounder Records in 1993
• During the Second World War, British songman George Formby entertained civilians and troops throughout Europe. By 1946 it was estimated that he had performed in front of three million service personnel.
• English 1980s pop star “Sting” wrote the song “You Will Be My Ain True Love” for the film Cold Mountain. T-Bone Burnett and Elvis Costello wrote “The Scarlet Tide”. Both songs received Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song and Grammy Award nominations for Best Song.