Where Have All the Flowers Gone: A Singer's Stories, Songs, Seeds, Robberies

by Pete Seeger, Peter Blood

One of the most important and influential figures in American music offers his autobiography in words and songs. This down-home style perspective covers everything from the music business to social activism. Includes complete music to Seeger's songs. 50 photos. Line drawings throughout.

Genres: Music, Memoir, History, Biography

287 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Peter Seeger, better known as Pete Seeger, was a folk singer, political activist, and a key figure in the mid-20th century American folk music revival. As a member of the Weavers, he had a string of hits, including a 1949 recording of Leadbelly's "Goodnight Irene" that topped the charts for 13 weeks in 1950. However, his career as a mainstream performer was seriously curtailed by the Second Red Scare: he came under severe attack as a former member of the Communist Party of the United States of America. Later, he re-emerged on the public scene as a pioneer of protest music in the late 1950s and the 1960s.

He was perhaps best known as the author or co-author of the songs "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?", "If I Had a Hammer (The Hammer Song)", and "Turn, Turn, Turn!", which have been recorded by many artists both in and outside the folk revival movement and are still sung throughout the world. "Flowers" was a hit recording for The Kingston Trio (1962), Marlene Dietrich, who recorded it in English, German and French (1962), and Johnny Rivers (1965). "If I Had a Hammer" was a hit for Peter, Paul & Mary (1962) and Trini Lopez (1963), while The Byrds popularized "Turn, Turn, Turn!" in the mid-1960s. Seeger was also widely credited with popularizing the traditional song "We Shall Overcome", which was recorded by Joan Baez and many other singer-activists, and became the publicly perceived anthem of the 1960s American Civil Rights Movement soon after musicologist Guy Carawan introduced it at the founding meeting of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in 1960.

Reviews

[Tom Mueller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great songbook, chords for some songs as well as full music. Includes biographical information. I should buy this book.

[Ryan Nelsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book you can have fun in, learn a great deal of history, and learn some of the greatest songs ever writen, and how to write your own. A rare find

[Kai · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely songbook filled with music, insights, history and philosophy, a must read for those who love Pete Seeger's music

[S. Yuri Reese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, feel good, quick read for those who love Pete and folk music!

[Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love you Pete 🫶🫶

[Alan]

Got this book from my wife, as a wedding present. One of the most long-lasting and highly-influential courtship gestures EVER! (The boxer shorts are long worn out, and the matching vest still sorta fits; can't find the matching kipa.) We sing the songs all the time and always love them. "Oh, if I could ring like a bell!"

[Milo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book on so many counts. It is both autobiography and songbook. Seeger's philosophy, as evident in so much of his musical oeuvre, really rings out in the narrative as well. I cannot recommend this highly enough, whether you are a musician or not.

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must have for any liberal pinko traitors who hate America. Includes lyrics and chords for your fave songs!