The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #138713   Message #3238693
Posted By: Desert Dancer
13-Oct-11 - 10:50 PM
Thread Name: ADD: Washington Square (from Pete Seeger)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Washington Square (from Pete Seeger)
Here's an MP3 at Amazon.com. It doesn't have the full song, but it does have some that's not listed here yet:

Glimmers of sunlight from banjos are glancing;
there by the fountain a few singers meet.
See New York's finest with night sticks advancing;
"Don't raise your voices," says the cop on the beat.

All through the atmosphere, what is that song we hear?
Our country's anthem from this motley crew.
Answer this prayer to God, call out the riot squad
...


This obviously refers to the "Beatnik Riot" in Washington Square in 1961. There's a wonderful short documentary about it that NPR put online, along with their story. Here's the April Mudcat thread (above) on it, which has a link.

~ Becky in Long Beach