Tune Req: Outside of a Small Circle of Friends

Subject: Circle of Friends
From:
Date: 02 Mar 98 - 08:34 PM

Hi- One of our older church members would like to sing a song called "Circle of Friends" by a folk singer named Oachs. I'm afraid I'm out of my league here. Does anyone know of such a piece? Where might I find the music for this? I am Mike McAllister, Choir Director of the Sierra Foothills Uniterian Universalist Church e-mail is: [e-mail] phone is: [phone] or [phone]

Subject: Lyr Add: OUTSIDE OF A SMALL CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
From: Will
Date: 02 Mar 98 - 09:36 PM

from: http://www.cs.pdx.edu/~trent/ochs/lyrics/small-circle-of-friends.html

OUTSIDE OF A SMALL CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
By Phil Ochs

  
C                   D               C          D             
Look outside the window, there's a woman being grabbed  
         C                 Em         F                G  
They've dragged her to the bushes and now she's being stabbed  
E                                 Am  
Maybe we should call the cops and try to stop the pain  
      F         Am               Dm                G   
But Monopoly is so much fun, I'd hate to blow the game  
        C                Am       Eb   
And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody  
Cm                            F  
Outside of a small circle of friends.

Riding down the highway, yes, my back is getting stiff
Thirteen cars are piled up, they're hanging on a cliff.
Maybe we should pull them back with our towing chain
But we gotta move and we might get sued and it looks like it's gonna rain
And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody
Outside of a small circle of friends.

Sweating in the ghetto with the colored and the poor
The rats have joined the babies who are sleeping on the floor
Now wouldn't it be a riot if they really blew their tops?
But they got too much already and besides we've got the cops
And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody
Outside of a small circle of friends.

Oh there's a dirty paper using sex to make a sale
The Supreme Court was so upset, they sent him off to jail.
Maybe we should help the fiend and take away his fine. (*)
But we're busy reading Playboy and the Sunday New York Times
And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody
Outside of a small circle of friends

Smoking marijuana is more fun than drinking beer,
But a friend of ours was captured and they gave him thirty years
Maybe we should raise our voices, ask somebody why
But demonstrations are a drag, besides, we're much too high
And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody
Outside of a small circle of friends

Oh look outside the window, there's a woman being grabbed
They've dragged her to the bushes and now she's being stabbed
Maybe we should call the cops and try to stop the pain
But Monopoly is so much fun, I'd hate to blow the game
And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody
Outside of a small circle of friends

[ Additional verse, 1974 ]
Down in Santiago where they took away our mines
We cut off all their money so they robbed the storehouse blind
Now maybe we should ask some questions, maybe shed a tear
But I bet you a copper penny, it cannot happen here
And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody
Outside of a small circle of friends


Notes:

Chords supplied by [e-mail] (Rocky Bivens)

* This line is often misquoted as follows:
"Maybe we should take a stand and send the fiend a fine"
This completely reverses the meaning of the verse and the intent of the song. However on There and Now - Live in Vancouver 1968, Phil himself sings it this way, although, this is probably accidental as he also forgot a portion of the previous verse in that performance.
The first verse is a commentary on the murder of Kitty Genovese. She was murdered on March 14th, 1964 in NYC. Dave Marulli supplies the following about this incident:

On March 13, 1964, a 28-year-old New York City woman gained worldwide recognition for her role in an event which even today is remembered by people everywhere, creating a legacy still held up as an example of American values, or lack thereof. There can be no doubt, however, that Kitty Genovese would have given all her worldly possessions to have avoided the global "fame" acquired on that Friday the 13th that gave to her the ultimate horror associated with this symbol of bad luck.

Even though 47,000 New York City residents have been murdered since, hers remains the most tragic because 38 "citizens" awakened by her cries for help watched as she was assaulted not once, but three times over a half-hour period. Not only did they fail to come to her aid, but they also failed to call the police for help.

Vincent Mosely, her assailant, stabbed her several times, then left, only to return a few minutes later to cut her up a little more. During his brief absence, these "decent" New Yorkers turned off their lights and went back to sleep, only to be awakened again by this second assault, a scene repeated a third time, after which she no longer needed the assistance she failed to get the first, second or even the third, and final time.

During Mosely's trial, witnesses made several statements, but one stands above the rest as a symbol of this tragic event and is the reason for its worldwide infamy: "We didn't want to get involved." No surprise to Mosely, for as he said: "I knew they wouldn't do anything - they never do."

Hundreds, if not thousands, of studies were done about this event, and book after book after book announced the downfall of American values because of it.

One study concluded that on average if more than 4 people witness an event, nobody will do anything. Each person will say to themselves "I don't have to get involved since there are other people here who can help."

Updated: 21 Apr 97 trent

Subject: RE:
From: Will
Date: 02 Mar 98 - 09:39 PM

Now, of course, it's not clear that this is any more folk than Steve Goodman. But it sure is good music.

Subject: RE: Oachs' song
From: BK
Date: 02 Mar 98 - 09:48 PM

Mike; It's a good guess the singer is the late Phil Oachs (not sure of the correct spelling), of the early days/years of the "folk scare," and author of many excellent songs such as (if I remember correctly) "pleasures of the harbor," and I've long forgotten what else. I seem to recall that he was often associated with and/or published by, "Sing Out," the folk-song magazine. It's amazing what one forgets over time...

Somewhere in our relatively large and not-yet-organized vinyl collection (will it ever be organized again?) I have an albumn or two of his- I can try to find it/them and see if that title is among what I have. Also I believe Glen Yarborough recorded some of his work, as did other well-known performers of the great folk days.

Surely in this forum someone else will have more info for you but meanwhile I'll try to find a minute to look. good luck!

Cheers, BK

Subject: RE:
From: BK
Date: 02 Mar 98 - 09:59 PM

while I was typing (I'm slow, and my brouser disconnected) you got the expected authoratative answer.. see, it works - this forum is great! Cheers, BK

Subject: RE:
From: Marc B
Date: 03 Mar 98 - 01:09 AM

You've already gotten your answer to the question in full, thanks to the sender. But I wanted to add that if you're interested in Phil Ochs songs, some of the best ever from that time I have two of his songbooks.

My favorite Phil Ochs song, also appropriate for church and one that was very popular when I first began singing folk stuff in church, is "Crucifixion", a long, very tough statement society and that event. I believe, though I'mnot sure, that it was meant to parallel the assassination of JFK, but it is not directly refered to in the song so you can take it or leave it. Not for the timid or lazy minded but still gives me goosebumps to sing it.

In going back to Phil's things, many of them stand up very well in today's headlines. "We're the Cops of the World, Boys". "Circle of Friends". "Cannons of Christianity".

Let me know if you'd like me to send you copies of any of the songs.

Marc B

Subject: Tune Add: OUTSIDE OF A SMALL CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
From: OldPossum
Date: 22 May 03 - 02:46 PM

X:76
T:Outside Of A Small Circle Of Friends
B:The Complete Phil Ochs: Chords of Fame
C:Phil Ochs
N:filename[ CRCLFRND
M:C
L:1/4
K:Am
|c B A G/A/-|A D ^F A | c<B A/ G A/-|A3 G |
w: Look out-side the win|-dow, there's a|wom-an be-ing grabbed.|_They|
c B A G |(c<B) A G | f e d/ c d/-|d4 |
w: dragged her to the|bush_-es, and|now she's be-ing stabbed.|_|
B B B B | B E/^G/-G B | c c c B/A/-|
w: May-be we should|call the cops_ and|try to stop the pain,|
A3 A/A/ | f e/d/-d c | f/ e d/-d z/ c/ |
w: _But Mo|nop-o-ly_ is|so much fun,_ I'd|
f e d G/G/-|G2 A B | c c c G | A E/E/-E2 |
w: hate to blow the game,|_And I'm|sure it would-n't|in-ter-est_|
z1 _B2 A | (_B/A/) G3 | z1 G G/G/ G | G2 G/A/ _B |A4 | z4 |]
w: an-y|bod-_y|out-side of a|small cir-cle of|friends.|*|