CoronaVinyl Day 393 (O): Tape From California by Phil Ochs

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Today's CoronaVinyl category is "O," and my last album by an "O" artist is folk singer Phil Ochs's fifth studio album, 1968's Tape From California.

Ochs was one of the key figures in the '60s folk and protest music, coming up through the seminal Greenwich Village scene in the early to mid '60s.  His music was self-described as "topical" and predictably touched on many of the important political issues of the day.  He was associated with various liberal groups, such as the Yippies, and he even testified for the defense at the trial of the Chicago Seven, singing "I Ain't Marching Anymore" on his way out of the courthouse.

By the late '60s, Ochs was venturing away from straight folk music, and Tape From California has more orchestral arrangements, though it was certainly not devoid of political themes.  "The War Is Over" is one of his signature songs, a scathing anti-Vietnam folk song with military band instruments.  "White Boots Marching in a Yellow Land" is also an overt anti-war anthem.

Ochs continued to make music into the '70s, but became more and more disillusioned by the various tragedies of 1968 (MLK's assassination, RFK's assassination, the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and resulting Chicago Seven trial) and the Vietnam War.  He became an alcoholic, his conduct became increasingly unstable, and he was diagnosed as bipolar.  Sadly, in 1976, he committed suicide by hanging himself at his sister's home in New York.

Favorite Song on Side 1:  "White Boots Marching in a Yellow Land"
This is a pretty straightforward folk anti-war song.  I love the line "And the lost patrol chase their chartered souls / Like old whores following tired armies."

Favorite Song on Side 2:  "When In Rome"
At over thirteen minutes, this one is the second track on the second side.  To the extent there is such thing as an acoustic folk power ballad, I'd say this falls into that category.