[NYTr] Jesus Mythlogy for Phil Ochs Fans

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

[The link below is to Phil Ochs music on artistdirect, not the lyrics
for this Jesus-myth song, which is listed as #12 on the page . It's
apparently on Phil Ochs' 1965 album "I Aint't a-Marchin'
Anymore" (though I don't remember it at all).  The artistdirect page has
links to other good folk music including Baez, the Weavers, etc. This
song seems to be a transitory lapse into somewhat soppy sentimentality,
optimism and Jesus mythology by Phil; the rest of the songs on "I Ain't
a-Marchin' Anymore are really powerful and some of his best. Well, Joan
Baez recorded a gooey Xmas album, too.  There's a not-bad biographical
page here:
http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/artist/bio/0,,474853,00.html#bio
-NY Transfer]

sent by Karin Pally via Ed Pearl - Dec 25, 2007

Phil Ochs--The Ballad of the Carpenter  (to hear the tune, click on the
url and scroll down to The Ballad of the Carpenter.  Or call me and
I'll sing you the first verse.)

http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,140477,00.html

Jesus was a working man,
A hero as you shall hear.
He was born in the slums of Bethlehem
At the turning of the year,
Yes, the turning of the year.

When Jesus was a little lad.
The streets rang with his name,
For he argued with the aldermen
And he put them all to shame.
Yes he...

He became a wandering journeyman
And he wandered far and wide,
And he saw how wealth and poverty
Lived always side by side,
Yes...

He said, "Come all you working men,
You farmers and weavers, too.
If you will only organize,
This world belongs to you,
Yes...

When the rich men heard what the carpenter had done,
To the Roman troops they ran.
Saying "Put this rebel Jesus down,
He's a menace to god and man,
Yes...

Jesus walked among the poor
For the poor were his own kind,
And they wouldn't let the cops get near enough
To take him from behind,
Yes...

So they hired one of the traitor's trade
And a stool-pigeon was he
And he sold his brother to the butcher's men
For a fistful of silver money.
Yes...

When Jesus lay in the prisoner's cell,
They beat him and offered him bribes
To desert the cause of his own dear folk
And work for the rich men's tribe,
Yes...

The commander of the occupying troops
He laughed and then he said,
"There's a cross to spare on Calvary Hill,
By the weekend he'll be dead,
Yes..

The sweat stood out upon his brow
And the blood was in his eye,
And they nailed his body to the Roman cross
And they laughed as they watched him die,
Yes..

Two thousand years have passed and gone,
And many a hero too,
But the dream of this poor carpenter
At last it is coming true,
Yes...