Harry Chapin - The Parade's Still Passing By video free download


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Duration: 03:27
Uploaded: 2011/07/13

"I got the news today

That you refused to play

Cause you never made number one

But it's not just the words

It's the deeds that are heard

When all is said and done

Kings take their crowns

They melt them all down

Trying to get the gold out

You went to hell and

Even when you weren't selling

You never ever sold out.

You weren't no leader

You were more like a bleeder

Who was trying to cry for us all

You weren't no sage

But your sense of outrage

Sounded like a trumpet call

Fifteen years ago

In the old folky show

You were just one voice in the crowd

But now with so few singing

Your voice would have been ringing

Out 'bout twice as loud.

There but for fortune

Say a small circle of friends

Some may see the changes

So few see the ends

The pleasures of the harbor

Have come to you at last

You may not be marching anymore

But the parade's still going past

I'm not taking the blame

That we killed you

You know you did that to yourself

But it was kind of a shame

That you played that game

Cause you were better than anyone else

One shot of your bottle

Got you full throttle

It was the friend that was always there

But your greatest gift

And the curse you lived with

Was that you could always care."

/Lyrics from The Harry Chapin Archive at Harrychapin.com\

Comments

8 years ago

Paul M

Although this song is a biographical treatment of Phil Ochs, it could just as easily be a post-humous auto-biographical self-tribute ~~ God Bless Harry's Memory ...

9 years ago

Paul Lavan

A moving tribute to the greatest man who ever drew breath. Always my hero, Phil. Always. x

9 years ago

Bill McBee

I was a fan of Harry's from the beginning. I listened to him perform at Orrie DeNooyer auditorium in Hackensack, NJ right after he recorded Taxi.. My wife and I had the pleasure of seeing Harry in concert in 1976 at the McCain Auditorium in Manhattan KS while we were stationed At Fort Riley. He played a little song he had written on the plane from Kansas City "On the Road to Kingdom Come."This song, however,made me a Phil Ochs fan. I just finished watching American Masters biography about Phil Ochs it covered some of his personal demons and had people comment now about him then and at the end. I think Harry did a better job of catching Phil in this song than Jon Baez, Abbie Hoffman, et al. I wonder when Harry will be honored with a American Masters bio.

12 years ago

pjbLIVE

This tune has true character wrapped in straight up lyrics. It pierces the heart, pumps the soul, and enlightens the mind. Truly one of Harry's best and underrated songs!

12 years ago

Keath Graham

@eppersteen58 In the lyric sheet from the original LP, it clearly states the song is in tribute to Phil Ochs. The lyrics also frequently reference Phil Ochs songs.

12 years ago

glenn G

In the chorus: there but be a fortune, pleasures of the harbor, I ain't a marching anymore, Parade passes by, changes, small circle of friends all titles to Phil Oches songs.

12 years ago

glenn G

I'm sorry but listen to the words it is Phil Oches. All the references are to phils songs, and it is true about him refusing to play in a show. Woody Guthrie was recognized for his works.Phil wasn't and he did take his life.

12 years ago

Dennis P

@thetragedian: Thank you, I had been wondering that for quite a while.

12 years ago

Keath Graham

This song is in tribute to the late folk singer Phil Ochs.

12 years ago

KittGibson

I've been looking for this song for forever. I couldn't possibly thank you enough for posting this.

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