He was my uncle, Andrew goodman. My dad loved him so much and the song makes it even more touching and being with him at this feeling. Andi will be remembered forever. They were at the same class
The song was written before Freedom Summer and the murders of Schwerner, Chaney, and Goodman. The song was written in '63, and recorded three months before their murders in '64. On its album release after the summer of '64, the lyric "This town's going to be your burying place" was changed to "Mississippi's going to be..." The song was dedicated to Goodman on the album, but was not initially written about him.
The times change, yet they stay the same. This song made me think of the young man in the dark blue jacket, with his arms outstreached, shot dead dead in the streets of Egypt just yesterday. "Oh God, He died so his brothers could be free!"
I will never forget my friend, Cleo Broussard. He, Ronald Duhon and I were an I separable trio from 1st-8th grade. Cleo got drafted. Somehow we missed the draft. Cleo died in less than a year, never saw his 18th birthday, the freedoms of his formative years, graduations, marriages, careers. This must have been pre-1968. Cleo you made love you forever!
This was about the Mississippi murders. I have always admired the three guys who were so ahead of their time that they would stand against the institution of racism-especially back then. We drive through Mississippi every two years or so and I think of their sacrifice. Amazing.
A civil rights worker or a soldier in South Korea, South Vietnam, Grenada, Kuwait or anywhere else in the world where people want to be free - there were brothers killed for that cause. This song is art to be interpreted by the listener and personalized for individual meaning. It was never to be frozen in time and forgotten.
One of the great folk/protest songs of the 1960s, and one that remains relevant today for people throughout the world who continue to work to make the world a better place. We must never forget those like Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner, who bravely put their lives in danger in the cause of freedom and justice for all.
This is my 1st time hearing this song. Am not ashame to say I had tears rolling down my checks😢no tears don't bring them back. But I know there is life after this one. And they are with us. Things has happened that can't be explain away. So they give us signs. But you have to be alert & believe in your heart they still come around from time to time to visit us. Love this song. So much sadness in this world. Why can't we all love one another??? This is what God wanted us to do. Spread the love, not hate!!!!!
judy Martin Your comment impressed me, seems you may have experienced a loss of some sort. I also have experienced similar loses. Additionally I have had experience with what follows. Your comments indicate to me that your thinking indicates you are in tune with what just may be beyond most beings comprehension of what reality may be. My own beliefs tell me that you are on the right track. All the love I now have I pass to you, use it wisely and remember you are loved.
I remember them singing this song in Gerdes Folk City in the early sixties. We all sang along. We knew what freedom riders were and the chances they took. At the time they were singing under the name "Tom and Jerry." Old man talking.
Just today, 19th Feb 2011, I was looking through some belongings of my aunt, who died at Christmas 2010. I found, amongst her books,a pencil written poem about her brother who was killed in 1940 something, he was 23. (My aunt wrote this poem and his name was Ernest Ball,) and he died so his brothers could be free. He had 3 sisters, and not one of them forgot him until the day they died. He is buried in Damascus. He was my uncle Ernie, and he prevented the monsters from invading our shores.
Sorry to drag this up after all this time but I'm sorry to hear that. How's things? From your channel, you're into S&G and Scrubs which automatically makes you awesome! 😊
RIP my brother Spc. Jonathan M. Curtis, age 24. Very different circumstances than the song, but another young man who died so his brothers could be free ...
Yesterday, I returned to this song for linguistic reasons (the writer/ rider dilemma). And the context hit me in the heart more than before. Especially the change from "this town" to "MS" in response to Andrew Goodman´s death. If William Faulkner had still been living in 1964, he may not have afforded to write about the tragedy (he had had his window broken for a liberal pamphlet in favour of black students). Thanks to all supreme powers for the reflection by Paul and Art.
it's hard to imagine anyone, anywhere, singing a pop song like this and being taken seriously...what a cynical and superficial age we live in - eh? imagine some young lads on the x-factor singing this?
Was a different time... KKK were ruling in those parts like the AWB was up & coming in SA... Racism hatred is a TAUGHT thing... parents wake up - your influence for good or bad future for your children is in your hands....
Considering that Paul Simon adapted the lyrics ("This town" to "Mississippi") after the murder of his friend and classmate Andrew Goodman to dedicate the song to him, I wonder why he didn't change the mentioned age as well? Goodman was two years younger than Simon (& Garfunkel), and 20 years old the day he died.
Remember this well...Apartheid nazis were in full throttle all over SA - even Cape Town... I was at a folk club and protest songs were the rage then - this was sung a few times... p Plain-clothed cops - members of (B.O.S.S.) - Bureau of State Security were known to frequent this particular club often just as they did in the Space Theatre - Yvonne Bryceland - gutsy actress of note cocked a snoot at them too as she acknowledged them sarcastically as only she could... We'd gone to see her & Athol Fugard in "Master Harold & the Boys" - which was due to be banned 'cos of political content & inuendos... It was a sick time of bullying selfishness from cops... sad twerps - how we young folk despised them & their ilk... Many SA heroes were persecuted ... a lot died both African & Whites - even overseas Brits were stalwarts of heroism... Mans inhumanity to his fellow man... sad so sad...
@birdman404 Don't say such things! I hope they will NEVER stop! =O I saw them in 1982 and 1983. I missed them later because I had death in my family and couldn't go to any concerts. I am sad that I never saw Paul with 'Graceland' live. :(
This song means a lot to me. Because my country Kurdistan has been occupied from 4 different states for long time. We need independence. Many many young Kurdish people died for freedom. Go home outsiders of Kurdistan!!!
Interesting take. The phrasing of "go home outsiders" in this song (someone please correct me if I'm wrong) refers to the civil rights activists being considered "outsiders" by the mob of KKK that would proceed to murder them. These young men were doing good work for America, fulfilling their duty to uphold the founding principals of the nation. That is, they "[held] these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." - Declaration of Independence. [edit: typo]
Right...Andrew Goodman was a classmate of Paul Simon's and he was also one of the three young men killed by the KKK for registering people, including African Americans, to vote.....................
What must it been like to have had a friend murdered for no good reason..as if there IS a good reason for murder but I hope you understand my meaninh. RIP Andrew, James and Michael..God Bless. God Keep.
But some songs are as a memorial to a specife person or an event, it dosent mean it cant have meaning for you but it shouldnt be overloked that it was orgenialy meant to honnor / remember a specife person or event
@BenBarfuss I can think of an example of an audience, today, wearing normal clothes, sitting quietly and listening attentively to beautiful music. It's Paul Simon singing one of his new songs in Boston in April 2011. Maybe the right music creates the right audience behavior. Search on RUclips for Questions For The Angels posted by Ellgee82.
Perhaps you can answer this qustion but was Andrew Goodman a High schol friend of Art and Paul s.. I think I read that somewhere but havent been able to confrim it
@1964scouser how dare you berate this person that served his country and left his family so we could have a better life. Who made you the all knowing judge of what is right and wrong?! A soldier fighting for democracy to preserve the civil rights of his brothers and sisters has just as much place as a peaceful demonstrator for civil rights.
Hi Simon, I would like to find out more about your uncle and his 2 fellow civil rights activists. Any suggestion what I should read, among the many publications about the movement? I am a journalist myself, coming from austria, living in istanbul....
@BenBarfuss Well, remember Bob Dylan? That was about the same time, wasn't it? And his music wasn't too melodic and neither was the audience very quiet. They were cussing him out. And then again, have you ever been to a Mumford and Sons concert nowadays? You should go. So it's all a matter of what you focus on and what you disregard! (No offense, btw, I'm just defending my time.)
@deadpoulet If you want to say that our country fights wars over things like oil and resources, then fine. Everyone's entitled to their opinion - unfortunately you may even be right. But if you think the individual soldiers are in it for those things, then you've never met a soldier.
Brian Curtis as a leftist i tell soldiers two things 1) wanting to fight and die for freedom, to protect the innocent, to build democracy, is the noblest sentiment. 2) the ruling class uses you for your sentiment-- they care as little about you as the people youre sent to invade, so your duty is here, in a fight against our own enemies to freedom and democracy. "Our bullets are for our own generals," so that it will be possible for us to fight for the global liberation of the oppressed and exploited. Replacing the Taliban or Saddam with Halliburton doesnt help anybody
![VENEZUELA vs. ARGENTINA [1-1] | RESUMEN | ELIMINATORIAS SUDAMERICANAS | FECHA 9](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/SJfoPdeOPCQ/mqdefault.jpg)
He was my uncle, Andrew goodman. My dad loved him so much and the song makes it even more touching and being with him at this feeling. Andi will be remembered forever. They were at the same class
Simon Goodman the Freedom Riders are forever heroes for the solidarity they showed to the liberation struggle down here. May your uncle Rest in Power.
Andrew has gone down in history as a true hero for freedom.
Just the same as John Brown!
The song was written before Freedom Summer and the murders of Schwerner, Chaney, and Goodman. The song was written in '63, and recorded three months before their murders in '64. On its album release after the summer of '64, the lyric "This town's going to be your burying place" was changed to "Mississippi's going to be..." The song was dedicated to Goodman on the album, but was not initially written about him.
You illuminated me
Prophetic! I believe one of the murdered victims was also Jewish as Simon and Garfunkel.
2 voices, 1 guitar, more impact that a 40 piece orchestra.
Simon and Garfunkel wrote so many brilliant songs but this still remains one of my all time fav's of theirs.
Paul Simon wrote the song in 1963. It must have been frightening when in many respects it became a reality in 1964.
Things haven't really changed .Trump and the 43% of of dumb as fucking rocks that support him have seen to that
The times change, yet they stay the same. This song made me think of the young man in the dark blue jacket, with his arms outstreached, shot dead dead in the streets of Egypt just yesterday. "Oh God, He died so his brothers could be free!"
I will never forget my friend, Cleo Broussard. He, Ronald Duhon and I were an I separable trio from 1st-8th grade. Cleo got drafted. Somehow we missed the draft. Cleo died in less than a year, never saw his 18th birthday, the freedoms of his formative years, graduations, marriages, careers. This must have been pre-1968. Cleo you made love you forever!
Bochanable you from Louisiana? Sorry for you loss--war is the thief of life
This was about the Mississippi murders. I have always admired the three guys who were so ahead of their time that they would stand against the institution of racism-especially back then. We drive through Mississippi every two years or so and I think of their sacrifice. Amazing.
He wrote it before the Mississippi murders.
love Paul's expression when he sings "They shot my brother dead because he hated what was wrong"
A civil rights worker or a soldier in South Korea, South Vietnam, Grenada, Kuwait or anywhere else in the world where people want to be free - there were brothers killed for that cause. This song is art to be interpreted by the listener and personalized for individual meaning. It was never to be frozen in time and forgotten.
One of the great folk/protest songs of the 1960s, and one that remains relevant today for people throughout the world who continue to work to make the world a better place. We must never forget those like Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner, who bravely put their lives in danger in the cause of freedom and justice for all.
This is the song that made me fall in love with them. I still tear up and get goosebumps every time I hear it.
Such lively music, yet so sad lyrics. Only these genius's could blend the two and sound magnificent
This is my 1st time hearing this song. Am not ashame to say I had tears rolling down my checks😢no tears don't bring them back. But I know there is life after this one. And they are with us. Things has happened that can't be explain away. So they give us signs. But you have to be alert & believe in your heart they still come around from time to time to visit us. Love this song. So much sadness in this world. Why can't we all love one another??? This is what God wanted us to do. Spread the love, not hate!!!!!
judy Martin Your comment impressed me, seems you may have experienced a loss of some sort. I also have experienced similar loses. Additionally I have had experience with what follows. Your comments indicate to me that your thinking indicates you are in tune with what just may be beyond most beings comprehension of what reality may be. My own beliefs tell me that you are on the right track. All the love I now have I pass to you, use it wisely and remember you are loved.
I still tear up ever time i listen to this song and it's been 14 yrs! :"(((
I remember them singing this song in Gerdes Folk City in the early sixties. We all sang along. We knew what freedom riders were and the chances they took. At the time they were singing under the name "Tom and Jerry." Old man talking.
Just today, 19th Feb 2011, I was looking through some belongings of my aunt, who died at Christmas 2010. I found, amongst her books,a pencil written poem about her brother who was killed in 1940 something, he was 23. (My aunt wrote this poem and his name was Ernest Ball,) and he died so his brothers could be free. He had 3 sisters, and not one of them forgot him until the day they died. He is buried in Damascus. He was my uncle Ernie, and he prevented the monsters from invading our shores.
Makes me miss my older brother.. he died of H.I.V last year :(
Sorry to drag this up after all this time but I'm sorry to hear that. How's things?
From your channel, you're into S&G and Scrubs which automatically makes you awesome! 😊
VennylaJericho sorry for you loss. My brother died at 16 from injuries in a car accident. Solidarity and love.
涙が止まらない、なんていい曲なのか！
RIP my brother Spc. Jonathan M. Curtis, age 24.
Very different circumstances than the song, but another young man who died so his brothers could be free ...
No disrespect, but I wonder if the people of Afghanistan share your opinion
Yesterday, I returned to this song for linguistic reasons (the writer/ rider dilemma). And the context hit me in the heart more than before. Especially the change from "this town" to "MS" in response to Andrew Goodman´s death. If William Faulkner had still been living in 1964, he may not have afforded to write about the tragedy (he had had his window broken for a liberal pamphlet in favour of black students). Thanks to all supreme powers for the reflection by Paul and Art.
Amazing how this song written so many years ago can be relevant today. Especially today 2016 in America.
Yes. We should be ashamed of ourselves.
I didn't even dare to type anything while the video was playing, as the quiet sound of the keys might interrupt the beauteousness of this song.
This is a very important song.
Thanks brother
this song makes me indescribable sad.
True..and when you sing about a murdered friend even more emtional
I bought the set for christmas. Next to George Harrison it is my most played.
2:16 is just outstanding harmonies from both of them...
it's hard to imagine anyone, anywhere, singing a pop song like this and being taken seriously...what a cynical and superficial age we live in - eh? imagine some young lads on the x-factor singing this?
Was a different time... KKK were ruling in those parts like the AWB was up & coming in SA...
Racism hatred is a TAUGHT thing... parents wake up - your influence for good or bad future for your children is in your hands....
i hope you get to see them before they stop doing gigs .i was lucky enough to see them when they came to ireland in 2004.
such a lovely song
S&G's songs were written for all time. Such a meaningful song in relation to 2017.
The "Oh God!" near the end is just so damn poignant!
AWESOME song. Love it
Who are the two idiots who gave this masterpiece thumbs down?
13 idiots
He was an orbital figure of speech.
such a lovely song regards from ireland,
What an amazing song.
Considering that Paul Simon adapted the lyrics ("This town" to "Mississippi") after the murder of his friend and classmate Andrew Goodman to dedicate the song to him, I wonder why he didn't change the mentioned age as well? Goodman was two years younger than Simon (& Garfunkel), and 20 years old the day he died.
In this time of their career there was a strong influence of the music of the Everly Brothers.
Thanks for posting that. Though he was taken so long ago, I am sorry for your family's loss.
powerful words in a excellent song///
MY FAV SONG EVA!!!!!
I cover this for years now. Great tune.
amazing version of this on their Live in NYC 1967 album
Best as ever
So young here, vanished times....
they were on a mission from God
@BenBarfuss
It was broadcast on Dutch tv in the mid 60's. I remember it very well because that's when I decided that they were my favorite singers.
This is off their Wednesday Morning 3 Am album also! Great tune!
Remember this well...Apartheid nazis were in full throttle all over SA - even Cape Town...
I was at a folk club and protest songs were the rage then - this was sung a few times... p
Plain-clothed cops - members of (B.O.S.S.) - Bureau of State Security were known to frequent this particular club often just as they did in the Space Theatre - Yvonne Bryceland - gutsy actress of note cocked a snoot at them too as she acknowledged them sarcastically as only she could... We'd gone to see her & Athol Fugard in "Master Harold & the Boys" - which was due to be banned 'cos of political content & inuendos...
It was a sick time of bullying selfishness from cops... sad twerps - how we young folk despised them & their ilk...
Many SA heroes were persecuted ... a lot died both African & Whites - even overseas Brits were stalwarts of heroism...
Mans inhumanity to his fellow man... sad so sad...
@gente58 Me too. I loved this song when I was sixteen (and till does. But this was my 'wild time')
@birdman404 Don't say such things! I hope they will NEVER stop! =O
I saw them in 1982 and 1983. I missed them later because I had death in my family and couldn't go to any concerts. I am sad that I never saw Paul with 'Graceland' live. :(
Just clearing this up - it is dedicated to Goodman, however not written about him.
AMEN
This song means a lot to me. Because my country Kurdistan has been occupied from 4 different states for long time. We need independence. Many many young Kurdish people died for freedom.
Go home outsiders of Kurdistan!!!
Interesting take. The phrasing of "go home outsiders" in this song (someone please correct me if I'm wrong) refers to the civil rights activists being considered "outsiders" by the mob of KKK that would proceed to murder them. These young men were doing good work for America, fulfilling their duty to uphold the founding principals of the nation. That is, they "[held] these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." - Declaration of Independence. [edit: typo]
Right...Andrew Goodman was a classmate of Paul Simon's and he was also one of the three young men killed by the KKK for registering people, including African Americans, to vote.....................
What must it been like to have had a friend murdered for no good reason..as if there IS a good reason for murder but I hope you understand my meaninh. RIP Andrew, James and Michael..God Bless. God Keep.
But some songs are as a memorial to a specife person or an event, it dosent mean it cant have meaning for you but it shouldnt be overloked that it was orgenialy meant to honnor / remember a specife person or event
Do somebody know the year of this particular recording?
Ana de Lope 1966
@BenBarfuss I can think of an example of an audience, today, wearing normal clothes, sitting quietly and listening attentively to beautiful music. It's Paul Simon singing one of his new songs in Boston in April 2011. Maybe the right music creates the right audience behavior. Search on RUclips for Questions For The Angels posted by Ellgee82.
Perhaps you can answer this qustion but was Andrew Goodman a High schol friend of Art and Paul s.. I think I read that somewhere but havent been able to confrim it
@BenBarfuss Well said, my friend, well said.
Can you please tell me what year this is? :)
1967 .
@joetubealong Thanks for having my back man. You too Natemesis.
Where can I find the sheet music to this?
@1964scouser how dare you berate this person that served his country and left his family so we could have a better life. Who made you the all knowing judge of what is right and wrong?!
A soldier fighting for democracy to preserve the civil rights of his brothers and sisters has just as much place as a peaceful demonstrator for civil rights.
@TheBcurtis13 May he rest in eternal peace.
@BenBarfuss if you think so, you're not understanding what they sing
@guy1086 some very sick people.....
@perebento I don't think that's what he meant. At all. Music doesn't care about what you're wearing.
@buddyj2050 Well I never! (Thanks for that info.)
@birdman404 Who ha problems?
Hi Simon, I would like to find out more about your uncle and his 2 fellow civil rights activists. Any suggestion what I should read, among the many publications about the movement? I am a journalist myself, coming from austria, living in istanbul....
@BenBarfuss Well, remember Bob Dylan? That was about the same time, wasn't it? And his music wasn't too melodic and neither was the audience very quiet. They were cussing him out. And then again, have you ever been to a Mumford and Sons concert nowadays? You should go. So it's all a matter of what you focus on and what you disregard! (No offense, btw, I'm just defending my time.)
I think it s both..could be wrong
@deadpoulet If you want to say that our country fights wars over things like oil and resources, then fine. Everyone's entitled to their opinion - unfortunately you may even be right. But if you think the individual soldiers are in it for those things, then you've never met a soldier.
Brian Curtis as a leftist i tell soldiers two things
1) wanting to fight and die for freedom, to protect the innocent, to build democracy, is the noblest sentiment.
2) the ruling class uses you for your sentiment-- they care as little about you as the people youre sent to invade, so your duty is here, in a fight against our own enemies to freedom and democracy. "Our bullets are for our own generals," so that it will be possible for us to fight for the global liberation of the oppressed and exploited. Replacing the Taliban or Saddam with Halliburton doesnt help anybody
full documentary about S&G : /watch?v=EqEAXCge-vQ
@12bulkhead just leave it man he has problems