Μια από τις περίφημες εκδηλώσεις για την συμμετοχή στις οποίες κατηγορήθηκε ο Seeger ήταν αυτή της 3ης Ιούνη του 1949, που οργανώθηκε για την στήριξη των μελών της κεντρικής επιτροπής του αμερικανικού κομμουνιστικού κόμματος, που κατηγορούνταν από το αμερικάνικο κράτος για συνωμοσία ανατροπής του πολιτεύματος. Εκεί τραγούδησε για πρώτη φορά και το “If I had a hammer”, τραγούδι που μετά από κάμποσα χρόνια κατέληξε να γίνει mainstream hit…
PETE SEEGER/ HAMMER (LIVE -1963, ΑΥΣΤΡΑΛΙΑ)
If I had a hammer,
I’d hammer in the morning
I’d hammer in the evening,
All over this land
I’d hammer out danger,
I’d hammer out a warning,
I’d hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.
If I had a bell,
I’d ring it in the morning,
I’d ring it in the evening,
All over this land
I’d ring out danger,
I’d ring out a warning
I’d ring out love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.
If I had a song,
I’d sing it in the morning,
I’d sing it in the evening,
All over this land
I’d sing out danger,
I’d sing out a warning
I’d sing out love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.
Well I got a hammer,
And I got a bell,
And I got a song to sing, all over this land.
It’s the hammer of Justice,
It’s the bell of Freedom,
It’s the song about Love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.
It’s the hammer of Justice,
It’s the bell of Freedom,
It’s the song about Love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.
PETE SEEGER/ WHAT DID YOU LEARN IN SCHOOL?
What did you learn in school today,
Dear little boy of mine?
What did you learn in school today,
Dear little boy of mine?
I learned that Washington never told a lie.
I learned that soldiers seldom die.
I learned that everybody’s free,
And that’s what the teacher said to me.
That’s what I learned in school today,
That’s what I learned in school.
What did you learn in school today,
Dear little boy of mine?
What did you learn in school today,
Dear little boy of mine?
I learned that policemen are my friends.
I learned that justice never ends.
I learned that murderers die for their crimes
Even if we make a mistake sometimes.
**
What did you learn in school today,
Dear little boy of mine?
What did you learn in school today,
Dear little boy of mine?
I learned our Government must be strong;
It’s always right and never wrong;
Our leaders are the finest men
And we elect them again and again.
**
What did you learn in school today,
Dear little boy of mine?
What did you learn in school today,
Dear little boy of mine?
I learned that war is not so bad;
I learned about the great ones we have had;
We fought in Germany and in France
And someday I might get my chance.