On the surface of things, we , t dont stand a chance. Hat but i cant believe that. I have to believe that there is hope. I have to believe that the y. Upcoming generations will see through all this buying of democracy, will see through the neocons always going for their gun first. I think the kids today are smart, i think that they will see through on this, and i think eventually they will find their, way of protesting. Ontin the way i was brought up is to speak my mind through music. And thats what ill continue to do as long as im on this side of the grass. M let me respeak myself. The idea that crosby, stillsr nash, crosby, stills, nash young, youve had different combinations, but theres alwayb been great harmonies of songs that moved us, made us think a a little more. Youre 72 years old, as you said, and clearly youve had a t long career. Whats next with the relevance of the songs you perform and music you continue to write speaks not just to our. Generation but to younger nned gene
The trip back in time. Were surrounded in this room by gifts of state that president wilson received. One of the reasons he received so many spectacular gifts, frankly, is first, because he was the First American president to go to europe while he was in office. But secondly, because the world so fervently hoped for him to succeed in the mission he had taken on, of ending the catastrophe that was world war i. I think its hard for us to think now about how shocking world war i was to the people who had to live through it. And so the music of that era, to that time. I think as youll see this afternoon, hearing from michael, a lot of sense of music that existed and the america that existed before the war, and the muse that i can reveals to us the america that came out of that war. Youll see something of a transformation there. Michael lasser is a lecturer, writer, broadcaster, critic, and teacher about american music. Ive written it down, because hes written two books that i want to share
And im not being snotty. It was a different kind of war. The people were not engaged by it. In vietnam, you had some songs, but theyre songs in which two groups are warring with one another. Give peace a chance, and whats the im an oaky from ma skokie. Iraq and afghanistan dont produce a lot of songs. Again, because in a way they were invisible, and in a way, we know about them, were not as a nation engaged in it. We dont have a citizen army anymore. That gets in the way of that. So in world war i, you have a mix. Really, in the middle between the two wars, and it shows. There were songs about mom, and there were songs about sweetie. Soldiers singing im going to pin the medal on the girl i left behind, in world war i. There are other differences between world war i and world war ii, love songs that ill save for a few minutes. But its the mother song that i want to get to. Again, its the idea of staying out of it, delivering a kind of anthem, in the way that the first song is an anthem,
Dillon, we learned blowing in the wind. The answer, my freiend, is blowing in the wind. Pop could literally live it because it was real with him. He would tell us a lot of stories. Between pops and my grandmother, man, those were the best times sitting on the floor listening to stories. But hed sing, if i had a hammer, id hammer in the oh, he was something. Just genius. Just genius. And it was such an honor to meet a man like pete seger. Just like we were invited to blues festivals, we were invited to folk festivals. I didnt understand, i was a young girl. Daddy, these people invited us we would go to the folk festival and all of a sudden we would hear folk songs. I said, well, thats the closest to gospel. Theyre singing truth. Then you look out and you see all these flower children with the flower oh, man, i just loved it. Newport, i would have the best time. Newport this year, newport, rhode island festival in my birthday party. Yeah. [applause] everybody is invited. Everybody is inv
Energy from to do all this. And the only thing that i can really say is i look at the world through the eyes of my children. And i have to i personally have to make it better for me. And i have to make it better for my wife, and i have to make the world better for my kids. My firstborn son, jackson, a year and a half ago, gave us our first grandchild. And youd better watch out for this one because shes a kick ass. I know every grandfather says the same thing, but shes a stunning woman. My second born son, will, just in the last month found out that him and his wife, shannon, are expecting identical twin boys in july. So i look at the world through the eyes of the future generation. And ive seen this planet environmentally getting much worse. And ive seen the world getting much worse. The reason why im in hawaii was in the late 60s, i used to live in san francisco. And i saw a billboard that said shower with a friend because were running out of water. Okay. Funny, right . Big billboard,