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Pete Seeger was a tireless advocate, using his unparalleled passion to ignite the masses against sexism, racism, classism, and environmental strife. Today, Democracy Now unveils an early recording of one of his rally-cry anthems “My Dirty Stream.” This is the latest rare recording to come from the definitive anthology Pete Seeger: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection. The 200-page book and 6-CD set celebrates Pete’s lasting legacy as a folk icon, and comes out in full on May 3rd, what would have been his 100th birthday.
Listen to “My Dirty Stream” here.
And read the Democracy Now article here.
This early version of the song, recorded in 1963 on guitar, was discovered on a reel in Smithsonian Folkways’ vaults. The song was eventually released in 1966 on his album God Bless The Grass, with Pete playing the banjo, but this early version gives a rare glimpse into his songwriting process. The book gives some insight behind this song’s inspiration: “While sailing near his home on the Hudson River, Pete noticed floating waste from toilets. He wrote this song – and then many others – about cleaning the river.”
Pete Seeger: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection was produced by Jeff Place and Robert Santelli, the same team who produced the acclaimed box sets Woody at 100 and Lead Belly: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection, rounding out a trilogy commemorating three of Folkways’ most iconic recording artists.
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