(lyrics can be found here)
My dad has an endless supply of Pete Seeger albums. Could that possibly have affected my political outlook? (We also had this board game).
With the exception of mentioning the Farmer Labor party, the song holds up remarkably (or distressingly) well.
Maybe that's why it's still being taught to the children of today. (Go, Dan Zanes, go!)
Anyways, to me it addresses a common fallacy among many wealthy and powerful people, as summed up in "The Devil Wears Prada":
Andy Sachs: But what if this isn't what I want? I mean what if I don't wanna live the way you live?
Miranda Priestly: Oh, don't be ridiculous. Andrea. Everybody wants this. Everybody wants to be us.
No, actually. Some people choose to live simply, choose to nurture rather than achieve, choose to be rather than to have. They don't want the limelight, shiny baubles or private jets.
They want home, family, and dignity. Feel free to have "more" if that's what you need to feel good about yourself. Just let the rest of us have "some."
