I remember the year that Broadside Balladeer
Took his own life away; so they say
Now I still long to hear… him singin’ true and clear
How I miss that Broadside Balladeer

Chorus:
So I’m gonna say it now!
I can’t say it when I’m gone
Let us not speak falsely now
For we must be movin’ on
Is there anybody home?
Is there anybody here?
To be true to a Broadside Balladeer

In the dark of the night, he would stay awake and write
At the rallies he would raise us with a song
He would roam through the land, and like Woody he would stand
Cause he wanted people’s struggles to be strong

Chorus:
So I’m gonna say it now!
I can’t say it when I’m gone
Let us not speak falsely now
For we must be movin’ on
Is there anybody home?
Is there anybody here?
To be true to a Broadside Balladeer

Just a boy in Ohio…grew up so he had to go
Steppin’ outside of a small circle of friends
Surely as the Changes came, he would shame the Chords of Fame
When he called on us to try and make amends

Chorus:
So I’m gonna say it now!
I can’t say it when I’m gone
Let us not speak falsely now
For we must be movin’ on
Is there anybody home?
Is there anybody here?
To be true to a Broadside Balladeer

Seems like just the other day; He went down to see Chile
Victor Jara and he sang side by side
ITT, the CIA, and the Junta had their way
But the dream they tried to kill still hasn’t died

Chorus:
So I’m gonna say it now!
I can’t say it when I’m gone
Let us not speak falsely now
For we must be movin’ on
Is there anybody home?
Is there anybody here?
To be true to a Broadside Balladeer

A tribute to my friend and our anti-war champion, Phil Ochs.
©1977 Victor Rene Sadot/BMI/Orbian Love Music
Written April 16, 1977