Broadside Tapes 1

Phil Ochs' recording career forced him to work within a system that often took too long to release what should have come out instantaneously. In his earliest days, Ochs was a singing journalist, writing songs that captured the news of the day with a satirical spin on the proceedings. Broadside magazine was able to communicate the activities of folk singers far more quickly than any record label, and Ochs often stopped by its office to play his songs so that the editors could transcribe the lyrics. Ochs sometimes skipped the choruses and occasionally rushed through the songs, since he wasn't concerned with his performances. Yet this is a great document to have of the young songwriter, featuring songs about the times that are now merely footnotes in the larger scheme. The most memorable songs here include "Remember Me," "The Passing of My Life," and a live version of The Beatles' "I Should Have Known Better," recorded in 1964 at New York's Village Gate with fellow-folkie Eric Andersen on harmonica.