By Tony Attwood
Bob Dylan’s book, “The Philosophy of Modern Song”, was written, as I understand it, after he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. I started out thinking I might write a commentary upon the book, but soon felt I simply didn’t understand enough of what Bob is saying, particularly in terms of why he chose the songs, to be able to write proper commentaries. Which of course is a failure on my part, not on Bob’s.
And so after a hesitant start in reviewing the book, I abandoned the concept but became drawn back to it by the notion of listening again to the songs Bob picked and seeing if I could find anything to say about them, which might be of interest to anyone other than me.
So far we’ve had
This time I have turned to “Waist Deep in the Big Muddy,” a song written by Pete Seeger in 1967 and made more famous than it might otherwise have been because of it being censored out of the “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,” apparently for being unpatriotic.
It was to have been Pete Seeger’s first appearance on network commercial television in the United States in 17 years since being blacklisted in 1950. But specifically, his performance of “Waist Deep in the Big Muddy” was dropped from the broadcast after he refused to remove the sixth verse.
Which takes me back to the Weavers, a folk group who were banned from a lot of public broadcasting outlets from January 1962, when the group’s appearance on The Jack Paar Show was cancelled when they wouldn’t sign the oath of political loyalty.
The Weavers were founded by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays in Greenwich Village in 1948 and they were a fundamental part of the rise in interest in traditional American folk songs, starting with “Goodnight Irene”.
What upset the authorities with “the Big Muddy” was this verse….
Well, I'm not going to point any moral,I'll leave that for yourselfMaybe you're still walking, you're still talkingYou'd like to keep your health.But every time I read the papersThat old feeling comes on;We're, waist deep in the Big MuddyAnd the big fool says to push on.
Commentaries of the time suggest that the problem with the song was that it was seen as a reference to President Johnson’s actions in the Vietnam War although the piece itself is similar to the Ribbon Creek Incident. That event took place on 8 April 1956 when the Marine Corps were marched across a tidal creek, in which six of the recruits died. Staff Sergeant, a junior drill instructor was found guilty of possession and drinking alcohol on duty and of negligent homicide.
Ultimately in Pete Seger’s case, the TV company did relent and he appeared on a later edition of the show singing the song in full.
It was back in nineteen forty-two,I was a member of a good platoon.We were on maneuvers in-a Louisiana,One night by the light of the moon.The captain told us to ford a river,That's how it all begun.We were -- knee deep in the Big Muddy,But the big fool said to push on. The Sergeant said, "Sir, are you sure,This is the best way back to the base?""Sergeant, go on! I forded this river'Bout a mile above this place.It'll be a little soggy but just keep slogging.We'll soon be on dry ground."We were, waist deep in the Big MuddyAnd the big fool said to push on. The Sergeant said, "Sir, with all this equipmentNo man will be able to swim.""Sergeant, don't be a Nervous Nellie, "The Captain said to him."All we need is a little determination;Men, follow me, I'll lead on."We were, neck deep in the Big MuddyAnd the big fool said to push on. All at once, the moon clouded over,We heard a gurgling cry.A few seconds later, the captain's helmetWas all that floated by.The Sergeant said, "Turn around men!I'm in charge from now on."And we just made it out of the Big MuddyWith the captain dead and gone. We stripped and dived and found his bodyStuck in the old quicksand.I guess he didn't know that the water was deeperThan the place he'd once before been.Another stream had joined the Big Muddy'Bout a half mile from where we'd gone.We were lucky to escape from the Big MuddyWhen the big fool said to push on. Well, I'm not going to point any moral,I'll leave that for yourselfMaybe you're still walking, you're still talkingYou'd like to keep your health.But every time I read the papersThat old feeling comes on;We're, waist deep in the Big MuddyAnd the big fool says to push on. Waist deep in the Big MuddyAnd the big fool says to push on.Waist deep in the Big MuddyAnd the big fool says to push on.Waist deep! Neck deep! Soon even aTall man'll be over his head, we'reWaist deep in the Big Muddy!And the big fool says to push on!
I have seen this referred to as one of what are classified as the “Dangerous Songs” and I rather like that comment, cementing the notion that songs can indeed be dangerous. Long may it be so.
Ain’t talking, just walking/
Down that highway of regret
(Stanley Brothers: Highway Of Regret)
Ain’t talking, just walking/
Through this weary world of woe
(Bob Dylan: Ain’t Talking)
Maybe you’re still walking, you’re still talking
(Pete Seeger: Big Muddy)