"WAR IS OVER"《戰 爭 終 結》
越南戰爭, 如火如荼, 至1966年, 美國的參與顯著升級。當年在越戰的美軍人數從十八萬增加至四十五萬。Phil Ochs 一直以來對越戰和美國軍事工業, 作出嚴厲的狠批而聞名。他計畫在 Los Angels 洛杉磯舉辦一次集會, 鼓吹和宣布戰爭結束。宣傳方面, 先在"Los Angels Free Press 洛杉磯自由報"發表了一篇題為 "Have Faith, The War Is Over"《信仰堅定, 戰爭結束》的文章, 繼而為集會撰寫歌曲 "Thousands of other Americans", 後改上更積極和進取的歌曲名字 "The War Is Over"。
1967年六月二十三日, Los Angels 洛杉磯的集會, Phil Ochs 首次公開演唱 "The War is Over", 這是他的著名歌曲之一; 同年十月二十一日, Washington DC 華盛頓特區, Lincoln Memorial 林肯紀念堂前, 在十五萬集會示威人士面前, 他再次演唱; 十一月, "WAR IS OVER" 的抗爭運動, 在 New York City 紐約市舉辦, Phil Ochs 完成一曲 "The War is Over" 之後, 仍有數千名示威者, 参予從 Washington Square Park 華盛頓廣場公園遊行到 Times Square 時代廣場, 然後抵達 United Nations 聯合國總部。
THE WAR IS OVER - Phil Ochs
Silent soldiers on a silver screen
Framed in fantasies and dragged in dream
Unpaid actors of the mystery
The mad director knows that freedom will not make you free
And what's this got to do with me
I declare the war is over
It's over, it's over
Drums are drizzling on a grain of sand
Fading rhythms of a fading land
Prove your courage in the proud parade
Trust your leaders where mistakes are almost never made
And they're afraid that I'm afraid
I'm afraid the war is over
It's over, it's over
Angry artists painting angry signs
Use their vision just to blind the blind
Poisoned players of a grizzly game
One is guilty and the other gets the point to blame
Pardon me if I refrain
I declare the war is over
It's over, it's over
So do your duty, boys, and join with pride
Serve your country in her suicide
Find a flag so you can wave goodbye
But just before the end even treason might be worth a try
This country is too young to die
I declare the war is over
It's over, it's over
One-legged veterans will greet the dawn
And they're whistling marches as they mow the lawn
And the gargoyles only sit and grieve
The gypsy fortune teller told me that we'd been deceived
You only are what you believe
I believe the war is over
It's over, it's over
CARNEGIE HALL
1970年, Phil Ochs 一張 "Greatest Hit" 唱片專輯的封套中, 看似像猫王 Elvis Presley 一樣, 穿著金色的套裝和長靴。這是1970年三月二十七日, 首次在 New York City 紐約市 "Carnegie Hall 卡歴基音樂廳" 作個人演唱會的服飾, 這自嘲的噱頭受到褒貶不一的批評。雖然如此, 這是不少演藝人和歌手, 引以為榮能夠踏足的表演舞台。
1971年, Phil Ochs 開始南美各國旅遊和巡廻演唱, 由於他的政治立場, 令致所有活動, 均被多國關注; 在智利 Chile 期間, 認識了後來在軍事政變被謀殺的民謠歌手 Victor Jara 成為朋友。1973年, 展開非洲之旅演唱, 在東非坦桑尼亞 Tanzania 的海灘漫步遭遇搶劫, 差點被殺; 在該國 Dar Es Salaam 達艾斯沙南港的演唱會其間, 心有餘悸之下, 音樂開始卻突然失聲, 唱漏了歌詞幾個字, 遇劫受驚和台上失態, 令他陷入惡性循環失去信心, 繼而陷入煩亂不振, 並患上躁狂抑鬱症與及酗酒, 經葯物和不同治療下, 才漸見好轉。
1975年四月三十日, 越戰結束, 同年五月十一日在 New York City, Central Park 紐約中央公園舉行了最後的 'WAR IS OVER"《戰爭終結》集會, 十萬觀眾到場, 出席歌手有 Harry Belafonte, Pete Seeger, Odetta 等; Joan Baez 與 Phil Ochs 合唱一曲 "There But For Fortune"。集會完結前, 由他唱出 "The War is Over" 之後, 並宣佈 "The war is over 結束戰爭", 這亦是 Phil Ochs 最後一次公開演唱。
Phil Ochs/Joan Baez - THERE BUT FOR FORTUNE (1975) Central Park
Phil Ochs - THE WAR IS OVER (1975) Central Park