Hero Of The Game (Uk)

Although he is remembered best as a 60's protest singer Ochs preferred to call himself a "topical" singer or a "singing journalist". During this December 1965 radio broadcast, Phil plays just one already-released song. Several of the numbers included would remain unreleased for many years before finally being issued on retrospective collections. Morning - which had been cut in demo form in 1963 - was not released until the 'Farewells & Fantasies' album released in 1997, whilst Song of My Returning and City Boy, both languished in the vaults until 1986's 'A Toast to Those Who Are Gone'. The highlight of this WBAI broadcast is the debut of Phil's classic track, Crucifixion, which had been written while on tour in the UK the previous month. The song is allegorical, combining as it does images of John F. Kennedy and Christ. Also destined to appear on later albums are Changes and Cannons of Christianity ('Phil Ochs in Concert', 1966) and White Boots Marching in a Yellow Land and Joe Hill (both on 'Tape from California', 1968).