Where Have All the Flowers Gone

Pete Seeger

About Where Have All the Flowers Gone

"Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" is a modern folk-style song. The melody and the first three verses were written by Pete Seeger in 1955 and published in Sing Out! magazine. Additional verses were added in May 1960 by Joe Hickerson, who turned it into a circular song. Its rhetorical "where?" and meditation on death place the song in the ubi sunt tradition. In 2010, the New Statesman listed it as one of the "Top 20 Political Songs". The 1964 release of the song as a Columbia Records Hall of Fame series 45 single, 13-33088, by Pete Seeger was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002 in the Folk category.  


Year:
1993
1:53
58 

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Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time passing.
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time ago.
Where have all the flowers gone?
The girls have picked them every one.
Oh, When will you ever learn?
Oh, When will you ever learn?

Young girls
They've taken husbands every one.

Young men
They're all in uniform.

Soldiers
They've gone to graveyards every one.

Graveyards
They're covered with flowers every one.

Flowers
Young girls have picked them every one.

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Pete Seeger

Peter "Pete" Seeger (born May 3, 1919) is an iconic American folk singer. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead Belly's "Goodnight, Irene", which topped the charts for 13 weeks in 1950. Members of The Weavers were blacklisted during the McCarthy Era. In the 1960s, he re-emerged on the public scene as a prominent singer of protest music in support of international disarmament, civil rights, and environmental causes. more »

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Written by: Peter Seeger

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song's Origin
"Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" is a folk song written by Pete Seeger in 1955. The song is a reflection on the destructiveness of war with cyclical lyrics signifying the repetitive and unending nature of conflict.
Inspiration
The song was partly inspired by a Ukrainian folk song that was mentioned in Mikhail Sholokhov's novel "And Quiet Flows the Don". Pete Seeger wrote the first three verses upon reading the phrase "Where are the flowers?" in Russian.
Verses
The original song only had three verses. Additional verses were later added by folk singer Joe Hickerson in 1960, completing the song's circular pattern and turning it into the version most famously associated with Pete Seeger.
Cover Versions
The song has been covered by many artists over the years, including Joan Baez, Kingston Trio, Dolly Parton, Peter, Paul and Mary, and many others. It has been translated and sung in many languages.
Significance
The song is considered a timeless anti-war anthem and is often associated with the peace movement, particularly in relation to the Vietnam War.
Achievements
It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002, a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old, and that have "qualitative or historical significance."
Pop Culture
"Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" has been featured in numerous pop culture references, including movies, television shows, and books as a symbol of protest or remembrance.
Performances
Pete Seeger performed the song for a live concert in Melbourne, in 1963. His performance was notably emotional as this was during the height of Cold War tensions and the burgeoning civil rights movement.
Legacy
The Guardian listed "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" as one of the 20 greatest ever protest songs in 2011, cementing its legacy as an anthem for peace.
Global Reach
Despite its American roots, the song has been translated into several languages around the world, thereby highlighting its universal appeal and globally recognized message for peace.

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