Subtotal: $
Checkout
The Plough Music Series is a regular selection of music intended to lift the heart to God. It is not a playlist of background music: each installment focuses on a single piece worth pausing to enjoy.
What more is there to say about musician, activist, and visionary Pete Seeger, who died this Monday? Our neighbor – he lived just twenty minutes from Plough headquarters – and some of our team have counted him as a friend for decades. He lived generously and fully, loved the earth and its people, and whatever his faults, stands out for his down-to-earth courage and dogged hope for humanity. As he once said:
I tell people I think we have a fifty-fifty chance for there to be a human race here in a hundred years. They think that’s being pessimistic.
No, I say, that’s being optimistic, because it implies that one of us might be the grain of sand that will tip the scales in the right direction.
Imagine that there’s a big seesaw. At one end of it is a basket half full of rocks. That end is on the ground. At the other end is a basket one-quarter full of sand. And a bunch of us with teaspoons, we’re trying to put sand in that end.
A lot of people laugh at us, they say “Oh, don’t you see, it’s leaking out as fast as you’re putting it in.”
Well, we say, “It’s leaking out, but we’re getting more people with teaspoons all the time. One of these days, you’re gonna see that whole basket with sand so full that this seesaw is going to go zoooom-up in the other direction.”
And people will say, “Gee, how did it happen so quickly?”
Us and our damned little teaspoons.
Of course, Pete was most eloquent when singing, and so here’s a little-known song he often performed in recent years with school children here in the Hudson valley. It may not be his best song (there are a lot to choose from), but it’s easy to learn and hard to forget, and captures what he was about.
When we look and we can see things are not what they should be
God’s counting on me, God’s counting on you.
Hopin’ we’ll all pull through, Hopin’ we’ll all pull through,
Hopin’ we’ll all pull through
Me and you.
Don’t give up don’t give in, working together we all can win.
When we sing with younger folks, we can never give up hope.
When there’s big problems to be solved, let’s get everyone involved.
What we do now, you and me, will affect Eternity.
The video includes beautiful footage of Pete’s beloved Hudson River.
Pete Seeger quoted this song in his review of Johann Christoph Arnold’s book Rich in Years.
The song “God’s Counting On Me” is by Pete Seeger and Lorre Wyatt, published by Roots and Branch Music (www.lorrewyatt.com). Used by permission.
You have ${x} free ${w} remaining.
This is your last free article this month.
We hope you've enjoyed your free articles.
This article is reserved for subscribers.
Already a subscriber? Sign in
Try 3 months of unlimited access. Start your FREE TRIAL today. Cancel anytime.
Doug Thompson
God sends us prophets to speak truth, comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable. Pete Seeger did all of those things through his songs and his actions, for as long as we can remember. We may not all strum or carry a tune like he did, but this prophet inspires us to carry on his message and his good works. God love him.
richard koprowski
this song is the epitome' of Seeger's commitment to social justice
Don Rochelo
How one man could make such a difference as Pete Seeger did is truly incredible. The fire in his belly and the love in his heart provides us all with inspiration to continue in his ways. I’m so in awe of his humility and his custodial ways to preserve the life of our planet for the good of all and his love of others. Praise God for sharing him with us for all these years.
Jane Seniw
when hearing of Having lost Pete Seeger to the ages, a little bit of my past seems to have gone as well...those wonderful days of youth in the '60's when everything was possible, and the music was everything. Just watched for second time aPBS Detroit doc on Pete, his life,his music, and the musicians he gathered to his circle. As a Canadian, I look at Gorden Lightfoot as our Pete Seeger. Let us all sing loud and proud the songs Pete taught us. Blessings be with you, we shall try to live up to the standard you set for us back then ..that still ring true today.
Marie Packer
What a lovely tribute to Pete Seeger. I can hear you all (especially the children) singing "God's Counting on Me" in his honor!
Chana O'Leary
What a wonderful life he led...with gentleness, compassion, yet a fiery determination to never compromise his principles of the worth of human dignity and the need for care of our world. I have been inspired by Pete Seeger for over 40 years - and once again today - I am inspired. This song IS Pete Seeger. We should all live lives so deeply worthy of God's wholehearted embrace. Take a rest, Pete - we'll take it from here.