Guthrie

I have just watched one of the best programmes on TV for some time (notwithstanding a recent viewing of the Dalton Trumbo film which excellently portrayed the life of this man in Cold War America). This was the portrayal of the life of Woody Guthrie on BBC 4 shown last week. The parallels with our current circumstances and the relevance of this man’s life live on, and if possible, are even more significant now. The unveiling of Trump senior for who he is, and the background to the man now who has become the laughing stock of the Western world whilst being incredibly dangerous to civilised society is stark and revealing. The reminder of the power of some of Guthrie’s lyrics glaring you in the face as you watch it and even the well-known songs such as ‘This land is our land’ suddenly have an increased power and significance.

I was brought up on early Pete Seeger and what I came to think were ‘twee’ songs by the like of The Seekers, yet now I can see the profundity of all that I was brought up with. They were amazing times of change, and there have been plenty more since, from technological breakthroughs, ‘flowwe power’ and liberal reform, the individualism of the culture in the ‘Thatcher/Reegan’ era to the awareness that science doesn’t solve everything and fossil fuels and plastic are no longer a solution to everything, and that busyness and work ethic are not necessarily good things in themselves without a balance to our thinking.

Now we are full circle and still realising that the lessons of history are never fully taken on board, even when they should be! There is no easy solution to society’s ills, and probably never will be (at least before the second coming of Christ – for many in these days a controversial statement in itself!) We need to strive to do better for mankind, and certainly, without doubt, the current focus has to be resolving the climate chaos that will soon be climate catastrophe, or we will not have a world in which my and your grandchildren can sit around pontificating with blogs like this one!

Into this I would love it if someone of Woody’s ilk was to influence our world again. Maybe Greta Thunberg is just that person but sometimes the medium of song and poetry and word is more powerful. The nearest I have seen to that in recent times has been the ministry of both Wendell Berry and Eugene Peterson, and yet it would appear, at least at this juncture, to not have had the influence of a Woody.

I end by saying that I would love it if prayers for more of the prophetic words of the likes of Woody from secular or Christian prophets could be heard in our day. We desperately need those who have the humility to change, as Woody did, from racist and later hater of fascists to pacifist, and to express that, so that the world may hear.

Thank you, Woody Guthrie, for your wisdom, humility, truthfulness and gifting.