Pete Seger: Turn Turn Turn

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RIP Pete Seeger (3 May 1919 – 27 Jan 2014).

He turned Ecclesiastes 3 into Turn Turn Turn.

At this concert when he was 93, he said his wife Toshi had made up a few extra verses for their children. Like the rest of the song, they contain matching and contrasting words:

work – play
night – day
sleep – wake
candles on the cake

work – eat
sit and rest your feet
teach – learn
all to take their turn

cry – make a fuss
leave and catch the bus
quiet – talk
run – walk

get – give
remember – forgive
hug – kiss
close your eyes and wish
(why not “miss”?)

dirt – soap
tears – hope
fall – spring
hear the robin sing

The original verses:

To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together

To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing

To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time of love, a time of hate
A time for peace, I swear it’s not too late

Comments

One Response

  1. Such a positive, creative, idealistic, innovative & quite simply a highly productive person! Gives one hope.

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