" Silent Spring"--Arlen/Harburg Social Commentary: In 1963, Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring was a prescient warning about the dangerous spread of harmful pesticides and the devastating effects on the environment. Harburg adopted the title but not the content of Carson' book. Ever eager to demonstrate his strong political convictions, Harburg was concerned that the subject of his lyrics was a land where children hide and " doors are dark and shades are down." In the verse, there was also a demand for racial tolerance ( " No one's going to grab your sister") The Vietnam war and the Cuban missile crisis moved Harburg to sadly write
Is this the land where flags were flown,
To bring this hopeful world a dream of spring unknown ?
Is this the dream ?
Is this the spring?
It is ironic that this song was the forerunner of the social and political songs of singer /songwriters like Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and others whose protest-laden creations had such a profound effect on political behaviour . The song somehow harkening back to the earlier socially-oriented songs of Woody Guthrie and influential books like " The Grapes of Wrath".
The song also had a reference to Walter Cronkite and CBS news causing CBS to ban the
record and the song was never broadcast. Edward Jablonski, Arlen's biographer noted that The song was written " In a time when radio and television were nervous about (sensitive) political topics".
The song is performed by singer Beverly Cosham with the Reston Virginia Community Orchestra. She sings with a quiet conviction conveying the sobering implications of Harburg's lyrics and the honest simplicity of Arlen's melody.
LINK:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctRZZU9IPdM
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