Where Have All the Flowers Gone: The Songs of Pete Seeger

Whole Earth, Spring, 2001 by Winslow Colwell

Where Have All the Flowers Gone The Songs of Pete Seeger Various artists 1998; 2 CDs. $29 Appleseed Recordings

I usually avoid multi-star tribute albums. But this is a keeper, so filled with heart and admiration that I can't help but feel my own love for our folk-elder grow with each listen.

Pete Seeger has created an eclectic legacy: radically political, silly, poetic, and infectiously musical. Here, more than thirty-six artists pounce on these qualities. My favorites include Ani DiFranco singing a less-known Vietnam song, "My Name is Lisa Kalvelage," John Gorka's spare rendition of "The Water is Wide, "and "We Shall Overcome," sung by Bruce Springsteen with such conviction I'm reassured he's still "one of us."

In an elegant and respectful touch, each disk ends with Pete himself, first with the Weavers, then with his grandson Tao on a new tune called "And Still I Am Searching." Each time I hear this one, tears well up. Sometimes it seems that the only cure is to cue the first disk up again and sing along, as if Pete were right here, raising those hands palms-up. --Winslow Colwell