Wasn’t That a Time

Isn't this a time

Jul 06, 2024

Hi all,

Thank you for joining me for this week’s song, “Wasn’t That a Time”, sung by The Weavers. If you’d like to hear the song before you read the background, I’ve included a YouTube video below the article.

Below, you’ll find my interpretation of the lyrics (written in italics). Comments and questions are welcome. For Japanese students, vocabulary words in bold are provided in Japanese below. TOEFL (PBT) 450+, Eiken 2, CEFR B1.

The Weavers. Bottom left: Pete Seeger, behind him: Fred Hellerman, standing: Ronnie Gilbert, seated right: Lee Hays

(846 words)

The Weavers were a singing group that became popular in the late 1940s and 1950s. They sang folk music, which is a type of music that tells stories about people's lives and traditions. The group had four members: Pete Seeger, Lee Hays, Ronnie Gilbert, and Fred Hellerman. They played instruments like the guitar and banjo and sang songs like "Goodnight Irene" and "On Top of Old Smoky." The Weavers' music was fun and easy to sing along to, and many people enjoyed listening to their songs. However, because some of their songs talked about social issues, they were accused of being unAmerican. Some radio stations refused to play their music. Despite this, the Weavers left a big impact on American music and helped make folk music popular.

This song, Wasn’t That a Time, talks about events in American history. These important times “tried the soul of man”. That means testing someone's inner strength, character, or goodness, often through difficult challenges or situations.

Valley Forge

The first event was a battle that happened at Valley Forge. It was a place where the American soldiers stayed during the winter of 1777-1778, during the Revolutionary War. The war was being fought so America could become its own country, free from British rule.

General George Washington, the leader of the American army, decided to set up camp at Valley Forge in Pennsylvania. The soldiers were tired, hungry, and cold. They didn’t have enough warm clothes, shoes, or food. Many of them got sick, and some even died because the conditions were so bad. A man came to help train the soldiers. He taught them how to march, fight better, and work together as a team. His training made the army stronger and more organized.

The soldiers at Valley Forge learned to be tougher and more determined. When the winter was over, they were better prepared to continue fighting for their freedom. Valley Forge showed how the soldiers' bravery and hard work helped them overcome big challenges. This experience helped them get closer to winning the Revolutionary War and gaining independence for America.

Gettysburg

The next historical event was the Battle of Gettysburg. It was a very important fight during the American Civil War. The war was between the Northern states (the Union) and the Southern states (the Confederacy). The battle took place in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Many soldiers on both sides were killed or hurt.

On the third day, a famous attack happened. The Confederates (rebels) tried to break through the Union lines but failed. But there they stemmed (stopped) the rebel tide (movement) The Union army won the battle.

The Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the war. It was one of the biggest battles, and it helped the North get closer to winning the Civil War. And there the faith (in the future of the United States) was saved

WWII

In the next verse, the lyrics The madmen came with chains and war / To prison us in hate / And many a good man fought and died / To save the stricken faith" refer to World War II when cruel leaders madmen used violence and fighting to spread hate and control people. The good men who fought and died were the ones who stood up against this cruelty to protect their beliefs and freedom. This part of the song honors the bravery and sacrifice of those who fought against the bad leaders and worked for justice and peace. The "stricken faith" means the important values and principles that were in danger during those hard times.

Spanish Civil War

A later verse includes the phrase No pasarán, meaning “They shall not pass”. It was a phrase used by the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War against the Nationalists, another group who rebelled against a democratically-elected government in 1936. (Read more here). Many Americans joined the Republican army to try to stop the fascist rebels from destroying democracy there. We pledge (promise) our lives, our honor all / To free this prison land

And now again the madmen come and shall our victory fail/There is no victory in a land where free men go to jail refers to the following. Two more important verses were written as well by Lee Hays (not in the version below). They were sung at the Weavers’ reunion in 1980:

Informers took their Judas pay/To tell their sorry tale/And gangs in Congress had their way/And free souls went to jail

During the 1950s, Communism was a political idea that many Americans were afraid of. HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) was a group in the government that investigated people they thought might be Communists. One informer said that members of The Weavers might have connections to Communists. The Weavers sang songs about peace and justice, which made some people suspicious. When they were questioned, they refused to answer some questions because they believed it was unfair. This caused them to lose many jobs and made it hard for them to keep performing.

How many times we’ve gone to kill/In freedom’s holy name/And children died to save the pride/Of rulers without shame

Question:

Can you name a time in your own life that has tested your inner strength through a difficult situation?