Waist Deep In the Big Muddy with Pete Seeger

We were neck deep in the Big Muddy 

And the big fool said to push on.

 In August 1955, Pete Seeger was subpoenaed to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) about his knowledge of and allegiance to, Communist sympathizers.  He refused to plead the Fifth Amendment, which would have asserted his right against self-incrimination. Instead, he refused to name personal and political associations on First Amendment grounds.

In declining to testify, he stated, "I am not going to answer any questions as to my associations, my philosophical or religious beliefs or my political beliefs, or how I voted in any election, or any of these private affairs.  I think these are very improper questions for any American to be asked, especially under such compulsion as this.”

Seeger's refusal resulted in a Federal indictment for contempt of Congress.  In March, 1961, he was convicted of contempt of Congress and sentenced to ten 1-year terms in jail (to be served simultaneously).  In May, 1962 an appeals court ruled the indictment to be flawed and overturned his conviction.

Nonetheless, Seeger was effectively banned from commercial television appearances until 1967 when he appeared on The Smothers Brothers Show.  He sang a Vietnam War protest song, “Waist Deep in the Big Muddy (The Big Fool Says to Push On)”, that was cut from the broadcast by CBS censors.  Pete appeared on the Brothers show a second time, in 1968 and this time the song was aired.  The Times Were A-Changing – and Pete Seeger was on the ramparts. 

It was back in nineteen forty-two, I was a member of a good platoon. We were on maneuvers in-a Louisiana , One night by the light of the moon.

The captain told us to ford a river, That's how it all begun.

We were -- knee deep in the Big Muddy, But the big fool said to push on.

The Sergeant said, "Sir, are you sure, This is the best way back to the base?" "Sergeant, go on! I forded this river 'Bout a mile above this place. It'll be a little soggy but just keep slogging. We'll soon be on dry ground."

We were -- waist deep in the Big Muddy And the big fool said to push on.

The Sergeant said, "Sir, with all this equipment No man will be able to swim."

"Sergeant, don't be a Nervous Nellie," The Captain said to him.

"All we need is a little determination; Men, follow me, I'll lead on."

We were -- neck deep in the Big Muddy And the big fool said to push on.

All at once, the moon clouded over, We heard a gurgling cry.

A few seconds later, the captain's helmet was all that floated by.

The Sergeant said, "Turn around men!  I'm in charge from now on."

And we just made it out of the Big Muddy With the captain dead and gone.

We stripped and dived and found his body Stuck in the old quicksand. I guess he didn't know that the water was deeper than the place he'd once before been.

Another stream had joined the Big Muddy 'bout a half mile from where we'd gone.

We were lucky to escape from the Big Muddy When the big fool said to push on.

Well, I'm not going to point any moral; I'll leave that for yourself

Maybe you're still walking, you're still talking You'd like to keep your health.

But every time I read the papers That old feeling comes on;

We're waist deep in the Big Muddy And the big fool says to push on.

Tall man'll be over his head, we're Waist deep in the Big Muddy!

And the big fool says to push on!