The United States of America vs Pete Seeger

When Pete Seeger sang the lyric “This Land Is My Land”—then dared to prove it. In this episode of Tape Spaghetti, Scott and Blake dig into folk icon Pete Seeger’s fiery 1955 showdown with the House Committee on Un-American Activities. At the height of the Red Scare, Seeger was hauled before Congress and grilled about his political beliefs, the people he sang for, and the songs he played. But Seeger refused to play along. Instead of hiding behind the Fifth Amendment, he cited the First, telling congress: “I’ve got a right to sing for anybody.” Sounds innocent enough, but Congress wasn’t impressed. Seeger was convicted of contempt, sentenced to prison, and blacklisted from TV and radio. While his conviction was eventually overturned, the incident defined Seeger’s career and cemented his legend, with songs like “Turn! Turn! Turn!” and “We Shall Overcome” becoming the soundtrack to a social movement that endured long after the sad era of McCarthyism. Tune in as Scott and Blake unpack this loaded folktale and celebrate Seeger’s big banjo energy.