In September of 1967, Pete Seeger, in his first appearance on television after being blacklisted in the 1950s, appeared on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. The original taping of the show included Seeger singing Waist Deep in Muddy Waters, a controversial anti-war song that was subsequently cut from the show by CBS. Thanks to the efforts of the Smothers Brothers, this version below aired in a later broadcast on the show on February 25, 1968.
This was only one of many fights over the censorship of content that occurred between the Smothers Brothers and the network and CBS abruptly cancelled the show on April 4th 1969. Despite the cancellation, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour ended up winning an Emmy for writing after being cancelled. If you're interested, there is a great documentary that details the history of the CBS vs. Smothers censorship struggle called Smothered.
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour had an Olympian line-up of writers including; Steve Martin, Rob Reiner, Albert Brooks, Don Novello (Father Guido Sarducci), Pat Paulsen and head writer Mason Williams (yes, composer of Classical Gas which premiered on the show), as well as Tommy Smothers though he was not credited as one of the writers when the show won the 1969 Emmy. BUT Tommy went on to win that Emmy nearly 40 years later!
By the way, there is currently a move to have Pete Seeger nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Video Courtesy of PopulistParty at YouTube.
Just in case the video is removed from YouTube due to copyright violations at a later date, here are the lyrics:
It was back in 1941.
I was a member of a good platoon.
We were on maneuvers in Lou'siana 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,
And 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've forded this river
About a mile above this place.
It'll be a little soggy, but just keep sloggin'.
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 Nelly,"
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 gurglin' 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
Then the place he'd once before been.
Another stream had joined the Big Muddy
About 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.
Now 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.
Waist deep in the Big Muddy,
The big fool says to push on.
Waist deep in the Big Muddy,
The big fool says to push on.
Waist deep, neck deep,
Soon even a tall man will be over his head.
We're waist deep in the Big Muddy,
And the big fool says to push on.
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