Phil Ochs was a journalism student when the idea of writing singing editorials occurred to him.

Although he has moved from bright and urgently topical songs into themes of more durability, such as "There but for Fortune," Phil perhaps made his greatest impact as a "troubadour of the New Left." His "living newspaper" was kept up to date in the early 1960s with fresh editions of "The Ballad of William Worthy," "Talking Vietnam Blues" and "I Ain't Marching Any More."

Phil was, for a time, very much a product of the New York Broadside school! of topical songwriting, speaking out on dozens of current issues with his joggy melodies, his biting and sarcastic lyrics and his tart wit. He found, at that stage, that much of what he had learned about journalism applied as well to the writer of topical songs—the need to keep on top of...