This is Fresh Air, I'm Terry Gross.

Today we conclude our series of interviews with musicians from the Fresh Air Archive.

Since today is Labor Day, we've pulled out our interview with Pete Seeger,

who is famous for singing songs about working people, unions, and social justice.

Seeger is one of the most important figures in the history of American folk music.

He popularized Woody Guthrie's song, This Land as Your Land,

and wrote, If I Had a Hammer, and Turn, Turn, Turn.

In the 1940s, he sang union songs with the Almanac singers.

A few years later, he co-founded The Weavers, who surprised everyone, including themselves,

when they became the first group to bring folk music to the pop charts,

until they were blacklisted.

Seeger refused to answer questions about his politics when he appeared

before the House on American Activities Committee in 1955.

His conviction for contempt of Congress was eventually overturned on appeal.

As a young man, Seeger believed songs were a way of binding people to a cause.

Here's one of his many labor songs.

When you go to work, well you work like the devil at the end of the week,

you're not on the level.

Payday comes, you ain't got a penny, because when you pay your bills, you got so many.

I'm a gonna starve and everybody will, because you can't make a living in a cotton mill.

When you buy clothes on easy term, collect a treat you like a measly worm,

one dollar down, and then the Lord knows if you can't make a payment,

...