Cat Brules Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Joe McDonald (Country Joe and the Fish) was a counter-culture rock band from the mid-late 1960’s+, out of Berkely, California. Today, for some reason, one of their songs that I haven’t thought about it in a lifetime, began repeatedly playing in my mind (with all the lyrics)..... an anti-Vietnam War song called, I believe, “I Feel Like I’m Fixing to Die Rag”. This song was popular during the 60’s and early 70’s. I was immediately struck by the thought that by changing maybe two(2) words, the song could have come current several years ago: I don’t know how many troops we still have in Afghanistan, maybe 20,000 or fewer. Those words are: - change “Viet Nam” to “Afghanistan“ - change “Viet Cong” to “Taliban” Thats it, and it plays. The video (this rendition has very clear lyrics) is below. Give it a listen, and (Maybe) substitute the “new” lyrics. Cat Brules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MizPete Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Scary then, scary now. Whoopie! we're all gonna die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgavin Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 The Country Joe tune sounds a whole lot like a filk of the "Muskrat Ramble" tune. Harry Connick, Jr. does a fine rendition on piano of this old Kid Ory tune from 1926. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Brules Posted July 21, 2020 Author Share Posted July 21, 2020 Yes, the music isn’t unique, it follows a tinky-tonk rythmn and it was meant to be....the music was basically copied. BUT, The lyrics are shocking and profane on purpose. When I listened to it today, I found it very sad. AND there are many here who will not comment.......it hurts too much and I don’t blame them at all. Cat Brules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646 Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Cat is right, it is sad and funny and even nostalgic. I know the words. Imis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Johnson was a piece of... uh, work. Dirty SOB was making money off the "police action" in Vietnam but you won't find that on Google. He was making money off of "Air America" the CIA run airline in Southeast Asia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 We sang most of the anti war songs when I was in the army. Good toe tappers. Some of us drew peace symbols on our helmets and wrote Make Love, Not War. And we still kicked a**. I loved those guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 I imagine that anti-war songs go back as long as people had both singing and war. A fair number of popular songs from the War of 1861 era are anti-war.ADDED: A few examples Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailrider #896 Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 Troop lives matter! But statistically you are safer in Afghanistan than on the South and West Sides of Chicago and some areas of NYC! And that is sad! Nonetheless, God Bless our troops deployed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.D. Daily Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 11 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said: Johnson was a piece of... uh, work. Dirty SOB was making money off the "police action" in Vietnam but you won't find that on Google. He was making money off of "Air America" the CIA run airline in Southeast Asia. I recall that he and Lady Bird had an interest in PA&E, Pacific Architects & Engineers, who had a huge logistics contract in VN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.D. Daily Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 11 hours ago, Utah Bob #35998 said: We sang most of the anti war songs when I was in the army. Good toe tappers. Some of us drew peace symbols on our helmets and wrote Make Love, Not War. And we still kicked a**. I loved those guys. I am sure many popular anti VN war songs were played on "WTLB" in An Loc when the 11th ACR had the pirate radio station & I know I & other DJ's played them in Dau Tieng when 25th ID had it before leaving country for Schofield Barrack's. I remember how sad it was to load all the equipment & LP's in a CONEX to be stored in Long Binh. Didn't have enough time in country to leave with the division, bummer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Jack, SASS #77862 Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Country Joe and the Fish! There's a blast from the past! Saw them in San Francisco at the Fillmore once. I have "Eastern Jam" on my regular playlist on iTunes to remind me of what psychedelic music was Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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