This is maximum sarcasim. To me this is a middle finger to the government for dragging out this war that was the last American war to use the draft. It was scary dreading that letter in the mail. Hippies who protested the war and Civil Rights protesters at the time were all considered enemies of the government. Many, many protests for their lives, turned into riots. Their protests shut down college campuses. Not one or two. Across the country. Students occupied campus buildings and refused to move. There is also A LOT of just amazing music that came from protesting this war. The attire of the time made hippies look irresponsible and flighty. A drugs. But when allowed to speak, these were very intelligent young people who could talk down politicians easily with facts they would rather not have spoken in public. This is an emotional song that sounds like a joke.
The key thing to understand about the song is that he is incredibly angry, but the song itself is built as a sing-along style folk song. It is pure rage and sarcasm wrapped in velvet--which makes it brilliant.
Joe was a vet, but he had joined the Navy and served 3 years, nothing to do with Vietnam. As to this performance...he did in fact sing this with his band. He had an impromptu set on Saturday when Santana wasn't ready to perform, this was on Sunday with his band, The Fish.
Edited. Hewas a USAF vet that was disillusioned with sending the boys over the fight a war that should never been fought to begin with. It's a middle finger to the US government at the height of the war. I love it
"Be the first one on your block to have your boy come home in a box", pretty much the ultimate anti-war song ever written. And Country Joe McDonald did it in front of 300,000 "fuckers", or more, solo, with a borrowed acoustic guitar, with a piece of rope for his guitar strap. Pretty damn gutsy if you ask me. Still gives me chills.
@@ronaldstokes4841 still, it was during "Nixon's America", and I'm sure he was on Tricky Dick's "enemies list"... Try going against the red-hatters today, even in a friendly crowd!
No one knew what we were fighting for. That's why we hit the streets in protest. I lost many a school friend to that war. It was so hard to watch that war unfold, and we take credit for bringing it to an end through our protests and political activity.
@mikebaker5041 I was born in 1970 and believe you me, many of my friends were affected because their fathers serve in Vietnam. And I'm from Philadelphia and a school in Philadelphia, Thomas A. Edison HS, lost 64 guys in Vietnam, the most of any HS in America. The VFW club around the corner from my rowhome was mainly Vietnam War Vets. So yeah, I get what it was like back then even if I was a baby. You take care 🙂
Hell No, We Won't Go...saw Country Joe in Berkeley, CA, I was about 14?, Vietnam war had just ended...we, me and all my older hippie friends foolishly thought that Vietnam would be never forgotten lesson....right. Never forget, and four dead in Ohio...civil right movement...brings to mind a quote...people who forget their history are doomed to repeat it...the heart of man doesn't change and mans technology far surpasses his wisdom, that's 3 quotes, oh well, you get my drift, we thought we could change the world, I guess, we did, just a little, TY for playing this.
This song has a very special meaning to me because.....it was played often during my Army Medical training as a Combat Corpsman and later as a Surgery Technician in 1970 through 1972 I had just graduated from Illinois State Univ. with a BS in Vo- Ag Science Ed. and had received my " greetings you are hereby ordered to report letter ", as my student deferment had expired upon graduation and I was #12 in the 1969 National draft lottery. After basic Combat Training, the US Army sent me to Ft. Sam Houston Medical Centre and put me through Combat Corpsman School, Surgery Technician School and then on to Surgical Tech OJT.The Surgical Techs assisted the Surgeons and Nurses with surgical procedures including passing instruments and retracting wounds.We did anything the surgeon asked of us during said procedures. The whole staff operated on Vietnam Battle casualties and many others in our operating rooms, which were always available for use. My idyllic college days were over....in spades...I was to quickly grow up and witness what the "horrors of war " would do to the human body, first hand, in training and on the job in the real world. Becoming critically and permanently disabled in a vehicle accident between duty stations , after receiving orders for overseas, I discovered what it was like to be on both sides of the operating room table .I spent over a year in a hospital bed, having multiple surgical reconstructions to knee/legs I have had to deal with 52 years of pain and disability but my sacrifice was nothing compared to the heroes who gave all in their devotion to duty..I thank you vets for your service...service that always comes with a high cost....Dana - Combat Corpsman/ Op .Rm. Tech. First Army MEDDAC. Dept. Surgery /CMS Disabled Vn Era Vet....Veteran Employment Rep. [ Ret.]
I for one appreciate your testimony. It breaks my heart what you guys went through. I'm Gen-X (76) but my parents lived through it, lost friends, I remember the psychological trauma of vets, and the harassment they received. Also stewed in all the war movies. My shop teacher was Force Recon and taught me how to draft and measure, and some basic woodworking (and darts). There are generations of young people who have benefited from what you guys have given. I run into a vietnam vet from time to time, had one over for dinner the night before his quadruple bypass, he didn't have anyone left, and he made it through okay fwiw. He fired those ground-based missiles, took a grenade in the kill zone and lived, etc. But you guys should know you should never have to buy another drink in this country. Wear your hat, or give a tell. I think you'd be surprised how many friends you have. Besides, you guys know stuff that might soon come in handy! :) See: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Sb9QESRp1Wc.html
My dad was a Marne in WWll. He was wounded on Peliliu by a Japanese sniper. His life was saved by a Navy corpsman who was killed the next day. The Japanese purposely targeted Navy corpsmen. The Marnes had Navy corpsmen whom were highly respected by the Marines
I know I'm late to the party but wanted to comment on this reaction. Country Joe McDonald (without the Fish) was asked to fill in some idle time while Santana was trying to get ready to take the stage. No one in the audience was listening to him, until this last song that he played. In 1969 the Vietnam war was in full swing. Protests and marches were the order of the day. Joe was actually a veteran in 69, having served 3 years in the Navy. This protest song was different in that it didn't rage against the war machine or the government, but instead provided a big old "F*ck You" to general folks who supported the war - It was saying "Yeah, lets go fight, lets go die, that's what you want, right?" Woodstock, 3 days of fun and music, with a big old F*ck You right in the middle of it all. Those were the days.
NOT Country Joe and the Fish - just Country Joe. He was pushed on to the stage to fill time while waiting for Santana to get to the stage. The Fish were not with him. They had to scrounge a guitar.
I was at both of these events. Woodstock was probably one of the greatest memories of my life and Vietnam was hell. Little did I know when I was singing this on that Saturday afternoon in August that I would be participating the following year. The ODDS weren't good for survival honestly, at least surviving without some sort of damage physically or mentally. Agent Orange has killed so many of my brothers that I knew and was close to. Mental issues killed many more. THANK GOD that I came home with MOST of my faculties. Mom wanted me to go to Canada but my brother and I both decided not to. My brother didn't pass his physical but those were the days of the draft. You had not much choice. You could volunteer or get drafted. Volunteering was less time to be there. It was a gamble. 58,220 American soldiers paid a price for "NOTHING". We came home not honored, not treated well because at the time it was only a "conflict". It was a very very sad and bad time for America. Back in the day when I was a teen the youth of America got up off our asses and protested. Todays America seems to just sit at their Playstations, not stay informed and accept all the shitty things that are happening to our country.
This is a protest song of the War in Vietnam. While he was singing at Woodstock Me and a few thousand others were in Vietnam dying for his right to sing. By the way once we heard it we sang it a lot. Love your reactions.
Was with you in the Navy off the coast USS Enterprise/Kitty Hawk thanks for your service and to all of those that were in country. The music from back in the world kept us going.
@@bradhubbard5898 In truth we were fighting to keep our buddies alive, the country was fighting to make the arms manufacturers more money, it's sad but true.
@@davidgross990 That is sad, but true. I still thank you for your service. I was just lucky, when I hit 18 it was the lottery, then it became all volunteer.
Those names on the Wall are the very reason he sang this song, and why this country needs to think damn long & hard before ever sending our people into harms way ever again!
The true name of the song is… “I feel like I’m fixin’ to die rag” Country Joe McDonald never served in Vietnam. He enlisted in the Navy at 17 & was stationed in Japan. He was honorably discharged in 1962, before America’s main involvement in the Vietnam war. Joe refers to himself as a “Vietnam era veteran.
Country Joe still lives in the Bay Area, and at least until a few years ago still performed in the area. I saw him at Golden Gate park in 1997 or spring of 98, and about 5 6 years ago he performed in Concord at Todos Santo Plaza, he raises money for veteran, he puts his money where his mouth is. Much respect.
Country Joe came and played at my High School back in the early 70s and played this song should of looked at the teachers and staff faces as we were going give me a F give me a U… Priceless LOL 😂
This is One of the Ultimate Anti Vietnam War Songs along with Creedance Clearwater Revival's Fortunate Son, Rolling Stones Give Me Shelter and I Got to Get Out of the Place. Unfortunately I had draft number 37 and ended up in Vietnam 1970-71
Hi Adogg you are looking at the faces of very young people who are finding out the truth about being cannon fodder. Our grand parents fought WWI, our parents WWII, my sisters generation Korea and now we were being systematically sent to fight in Vietnam through the DRAFT. Most heartbreaking, we were patriots waking up to betrayal and tname calling llike "hippi" whatever that means, made up by the media. ORIGINALLY: WE THOUGHT WE WERE SAVING A GOOD PEOPLE FROM BAD GUYS over there. Hope this version is a bit clearer to understand. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5XZ07UWhk8s.html
Although billed as "Country Joe and the Fish", Country Joe, for that song, was up there alone. The rest of his group hadn't yet made it to the venue and were next to perform. They (and their equipment) were coming in on the next chopper. So Joe borrowed a guitar and used the sound equipment (with permission) of the last act to perform, and was essentially killing time for the rest of the band to arrive and set up. Many young people are unaware that, because of the traffic tie-down that area of New York, caused by a literal flood of (potential) audience members traveling to the concert, almost all of the musical performers for the entire 3 day gig had to be air-lifted by helicopter in order to get there and play.
I worked for a radio station back in the day and had to edit the song so we could play it on the air, I had to cut swearing out, NO computers to edit things back then, all done by cutting and splicing tape !!!
Hippies, drugs, cars from 300,000 people blocking the highway so the artists had to be flown in and out via helicopter. Santana, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker, Sly and the Family Stone, The Grateful Dead, The Who, Credence Clearwater Revival, and more. The biggest party ever. Watched it all with you Adogg!
Hi Adogg you are looking at the faces of very young people who are finding out the truth about being cannon fodder. Our grand parents fought WWI, our parents WWII, my sisters generation Korea and now we were being systematically sent to fight in Vietnam through the DRAFT. Most heartbreaking, we were patriots waking up to betrayal and tname calling llike "hippi" whatever that means, made up by the media. ORIGINALLY: WE THOUGHT WE WERE SAVING A GOOD PEOPLE FROM BAD GUYS over there. Hope this version is a bit clearer to understand. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5XZ07UWhk8s.html
Hi Adogg you are looking at the faces of very young people who are finding out the truth about being cannon fodder. Our grand parents fought WWI, our parents WWII, my sisters generation Korea and now we were being systematically sent to fight in Vietnam through the DRAFT. Most heartbreaking, we were patriots waking up to betrayal and tname calling llike "hippi" whatever that means, made up by the media. ORIGINALLY: WE THOUGHT WE WERE SAVING A GOOD PEOPLE FROM BAD GUYS over there. Hope this version is a bit clearer to understand. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5XZ07UWhk8s.html
I was obsessed with PBS when I was younger. I saw this documentary about Woodstock when i was 11. I was blown away by the movement and music. I still listen to this song. It's one of my favs from the festival.
I love this clip, and the whole Woodstock fest film. Same with Monterey Pop (1967). I searched protest song reactions haha that's how I found this. Peace and love and Medicare 4 All
Country Joe served in the Navy (Japan I think) during Vietnam era. Came home to perform the most iconic anti war song. Welcome home Joe from a Nam vet. And we didn't give a damn why we were fighting cause we were too busy surviving.
Hello! Am really happy to find your channel. First off, I hope you don't mind if I say that from what you post, it is clear you listen honestly, openly. You treat music with respect. Thank you for showing that quality as a music listener. Many people have the experience of a song when it is contemporary, a natural way to relate to a song. However, to hear a song that is not contemporary and relate to the psychology or emotional understanding of it, really needs a great listener or a good song - or both. When this song was sung at Woodstock, 16 y.o. boys were still signing up to go to war. The aftermath of the veterans coming home was felt full throttle - it is when homelessness became a normalized part of American life on a scale not seen since the 'great depression'. Friends and relatives are dying now from Agent Orange related cancer. They were in Vietnam and are older than me. In case it is new to you, Agent Orange was a deforestation chemical soldiers were doused with in the field. The villagers swam in it. Here is a song to say thank you: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UvUY7Lm4nZI.html
Hi Adogg you are looking at the faces of very young people who are finding out the truth about being cannon fodder. Our grand parents fought WWI, our parents WWII, my sisters generation Korea and now we were being systematically sent to fight in Vietnam through the DRAFT. Most heartbreaking, we were patriots waking up to betrayal and tname calling llike "hippi" whatever that means, made up by the media. ORIGINALLY: WE THOUGHT WE WERE SAVING A GOOD PEOPLE FROM BAD GUYS over there. Hope this version is a bit clearer to understand. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5XZ07UWhk8s.html
The actual name of the song is: Fixing to die rag. The line "Whoopie were all gunna die" was supposedly the last words a badly wounded soldier said to his sidekick. This group released several albums and were very popular for a while back in the late 60's and 70's. Some of there other stuff is also good.
My older siblings had this album growing up. I was 5 when Woodstock happened, but they had these albums when they were released, so it was making its way to my noodle when I was that young. This song heavily influenced me, the son of a lifer Army first sergeant. I was becoming aware of the world during this time, and yeah...the music greatly influenced and shaped my world view. Thankfully.
My generation baby! The rallying cry of our generation. I missed the last draft by the last digit being 3 numbers off! We didn't care what they were fightin' about...we just knew that they were gonna be okay. But we were fooked.
Very historical performance at Woodstock! I also watched the documentary to find out about this protest song. I was way to young to even known what Woodstock was at the time.
Hi Adogg you are looking at the faces of very young people who are finding out the truth about being cannon fodder. Our grand parents fought WWI, our parents WWII, my sisters generation Korea and now we were being systematically sent to fight in Vietnam through the DRAFT. Most heartbreaking, we were patriots waking up to betrayal and tname calling llike "hippi" whatever that means, made up by the media. ORIGINALLY: WE THOUGHT WE WERE SAVING A GOOD PEOPLE FROM BAD GUYS over there. Hope this version is a bit clearer to understand. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5XZ07UWhk8s.html
Thank you for sharing this! My husband and I are of the Woodstock generation, and we just replayed the concert. Country Joe McDonald's angry FUCK song is our favorite, and explains just what the Woodstock concert was about!
I was in country shortly after he sang rhis song at Woodstock and I think he hit the nail right on the head. We were there for no good reason and when we came home we were spat on
The F word was still pretty shocking in those days. It started out as the F-I-S-H Cheer but quickly became the F-U-C-K Cheer. The audacity of screaming it uninhibited in public was euphoric.
Country is the singer and the fish is the band love that u found this song and are not only listening to it but sharing it to a new generation and its still ralivan just replace Vietnam with who is at war today
I remember this song very well, as I was a Hippie/Flower Child in the 60's. But like so many others, I was conflicted . . . wanting to support my friends & loved ones over there fighting, while protesting against a war we had no business being in. Damned politicians! R.I.P. Pat and Bill 😢💔
It was said a few years ago that a young black man was safer in Afghanistan than in the south side of Chicago...or LA or Detroit or St Louis. We need a song like that now to stop the gang-bangers and the drug wars. Speak up brothers....speak out.
If you had gone back in time to when he sang this song you - YOU - could have been drafted into the army and forced to go to war in Vietnam. This song is anti draft and anti Vietnam war. It's also anti the fellows that volunteered to join the army and fight in Vietnam. The singer is saying there isn't any real reason for the war.
He also did a song about Nam that was banned from certain TV shows... "Knee Deep in the Big Muddy". About LBJ and the war. The line that offended was, "We're knee deep in The Big Muddy, and the big fool says to push on."
The Vietnam War was fought by draftees. Non- volunteers. And if you weren't part of a privileged class ( like rich, white, and going to college ) you went onto the list on your 18th birthday. Draftees served 2 years, and were about 90 % infantry, and were guaranteed Basic Training, then Advaced Infantry Combat Tsaining, and then 1 year in Vietnam. And it was guaranteed to be 1 year out in the jungle or on some field combat base camp, where you were going to get shot at.
My high school buddies began disappearing in the Sixties. All the talk was, "Didja hear, such n' such got his draft notice?" I received my 'GREETINGS' in December of '68. I think of the 58,320 who never had a chance to experience grandchildren... the Forever Young. Welcome Home Brothers.
There was a draft at the time. Everyone was waiting to see if their number came up. Although if you were connected to someone in power you would get out of service. This inequity made for some real turmoil in the country. Hence the was protests.
This was just Country Joe performing. The band was not with him. He was basically doing an impromptu performance while Santana got it together to get on stage.
I was a draft dodger during the Vietnam War. I was in TX and got a letter from draft board if I didn't report the would send the cops. I refused to report. I was in basic training for USAF. lol
Adogg, I hope you seen the movie Apocalypse Now. It's a modernized vietnam-era version of a famous book from WWI by a famous author I adore. It's one of my most favorite movies of all time, and it gives a good vibe & feel for what those boys were going through there. Also has a crazy ending, really dark, thought provoking & interesting. Been loving your channel and your reactions for years!
Something I think the younger generation misses is the draft. Every man was eligible for the draft, so many of those singing might be on a plane to Vietnam sometime after this concert. No choice.
I was in school when the war in Vietnam and when a schoolmates brother was killed. And soon older friends were drafted and many came back and we're never the same, one even committed suicide bc of what he saw and he had to do.
I heard this song somewhere before when I was a kid, then fast-forward to adulthood and I'm in Iraq in a helicopter getting ready to take off with special forces in the back... almost 💯 we were going get shot at and one of the pilots (there were 6 helicopters in formation) and all of a sudden we all hear this song in every helicopter. One of the Pilots had it his iPod and put the headphone up to his helmet microphone and almost everyone was laughing. This was in 2013 and it was so true. I remember walking around thinking what the fuck are we here for.luckily for the guy we were going in to get we missed him by minutes... but yeah. It's very surreal. I remember thinking "Ok... yeah I guess we are just going to do this today" and I was so calm but aware of how dangerous it was. Surreal
Oh, honey, we all watched the draft lottery every New Years Eve. Worse, I was a student nurse and was basically forced to get a draft card, AS A WOMAN. We were determined by the government that we were good for medics/targets. The year my birthday came up #4, the draft ended. Whew.
