Country Joe McDonald RIP

 The real America? I grew up in awe of the USA. AS a kid, I loved the technology of the Apollo moonshots and NASA and I wanted to be American. I believed that America was the land of the free, the land of opportunity. The land where you went if you wanted a good life. When I was 14, I saw the Ramones. The face of New York nihilistic punk rock and I was smitten. The Ramones seemed out of kilter with my idealised view of the USA. It wasn't all sunshine and bubblegum. I was intrigued. I became obsessed with underground American music. On the recommendation of my eldest brother Laurie, I borrowed his copy of "Electric music for the mind and body", the debut album by West Coast psychedelic legends Country Joe and The Fish. It was an eye opener. The sharpness of Country Joes songwriting was impossible for me not to love. The album is an absolute classic. I was intrigued and went out and bought the second album "I feel like I'm fixing to die". The title track is an anti war anthem.

Yeah, come on all of you, big strong men

Uncle Sam needs your help again

He's got himself in a terrible jam

Way down yonder in Vietnam

So put down your books, pick up a gun

Gonna have a whole lot of fun

And it's 1, 2, 3

What are we fighting for?

Don't ask me, I don't give a damn

Next stop is Vietnam

And it's 5, 6, 7

Open up the pearly gates

Ah, ain't no time to wonder why

Whoopee! We're all gonna die

Well come on generals let's move fast

Your big chance has come at last

Gotta go out, get those reds

The only good commie is the one that's dead

And you know that peace could only be won

When we've blown them all to kingdom come

And it's 1, 2, 3

What are we fighting for?

Don't ask me, I don't give a damn

Next stop is Vietnam

And it's 5, 6, 7

Open up the pearly gates

Ah, ain't no time to wonder why

Whoopee! We're all gonna die

Well come on Wall Street don't move slow

Why man, this is war-a-go-go

There's plenty good money to be made

By supplying the Army with the tools of the trade

Just hope and pray that if they drop the bomb

They drop it on the Viet Cong

And it's 1, 2, 3

What are we fighting for?

Don't ask me, I don't give a damn

Next stop is Vietnam

And it's 5, 6, 7

Open up the pearly gates

Ah, ain't no time to wonder why

Whoopee! We're all gonna die

Well come on mothers throughout the land

Pack your boys off to Vietnam

Come on fathers don't hesitate

Send them off before it's too late

Be the first one on your block

To have your boy come home in a box

And it's 1, 2, 3

What are we fighting for?

Don't ask me, I don't give a damn

Next stop is Vietnam

And it's 5, 6, 7

Open up the pearly gates

Ah, ain't no time to wonder why

Whoopee! We're all gonna die

Is there a better anti war song? Is there another one that covers all of the bases? I had the honour and privelige of seeing Country Joe several times in the 1980's. The one time which really stuck with me, was at Dingwalls in the middle of the Falklands war. Joe gave a short lecture on why war was a bad thing. A heckler launched a tirade about him being a commie. Joe calmly responded that he'd been in Korea with the US army and seen the futility of it all. He also pointed out the money he'd raised for veterans causes, when the government was not interested. Of all the artists I've seen and I've seen a lot, none had the moral integrity of Joe. 

He was an old man and he had Parkinsons, so it is not the tragedy of a young mans passing. But the world and the USA in particular needs more Country Joe McDonalds.  A decent man. A man of courage and principle. I am glad I saw him. There are a few songs that I wish I was talented enough to write. The fish cheer is very near the top. The False Dots Action Shock was my attempt to do a song in that style, thank you for the inspiration Joe. 

RIP Joe. Godspeed

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