Next Stop is Viet Nam!

Hey Guys!

As I concern myself with US history at the moment, I decided to familiarise you with a special anti-Vietnam War protest song: The "Fish" Cheer / I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag by Country Joe and the Fish.  The singer of the influential San Francisco psychedelic rock group, Country Joe, gave an unplanned solo performance of the song, also known as the Vietnam Song, on the stage of the legendary Woodstock Festival, in 1969.  Due to his nervousness, he was a bit reserved, but when he noticed that the vast audience did not seem to pay attention, he gave his all: ,,Listen people, I don't know how you expect to ever stop the war if you can't sing any better than that. There's about 300,000 of you fuckers out there. I want you to start singing. Come on.’’ Suddenly like changed,  the audience got up and started to sing the anti-war lyrics with him:

The song is a satire towards the US government. Country Joe blames the politicians and leaders of the US military and the industry that makes its money from war. However, he does not pass judgement on the soldiers. Joe considers them as the leaders' victims. Soldiers are the means of achievement, or let us say: the government's means of achieving money.

The lyrics are an ironic invitation for American men to fight in the Vietnam War:

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 Viet Nam so

Put down your books and pick up a gun we're

Gonna have a whole lotta fun

(CHORUS)

And it's one, two, three, what are we fighting for

Don't ask me I don't give a damn, next stop is Viet Nam

And it's five, six, seven, open up the pearly gates

Ain't no time to wonder why, whoopee we're all gonna die

Come on wall street don't be slow

Why man this war is a go-go

There's plenty good money to be made by

Supplying the army with the tools of its trade

Let's hope and pray that if they drop the bomb

They drop it on the Viet Cong

Come on generals, let's move fast

Your big chance has come at last

Now you can go out and get those reds

Cos the only good commie is the one that's dead and

You know that peace can only be won when we've

Blown 'em all to kingdom come

Come on mothers throughout the land

Pack your boys off to Viet Nam

Come on fathers don't hesitate

Send your sons off before it's too late

And you can be the first ones on your block

To have your boy come home in a box

In my opinion, Country Joe did a great job. If you really want to fight for your or somebody else’s rights, it is important to get up and to say something.  Furthermore, I think songs are a great tool to deliver messages.  At the same time, songs are a product of art and they are able to have a lasting effect!