Tuesday, August 11, 2009

As We Come Up on the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock-- Part 2

Country Joe McDonald appeared by himself on Saturday without his band, the Fish. He did the "Fish Cheer/I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die-Rag). He did it again on Sunday, but this time with the Fish. The FISH Cheer, "Give me an F" normally was just that, spelling out the word FISH. However, at Woodstock, it became a swear word. In 1970, he was arrested for obscenity for the swear word version.

The "Fixin'-to-Die-Rag" is also known as the "Vietnam Song," and is well known to my age group. I remember while at Quantico, Virginia, my platoon getting into big trouble with the drill sergeants singing it on our way to Washington, DC, to see the Marine Drill Team. We sure paid for it the following day at PT, which was particularly intense.

Give Me an "F!" --Cooter

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