His most famous work is Alice's Restaurant, a talking blues song that lasts eighteen minutes and twenty seconds (in its original recorded version; Guthrie has been known to spin the story out to forty-five minutes in concert). The song, a bitingly satirical protest against the Vietnam War draft, is based on a true incident. In the song, Guthrie was called up for a draft examination, and rejected as unfit for military service as a result of a criminal record consisting in its entirety of a single arrest, court appearance, fine and clean-up order for littering. In reality, Guthrie, though a carrier of the genetically inherited disease Huntington's chorea, was classified as fit (1A); however, his draft-lottery number did not come up.
Bling-Blang
Arlo Guthrie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you catch a bird and I'll catch a snail
You bring a board and I'll bring a saw
And we'll build a house for the baby-o
CHORUS
Bling, Blang, hammer with my hammer
Zingo, Zango, cutting with my saw
Zingo, Zango, cutting with my saw
I'll grab some mud and you grab some clay
So when it rains it won't wash away
We'll build a house that'll be so strong
The winds will sing my baby a song
CHORUS
Run bring rocks and I'll bring bricks
A nice pretty house we'll build and fix
We'll jump inside when the cold wind blows
And kiss our little baby-o
CHORUS
You bring a ladder and I'll get a box
Build our house of bricks and blocks
When the snowbird flies and the honeybee comes
We'll feed our baby on honey in the comb
CHORUS
Arlo Guthrie's song Bling Blang is a joyful and optimistic song that speaks to the idea of cooperation and the can-do spirit of making things with a partner. The lyrics tell of two people working together to build a house for their baby (or babies). The singer and their partner start by gathering basic tools and materials, a hammer and nail, a bird and snail, board and saw, and then move on to building a house from scratch. They are determined to make a house that is strong enough to withstand the elements, and in the process they work hard and have fun. They gather mud and clay, rocks and bricks, and even honey to build their dream home.
The joy and cooperation sung about in the song emphasize the importance of teamwork and partnership. The young couple in the song is not discouraged by the obstacles in their way--the wind, the cold, and the rain--but instead use their creativity, resourcefulness, and determination to succeed. The chorus of "Bling Blang, hammer with my hammer, Zingo Zango, cutting with my saw" emphasizes the rhythm of the work, the communal and musical nature of their labor.
In all, the song encourages hard work, persistence, partnership, and creativity. It celebrates the value of cooperation, basic tools, and materials that are at hand, as well as the simple pleasures of building a home with love and devotion.
Line by Line Meaning
You get a hammer and I'll get a nail
Let's work together to build something
And you catch a bird and I'll catch a snail
Let's work together to gather materials
You bring a board and I'll bring a saw
Let's contribute what we can to make this happen
And we'll build a house for the baby-o
Let's create a home for our future
CHORUS
Bling, Blang, hammer with my hammer
Zingo, Zango, cutting with my saw
Bling, Blang, hammer with my hammer
Zingo, Zango, cutting with my saw
Let's get to work with joy and enthusiasm
I'll grab some mud and you grab some clay
Let's use what we have and work with the earth
So when it rains it won't wash away
Let's make something durable that can withstand the elements
We'll build a house that'll be so strong
Let's create something that will last and endure
The winds will sing my baby a song
Let's create a comfortable and safe place for our child
CHORUS
Let's continue to work with energy and enthusiasm
Run bring rocks and I'll bring bricks
Let's gather more materials to make our home even stronger
A nice pretty house we'll build and fix
Let's create something that is both functional and beautiful
We'll jump inside when the cold wind blows
Let's create a cozy home to keep us warm and safe
And kiss our little baby-o
Let's enjoy our new home with our child
CHORUS
Let's celebrate the fruits of our labor with this song
You bring a ladder and I'll get a box
Let's continue to work together to make our home complete
Build our house of bricks and blocks
Let's create something strong and solid
When the snowbird flies and the honeybee comes
Let's enjoy the changing of the seasons in our new home
We'll feed our baby on honey in the comb
Let's enjoy the fruits of our labor and provide for our child
CHORUS
Let's sing this song of hard work and cooperation with joy and pride
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: WOODY GUTHRIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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