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.
Dead or Alive
Arlo Guthrie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes, the new sheriff wrote me a letter
Come up and see me, dead or alive
Come up and see me, dead or alive
Dead or alive, if s a hard road
It's a hard road, dead or alive
Yes, he even sent me my picture
How do I look, boys, dead or alive?
How do I look, boys, dead or alive?
Dead or alive, if s a hard road
It's a hard road, dead or alive
Well, he said he would pay expenses
Yes, he said he would pay expenses
Dead or alive, no thanks!
New sheriff, I'm a poor boy
If s a hard road, dead or alive
Dead or alive, if s a hard road
Well, he said he would feed and do the me
Yes, he said he would feed and do the me
Dead or alive, no thanks!
New sheriff, I'm a poor boy
If s a hard road, dead or alive
Dead or alive, if s a hard road
Well, I'm sorry but I can't come, sheriff
Yes, I'm sorry but I can't come, sheriff
Dead or alive, no thanks!
New sheriff, I'm a poor boy
If s a hard road, dead or alive
Dead or alive, if s a hard road
I don't like your hard rock hotel
I don't like your hard rock hotel
Dead or alive, new sheriff
No thanks, I'm a poor boy
If s a hard road, dead or alive
Dead or alive, if s a hard road
I gotta go down and see my little sweet thing f
Gonna go down and see my little sweet thing
Dead or alive, yes, Lord!
No thanks, new sheriff
If s a hard road, dead or alive
Dead or alive, if s a hard road
The lyrics to Arlo Guthrie's song Dead or Alive depict a sheriff who is seeking to capture the singer, and has sent him a letter asking him to come and see him "dead or alive". The singer responds by refusing the invitation and expressing his lack of interest in seeing the sheriff, even if it means he could be pursued and captured. The repeated line "It's a hard road, dead or alive" underscores the difficulty of the situation and the singer's determination not to give in to the sheriff's demands.
The lyric "he even sent me my picture, how do I look boys, dead or alive?" suggests a level of mockery on the part of the sheriff, highlighting the power dynamic at play between the two men. The lyric "he said he would pay expenses, dead or alive, no thanks!" also illustrates the singer's defiance, as he refuses to accept any help from the sheriff who is seeking to capture him. Ultimately, the singer chooses to prioritize his own freedom and personal relationships over complying with the sheriff's demands, as he declares his intention to go and see his "little sweet thing" instead of meeting with the sheriff.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, the new sheriff wrote me a letter
The singer received a letter from the new sheriff.
Yes, the new sheriff wrote me a letter
Confirming that the singer received a letter from the new sheriff.
Come up and see me, dead or alive
The new sheriff wants to see the singer, whether they are alive or dead.
Dead or alive, if s a hard road
No matter what, life is difficult.
It's a hard road, dead or alive
Reiterating that life is difficult.
Yes, he even sent me my picture
The new sheriff also sent the singer their picture.
How do I look, boys, dead or alive?
The singer is asking how they look, in both life and death.
Yes, he said he would pay expenses
The new sheriff offered to pay for the artist's expenses.
Dead or alive, no thanks! New sheriff, I'm a poor boy
The artist declines the offer, as they cannot afford to travel.
Yes, he said he would feed and do the me
The new sheriff also offered to feed and care for the artist.
I'm sorry but I can't come, sheriff
The singer apologizes but cannot fulfill the new sheriff's request.
I don't like your hard rock hotel
The artist expresses their dislike of the new sheriff's accommodation.
Gonna go down and see my little sweet thing
The singer plans to visit their loved one.
Dead or alive, yes, Lord! No thanks, new sheriff
The singer would rather face death than accept the new sheriff's offer, but ultimately declines it.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JOHN GENZALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bob
on Ring-Around-A-Rosy Rag
What is represented by “ ring-around-a-rosy rag”? Is that a sexy act or a drug?