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.
Garden Song
Arlo Guthrie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gonna make this garden grow
Gonna mulch it deep and low
Gonna make it fertile ground
Inch by inch, row by row
Please bless these seeds I sow
Please keep them safe below
Pullin' weeds and pickin' stones
We are made of dreams and bones
Need a place to call my own
'Cause the time is close at hand
Grain for grain, sun and rain
Find my way in nature's chain
Till my body and my brain
Tell the music of the land
Inch by inch, row by row
Gonna make this garden grow
Gonna mulch it deep and low
Gonna make it fertile ground
Plant your rows straight and long
Season with a prayer and song
Mother Earth will make you strong
If you give her loving care
Inch by inch, row by row
Gonna make this garden grow
Gonna mulch it deep and low
Gonna make it fertile ground
Slug by slug, weed by weed
Boy this garden's got me t'd
All the insects come to feed
On my tomato plants
Sunburt face, skined up knees
The kitchen's chocked with zucchinis
I'm shopping at the A&P's
Next time I get the chance
Old crow watching from a tree
He's got his hungry eye on me
In my garden I'm as free
As that feathered thief up there
Inch by inch, row by row
Gonna make this garden grow
Gonna mulch it deep and low
Gonna make it fertile ground
Arlo Guthrie’s "Garden Song" is a simple, effective tune that describes the joys and toils of gardening. It’s a song for anyone who has ever dreamed of planting a garden and watching things grow. The lyrics are a metaphor for life, suggesting that if we nurture and care for ourselves and the world around us, we can reap a bountiful harvest.
The first two stanzas of the song describe the gardener’s process of planting, and the third stanza symbolizes the human need for a place to call one’s own. The fourth stanza reflects the theme of the song, which is the idea that we are all part of nature’s chain, and we should "find our way" by working with Mother Earth rather than against her. The last three stanzas offer practical advice and describe the challenges of gardening, and yet despite the obstacles, the gardener still finds a sense of freedom and joy in the process.
The entire song is a metaphor for life and the struggles and joys that come with it. It describes the beauty and wonder of nature and how we can all work together to make the world a better place. It speaks to the idea that we are all interconnected and that by taking care of ourselves and the world around us, we can find a sense of purpose and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
Inch by inch, row by row
Slowly and steadily, step by step
Gonna make this garden grow
Trying to make a garden green and flourishing
Gonna mulch it deep and low
Will cover the ground with organic matter to protect from drought, and enhance soil and plant productivity.
Gonna make it fertile ground
Enriching soil with organic matter to create optimal growing conditions.
Please bless these seeds I sow
Asking for help and good fortune in growing the plants that he has sown.
Please keep them safe below
Asking to protect the seeds that are underground to be safe from harm and to eventually sprout.
'Til the rain comes tumbling down
Until the water comes with force through the sky and wets his garden.
We are made of dreams and bones
Humans have the ability to imagine and create, but also their physical structure limits them.
Need a place to call my own
Wishing for a safe haven that is his property.
'Cause the time is close at hand
Since his life is getting nearer to an end, he needs to find his place.
Find my way in nature's chain
He is looking for his place in the natural realm of things.
Till my body and my brain
He will put in his best effort and hard work to succeed.
Tell the music of the land
Achieve harmony with nature and to enjoy the peaceful sound of birds, water, and insects.
Plant your rows straight and long
Planting the rows of his garden alongside the others in a systematic, organized way.
Season with a prayer and song
Accompanied by spiritual comfort of his holy beliefs and by music.
Mother Earth will make you strong
The nourishing and nurturing of the earth will make your produce healthier.
If you give her loving care
Giving back to the earth by taking care of it adequately will allow it to flourish and grow bigger, and live to its full potential.
Slug by slug, weed by weed
Toiling every day to keep the garden healthy and free from pests.
Boy this garden's got me t'd
Working on this garden was hard and tired work.
All the insects come to feed
Despite his efforts to prevent it, it's difficult to control what comes in to eat from your garden.
On my tomato plants
His pride and joy are the tomato plants.
Sunburnt face, skinned up knees
The evidence of his hard labor is in the marks on his body.
The kitchen's choked with zucchinis
The yield from his garden produced an abundance of zucchinis.
I'm shopping at the A&P's
Despite the vast yield, he still had to go to a grocery store for other goods.
Next time I get the chance
He wishes to own a big store so that he doesn't depend on anyone else for the crops he can produce.
Old crow watching from a tree
There is always someone or something seeking to consume your hard work.
He's got his hungry eye on me
The old crow is keeping an eye on him, waiting to take advantage of any carelessness.
In my garden I'm as free
The garden provides him with an escape from the busy, stressful life.
As that feathered thief up there
Even the crow, like him, is after food.
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID MALLETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lindacook4032
I love Arlo ..no one tells a story like him. I will never forget him.
@guthriesfirstson2630
Hello linda cook, Compliments of the season to you. I thank you for just being an amazing fan - over the years and following my music. Seriously -I’m so grateful to be able to share my music 🎶 to the world ♥️
@johncook30284
Linda Cook John Cook commenting. I have a comment somewhere here. You saw Arlo two weeks ago? I saw him in 82 ~ approximately. I love Arlo Guthrie. Funnier than Jimmy Buffett. No, Arlo and Jimmy are different. Both funny Arlo Guthrie is storyteller and short songs. Check his fbi story.
@cvcoco
Nobody on the planet can tell a story the way Arlo tells a story.
@bobgarner44
The whole UNIVERSE indeed. My garden included
@rickoc6435
Thanks Woodie, Arlo And Pete for so much music.
@RobMacKendrick
A truly underrated artist. Had his moment in the 60s, then forgotten, except on Thanksgiving. But I've been listening ever since. An American treasure.
@TheBetty818
I will never Forgete Arlo Guthrie and his music
@guthriesfirstson2630
Hello Katie Getman, Compliments of the season to you. I thank you for just being an amazing fan - over the years and following my music. Seriously -I’m so grateful to be able to share my music 🎶 to the world ♥️
@lyndalaury5060
you know Arlo I have been following you for years and years and so has of my husband and he wanted me to sing from Alice's Restaurant Amazing Grace and your voice is so awesome so I did thank you very much for a touch of moment amen