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.
Living Like A Legend
Arlo Guthrie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gonna beat the sunset to the coast and back again
Moving through the shadows, almost going blind
Living like a legend before my time
If the road don't kill me, baby, I'll see you in the spring
Making up for lost time between us seems like everything
If I can make it home alright, you know, I'll treat you fine
I know, it wasn't easy for you, baby
With your man out on the road
So I'll be coming home tomorrow
To try to help you carry the load
I'm running out of highways and bridges to burn
This kind of living is taking its toll on what I've learned
You know, it ain't easy leaving you behind
Living like a legend before my time
But someday, baby, I'll be coming home to stay
Wrapped up in your warm love every night and every day
Ooh, I'm going out of my mind
Living like a legend before my time
I know, it wasn't easy for you, baby
With your man out on the road
So I'll be coming home tomorrow
To try to help you carry the load
I'll be getting up early 'cause I know, I'm coming home
I'm so tired of living this legend life alone
Kick off your shoes, babe, we'll drink a little wine
Forget about living like a legend before my time
Forget about living like a legend
Just forget about the road
So, look out for me, darling
On account of your man is coming home
In "Living Like A Legend", Arlo Guthrie sings about life on the road as a musician and the toll it takes on his relationships. He appears resigned to the fact that this is his life, but also hopeful that he can eventually settle down with his partner. He drives fast, trying to beat the sunset to the coast and back again, and he's constantly on the move, almost going blind from the shadows. He feels like he's living like a legend before his time, but he is committed to this lifestyle.
Guthrie sends a message of hope to his partner, telling her that he'll be coming home soon to help carry the load. Despite the difficulties of being away from home, he continues on this path, telling himself that someday he'll be coming home to stay. He's driven to continue the legend life, no matter the cost, but he's also aware that it's taking its toll.
The song reflects the struggles of many musicians and artists, who are often faced with the choice between their passion and their personal life. In "Living Like A Legend", Arlo Guthrie captures the highs and lows of that struggle poignantly.
Line by Line Meaning
Coming down the highway, running like a wind
Speeding down the road, trying to beat the sunset to the ocean and back
Gonna beat the sunset to the coast and back again
Trying to travel as quickly and efficiently as possible
Moving through the shadows, almost going blind
Driving through dimly lit areas, struggling to see
Living like a legend before my time
Living an exciting and adventurous life, even though I may be too young or inexperienced to truly be a legend
If the road don't kill me, baby, I'll see you in the spring
If I survive my travels, I'll come back to see you in a few months
Making up for lost time between us seems like everything
Spending time with you is the most important thing to me after being away for so long
If I can make it home alright, you know, I'll treat you fine
If I return safely, I promise to treat you well
I know, it wasn't easy for you, baby
I understand that my travels have made things difficult for you
With your man out on the road
Being away from home and on the go is hard on our relationship
So I'll be coming home tomorrow
I'll try to return home as quickly as I can
To try to help you carry the load
I want to support you and help you through any difficulties you may be facing
I'm running out of highways and bridges to burn
I'm getting tired of constantly being on the road and moving around
This kind of living is taking its toll on what I've learned
Traveling too much is interfering with my personal growth and development
You know, it ain't easy leaving you behind
It's hard for me to be away from you for so long
But someday, baby, I'll be coming home to stay
Eventually, I want to be able to stay home with you for good
Wrapped up in your warm love every night and every day
Spending time with you and feeling loved is my top priority
Ooh, I'm going out of my mind
I'm feeling a bit crazy and overwhelmed
I'll be getting up early 'cause I know, I'm coming home
I'm excited to come home and will wake up early to get there sooner
I'm so tired of living this legend life alone
I'm tired of living my adventurous life without you by my side
Kick off your shoes, babe, we'll drink a little wine
Let's relax and unwind together by having a glass of wine
Forget about living like a legend before my time
Let's forget about trying to be something we're not and just enjoy our time together
Just forget about the road
Let's not worry about traveling or being away from home
So, look out for me, darling
Be ready for my return
On account of your man is coming home
Because I'll be back home soon
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ARLO GUTHRIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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