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.
Major Blues
Arlo Guthrie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sometimes I do
That's why it hurts to believe in you
Though I know that pain and sorrow
Ain't nothing new
It really hurts to be hurt by you
Lost my job to no one
That's what I get for going to 'Nam
Give my life to my country
Now they put me on the welfare line
No it won't be water but fire next time
Sometimes I want to go back to the city
Where I spent my youth
Where I had nothing and nothing to lose
Someday when this country needs a helping hand
And they want mine
I'll tell them, "Buddy just get in line"
And when my baby comes back crying
'Cause her lover ain't around no more
I'll kick that smart ass out the door
There's times I don't believe in nothing
Sometimes I do
That's why it hurts to believe in you
Though I know that pain and sorrow
Ain't nothing new
It really hurts to be hurt by you
It really hurts to be hurt by you
Arlo Guthrie's song "Major Blues" tackles themes of disillusionment, betrayal, and pain. The lyrics suggest that the singer is someone who has lost a lot - a job, a lover, and perhaps even faith in their country. The first verse suggests that the singer is torn between believing in nothing and something, and that their belief in the person they are addressing is causing them pain. The next verse tells us that the singer lost his job and his lover to another man, after having given his life to fight in the Vietnam War. He is now on welfare and feels that the world owes him something. He ends the verse with the phrase "No it won't be water but fire next time," which seems to suggest a desire for justice, and a warning to those who have wronged him.
The third verse suggests that the singer is feeling nostalgic for his youth and perhaps a simpler life - a life where he had "nothing and nothing to lose." This seems to be a common feeling among people who have suffered major losses and are struggling to find their place in the world. The final verse is somewhat more hopeful, in that the singer seems to suggest that one day his country will need him again, and when that day comes he will be ready to help. He also suggests that if his lover ever comes back to him crying because her new lover has left her, he will not take her back. This shows a resolve to move on and not let himself be hurt again.
Overall, the song conveys a sense of bitterness and disillusionment, tempered with a hint of hopefulness. The singer has been through a lot, and is struggling to find meaning and purpose in his life. He seems to be searching for something to believe in, and is wary of putting his faith in anything or anyone, because he knows how much it hurts to be let down.
Line by Line Meaning
There's sometimes I don't believe in nothing
Arlo sometimes has periods of doubt and disbelief
Sometimes I do
Other times he believes in something
That's why it hurts to believe in you
Arlo feels hurt and betrayed for trusting in someone
Though I know that pain and sorrow/Ain't nothing new
Arlo recognizes that feeling hurt and experiencing negative emotions is a common human experience
It really hurts to be hurt by you
Arlo emphasizes again how painful it is to be hurt by someone he trusted
Lost my job to no one
Arlo lost his job through no fault of his own
Lost my baby to another man
Arlo's romantic partner left him for someone else
That's what I get for going to 'Nam
Arlo feels that his service in the Vietnam War contributed to his struggles and losses
Give my life to my country
Arlo made a significant sacrifice by serving in the military
Now they put me on the welfare line
Despite his service, Arlo is struggling financially and has to rely on government assistance
No it won't be water but fire next time
Arlo feels that the country's problems are escalating and will only get worse in the future
Sometimes I want to go back to the city
Arlo sometimes feels nostalgic for his past
Where I spent my youth
He specifically longs for the time in his life when he was younger
Where I had nothing and nothing to lose
Arlo reflects on a time when his life was simpler and he had fewer responsibilities
Someday when this country needs a helping hand
Arlo anticipates that his country may eventually require his assistance
And they want mine
He expects that he will be called upon to contribute to his country again
I'll tell them, 'Buddy just get in line'
Arlo feels frustrated by the idea of re-enlisting and is pessimistic about the country's priorities
And when my baby comes back crying
Arlo expects that his partner will eventually regret leaving him
'Cause her lover ain't around no more
Her new partner has likely abandoned her
I'll kick that smart ass out the door
Despite her potential attempts to reconcile, Arlo plans to reject any further advances from his ex-partner
It really hurts to be hurt by you
Arlo emphasizes again how painful it is to be hurt by someone he trusted
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Arlo Guthrie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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