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.
My Love
Arlo Guthrie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never know where you are coming from
I wasn't easily won
My love I saw you first long ago
I didn't think then, now I know
How long it took love to grow
We two together are so right
You make the darkness so bright
My love, we've had one hell of a time
And we've got over our crying
And we've come out of this fine
Because when two loves grow old
There can be no denying
That their love may soon grow colder
Yet that's when we started trying
Oh babe, this love we have must be for real
We've overcome, now it's sealed
I know if something you feel
My love, you're like the wind on the run
I didn't know where you were coming from
I wasn't easily won
Arlo Guthrie's song "My Love" is a tender ode to a long-lasting and hard-won love. The opening lines, "My love, you're like the wind on the run, I never know where you are coming from, I wasn't easily won," evoke the image of love as an unpredictable force that cannot be tamed or controlled. The singer expresses surprise at finding himself in a committed, enduring relationship after initially dismissing the idea of love with this particular person: "I saw you first long ago, I didn't think then, now I know, how long it took love to grow." Here, Guthrie acknowledges that sometimes love takes time and patience to develop and mature, and that it can be a surprise when it finally blossoms.
Throughout the song, Guthrie sings of the ups and downs of love and of the hard work required to sustain a long-term relationship. He sings of wanting to hold his love at night, of the bright light this person brings into his life, and of the struggles they have overcome together. The lines "Because when two loves grow old, there can be no denying, that their love may soon grow colder, yet that's when we started trying" acknowledge the challenges that come with aging and changing together, and the importance of putting in effort to keep a relationship strong.
Overall, "My Love" is a beautiful tribute to the power of love and the work required to sustain it over time.
Line by Line Meaning
My love, you're like the wind on the run
My beloved, your free-spirited nature is like that of a gusty wind, constantly moving with such fervor and excitement.
I never know where you are coming from
I find it hard to guess your intention, your actions are always unpredictable, and I'm always surprised at your choices.
I wasn't easily won
You were hard to win over, but I value the effort and time spent to attain your love more than anything else.
My love I saw you first long ago
I remember seeing you for the first time a long time ago, it feels like just yesterday though.
I didn't think then, now I know
At first sight, I didn't realize the impact you would have on me, but now I know that you are the one for me.
How long it took love to grow
It took a considerable amount of time for us to be where we are now in our relationship, but it was worth every moment and experience we shared together.
Oh babe, I long to hold you at night
My dearest, I yearn to wrap my arms around you and feel your warmth beside me throughout the night.
We two together are so right
As a couple, we complement each other perfectly, and it feels natural and unforced.
You make the darkness so bright
Your presence in my life has brought about such immense joy and happiness, even in the darkest of times.
My love, we've had one hell of a time
Beloved, we've been on quite the rollercoaster of a journey in our relationship with plenty of ups and downs.
And we've got over our crying
We've overcome our differences, conflicts, and misunderstandings over time and are now stronger than ever.
And we've come out of this fine
We've come out from every challenging phase of our relationship with our love stronger, more resilient, and more profound than ever before.
Because when two loves grow old
As two people grow old together with love, it becomes more profound and intense, reflecting the depth of their life-long commitment to each other.
There can be no denying
It's an undeniable truth that true love lasts forever, regardless of how hard the circumstances are.
That their love may soon grow colder
As time ticks away and two people grow old together, their love may eventually decline and cool off.
Yet that's when we started trying
But that is precisely when we started trying harder than ever to keep the spark and flame of our love alive.
Oh babe, this love we have must be for real
My beloved, our love for each other is genuine, timeless, and adventurous, beyond words that can describe it.
We've overcome, now it's sealed
We've overcome every obstacle and challenge that came our way and secured our love safely in the memories of our hearts throughout eternity.
I know if something you feel
I have this intense feeling that whatever it is that you are feeling or experiencing, it is something profoundly special and unique that only you can truly comprehend.
My love, you're like the wind on the run
Once again, I can't help but admire your wild and windswept spirit, ever-changing and never dull, like the wind that touches everything it comes across.
I didn't know where you were coming from
Just like the wind, I can't predict from where and which direction your thoughts and intentions will come from.
I wasn't easily won
Winning your love was tough, probably one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ARLO GUTHRIE
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?