Nostalgia
Arlo Guthrie Lyrics


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The whole country is getting weirder
Ya know, the whole wide world's insane
Give me a hit of my memory and let me think back again

No more sharing in the can, lord
Everybody just brings his own
Nobody rolls joints with their hands anymore, no
So I just sit at home, alone
Everybody is really stranger
Where were you guys yesterday?
Women attack me out on the street, lord
Men attack me anyway
Pa swaps ma for aunt matilda,
She swaps him for young maybelline
The whole block is moving in together

What a scene, lord, what a scene
No more riots at the old school
Everybody just comes in stoned
Everybody looks oh so cool, lord
It's so cool, lord, I must be a fool
This whole scene is out of hand, now, later for today




Give me a hit of my memory, and let me be on my way
Let me be on my way

Overall Meaning

Arlo Guthrie’s “Nostalgia Rag” is a song that captures the singer's sense of disillusionment and confusion with the changes happening in their world. At the outset of the song, the singer laments the increasing sense of weirdness and insanity that seems to be taking over the country and the world. They long for a return to a time when things made more sense, a time they can access through their memories.


The song then changes focus, commenting on the changes in drug culture and gender relations in society. The singer notes that no one shares marijuana anymore and that joint-rolling is a lost art. They also comment on the strange behavior of men and women in public, with women attacking them on the street and men attacking them in any situation. The singer references swapping partners, perhaps indicating the emergence of the “swinging” culture that was becoming more visible in the late 1960s. In general, the changes taking place in society are disorienting and threatening to the singer, who seeks solace in their memories of a simpler time.


Overall, “Nostalgia Rag” is a song that reflects the anxiety and confusion that many people felt during the late 1960s period of social, cultural, and political change. For some, the changes felt liberating and exciting, while for others they seemed to portend a breakdown of traditional values and ways of life. Guthrie’s song captures this unease, but also suggests that the past is not a place where we can stay forever. Ultimately, the singer must confront the reality of the present and try to make sense of it in their own way.


Line by Line Meaning

The whole country is getting weirder
The country is becoming more unusual and unfamiliar.


Ya know, the whole wide world's insane
The entire world is not rational and is likely to be crazy.


Give me a hit of my memory and let me think back again
Let me reminiscence and recall past memories.


No more sharing in the can, lord
Gone are the days of sharing a communal marijuana stash with others.


Everybody just brings his own
Nowadays, everyone maintains their own personal marijuana supply.


Nobody rolls joints with their hands anymore, no
Traditional hand-made marijuana joints are no longer in fashion.


So I just sit at home, alone
I remain at home by myself.


Everybody is really stranger
Everyone has become unfamiliar and distant.


Where were you guys yesterday?
I do not know the location of my companions from the previous day.


Women attack me out on the street, lord
Ladies verbally accost me when I am walking on the road, oh God!


Men attack me anyway
Men attack me without any persuasion.


Pa swaps ma for aunt Matilda
Dad trades Mom for Aunt Matilda.


She swaps him for young Maybelline
Mom exchanges him for young Maybelline.


The whole block is moving in together
The entire neighborhood is shifting to accommodate each other.


What a scene, lord, what a scene
What a spectacle, oh God, what a spectacle.


No more riots at the old school
Disorderly disruption is no longer a problem at the former school location.


Everybody just comes in stoned
Each person arrives under the influence of drugs.


Everybody looks oh so cool, lord
Everyone appears very stylish, oh God.


It's so cool, lord, I must be a fool
The situation appears highly fashionable, oh God, I am probably mistaken.


This whole scene is out of hand, now, later for today
This whole state of affairs has gone too far, right now, let's forget about it for today.


Give me a hit of my memory, and let me be on my way
Allow me to recall some memories and then let me proceed on my path.




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: ARLO GUTHRIE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Bob


on Ring-Around-A-Rosy Rag

What is represented by “ ring-around-a-rosy rag”? Is that a sexy act or a drug?