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.
Patriots
Arlo Guthrie Lyrics
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Living now here but for fortune
Placed by fate's mysterious schemes
Who'd believe that we're the ones asked
To try to rekindle the patriot's dreams
Arise sweet destiny, time runs short
Hear us now for alone we can't seem
To try to rekindle the patriot's dreams
Can you hear the words being whispered
All along the American stream
Tyrants freed the just are imprisoned
Try to rekindle the patriot's dreams
Ah but perhaps too much is being asked of too few
You and your children with nothing to do
Hear us now for alone we can't seem
To try to rekindle the patriot's dreams
Arlo Guthrie's song Patriots' Dream is a call to action that asks us to remember the ideals and values that founded America. The song addresses the struggle and responsibility of trying to rekindle the patriot's dream in a world where freedom and justice seem like mere illusions. Guthrie sings that we are all here by fortune, placed by fate's mysterious schemes, and we must answer the call to action and try to bring back the courage, values, and dreams of our forefathers. We are alone, but together we can try, and we must try.
The song starts with Arlo Guthrie pointing out that we are here by fortune, which means that luck and chance have played a big role in our existence. He seems to imply that we should be aware of the privilege that has come with fortune and the responsibility that comes with it. The lyrics, "Who'd believe that we're the ones asked to try to rekindle the patriot's dreams" suggests that we're the ones who can make the difference, that it's our responsibility and our duty to rekindle this dream of righteousness and freedom.
The second paragraph of the song urges us to take action because time runs short. It points out that we can't wait for destiny to save us; we need to take things into our own hands. The lyrics, "Can you hear the words being whispered All along the American stream Tyrants freed the just are imprisoned Try to rekindle the patriot's dreams" suggest that the people are whispering, and they are tired of being oppressed by tyrants. The last paragraph acknowledges the difficulties and doubts that come with such an enormous task. Nevertheless, Arlo Guthrie urges us to persevere, to take up the challenge for posterity.
Line by Line Meaning
Living now here but for fortune
We are alive and present in this moment, but only due to fate and circumstance.
Placed by fate's mysterious schemes
Our situation has been predetermined by forces beyond our control.
Who'd believe that we're the ones asked
It seems unlikely that we, ordinary people, have been chosen to carry out such an important task.
To try to rekindle the patriot's dreams
We are being called upon to revive the ideals and aspirations of our country's forefathers.
Arise sweet destiny, time runs short
We must act quickly, as time is running out and our destiny is at stake.
All of your patience has heard their retort
Our patience has been met with resistance and opposition from those who do not share our views.
Hear us now for alone we can't seem
We need others to join us in this endeavor, for our own efforts alone are not enough.
Can you hear the words being whispered
There are secret messages being passed along the length of our country, calling for action and unity.
All along the American stream
These messages are being carried by the people, flowing like a stream throughout the nation.
Tyrants freed the just are imprisoned
Those who seek power and control have oppressed the innocent and virtuous.
Try to rekindle the patriot's dreams
We must continue our efforts to revive the spirit and ideals of our country's founders.
Ah but perhaps too much is being asked of too few
We may feel overwhelmed or incapable of such a monumental task.
You and your children with nothing to do
We must involve everyone, even our young ones, in this effort to restore our country's values.
Hear us now for alone we can't seem
We must continue to call out for others to join us, as we cannot succeed alone.
To try to rekindle the patriot's dreams
Our ultimate goal is to reignite the passion and love for our country that our forefathers held dear.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ARLO GUTHRIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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