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.
Power Of Love
Arlo Guthrie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can bring a man to his knees
The power of love can make a sultan grieve
Can make a skeptic believe
The power of love is south of south
And scorches out all the doubt
The power of love is the name of names
The power of love can make a gangster cry
Can make a loser try
The power of love can make a strong man weak
Can make a bigot meek
The power of love is south of south
And scorches out all the doubt
The power of love is the name of names
And burns away all the pain
The power of love can make a coward brave
Can make a hero afraid
The power of love can make a miser give
Can make a dead man live
The power of love is south of south
And scorches out all the doubt
The power of love is the name of names
And burns away all the pain
The power of love is south of south
And scorches out all the doubt
The power of love is the name of names
And burns away all the pain
Arlo Guthrie's song "Power of Love" is a powerful testament to the immense, transformative power of love. The lyrics describe the ways in which love has the ability to change people's lives, to mend broken hearts, and to heal even the deepest of wounds. One of the main themes in the song is the idea that love has the power to transcend any boundaries, to bring people together regardless of their differences, and to change hearts and minds in ways that are truly profound.
The opening line of the song, "The power of love can make a blind man see," sets the tone for what follows – a series of powerful, moving images that demonstrate how love has the ability to transform people's lives in surprising and unexpected ways. Whether it's making a gangster cry, a strong man weak, or a bigot meek, love has the power to break down even the most hardened of hearts and to bring people to their knees.
The repeated refrain "The power of love is south of south" is a powerful statement about the universality of love, which knows no boundaries of race, class, or culture. The idea that love can overcome all obstacles is a powerful one, and a reminder that even in the darkest of times, love has the ability to shine through and conquer all.
Overall, "Power of Love" is a timeless song that speaks to the universal human experience of love and its transformative power. It is a testament to the idea that no matter how great the obstacles we face, love has the power to conquer all.
Line by Line Meaning
The power of love can make a blind man see
Love has the ability to open one's eyes to things previously unseen
Can bring a man to his knees
Love has the power to humble even the strongest of men
The power of love can make a sultan grieve
Even those in the highest positions of power can be moved to sadness by love
Can make a skeptic believe
Love can transform even the most doubtful and cynical of people
The power of love is south of south
Love is something that transcends beyond any physical location or realm
And scorches out all the doubt
Love has the power to burn away any uncertainty or skepticism
The power of love is the name of names
Love is the ultimate force and the most important thing in the world
And burns away all the pain
Love has the power to heal and eradicate any emotional or physical hurt
The power of love can make a gangster cry
Even those who seem tough or hardened can be brought to tears by love
Can make a loser try
Love can inspire someone to strive for something greater and overcome their failures
The power of love can make a strong man weak
Love can soften the strongest of people and bring them to vulnerability
Can make a bigot meek
Love can transform someone who is prejudiced or intolerant into someone who is more accepting and compassionate
The power of love can make a coward brave
Love can give someone the courage they need to face their fears and stand up for what they believe in
Can make a hero afraid
Even the most courageous and brave individuals can be made to feel fear by love
The power of love can make a miser give
Even those who value wealth above all else can be moved to give by love
Can make a dead man live
Love has the power to bring people back to life, metaphorically speaking, and revive their spirits
The power of love is south of south
Love is something that exists beyond any known boundaries or limits
And scorches out all the doubt
Love can destroy any doubt or uncertainty that we may have about ourselves or the world around us
The power of love is the name of names
Love is the most essential and fundamental force in the universe
And burns away all the pain
Love can heal any wounds or hurt that we may have and restore us to wholeness
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: T-BONE BURNETT
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?