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.
Stealin'
Arlo Guthrie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like a circle 'round the sun
You know I'll love you baby
When my easy ridin's done
You don't believe I love you
Look at the fool I've been
You don't believe I'm sinkin'
Stealin' stealin'
Prefty mama don't you tell on me
I'm stealin' back to my
Same old used to be
Well I got me a woman
'Bout my size and height
She's a married woman
So you know she treats me right
You don't believe I love you
Look at the fool I've been
You don't believe I'm sinkin'
Look at he hole I'm In
Stealin' stealin'
Prefty mama don't you tell on me
I'm stealin' back to my
Same old used to be
Put your arms around me
Like a circle 'round the sun
You know I'll love you baby
When my easy ridin's done
You don't believe I love you
Look at the fool I've been
You don't believe I'm sinkin'
Look at he hole I'm In
Stealin' stealin'
Prefty mama don't you tell on me
I'm stealin' back to my
Same old used to be
Well I got me a woman
'Bout my size and height
She's a married woman
So you know she treats me right
I don't believe I love you
Look at the fool I've been
I don't believe I'm sinkin'
The song "Stealin'" by Arlo Guthrie is a bluesy, folk-rock tune that tells a story of a man who is running away from his current life to return to his "same old used to be." The opening line of the song, "Put your arms around me like a circle 'round the sun," is a metaphorical expression of love and affection that the man is seeking from his lover. He believes that she would love him back once he has achieved his goal of returning to his old life. The lyrics "When my easy ridin's done" suggest that the man is looking for a simpler, carefree life after living a difficult and complicated one.
The chorus of the song, "Stealin' stealin', pretty mama don't you tell on me, I'm stealin' back to my same old used to be" embodies the central theme of the song. The man is stealing away from his current life, which he does not enjoy, to return to his "same old used to be" where he believes he will find comfort and happiness. The lyrics "You don't believe I'm sinking, look at the hole I'm in" could be a reference to the man's current life, which he sees as a sinking ship. He is trying to get out before he goes down with it.
In the second verse, the man talks about his current lover, who is married, and she treats him right even though she is not his to love. The phrase "You don't believe I love you, look at the fool I've been" could be interpreted as him saying that he has been fooling himself while pursuing his married lover. Overall, "Stealin'" is a song that tells a story of a man trying to escape his current complicated life to return to a simpler, happier one, where he believes he will find love and happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Put your arms around me
Hold me tightly
Like a circle 'round the sun
Forever and without end
You know I'll love you baby
I promise to love you
When my easy ridin's done
When my carefree days are over
You don't believe I love you
You doubt my love
Look at the fool I've been
I've acted foolishly
You don't believe I'm sinkin'
You don't think I'm in trouble
Look at he hole I'm In
See the mess I'm in
Stealin' stealin'
Taking what's not mine
Prefty mama don't you tell on me
Don't tell anyone what I'm doing
I'm stealin' back to my
I'm trying to get back to
Same old used to be
The way things were before
Well I got me a woman
I found a woman
'Bout my size and height
Similar in physique to me
She's a married woman
She's already married
So you know she treats me right
She's good to me
I don't believe I love you
I'm unsure if I love you
Look at the fool I've been
I've acted foolishly
I don't believe I'm sinkin'
I don't think I'm in trouble
Look at the mess I'm in
See the situation I'm in
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Arlo Guthrie, Gus Cannon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@taxisteve929
Love this song.....my mother had bought my brother a guitar when he was in jail around 1970, and an Arlo songbook with this song circled to learn.......she had a difficult life....I guess most mothers do.....yet somehow, stay so strong emotionally and spiritually to provide the glue that holds families together through good and bad.
@virginiapaigelove5307
I think I had the same book! Lost in one of many, many moves, I'm afraid - but I loved it.
@ellenmillman9790
love this song!
@yoohooitsme9875
♥️
@1001orpheus
Fun, fun, fun...
@martinoneal316
This album was what made me an Arlo Guthrie fan...and it was an 8 track tape...if you don't get it...ask your grandma..
@femkevanwaesberghe8991
Who is here after The Devil All The Time?
@MrJsmith49
I wonder if Arlo played piano on this...