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.
one night
Arlo Guthrie Lyrics
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Is what I'm now prayin' for
The things that we two could plan
Would make my dreams come true
Just call on me
And I'll be right by your side
I need your sweet heavy hand
Always lived a very quiet life
I ain't never done no wrong
Now I know life without you
Has been too long, too long
One night with you
Is what I'm now prayin' for
The things that we two could plan
Would make my dreams come true
In Arlo Guthrie's song "One Night," the artist expresses his longing and desire for the company of a special someone. He begins by stating that spending one night with this person is all he's praying for, indicating that he deeply wants the opportunity to be with them. Arlo goes on to imagine all the things they could do together, and he recognizes that those plans could make his dreams come true.
He then makes a plea, asking the person to call on him so that they can be together. He explains how much he needs this person's touch, and that his love for them is too strong to be hidden. It's evident that Arlo's feelings towards this person are intense, as he's willing to do whatever it takes to be near them. Lastly, he reflects on his life, stating that he's always lived a quiet and uneventful existence. However, since he's met this special someone, he's realized how much he's been missing out on life.
Overall, the song is a heartfelt expression of love and longing. One can hear the raw emotion in Arlo's voice, and the lyrics are simple yet impactful. Anyone who's ever been in love can relate to the yearning expressed in the song.
Line by Line Meaning
One night with you
The singer desperately wants to spend just one night with the person they love.
Is what I'm now prayin' for
The singer desires this opportunity so much that they are willing to pray for it to happen.
The things that we two could plan
The singer imagines the wonderful things they could experience and achieve if they were together.
Would make my dreams come true
The singer's deepest desires would be fulfilled if they were able to spend one night with their loved one.
Just call on me
The singer is letting the person know that they are available and waiting for them.
And I'll be right by your side
The singer promises to be there for their loved one whenever they need them.
I need your sweet heavy hand
The singer craves the attention and touch of their loved one.
My love's too strong to hide
The singer's love for their partner is too great to keep hidden.
Always lived a very quiet life
The singer has lived a simple and uneventful life up until this point.
I ain't never done no wrong
The singer is a good person who has never done anything bad.
Now I know life without you
The singer has experienced life without their loved one and knows it is not as good.
Has been too long, too long
The singer has been without their loved one for too long and they cannot wait any longer to be together.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management
Written by: Anita Steiman, Dave Bartholomew, Pearl King
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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