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.
prologue
Arlo Guthrie Lyrics
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In the event of my demise
Be sure to include this statement
When you are bent on closing my eyes
Thinking about what my life meant
Alone on a hill back in '65
Singing our songs that we harmonized
Dreaming of worlds rearranging
And I don't know why I'm singing tonight
Maybe it's time someone told you
Just because you say you've seen the light
Doesn't mean nobody sold you
I can remember all of your smiles
During the demonstrations
Taking on what seemed like the whole world
Igniting the hearts of our nations
And together we sang our victory songs
Though we were worlds apart
Every thing then has now passed away
Except for the love in my heart
Sitting at home on computerized beds
Tryine to come to conclusions
Seeing reflections from rose-colored heads
Ignoring the states of illusion
Drunk in a world of material wealth
No one can notice you falling
Fantastic flights once good tor your health
Now make you deaf to your calling
And all alone the prophet groans
With words as yet unseen
Who'll be awake when the master returns
Who will be lost in their dreams
So in the event of my demise
8e sure to include this statement
Only the words of love kept alive
Are worthy of not being wasted
The lyrics of Arlo Guthrie's Prologue can be interpreted as reflective, as he sings about various moods and events in his life. The opening lines of the song, "In the event of my demise, / Be sure to include this statement / When you are bent on closing my eyes / Thinking about what my life meant," sounds as though the singer is thinking about their life and what they have accomplished. The lyrics of the rest of the song describe how the world has changed over time and how the singer perceives it. In particular, the singer sings about a time when they were young and full of hope, singing with others about changing the world for the better. He contrasts this with the modern world, where people are obsessed with material wealth and ignoring their own problems.
Line by Line Meaning
In the event of my demise
When I die someday
Be sure to include this statement
Make sure to say what's important
When you are bent on closing my eyes
When you prepare my body for burial
Thinking about what my life meant
Reflecting on my life
Alone on a hill back in '65
In the past, feeling isolated
Things looked a lot like changing
The world seemed like it was going to improve
Singing our songs that we harmonized
Singing together in agreement
Dreaming of worlds rearranging
Imagining a better future
And I don't know why I'm singing tonight
I'm not sure why I'm singing right now
Maybe it's time someone told you
Perhaps it's time for me to speak up
Just because you say you've seen the light
Claiming to have found the truth
Doesn't mean nobody sold you
Doesn't mean that someone didn't manipulate you
I can remember all of your smiles
I recall the happiness on your faces
During the demonstrations
At the protests
Taking on what seemed like the whole world
Challenging a daunting obstacle
Igniting the hearts of our nations
Inspiring our fellow citizens
And together we sang our victory songs
We sang in unison upon triumph
Though we were worlds apart
Although we had different perspectives
Every thing then has now passed away
All of that has ended now
Except for the love in my heart
But my love for you remains
Sitting at home on computerized beds
Lying in our beds, absorbed in technology
Tryine to come to conclusions
Attempting to figure things out
Seeing reflections from rose-colored heads
Seeing things optimistically
Ignoring the states of illusion
Neglecting the problems we face
Drunk in a world of material wealth
Intoxicated by material possessions
No one can notice you falling
No one sees you struggling
Fantastic flights once good tor your health
Past endeavors which brought satisfaction
Now make you deaf to your calling
Now cause you to ignore your true purpose
And all alone the prophet groans
The person with wisdom suffers in solitude
With words as yet unseen
With a message not yet heard
Who'll be awake when the master returns
Who will be prepared for the future
Who will be lost in their dreams
Who will remain ignorant
So in the event of my demise
If I die
8e sure to include this statement
Make sure to remember this
Only the words of love kept alive
Only love endures
Are worthy of not being wasted
Are significant and important
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ARLO GURTHIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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