McDonald was born in Washington, DC, and grew up in El Monte, California, where he was student conductor and president of his high school marching band. At the age of 17, he enlisted in the United States Navy for three years and was stationed in Japan. After his enlistment, he attended Los Angeles City College for a year. In the early 1960s, he began busking on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, California. His father, Worden McDonald, from Oklahoma, was of Scottish Presbyterian heritage (the son of a minister); he worked for a telephone company. His mother, Florence Plotnick, was the daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants and served for many years on the Berkeley City Council. In their youth, both were Communist Party members before renouncing the cause, and named their son after Joseph Stalin.
McDonald has recorded 33 albums and has written hundreds of songs over a career spanning 40 years. In 1965, he and Barry Melton co-founded Country Joe & the Fish which became a pioneer psychedelic rock band with their eclectic performances at the Avalon Ballroom, the Fillmore, the Monterey Pop Festival, and both the original and 1979 reunion Woodstock Festivals.
In the fall of 2005, political commentator Bill O'Reilly compared McDonald to Cuban President Fidel Castro, remarking on McDonald's involvement in Cindy Sheehan's protests against the Iraq War.
In 2015, McDonald (with assistance from Alec Palao), formed The Electric Music Band; the intention of the group was to perform the early psychedelic material of the early career of Country Joe And The Fish. The band has performed 'Electric Music For The Mind And Body' in its entirety, and band members include Palao, The Rain Parade's Matt Piucci and Derek See of The Chocolate Watchband.
In 2017, McDonald released an album on his own Rag Baby label entitled "50".
McDonald was married to Kathe Werum from 1963 to 1966 and married Robin Menken a year after his divorce from Werum.[12] In 1968, Menken gave birth to the couple's first daughter, Seven Anne McDonald, in San Francisco. Seven, formerly a columnist for LA Weekly and now a movie producer and artist manager,[13] had a previous career as a TV child actor in the late 1970s and early 1980s, managed Johnny Depp's Viper Room nightclub and the alternative rock band Smashing Pumpkins in the 1990s, and wrote for Details, Elle and Harper's Bazaar magazines in the 1990s and 2000s. According to Ron Cabral's biography on Country Joe and the Fish, Seven was the subject of and inspiration behind the song Silver and Gold. McDonald has noted that his ex-girlfriend at the time, Janis Joplin, showed much anger for breaking up with her to be with Menken but asked him to write a song about her; the result was "Janis".
McDonald has four other children, Devin (b. 1976) and Tara (b. 1980) from his marriage to Janice Taylor, and Emily (b. 1988) and Ryan (b. 1991) from his marriage to Kathy Wright.
As of 2012, McDonald still lived in Berkeley, California.
Carry On
Country Joe McDonald Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the new day's dawnin', think of me.
It's been a long time comin' but I won't be there,
When you see the sun risin' think of me.
Oh, think of me and carry on!
Oh, think of me and carry on!
When you need a light to guide you, think of me.
And though you may grow weary from your work each day
If you need a hand to help you, think of me.
Oh, think of me and carry on!
Oh, think of me and carry on!
Oh, when our struggle's over and we are all free,
When the new day's dawnin', think of me.
It's been a long time comin' but I won't be there,
When you see the sun risin', think of me.
Oh, think of me and carry on!
Oh, think of me and carry on!
And when the storm clouds gather and you've lost your way
When you need a light to guide you, think of me.
And though you may grow weary from your work each day,
If you need a hand to help you, think of me.
Oh, think of me and carry on!
Oh, think of me and carry on
And carry on!
The lyrics to Country Joe McDonald's song "Carry On" speak to the idea of perseverance and hope amidst struggle. The repeated refrain of "think of me and carry on" offers a sense of comfort and support to those who may be going through difficult times. The first verse suggests a sense of longing for a better future, where the singer will not be physically present but wishes to be remembered when the dawn breaks. The second verse offers a more tangible form of support, urging listeners to think of the singer as a guide or a helping hand when they face challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, when our struggle's over and we all are free,
When we finally overcome the difficulties and obstacles that we face in life, and attain our freedom and liberation, remember me.
When the new day's dawnin', think of me.
When a new day of hope and opportunity presents itself, remember the person who shared your struggles and aspirations.
It's been a long time comin' but I won't be there,
Although it has taken a long time to achieve our goals, unfortunately, I won't be physically present to witness it.
When you see the sun risin' think of me.
When you see the sun rising, remember the sacrifices we made and the hardships we went through together.
And when the storm clouds gather and you've lost your way
When life throws you a curveball and you find yourself lost and without direction, think of me for guidance.
When you need a light to guide you, think of me.
When you need someone to help you find your way in the dark, think of me as a beacon of hope.
And though you may grow weary from your work each day
Even when the daily grind wears you down and makes you tired, remember that you're not alone and that I'm there for you.
If you need a hand to help you, think of me.
If you ever find yourself in need of assistance, remember that I'm here for you and that I'll always lend a helping hand.
Oh, think of me and carry on!
Above all, always keep me in your thoughts as a source of inspiration and strength to carry on through life's challenges.
And carry on!
And most importantly, never give up, always persevere, and carry on towards your goals and dreams.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID VOS, ED LINDERMAN, JAMES MCDONALD, ROBERT GERLACH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind