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.
Cocaine
Country Joe McDonald Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A bad habit starts casually with
Cocaine
Rock Cocaine
Every little bit adds up in time
Before you know it you've lost your mind on
Cocaine
Rock Cocaine
Bit by bit and day by day
Slowly wasting your life away
On Cocaine
On Cocaine
You slave away try to make ends meet
Then wind up in the streets on
Cocaine
Rock Cocaine
The stress of work can mess your mind
Relax do a couple a lines of
Cocaine
Rock Cocaine
My how the time does fly
First you're high and then you die on
Cocaine
Rock Cocaine
Hey where did the money go?
Look In your pipe look in your nose
Cocaine
Rock Cocaine
You think you're being cool and free
But you're a desperate chump with a desperate need for
Cocaine
Rock Cocaine
It's easy to take control
All you have to do is say no to
Cocaine
Rock Cocaine
Country Joe McDonald's song "Cocaine" is a cautionary tale about the devastating impacts of drug addiction. The song opens with the artist addressing the listener, urging them to pay close attention to the lyrics. The first verse describes how a habit can start as a casual use of cocaine, but can quickly spiral out of control. The chorus reinforces this message, warning of the dangers of the drug, emphasizing how it can gradually take over one's life.
The second verse highlights the financial ruin and social isolation that often accompany addiction. The stressors of life can be overwhelming, leading people to turn to drugs to escape. However, the consequence of this brief escape can be devastating. The bridge describes how time eventually runs out for those who are addicted, as the drug takes over their lives, stripping them of everything they once held dear.
The final verse is a plea for people to take control of their lives and say no to drugs. McDonald warns that users might feel cool and free while taking cocaine, but they are actually desperate chumps with a desperate need for the drug. He ends the song by encouraging people to break free from the addiction and take control of their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey everybody listen carefully
Attention, everyone! Please listen closely
A bad habit starts casually with
An unhealthy habit begins in a casual way with
Cocaine
The drug cocaine, a highly addictive stimulant
Rock Cocaine
A variety of cocaine that is more potent and often smoked
Every little bit adds up in time
Repeated use over time accumulates and becomes a problem
Before you know it you've lost your mind on
Addiction can take over before you realize it, causing you to act irrationally and dangerously while under the influence of
Cocaine
cocaine
Rock Cocaine
a potent form of cocaine that is usually smoked or freebased
Bit by bit and day by day
Addiction develops gradually and grows worse over time
Slowly wasting your life away
Addiction can cause you to lose valuable time, health, and opportunities
On Cocaine
while using cocaine
On Cocaine
while using cocaine
You slave away try to make ends meet
working hard to pay bills and support oneself
Then wind up in the streets on
However, addiction can eventually lead to homelessness and a life on the streets while using
Cocaine
cocaine
Rock Cocaine
a more potent form of cocaine that is usually smoked
The stress of work can mess your mind
Stress from work or other situations can impact one's mental state and lead to drug use as an escape, such as using a couple of lines of
Relax do a couple a lines of
To relieve stress, some people may use cocaine briefly and temporarily to help
Cocaine
cocaine
Rock Cocaine
a more potent form of cocaine that is usually smoked
My how the time does fly
Time seems to pass quickly and can be wasted while under the influence of
First you're high and then you die on
First, cocaine can give a sense of euphoria, but continued use can lead to serious health problems and possible death by overdose on
Cocaine
cocaine
Rock Cocaine
a more potent form of cocaine that is usually smoked
Hey where did the money go?
Addiction can be expensive and cause users to spend a lot of money, leading to financial difficulties and debt
Look In your pipe look in your nose
The drug can be found in a pipe, but also in one's nose, suggesting snorting of cocaine
Cocaine
cocaine
Rock Cocaine
a more potent form of cocaine that is usually smoked
You think you're being cool and free
Some people may think using drugs makes them look cool or gives a sense of freedom and autonomy, but
But you're a desperate chump with a desperate need for
In reality, it can turn a person into a weak and desperate addict with a strong craving for
Cocaine
cocaine
Rock Cocaine
a more potent form of cocaine that is usually smoked
It's easy to take control
The best way to control addiction is to not start using the drug at all, which is
All you have to do is say no to
By avoiding and rejecting the drug completely, one can take control of their life and future
Cocaine
cocaine
Rock Cocaine
a more potent form of cocaine that is usually smoked
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOE MCDONALD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind