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.
Picks and Lasers
Country Joe McDonald Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey, picks and lasers; bits and phasers in another time
Here's a story of blood and glory and life upon the line
Picks and lasers, bits and phasers in another time
Here's a story of blood and glory and digging in the mines, in the martian mines.
First time that I heard the sound I thought it was the humming
The next time that I heard the sound I also heard the voices
In a hundred different languages calling out to me:
'Come put away your laser-pick and soar the galaxy.'
And working on my K-jet in the heat of martian summer
I felt a strange vibration coming from the distant stars
Old Charlie only laughed at me, he said it was 'space fever'
He thought that I had lost my mind when I told him that I saw
The War-Ships of a thousand worlds slicing through the stars.
Then from the sky came Saturn Sal with contrail streams behind her
And the word she said was 'war' again, so what was I to do ?
Oh, the 'droids' all started chirpin' and Old Charlie's mouth fell open
As I tossed my picks and lasers in the little Turbo-Two.
I could hear them cryin', 'no, don't go!' as the red dust blocked the view.
Hey, picks and lasers; bits and phasers in another time
Here's a story of blood and glory and life upon the line
Picks and lasers, bits and phasers in another time
Here's a story of blood and glory and digging in the mines.
The 'Cruiter' said I'd broke down and surely I must know it
For I'd been diggin' martian ore for thirty years or more
And I must have made a fortune and I'd probably live to spend it
If only I would change my mind but I insisted, 'no!'
So I filled out all the proper forms that was eighteen years ago.
I joined the Federation and they placed me and my unit
To the rainbow rings of Saturn two thousand years away
And the squadron doing night watch are all Kriptees from Artura
And the day watch is all human clones from the U. S. A.
Poor souls, they vaporized them all the other day.
Hey, picks and lasers; bits and phasers in another time
Here's a story of blood and glory and life upon the line
Picks and lasers, bits and phasers in another time
Here's a story of blood and glory and digging in the mines.
Hey!
But no one tells me nothin' and I never ask no questions
My vision's 20-20 and my health is A-OK
I'm a Z rank photon sniper and they work me like a slave 'droid'
And laugh to see me vaporize a ship a week away
Oh, I hold the highest kill rate in this galaxy, they say, hey!
And at night, they beg me please to tell them of my memories
Of diggin' in the red dirt beside the frozen sea
Where the daylight lasts forever and a man can make a fortune
And they sit like little children, just as quiet as can be
Things of every size and color how they hearken unto me.
And I tell them of the ore mines scarring up the desert
Of tunnels going farther than the human mind can go
I tell them of explosions vibrating on forever
And us down with our laser picks a hundred miles below
While above us on the surface atomic stockpiles glow.
And I tell of crystal caverns with walls of coal and copper
Of tunnels packed with veins of ore, but never hint of life
And craters packed with sensor beams and mine shafts filled with darkness
I tell them of my eco-dome at the Recon-Testing-Site
And I find myself thinking : 'Hey, that sure was the life'
Hey, picks and lasers; bits and phasers in another time
Here's a story of blood and glory and life upon the line
Picks and lasers, bits and phasers in another time
Here's a story of blood and glory and digging in the mines.
So I talk of copper mining while the death-rays are exploding
And the soldroids at the firing place are homing on the foe
And I yarn of ore refining while the Star Fleets are destroying
And they listen to my stories, seven hu-droids in a row
Seven sleek and shiny hu-droids with their circuits all aglow.
And I tell them when it's over how I'll return to my planet
Those seven shiny hu-droids are crazy to go, too
And I'll get myself the laser drill that I had always wanted
And ask the price of crude ore and the depth of martian blue
And I'll get my gear in order and I'll start to work anew, hey.
For I've had my fill of fighting, I've seen a world divided
Space all filled with slaughter and the heavens red with gore
An a galaxy a-smolder and as if it really mattered
For the red dirt is calling me to my dome upon the shore
And the 'droids' are chirpin' madly, Old Charlie's singing gladly
And I'll rest upon my planet and I'll leave it never more, and leave it never more.
Country Joe McDonald's song Picks and Lasers is a science fiction-themed ballad of war and survival. The song evokes a world of futuristic mining and technological power as well as its tolls. The lyrics speak of laser-picks, soaring galaxies, and warships of a thousand worlds. The song's narrator is a miner on Mars who is approached by Saturn Sal with news that war is imminent. He abandons his life on Mars with seven humanoid droids in tow and joins the Federation to fight in a galaxy-wide war that has been raging for centuries. Picks and Lasers portrays the brutality of war and its emotional costs. McDonald's song also features on his second solo album, "Paradise with an Ocean View," released on the Fantasy Records label in 1975.
One of the interesting aspects of the song is its use of science fiction to critique war and militarism. While the song does feature a galaxy-wide war and futuristic technology, the lyrics highlight the human cost of war and the emotional toll on soldiers. The singer frequently remembers his life before the war, which contrasts sharply with his current position as a photon sniper. The song also critiques the military-industrial complex and its destructive effect on the environment through the vivid descriptions of mining and its impact on Mars.
Another significant factor is the song's use of wordplay and playful language. McDonald uses puns, alliteration, and rhyme to convey meaning and create an immersive sci-fi environment. His lyrical style is musical and poetic, and the song's refrain, "Hey, picks and lasers; bits and phasers in another time," is catchy and memorable.
Picks and Lasers was inspired, in part, by McDonald's love of science fiction and was written in the early 1970s, an era in which sci-fi themes were gaining popularity. McDonald was also a member of the anti-war movement, and the song reflects his political activism. The singer's rejection of war and his decision to return to Mars suggest a preference for environmentalism and peaceful coexistence. The song's message is powerful, and its haunting melody has made it an enduring classic.
Chords: Not available at this time .
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, picks and lasers; bits and phasers in another time
In a different dimension, there were picks, lasers, bits, and phasers.
Here's a story of blood and glory and life upon the line
This is a story about fighting for survival and risking everything for a cause.
Here's a story of blood and glory and digging in the mines, in the martian mines.
This story takes place in the Martian mines where there was war and mining.
First time that I heard the sound I thought it was the humming
When I first heard the sound, I thought it was just the sound of Weather-Drones.
Of Weather-Drones orbiting above the frozen sea.
The first time I heard the sound, I thought it was just drones above the frozen sea.
The next time that I heard the sound I also heard the voices
The second time I heard the sound, I also heard people's voices in different languages calling out to me.
In a hundred different languages calling out to me:
People from many different languages were calling out to me.
'Come put away your laser-pick and soar the galaxy.'
People were encouraging me to stop using my laser-pick and travel the galaxy instead.
And working on my K-jet in the heat of martian summer
While I was repairing my K-jet during the hot Martian summer,
I felt a strange vibration coming from the distant stars
I sensed a unique vibration coming from faraway stars.
Old Charlie only laughed at me, he said it was 'space fever'
Charlie thought I just had space fever and didn't believe me.
He thought that I had lost my mind when I told him that I saw
Charlie thought I was insane when I told him I saw something.
The War-Ships of a thousand worlds slicing through the stars.
I saw War-Ships from thousands of different worlds flying through the stars.
Then from the sky came Saturn Sal with contrail streams behind her
Saturn Sal came from the sky with long contrails behind her.
And the word she said was 'war' again, so what was I to do ?
Sal said the word 'war' again, and I didn't know what to do.
Oh, the 'droids' all started chirpin' and Old Charlie's mouth fell open
The droids started making noise while Charlie was left in shock.
As I tossed my picks and lasers in the little Turbo-Two.
As I threw my picks and lasers into the little Turbo-Two spacecraft.
I could hear them cryin', 'no, don't go!' as the red dust blocked the view.
As the red dust blocked their vision, I could hear them pleading, 'don't leave!'
The 'Cruiter' said I'd broke down and surely I must know it
The recruiter thought I had lost my mind when I joined the Federation.
For I'd been diggin' martian ore for thirty years or more
I'd been mining Martian ore for over thirty years.
And I must have made a fortune and I'd probably live to spend it
I probably made a lot of money, and I could live the rest of my life spending it.
If only I would change my mind but I insisted, 'no!'
I refused to change my mind despite the recruiter's suggestion.
So I filled out all the proper forms that was eighteen years ago.
Eighteen years ago, I completed the proper forms, and I joined the Federation.
I joined the Federation and they placed me and my unit
After joining the Federation, they placed me and my team somewhere else.
To the rainbow rings of Saturn two thousand years away
They sent us to the rainbow rings of Saturn, which was two thousand years away.
And the squadron doing night watch are all Kriptees from Artura
The Arturan Kriptees manned the night watch squadron.
And the day watch is all human clones from the U.S.A.
The day watch team was made up of clones from the USA.
Poor souls, they vaporized them all the other day.
Sadly, they vaporized the team one day.
But no one tells me nothin' and I never ask no questions
Nobody tells me anything, and I don't ask any questions.
My vision's 20-20 and my health is A-OK
My eyesight is excellent, and my health is excellent.
I'm a Z rank photon sniper and they work me like a slave 'droid'
I'm a Z rank photon sniper, and they work me very hard like a slave.
And laugh to see me vaporize a ship a week away
They find it amusing to see me destroy ships at a distance of one week's journey.
Oh, I hold the highest kill rate in this galaxy, they say, hey!
They say I have the highest kill rate in the galaxy.
And at night, they beg me please to tell them of my memories
At night, they ask me to talk about my experiences.
Of diggin' in the red dirt beside the frozen sea
I talk about mining in the Martian red dirt beside the frozen sea.
Where the daylight lasts forever and a man can make a fortune
I speak of the place where daylight remains constant, and one can build wealth.
And they sit like little children, just as quiet as can be
They listen to me intently, like little children listening to a story.
Things of every size and color how they hearken unto me.
I describe all sorts of colors and sizes in these tales and how they captivate my audience.
And I tell them of the ore mines scarring up the desert
I tell them about the mines that leave scars in the desert.
Of tunnels going farther than the human mind can go
I describe tunnels that are longer than one can imagine.
I tell them of explosions vibrating on forever
I tell them of the explosions that lasted forever.
And us down with our laser picks a hundred miles below
I tell them about our laser picks, and how we worked a hundred miles below.
While above us on the surface atomic stockpiles glow.
As we worked, the atomic stockpiles glowed on the surface above us.
And I tell of crystal caverns with walls of coal and copper
I describe the crystal caverns with walls of coal and copper.
Of tunnels packed with veins of ore,
I talk about tunnels that are filled with ore veins.
but never hint of life
I never mention any life in these tunnels.
And craters packed with sensor beams and mine shafts filled with darkness
I tell them about the craters with sensor beams and the dark mine shafts.
I tell them of my eco-dome at the Recon-Testing-Site
I tell them about my eco-dome at the Recon-Testing-Site.
And I find myself thinking : 'Hey, that sure was the life'
I reminisce about how good my life was in those times.
So I talk of copper mining while the death-rays are exploding
I speak of copper mining while death-rays explode all around me.
And the soldroids at the firing place are homing on the foe
The soldroids are homing in on the enemy at the firing place.
And I yarn of ore refining while the Star Fleets are destroying
I talk about refining ore while the Star Fleets are in the midst of destroying things.
And they listen to my stories, seven hu-droids in a row
Seven shiny hu-droids listen to my stories in a row.
Seven sleek and shiny hu-droids with their circuits all aglow.
Seven hu-droids with glowing circuits listen to my stories.
And I tell them when it's over how I'll return to my planet
I tell them that after it's all over, I plan to return to my planet.
Those seven shiny hu-droids are crazy to go, too
The seven hu-droids also want to go back with me.
And I'll get myself the laser drill that I had always wanted
I plan to get the laser drill I always wanted when I return home.
And ask the price of crude ore and the depth of martian blue
I'll inquire about the price of crude ore and the depth of the Martian blue.
And I'll get my gear in order and I'll start to work anew, hey.
After getting my gear in order, I'm going to start mining again.
For I've had my fill of fighting, I've seen a world divided
I don't feel like fighting anymore since I've seen many things.
Space all filled with slaughter and the heavens red with gore
I've seen the universe drenched in blood.
An a galaxy a-smolder and as if it really mattered
The galaxy is still smoldering, as if it actually matters.
For the red dirt is calling me to my dome upon the shore
I feel that the red dirt is calling me home to my dome on the shore.
And the 'droids' are chirpin' madly, Old Charlie's singing gladly
The droids are making noise, and Charlie's happy to see me return.
And I'll rest upon my planet and I'll leave it never more, and leave it never more.
I'm going to rest on my planet and never leave again.
Contributed by Hudson G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.