Who Am I
Country Joe The Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To stand and wonder, to wait
While the wheels of fate
Slowly grind my life away
Who am I?
There were some things that I loved one time
But the dreams are gone I thought were mine
Now burn inside at the thought of all
The years of waste, the years of crime
Passions of a heart so blind
To think that, but even still
As I stand exposed, my feelings are felt
And I cry into the echo of my loneliness
Who am I
To stand and wonder, to wait
While the wheels of fate
Slowly grind my life away
Who am I?
What a nothing I've made of life
The empty words, the coward's plight
To be pushed and passed from hand to hand
Never daring to speak, never daring to stand
And the emptiness of my family's eyes
Reminds me over and over of lies
And promises and deeds undone
And now again I want to run
But now there is nowhere to run to
Who am I
To stand and wonder, to wait
While the wheels of fate
Slowly grind my life away
Who am I?
And now my friend we meet again
We shall see which one will bend
Under the strain of death's golden eyes
Which one of us shall win the prize
To live and which one will die
'Tis I, my friend, yes 'tis I
Shall kill to live again and again
To clutch the throat of sweet revenge
For life is here only for the taking
Who am I
To stand and wonder, to wait
While the wheels of fate
Slowly grind my life away
Who am I? Who am I?
The song "Who Am I" by Country Joe & The Fish is a self-reflective piece that questions who the singer is within the existential experience of waiting for fate to take its course. The lyrics explore feelings of regret for lost dreams, unspoken truths, and wasted time. The singer expresses a sense of helplessness and cowardice as they have allowed themselves to be passed from hand to hand without standing up for themselves. They admit to feeling lonely, exposed, and ultimately lost. The final stanza suggests that the pressure of living has led the singer to contemplate taking revenge and killing to live again.
The lyrics express a deep sense of personal struggle and introspection, depicting the feeling of being lost and unsure of oneself. The singer questions their own identity and purpose in the world, while also lamenting past decisions and missed opportunities. The song raises deeper philosophical questions about the meaning of life and the role of fate and free will.
Line by Line Meaning
Who am I
I question my own identity and purpose
To stand and wonder, to wait
I am left idle and uncertain of my future
While the wheels of fate
Life's forces beyond my control
Slowly grind my life away
Life can feel meaningless and oppressive
There were some things that I loved one time
I once had passions and aspirations
But the dreams are gone I thought were mine
I feel disillusioned by life's events
And the hidden tears that once could fall
My emotions are now repressed
Now burn inside at the thought of all
My past regrets haunt me
The years of waste, the years of crime
I have wasted time and made mistakes
Passions of a heart so blind
My intense feelings have blinded me to reality
To think that, but even still
Despite my regrets, I still think about my past
As I stand exposed, my feelings are felt
My vulnerability is evident to others
And I cry into the echo of my loneliness
I am consumed by feelings of isolation
What a nothing I've made of life
I have failed to achieve anything meaningful
The empty words, the coward's plight
My lack of action is due to fear
To be pushed and passed from hand to hand
I feel like a pawn in someone else's game
Never daring to speak, never daring to stand
I have failed to assert myself in life
And the emptiness of my family's eyes
I feel like a disappointment to my loved ones
Reminds me over and over of lies
My mistakes and deceptions haunt me
And promises and deeds undone
I have failed to follow through on past commitments
And now again I want to run
I feel overwhelmed and want to escape
But now there is nowhere to run to
I am trapped and unable to escape my problems
And now my friend we meet again
A symbolic confrontation with fate or death
We shall see which one will bend
A test of strength or perseverance
Under the strain of death's golden eyes
Facing the inevitability of mortality
Which one of us shall win the prize
A competition for survival or success
To live and which one will die
A life or death struggle
'Tis I, my friend, yes 'tis I
I am the one who will survive or succeed
Shall kill to live again and again
I am willing to do whatever it takes to survive
To clutch the throat of sweet revenge
I seek vengeance against those who have wronged me
For life is here only for the taking
I believe that life rewards the strong and ruthless
Who am I? Who am I?
I am still unsure of my true identity and purpose
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Joe Mcdonald
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind