Zager & Evans are only known for their immensely popular song In the Year 2525 (Exordium And Terminus), written by Rick Evans. It hit number one on the UK chart in 1969. Coincidentally, it was number one on 20 July 1969 in USA, the date of the first manned moon landing by astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, and spent six weeks on the Billboard Top 40. It was nominated for a special Hugo Award that same year.
The band signed with RCA records, who claimed they were "The Next Big Thing", but follow-up singles, such as "Mr. Turnkey", went unnoticed by the public.
Fred
Zager & Evans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They pulled him from his mother′s womb
Hanging from his heels he cried
And everyone put on their smiles
Ugly red, and dripping wet
They put him in a bassinet
Tiny toes and fingernails
His daddy said "He'll go to Yale"
When he reached the age of nine
He killed a frog with a kitchen knife
He broke the wing of a noble bird
He took a jagged rock, his sling-shot hurled
When he reached ten
He stole the neighbor′s guinea hen
Wrapped its beak in masking tape
It starved to death in thirteen days
Such was the tenth year of Fred
When Fred was sweet sixteen
He robbed the neighborhood Dairy Queen
He drove away in his daddy's car
He didn't get far
The local buzz hauled him away
He went to trial the very next day
Found guilty, the sixteenth year for Fred
And his daddy cried
"Oh Fred, Fred, where′d we go wrong?"
"We used to buy you things, I though we got along"
"Though, Fred, Fred, you been livin′ a life of sin"
"Tell me Fred, what are we gonna tell our friends?"
When Fred was twenty one
He was well prepared for things to come
He' learned to kill, hate and steal
Now uncle Sam offers better deals
We need good men like you, my boy
To throw grenades and bang young boys
It takes aggression and the will of steal
And mainly we got a bullet to fill
And off to fight went soldier Fred
When Fred was Thirty-two
He was covered with medals all red and blue
He killed twelve men in eleven years
Well, never once did he shed a tear
Now Fred was a-coming home
Discharged with a broken bone
Climbed the board he has claimed at night
And roared all thinking the clear blue sky
And that′s where claims always slide
Fred found a seat in row number two
He sat himself and loosened his boots
Along came a problem with long and short hair
And said "Hey man, you sat on my chair"
Fred got up, and hit the poor man
Forgot about the cast he had on his hand
He killed him dead in one clean blow
It didn't bother Fred too much though
Such was homecoming for Fred
And his daddy cried
And his daddy cried
"Oh Fred, Fred, where′d we go wrong?"
"We used to buy you things, I though we got along"
"Though, Fred, Fred, you been livin' a life of sin"
"Tell me Fred, what are we gonna tell our friends?"
The song "Fred" by Zager & Evans tells the tragic story of a man named Fred from birth to adulthood. The lyrics convey a sense of sadness and despair as Fred's life spirals out of control. The first verse describes his birth, with graphic imagery of his delivery and his family's optimism about his future. However, as Fred grows up, he becomes increasingly violent and destructive. At the age of nine, he kills a frog and breaks the wing of a bird. At ten, he steals a neighbor's guinea hen and watches it slowly die. By the time he is sixteen, he has graduated to robbery, stealing from a local Dairy Queen. He is caught and convicted, leading his father to wonder where they went wrong.
The second half of the song brings Fred into adulthood. At twenty-one, he enlists in the army and becomes a soldier, learning to kill and hate. When he returns home as a thirty-two-year-old, decorated war veteran, he gets into a fight and kills a man. The song ends with Fred's father weeping and wondering how he could have raised such a violent son.
Overall, the lyrics to "Fred" paint a dark and depressing portrait of a man who seems to have been doomed from the beginning. The song explores the idea of how our environment and upbringing can shape our lives, for better or for worse. It suggests a certain fatalism, as if Fred was always destined to become the violent criminal he turned out to be.
Line by Line Meaning
On a white enamled road
Fred was born and brought into this world
They pulled him from his mother's womb
Fred was born with the help of doctors
Hanging from his heels he cried
Fred cried when he was born and was held upside down to be cleaned
And everyone put on their smiles
People around him were happy to welcome a new life
Ugly red, and dripping wet
Fred was still covered in blood and his mother's fluids
They put him in a bassinet
Fred was given a crib to sleep in
Tiny toes and fingernails
Fred had small and delicate feet and hands
His daddy said 'He'll go to Yale'
Fred's father had high expectations for his son to attend an Ivy League school
Such was the first day for Fred
This was the beginning of Fred's life
When he reached the age of nine
Fred was nine years old
He killed a frog with a kitchen knife
Fred had a tendency to kill animals from a young age
He broke the wing of a noble bird
Fred caused harm to animals, even ones that were admired for their beauty
He took a jagged rock, his sling-shot hurled
Fred used weapons to hurt living creatures
When he reached ten
Fred was ten years old
He stole the neighbor's guinea hen
Fred not only killed but also stole other people's belongings
Wrapped its beak in masking tape
Fred caused harm to the hen by covering its beak
It starved to death in thirteen days
Due to Fred's actions, the hen died a slow and painful death
Such was the tenth year of Fred
This was the tenth year of Fred's life and his behavior was already worrisome
When Fred was sweet sixteen
Fred turned sixteen years old
He robbed the neighborhood Dairy Queen
Fred turned to committing crimes against people and places
He drove away in his daddy's car
Fred used his father's possessions to commit crimes
He didn't get far
Fred was caught by the authorities soon after his crime
The local buzz hauled him away
He was taken away by the local police
He went to trial the very next day
Fred was put on trial soon after his arrest
Found guilty, the sixteenth year for Fred
Fred was found guilty of his crimes and was sentenced at the age of sixteen
And his daddy cried
Fred's father was emotional about his son's troubles
"Oh Fred, Fred, where'd we go wrong?"
Fred's father was questioning where he had failed in raising his son
"We used to buy you things, I thought we got along"
Fred's father was reflecting on the times when he and his son were on good terms
"Though, Fred, Fred, you been livin' a life of sin"
Fred's father recognized that his son had gone down a dark path
"Tell me Fred, what are we gonna tell our friends?"
Fred's father was worried about how their family would be perceived by others due to his son's actions
When Fred was twenty one
Fred was twenty-one years old
He was well prepared for things to come
Fred was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead
He' learned to kill, hate and steal
Fred had developed harmful and dangerous skills
Now uncle Sam offers better deals
Fred was tempted to enlist in the army
We need good men like you, my boy
Fred was encouraged to join the military
To throw grenades and bang young boys
Fred was sold on the idea of fighting in foreign battles
It takes aggression and the will of steal
The military requires people to be aggressive and willing to take risks
And mainly we got a bullet to fill
The army needed soldiers to fight and die for their country
And off to fight went soldier Fred
Fred went off to war as a brave soldier
When Fred was Thirty-two
Fred was thirty-two years old
He was covered with medals all red and blue
Fred had been honored for his service to his country
He killed twelve men in eleven years
Fred had killed many people during his time at war
Well, never once did he shed a tear
Fred did not show any remorse for taking other people's lives
Now Fred was a-coming home
Fred was returning to his hometown after the war ended
Discharged with a broken bone
Fred was injured and had to leave the army with a medical discharge
Climbed the board he has claimed at night
Fred went to a place where he felt safe and comfortable
And roared all thinking the clear blue sky
Fred yelled and shouted while looking up at the sky
And that's where claims always slide
Fred was in a place where he could forget about his problems and responsibilities
Fred found a seat in row number two
Fred was now on a plane, seated in the second row
He sat himself and loosened his boots
Fred made himself comfortable and relaxed
Along came a problem with long and short hair
A person with unique physical features approached Fred
And said 'Hey man, you sat on my chair'
The person accused Fred of sitting in their seat
Fred got up, and hit the poor man
Fred resorted to violence to solve the dispute
Forgot about the cast he had on his hand
Fred did not remember that he had a cast on his hand
He killed him dead in one clean blow
Fred killed the person with a single punch
It didn't bother Fred too much though
Fred did not feel guilty or remorseful about killing the person
Such was homecoming for Fred
This violent incident was a reflection of how Fred had changed during his time away from home
And his daddy cried
Fred's father was devastated by his son's violent act
"Oh Fred, Fred, where'd we go wrong?"
Fred's father was once again questioning his abilities as a parent
"We used to buy you things, I thought we got along"
Fred's father remembered the times when they had a positive relationship
"Though, Fred, Fred, you been livin' a life of sin"
Fred's father recognized that his son's actions had severe consequences
"Tell me Fred, what are we gonna tell our friends?"
Fred's father was worried about how others would perceive their family after this incident
Writer(s): Rick Evans
Contributed by Noah T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Harry
on Cary Lynn Javes
Love this gem. Memories of 1969.