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Sydney Schoenbeck
Christine Olding
College Writing 1
17 October 2014
Response with Summary: Hippies
I Feel like Im Fixin to Die by Country Joe and The Fish is a song from the hippie
movement thats mocking the Vietnam War. This song became one of their most popular songs
and was performed at Woodstock. Country Joe and the Fishs main years were from 1965-1971
and they got their name from communist politics. Country Joe was used to refer to Joseph
Stalin in the 1940s and the Fish is from the statement that the true revolutionary, moves
through the peasantry as the fish does through water, made by Mao Zedong (Wikipedia). The
band started out their carrier by performing in protests against the Vietnam War. Many of the
band members were added and dropped as the band progressed in their carrier. All of the people
who were apart of the band at one point or another are: Country Joe McDonald, Barry The
Fish Melton, Gary Chicken Hirsch, David Bennett Cohen, Bruce Barthol, David Getz, Peter
Albin, John Francis Gunning, Paul Armstrong, Mark Ryan, Gregory Leroy Dewey, Mark
Kapner, and Doug Metzler (Wikipedia). The song I Feel like Im Fixin to Die talks about how
the war is unnecessary, too violent, and unfair to citizens that have to fight. The hippie
movement was all about being upfront and trying to bring peace.
The song I Feel like Im Fixin to Die starts out by saying how all men need to prepare
themselves because theyre going to get drafted to fight in the war whether they want to or not. If
you get drafted into the war, youre probably going to die even though you dont know what it is

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youre fighting for in the first place because the war is unnecessary. Peace can only be obtained
by killing all of the communists and the war is a way to make big money. When your kid gets
drafted into the war, you better say goodbye as in forever because the next time you see them
will probably be at their funeral in a casket.
I like the harshness of the song. Its very upfront and to the point; no sugarcoating.
Country Joe and the Fish says how the war isnt necessary and no one has any idea as to why
they are even fighting. They mock the reasons for the war in the song and say how no one really
cares why they are fighting anyway. This idea is portrayed when they say, What are we fighting
for? Dont ask me I dont give a damn (Youtube). The song also depicts how the war was too
violent and getting kind of out of hand. The lyrics, the only good commie is one thats dead,
you know that peace can only be won, when you blow em all to kingdom come (Youtube),
show how violent the war was at the time and how their mission was to basically just kill all of
who they were against even if it meant losing their own men in the process.
The major point I got from the song was the emphasis on being drafted. There are several
places throughout the song that talk about how unfair it is to be drafted into the war. WHOPEE
were all gonna die (Youtube), displays how most of those drafted were not going to make it
home alive and the reason they use the word all is because anyone could be drafted at any time.
Now come on mothers throughout the land, pack your boys off to Vietnam, come on fathers
don't hesitate, send your sons off before its too late, be the first one on your block, to have your
boy come home in a box (Youtube), this part of the song is very blunt. It puts into perspective
the way it was to send your loved ones off to war and that there was a good chance they werent
going to be coming home alive.

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The hippie movement tried to bring peace through their music and love. They thought
that everything should be peaceful and loving and it was possible to do so. The way they
portrayed their beliefs was through their music, which was very upfront and to the point. I
enjoyed the hippies the most out of the genres we listened to because they just seemed happy. I
understand that them being happy probably had a lot to do with the drugs they were on, but it
was more enjoyable to learn about and watch happy people as opposed to those who are not. I
liked the close atmosphere they created and shared.
Country Joe and the Fish made a big statement in a powerful way. They made their
opinion known and didnt beat around the bush about it. Even if their ideas were harsh and not
what people wanted to hear, it needed to be said in a clear-cut way. Their song gave me a sense
of empowerment through their I dont give a shit attitude. Much of the hippies had this attitude
in revolting against the government. They revolted using their music and drugs such as
marijuana and LSD. They strived for peace and love for all of humanity. I enjoyed their music
and personas. The hippie movement will forever be well known and they definitely made a big
impact in society even still today.

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Works Cited
Country Joe and the Fish. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Oct. 2014. Web. 13
Oct. 2014.
Dolce, Andreanna. Country Joe's Anti-Vietnam Song. YouTube. YouTube, 4 Mar.
2013. Web. 12 Oct. 2014.