Unit 8: Post War United States
“Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag”
by Maury Neville
Song:
"Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag"
Joe MacDonald, 1965
A satirical "recruiting" song for an unpopular war
Activities
Teacher
Get a copy of the film Woodstock and play the clip of Country Joe from it.
Note: You’ll have to edit it because it has the “spell out” on it.
Questions
- Which version of the song do you like better? Why?
- Do you think this song would have been popular in 1962 when JFK sent the 1st Marines to Vietnam? Why or why not?
- Why do you think the song was so popular at Woodstock?
- Do you think this song would be popular today if the words were changed to comment about the situation in Iraq?
Research Activities
- Research Country Joe McDonald. Is this song his only claim to fame? What kind of other music was he playing and writing in the 1960s? The 1970s? Today?
- What kind of protest tactics were being used on college campuses in the 1960s?
- Find at least two other war protest songs of the 1960s and compare and contrast not only the lyrics but the type of music used to deliver the message.
- Find at least two songs of the 1960s that supported the war and compare and contrast not only the lyrics but the type of music used to deliver the message.