| Strawberry Alarm Clock – Incense and Peppermints Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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At the time this song came out, there were many events in political history that were playing out here in the United States during the 1960's. I was a child at that time, but I do remember seeing some of the events on television. I hope my interpretation isn't too lengthy, so I apologize in advance because this is one of my personal all time favorite songs and I just want to see it given the treatment it is deserved! During the time of the 60's, young people didn't watch the news, they LISTENED to it. Underneath all of the groovy music was the news of the day and the calls to the people to listen to what's going on. This was the clarion call to the Summer of Love in 1967. ----------- Here's the breakdown: The reference to "Dead kings, many things I can't define" is a reference to JFK, the "Age of Camelot" that his young administration was bringing to the country and his untimely death. Also the assassinations of his brother, MLK and Malcolm X were the many thing he couldn't define. What was "Good sense, innocence, cripplin' mankind" was the events of the Vietnam War and how it was wasting the youth through the tortured battles. "Occasions, persuasions clutter your mind/Incense and peppermints, the color of time" Here is where the hippie movement took the reference that just drop out and don't give into the "machine" "Who cares what games we choose?/Little to win but nothin' to lose" Another reference to apathy and not conforming to what "straight" society wants from you. "Incense and peppermints, meaningless nouns/Turn on, tune in, turn your eyes around" A callback to Dr. Timothy Leary who advised the youth to "Tune in, turn on and drop out" meaning to not give in to the machine that was stealing young people with futures. "Look at yourself, look at yourself, yeah, yeah/Look at yourself, look at yourself, yeah, yeah, yeah!" A mantra to the listener to reflect what was said, and to see where they are at the moment. "To divide this cockeyed world in two/Throw your pride to one side, it's the least you can do" This one was the most telling of the drug ideology. That you divide the old sense of blindness and really SEE the world around you and what kind of future you can create for yourself. "Beatniks and politics, nothing is new/A yardstick for lunatics, one point of view" This was the inclusion to the movement of the Beats into this emerging power structure. The people were the power, because if enough of them stood up, they knew they could move the world. |
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