Randy Bachman from the Guess Who said that song was more of a goof on the hippie movement. Communal living, "tune in, turn on and drop out" mentality of the early 1970's was great in theory but doesn't necessarily make one a productive member of society. So when he is saying "maybe..." it probably means just that. In reality, no one was going to share their land or give it away. it was more of an ideal of the time. The hippies mostly became yuppies when they figured out that wanting a better quality life than "Peace, Love, Dope, Right On and Power to the People" was producing. So Burton Cummings realized that if all the things the 1960's flower children were wanting comes true... he might "drink the koolaid" and buy into the lifestyle. Until then - show me da money!
@drlingus -- At first I was skeptical about this one (my opinion has always been it's about the Vietnam War), but now I am agreeing. Especially when he starts to say THEY will be giving away all this land. First of all, who is "they?" The government? Yeah, right. It does sound very idealistic and fanciful, something some hippies thought they'd wind up getting for free after hitting the pipe a few times too many. Maybe this sort of thing happened in Canada? ... If it ever happened in America, these hippies would be getting the crappiest land...
@drlingus -- At first I was skeptical about this one (my opinion has always been it's about the Vietnam War), but now I am agreeing. Especially when he starts to say THEY will be giving away all this land. First of all, who is "they?" The government? Yeah, right. It does sound very idealistic and fanciful, something some hippies thought they'd wind up getting for free after hitting the pipe a few times too many. Maybe this sort of thing happened in Canada? ... If it ever happened in America, these hippies would be getting the crappiest land imaginable, where nothing could be grown without sufficient irrigation, or whatever. :)
Part of me still thinks "Vietnam War" though, especially the first stanza, in which he's saying something's gonna "happen to you" a year from now, presumably because the guy he's speaking about is American (rather than Canadian) and is about to turn 18 a year from now, and therefore could get drafted.
There's also "did you know their names?" ... a question which could be addressed toward somebody else who gets a newspaper with local Vietnam War casualties in its obituary section.
Randy Bachman isn't exactly an authoritative source on what the song is about since he wasn't even with the Guess Who at the time. It was written entirely by Burton Cummings. There's an episode of Cummings on Howard Stern back in 1994 and Cummings says it's literally about sharing land (communism). The songs was banned in portions of the southern US because it was considered pro-communism. It's a great song. Randy Bachman had absolutely zero to do with the song or its meaning.
Randy Bachman isn't exactly an authoritative source on what the song is about since he wasn't even with the Guess Who at the time. It was written entirely by Burton Cummings. There's an episode of Cummings on Howard Stern back in 1994 and Cummings says it's literally about sharing land (communism). The songs was banned in portions of the southern US because it was considered pro-communism. It's a great song. Randy Bachman had absolutely zero to do with the song or its meaning.
@drlingus It is amazing, and tragic that this song - which has always stood on its own, now needs explaining, and seems to be done so by everyone BUT those who lived the times. The song was about an ideal. It was never banned anywhere. The "Red Scare" occurred more than a decade before it was recorded. It had nothing to do with drugs, as Burton had no patience for stoners - though - in fairness, they did buy a lot of records. The song had NOTHING to do with the Vietnam war. It was idealistic, many of us did...
@drlingus It is amazing, and tragic that this song - which has always stood on its own, now needs explaining, and seems to be done so by everyone BUT those who lived the times. The song was about an ideal. It was never banned anywhere. The "Red Scare" occurred more than a decade before it was recorded. It had nothing to do with drugs, as Burton had no patience for stoners - though - in fairness, they did buy a lot of records. The song had NOTHING to do with the Vietnam war. It was idealistic, many of us did live in communes for a while, the one I lived in was comprised of professors, and their families, but everything seemed to wind down by mid 75. Trying to explain this period and the acceptance, growth, and lack of violence, and greed to subsequent generations is like teaching a snake to play baseball.
Randy Bachman from the Guess Who said that song was more of a goof on the hippie movement. Communal living, "tune in, turn on and drop out" mentality of the early 1970's was great in theory but doesn't necessarily make one a productive member of society. So when he is saying "maybe..." it probably means just that. In reality, no one was going to share their land or give it away. it was more of an ideal of the time. The hippies mostly became yuppies when they figured out that wanting a better quality life than "Peace, Love, Dope, Right On and Power to the People" was producing. So Burton Cummings realized that if all the things the 1960's flower children were wanting comes true... he might "drink the koolaid" and buy into the lifestyle. Until then - show me da money!
@drlingus -- At first I was skeptical about this one (my opinion has always been it's about the Vietnam War), but now I am agreeing. Especially when he starts to say THEY will be giving away all this land. First of all, who is "they?" The government? Yeah, right. It does sound very idealistic and fanciful, something some hippies thought they'd wind up getting for free after hitting the pipe a few times too many. Maybe this sort of thing happened in Canada? ... If it ever happened in America, these hippies would be getting the crappiest land...
@drlingus -- At first I was skeptical about this one (my opinion has always been it's about the Vietnam War), but now I am agreeing. Especially when he starts to say THEY will be giving away all this land. First of all, who is "they?" The government? Yeah, right. It does sound very idealistic and fanciful, something some hippies thought they'd wind up getting for free after hitting the pipe a few times too many. Maybe this sort of thing happened in Canada? ... If it ever happened in America, these hippies would be getting the crappiest land imaginable, where nothing could be grown without sufficient irrigation, or whatever. :)
Part of me still thinks "Vietnam War" though, especially the first stanza, in which he's saying something's gonna "happen to you" a year from now, presumably because the guy he's speaking about is American (rather than Canadian) and is about to turn 18 a year from now, and therefore could get drafted.
There's also "did you know their names?" ... a question which could be addressed toward somebody else who gets a newspaper with local Vietnam War casualties in its obituary section.
@drlingus
@drlingus
Nice try, but this is a rubbish take.
Nice try, but this is a rubbish take.
Randy Bachman isn't exactly an authoritative source on what the song is about since he wasn't even with the Guess Who at the time. It was written entirely by Burton Cummings. There's an episode of Cummings on Howard Stern back in 1994 and Cummings says it's literally about sharing land (communism). The songs was banned in portions of the southern US because it was considered pro-communism. It's a great song. Randy Bachman had absolutely zero to do with the song or its meaning.
Randy Bachman isn't exactly an authoritative source on what the song is about since he wasn't even with the Guess Who at the time. It was written entirely by Burton Cummings. There's an episode of Cummings on Howard Stern back in 1994 and Cummings says it's literally about sharing land (communism). The songs was banned in portions of the southern US because it was considered pro-communism. It's a great song. Randy Bachman had absolutely zero to do with the song or its meaning.
@drlingus It is amazing, and tragic that this song - which has always stood on its own, now needs explaining, and seems to be done so by everyone BUT those who lived the times. The song was about an ideal. It was never banned anywhere. The "Red Scare" occurred more than a decade before it was recorded. It had nothing to do with drugs, as Burton had no patience for stoners - though - in fairness, they did buy a lot of records. The song had NOTHING to do with the Vietnam war. It was idealistic, many of us did...
@drlingus It is amazing, and tragic that this song - which has always stood on its own, now needs explaining, and seems to be done so by everyone BUT those who lived the times. The song was about an ideal. It was never banned anywhere. The "Red Scare" occurred more than a decade before it was recorded. It had nothing to do with drugs, as Burton had no patience for stoners - though - in fairness, they did buy a lot of records. The song had NOTHING to do with the Vietnam war. It was idealistic, many of us did live in communes for a while, the one I lived in was comprised of professors, and their families, but everything seemed to wind down by mid 75. Trying to explain this period and the acceptance, growth, and lack of violence, and greed to subsequent generations is like teaching a snake to play baseball.