I-FEEL-LIKE-I'M-FIXIN'-TO-DIE RAG - chords and comments
At the bottom you'll find a link to the complete lyrics.
According to musician, anti-war activist and Woodstock icon Joe McDonald himself, this song was written in 30 minutes in '65. First released on an EP before "Country Joe and the Fish" was reallly established, it was cut as a single in -69, sold well and appeared in two versions (solo and band) at the monumental Woodstock Festival. Thereafter it has become a lead protest song and a symbol of the hippie culture.In 2001 - after a new recording of the song in '99 - Babette Ory, daughter of late jazz musician Kid Ory, claimed that the song partly was a copy of her father's "Muskrat Ramble", a famous jazz standard, and filed a lawsuit. The court concluded that the family had been aware of the song for more than 30 years, and the case was dismissed and finally closed in favour of McDonald in 2005.
The song is quite often introduced with "The Fish Cheer" - «Gimme an eff!»...-«F!!» and so on, spelling "fish". In '68, drummer Chicken Hirsch suggested to alter it, spelling "f*ck", resulting in public success ... and a ban from Ed Sullivan Show. «Keep the money, but don't appear on the show».
E come on all of you big strong men A Uncle Sam needs your help again E he's got himself in a terrible jam A way down yonder in Vietnam F# B7 so put down your books and pick up a gun E7 E6 A we're gonna have a whole lotta fun Bm Gdim E7 and it's one two three A what are we fighting for Bm ...E7 don't ask me I don't give a damn A next stop is Vietnam Bm Gdim E7 and it's five six seven A ...C#7 open up the pearly gates F# B7 well there ain't no time to wonder why E7 E6 A whoopee we're all gonna die
A
E
E
E7
B7
Bm
F#
C#7
Gdim
