An Untitled Protest, Revisited

Borrowed from the Website of Country Joe and the Fish.

An Untitled Protest

Red and swollen tears tumble from her eyes
While cold silver birds who came to cruise the skies
Send death down to bend and twist her tiny hands
And then proceed to target "B" in keeping with their plans

Khaki priests of Christendom interpreters of love
Ride a stone Leviathan across a sea of blood
And pound their feet into the sand of shores they've never seen
Delegates from the western land to join the death machine

And we send cards and letters.

The oxen lie beside the road their bodies baked in mud
And fat flies chew out their eyes then bathe themselves in blood
And super heroes fill the skies, tally sheets in hand
Yes, keeping score in times of war takes a superman

The junk crawls past hidden death its cargo shakes inside
And soldier children hold their breath and kill them as they hide

And those who took so long to learn the subtle ways of death
Lie and bleed in paddy mud with questions on their breath

And we send prayers and praises.



Recorded at Sierra Sound Laboratories, Berkeley, November 1967
and Vanguard Studios, 71 West 23rd Street, New York City, 1968
Producer: Samuel Charters
Engineer & Sound Effects: Ed Friedner
Processed at Vanguard Studios, 71 West 23rd Street, New York City

Joe McDonald: vocals, harmony vocals, rap, lead guitar, 12-string guitar
Barry Melton: vocals, rap, lead guitar, rhythm guitar
David Cohen: rhythm guitar, organ, lead guitar, organ, piano, harpsichord, bells
Bruce Barthol: bass, vocal, backing vocal, acoustic guitar, organ
Gary "Chicken" Hirsh: drums, vocals, bells, background vocals, harmony, sand blocks, castanets, Chicken's music box
Robin McDonald: finger cymbals

We wish to thank Michael Chechik for radio research.
We would also like to thank for their contributions to sound effects, Ruth Revelise, Rosanne Haberman, Leigh Centrone, Barbara Ruggieri, Alice Belgray and Holly Tooker of the Vanguard staff.

This album is dedicated to Bobby Hutton — Black Revolutionary 1950-1968

Original vinyl release: Vanguard VSD.79277 [August 1968]
Original CD release: Vanguard VMD-79277 [April 07, 1992]

All songs copyright © 1968 renewed 1996 by Joyful Wisdom, BMI