The direct anti-Vietnam song and the brutal Vietnam narrative seem to always go along together quite nicely. It' not hard to see why.
In Dispatches, Herr has a really guttural sense about him. The war is shown as a system of harsh realities that everyone has to go through, and that everyone seemingly has a really really really hard time coping with. It's tough to face the realities of the things that go on in war, especially the Vietnam war, such that it seems like, sometimes, the only thing you can do about it is laugh.
That's partly why McDonald's song works so well. To someone who hasn't been through the war (or at least read Herr's dispatches) it might seem like a light ironic flip-off to the war. It isn't. It's a reality that everyone in that time was facing.
That all being said, I somehow get the sense that Herr would hate being at Woodstock. The line that goes "I laughed again and aid that I knew, but he knew that I didn't" shows that, in retrospect, he's grown up a bit, and he's seen a lot of things. Somehow, singing with a couple hundred thousand about life's futility just wouldn't seem enough.
Herr’s Dispatches provides a frank depiction of the Vietnam War and the horrors associated with it. He doesn’t glorify the war, he describes it for the reader. Joe McDonald’s song, “Feel Like I’m Fixing To Die” is a sardonic reaction to the war, with lines like “put down your books and pick up a gun we're gonna have a whole lotta fun.”
The two works are connected because they show different interpretations of the Vietnam War. Herr’s story is much more of a realistic, gritty narrative, whereas the song pokes fun at the idea of going to war (Uncle Sam needs you help again/he’s got himself in a terrible jam). They give both sides of the story, in that they represent a different group of people and their reactions. To me, it seems like the song represents the protestors of the war, and the story represents those who accepted it and were determined to see it through.
think Herr’s Disptaches and the Country Joe’s song a similar in a lot of ways. But I think the main point they both get across is the absurdity and mindlessness of war. What Herr really describes in his stories is the numerous ways in which the soldiers distract themselves, in order to not think about the imminent and growing probability of their early death.
Country Joe is basically making fun of the way we ignore those things, saying “ And it's one, two, three, what are we fighting for don't ask me I don't give a damn, next stop is Viet Nam.” We don’t care to think about why we’re fighting, because the truth would be that its really not worth thousands of dead young men. So we ignore those factors. We ignore the knot in our stomachs saying that it’s not right. Herr really illuminates this in his story telling – that through all of it, there’s never really a reason for anything. But everyone gets caught up in the machine, and everyone goes along with it, and in the end, most end up dying because of it.
Herr’s stories show how on an individual basis, its easy to get caught up in the idea of “duty” and other personal obligations. But while we get caught up in all of those personal things, we miss the big picture, which is that we’re getting fucked for no good reason. Country Joe’s song is a satire of that, but is still quite a serious analysis.
In the excerpt from Dispatches, Michael Herr attempts to show the reader a new aspect of war, how it affects the men fighting in it. Herr reported extensively on how these men were living by traveling and spending much time with them. This allowed Herr shows the war through a soldiers experience, mostly highlighting the tragedies. This piece is an anti-war piece, but isn’t written how most anti-war pieces are written. Herr experienced the war, and depicted what these men’s lives were like, the danger they faced daily and how the war changed them.
The narration in first person adds to the effectiveness of the chapter by making him a reliable journalist without having the news structure. Herr’s depiction of war is so unlike any of war piece we have read because he puts himself in the action with these men.
On the other hand, the song by Country Joe McDonald criticizes the war more boldly. The song is ironic and humorous and strongly anti-war. While both try to explain the war to their audience, they each try a different way to achieve this anti-war stance. Country Joe McDonald did not actually experience the war, so he is not as credible yet still effectively achieves the same thing Herr achieves; a strong anti-war message.
Although Country Joe McDonald's song does not specifically detail aspects of the war like Herr does in Dispatches, they both interrelate quite well. In Dispatches, Herr gives an everyday, microcosm view of the Vietnam War. Herr reports how easily a soldier,or reporter can lose their life. He never questions why the war is going on, however, which is to his credit. People may infer that by reading some of the more graphic scenes, but he stays objective by not saying it.
In "Feel Like I'm Fixing to Die," Country Joe McDonald's lyrics sarcastically ask and tell soldiers and citizens to not question the war, and to accept the fact that many will die in Vietnam. His lyrics question the validity of the war, by saying the exact opposite. McDonald, like Herr, does not delve into the overlying reasons of why he is against the war, but it is obvious what his position is.
From the song lyrics, I think one could conclude that McDonald may not like how the Vietnam War was being reported, and would hope for more questioning of the war by the media, so he may have an issue with Herr's piece.
The Country Joe song and Herr's Dispatches both are against the war (duh) they just express it in two different ways.
Obvious points aside: One is a song, one is a journalistic masterpiece.
Next up. Country Joe's song drips with sarcasm and sends a really powerful message cleverly disguised by a simple melody and floaty tune. The tune covers all of the important issues of the time: The death toll, why we were in vietnam, and why weren't we asking questions. I wouldnt say that Country Joe doesnt want the war to be taken seriously, I believe he wants to be taken very seriously, that's why his song is so...not serious. (ya dig?) It's more of a commentary on the ignorance of the entire situation by making an equally (seemingly ignorant) song.
Herr's account is very gritty, and very real because he was in Vietnam. I dont believe his message is any different than that of Joe's, just a bit more refined and understanding. Country Joe related as best he could from his perspective, which was media driven, and Herr lived through the events. He may not have liked that song, but I believe thats because Herr seemed more of a Beethoven, Mozart kind of man. Way more contemplative than that two and half minute hippie tune could be.
But I digress.
Herr's perspective is more individual and shows that people get in their heads this idea that what they are doing is better for the greater good. People get caught up easily and don't ask questions, like Joe suggests, and then we get sent to a war where thousands of young men die.
Country Joe McDonald's song and Herr's Dispatches both feature the illusions of war. The song "Feel Like I'm Fixing to Die," has an upbeat tempo and catchy, sing-along chorus. But the lyrics have a different twist. The lines "What are we fighting for?" and "Whoopie! we're all gonna die!" are repeated, always in a positive manner. Herr writes of his first day on an lz. He laughed and joked, claiming to know the realities of saying he knew it wasn't the movies. Herr writes that one can never know war unless they've been in it. People have preconceived notions of war, so they believe they are ready.
This Country Joe song reminded me of another anti-war song called "Eugene Pratt" by Mason Proffit.
7 comments:
The direct anti-Vietnam song and the brutal Vietnam narrative seem to always go along together quite nicely. It' not hard to see why.
In Dispatches, Herr has a really guttural sense about him. The war is shown as a system of harsh realities that everyone has to go through, and that everyone seemingly has a really really really hard time coping with. It's tough to face the realities of the things that go on in war, especially the Vietnam war, such that it seems like, sometimes, the only thing you can do about it is laugh.
That's partly why McDonald's song works so well. To someone who hasn't been through the war (or at least read Herr's dispatches) it might seem like a light ironic flip-off to the war. It isn't. It's a reality that everyone in that time was facing.
That all being said, I somehow get the sense that Herr would hate being at Woodstock. The line that goes "I laughed again and aid that I knew, but he knew that I didn't" shows that, in retrospect, he's grown up a bit, and he's seen a lot of things. Somehow, singing with a couple hundred thousand about life's futility just wouldn't seem enough.
Herr’s Dispatches provides a frank depiction of the Vietnam War and the horrors associated with it. He doesn’t glorify the war, he describes it for the reader. Joe McDonald’s song, “Feel Like I’m Fixing To Die” is a sardonic reaction to the war, with lines like “put down your books and pick up a gun we're gonna have a whole lotta fun.”
The two works are connected because they show different interpretations of the Vietnam War. Herr’s story is much more of a realistic, gritty narrative, whereas the song pokes fun at the idea of going to war (Uncle Sam needs you help again/he’s got himself in a terrible jam). They give both sides of the story, in that they represent a different group of people and their reactions. To me, it seems like the song represents the protestors of the war, and the story represents those who accepted it and were determined to see it through.
think Herr’s Disptaches and the Country Joe’s song a similar in a lot of ways. But I think the main point they both get across is the absurdity and mindlessness of war. What Herr really describes in his stories is the numerous ways in which the soldiers distract themselves, in order to not think about the imminent and growing probability of their early death.
Country Joe is basically making fun of the way we ignore those things, saying “ And it's one, two, three, what are we fighting for don't ask me I don't give a damn, next stop is Viet Nam.” We don’t care to think about why we’re fighting, because the truth would be that its really not worth thousands of dead young men. So we ignore those factors. We ignore the knot in our stomachs saying that it’s not right. Herr really illuminates this in his story telling – that through all of it, there’s never really a reason for anything. But everyone gets caught up in the machine, and everyone goes along with it, and in the end, most end up dying because of it.
Herr’s stories show how on an individual basis, its easy to get caught up in the idea of “duty” and other personal obligations. But while we get caught up in all of those personal things, we miss the big picture, which is that we’re getting fucked for no good reason. Country Joe’s song is a satire of that, but is still quite a serious analysis.
In the excerpt from Dispatches, Michael Herr attempts to show the reader a new aspect of war, how it affects the men fighting in it. Herr reported extensively on how these men were living by traveling and spending much time with them. This allowed Herr shows the war through a soldiers experience, mostly highlighting the tragedies. This piece is an anti-war piece, but isn’t written how most anti-war pieces are written. Herr experienced the war, and depicted what these men’s lives were like, the danger they faced daily and how the war changed them.
The narration in first person adds to the effectiveness of the chapter by making him a reliable journalist without having the news structure. Herr’s depiction of war is so unlike any of war piece we have read because he puts himself in the action with these men.
On the other hand, the song by Country Joe McDonald criticizes the war more boldly. The song is ironic and humorous and strongly anti-war. While both try to explain the war to their audience, they each try a different way to achieve this anti-war stance. Country Joe McDonald did not actually experience the war, so he is not as credible yet still effectively achieves the same thing Herr achieves; a strong anti-war message.
Although Country Joe McDonald's song does not specifically detail aspects of the war like Herr does in Dispatches, they both interrelate quite well. In Dispatches, Herr gives an everyday, microcosm view of the Vietnam War. Herr reports how easily a soldier,or reporter can lose their life. He never questions why the war is going on, however, which is to his credit. People may infer that by reading some of the more graphic scenes, but he stays objective by not saying it.
In "Feel Like I'm Fixing to Die," Country Joe McDonald's lyrics sarcastically ask and tell soldiers and citizens to not question the war, and to accept the fact that many will die in Vietnam. His lyrics question the validity of the war, by saying the exact opposite. McDonald, like Herr, does not delve into the overlying reasons of why he is against the war, but it is obvious what his position is.
From the song lyrics, I think one could conclude that McDonald may not like how the Vietnam War was being reported, and would hope for more questioning of the war by the media, so he may have an issue with Herr's piece.
The Country Joe song and Herr's Dispatches both are against the war (duh) they just express it in two different ways.
Obvious points aside: One is a song, one is a journalistic masterpiece.
Next up. Country Joe's song drips with sarcasm and sends a really powerful message cleverly disguised by a simple melody and floaty tune. The tune covers all of the important issues of the time: The death toll, why we were in vietnam, and why weren't we asking questions. I wouldnt say that Country Joe doesnt want the war to be taken seriously, I believe he wants to be taken very seriously, that's why his song is so...not serious. (ya dig?) It's more of a commentary on the ignorance of the entire situation by making an equally (seemingly ignorant) song.
Herr's account is very gritty, and very real because he was in Vietnam. I dont believe his message is any different than that of Joe's, just a bit more refined and understanding. Country Joe related as best he could from his perspective, which was media driven, and Herr lived through the events. He may not have liked that song, but I believe thats because Herr seemed more of a Beethoven, Mozart kind of man. Way more contemplative than that two and half minute hippie tune could be.
But I digress.
Herr's perspective is more individual and shows that people get in their heads this idea that what they are doing is better for the greater good. People get caught up easily and don't ask questions, like Joe suggests, and then we get sent to a war where thousands of young men die.
Shame.
Country Joe McDonald's song and Herr's Dispatches both feature the illusions of war. The song "Feel Like I'm Fixing to Die," has an upbeat tempo and catchy, sing-along chorus. But the lyrics have a different twist. The lines "What are we fighting for?" and "Whoopie! we're all gonna die!" are repeated, always in a positive manner. Herr writes of his first day on an lz. He laughed and joked, claiming to know the realities of saying he knew it wasn't the movies. Herr writes that one can never know war unless they've been in it. People have preconceived notions of war, so they believe they are ready.
This Country Joe song reminded me of another anti-war song called "Eugene Pratt" by Mason Proffit.
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