The Hippies Are Trying

Annotation

Junior Wells, born Amos Wells Blakemore Jr. (1934-1998) in Memphis Tennessee, moved to Chicago in the late 1940s and based his career in the Chicago soul scene, well-known for his vocals and harmonica. He also wrote and recorded the song "Vietnam-Blues", released as a single in 1967, a live version of which appeared on the 1966 album Chicago / The Blues / Today! Vol. 1, performed at the American Folk Blues Festival, under the title "Vietcong Blues". The song "The Hippies Are Trying" (Blue Rock Records # B-4052) was a a Vietnam-era pro-hippie peace song, referencing the need for "more love" and "flower children".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: The hippies are trying / They're doing the right thing / Just take a look around you / See the shape that things are in / We need more flower children / And more love, that's true / We wouldn't be so blues / There are no confusions in a world that's true / We don't have to worry when we know what love can do / We need more pretty flower children / And more lovers too / We wouldn't be so blue / We all do wrong every once in a while... / We need more flowers children / And more lovers too / We wouldn't be so blue... / I want you to tell me... / How can you be so mean... / Lord have mercy / I just got to know...

Notes

Blue Rock (Mercury) B-4052, matrix 1-41942, blue label; "The Hippies Are Trying" (Daniels, Moore), 4:09, Jadan Music - MRC Music Inc., BMI; produced by Jack Daniels, arranged by Charles Stepney; "From Blue Rock's album, 'You're Tuff Enough Junior Wells' SRB-64002". [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

Born 9 December 1934, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Died 15 January 1998, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Themes

Counter-Culture & Hippies · Peace

In collections

Blues songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years]