I Feel Like I'm Fixing to Die Rag (Stereo)
1970 · Columbia 4-45257 · New York City, New York
- Artist
- Pete Seeger
- Title
- I Feel Like I'm Fixing to Die Rag (Stereo)
- Release
- I Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag
- Year
- 1970
- Label
- Columbia # 4-45257
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- New York City, New York, USA
- Songwriter
- Joe MacDonald
- Genre
- Folk · Contemporary Folk
- Primary theme
- Peace, Protest & Anti-War
Annotation — Pete Seeger Songs
The song "I Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag" (Columbia Records # 4-45257) - a cover of the Country Joe & The Fish track - one of the most well known and key of the Vietnam protest songs. Joe McDonald wrote the song in the summer of 1965 in just 30 minutes, after being discharged from the US navy, and subsequently released it on this EP in October. McDonald performed the song live at the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival, one of the standout performances of the motion picture Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music. According to McDonald, the Seeger, Columbia only released a few promo copies of this, but it was later pulled:"In 1970, Pete Seeger recorded a version of "Fixin' to Die Rag" for a 45 release. We know that at least a few advance DJ copies were produced, like the one pictured here. But something went wrong. The details are unclear, but Pete did mention once that the distributors refused to handle it" (1)
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation — Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs
Iconic American contemporary folk singer, Pete Seeger (born 3 May 1919 in Manhattan, New York, USA, died on 27 January 2014, same location) played a key role in the 1950s contemporary folk revival and the 1960s anti-war and Civil Rights movement. He often wrote political songs, protesting against war, segregation, and calling for environmental protection. (1) His body of songs referencing the Vietnam War is significant in both themes and volume [currently 18 identified]: "The Willing Conscript" on the album Broadside Ballads Volume 2 (1963); "Beans in My Ear", "King Henry", and "The Draft Dodger Rag" on the Dangerous Songs!? (1966); "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy" and "Down By the Riverside" on the album Waist Deep in the Big Muddy and Other Love Songs (1967); "Backlash Blues", "Talking Ben Tre", and "The Torn Flag" on the album Pete Seeger Now (1968); "Anti-Vietnam Songs / Waist Deep in the Big Muddy / Arts in a Changing Society / Violence and Protest" featured on the live album Sings and Answers Questions (1968); "Bring Them Home" and "Ballad of the Fort Hood Three" on the album Young vs. Old (1969); "I Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag" (1970) [promo single-only]; "Last Train to…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
Born 3 May 1919 in Manhattan, New York, USA, died on 27 January 2014, same location