I’d Love to Change the World

1971, I was still in high school.  I’d had some rocky teen years with divorce and alcoholism invading my family.  I grew my hair long and proclaimed myself an anti-establishment hippie.  I was young of course, my ideology was far from consistent, not that it ever has been.  Life is about learning, then we die I guess.  But I took things to heart more than most.  I believed in it.  I dug up an old song recently and it made me realize my current attitude is really no different.  I’ve done grown up and I’m still in 1971.  

“Everywhere is freaks and hairies

Dykes and fairies, tell me where is sanity

Tax the rich, feed the poor

Till there are no rich no more?

I’d love to change the world

But I don’t know what to do

So I’ll leave it up to you

Population keeps on breeding

Nation bleeding, still more feeding economy

Life is funny, skies are sunny

Bees make honey, who needs money, Monopoly

I’d love to change the world

But I don’t know what to do

So I’ll leave it up to you

World pollution, there’s no solution

Institution, electrocution

Just black and white, rich or poor

Them and us, stop the war

I’d love to change the world

But I don’t know what to do

So I’ll leave it up to you”

Peace!

31 comments

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    • Underdog on December 10, 2009 at 22:45
      Author
  1. i still don’t see

    Tax the rich, feed the poor

    Till there are no rich no more?

    ever happening.

    And, quite frankly, one of the things I like about LA is

    Everywhere is freaks and hairies

    Dykes and fairies

    so, I’d say sanity is right here.

    The rest of it, though.. i hear ya.

  2. grippin’ the arms of a chair and riding out the acid while listening to that album several times back in the day. One of my favorites, still have it layin’ around somewhere…Alvin Lee was one slick peacock!

  3. And we started the riots.

    That shit was about what became the Great Corporate Looting of Fall 2008 and wholescale dumbing down of the populace with infotainment.

    Destroy 2000 years of centralized culture, the internet has set us free.

    Try to feel international, destroy those who stand in our way.

    You cannot stop the singularity. If you try, you will just become cultural roadkill.

  4. \

    • justCal on December 11, 2009 at 06:37

    …the more they remain the same.”

    I hear ya.

    Here’s one I’ve put up before that seems to fit the mood right now.

    Solidarity.

  5. And now, nada, zip, with some gray clumps down the side. And I don’t even need a haircut, cause it never grows more than a couple of inches.

    I’ll take the 60’s any day over this blogging stuff.

    Radical Politics, Music, Dope, Chicks & Cats, and most of all, sweet crazy YOUTH. And memories up the wazoo.

    Remember, the movement was all over the world, but the active center was in Northern California, Berkely and S.F. State, although I was chased by the Federales in Mexico City just before the Oympic games in 68′.

    When I hear the music from those days it can really shake me up, and then I realize that I couldn’t do what I feel like doing even if I could do it, which I can’t.

    • Robyn on December 11, 2009 at 14:35

  6. This song absolutely captures the sarcasm and apathy that we late 30s/early 40-somethings grew up with. We were pissed off and angry at the world. And many of us still are.

    Also, this song makes NO fucking sense, which is probably why (aside from the hook) it was so popular. The world makes NO fucking sense.

    Great diary, Al.

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