Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues
Bob Dylan
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Well, I was feelin' sad and feelin' blue I didn't know what in the world I was gonna do Them Communists they was comin' around They was in the air They was on the ground They wouldn't gimme no peace So I run down most hurriedly And joined up with the John Birch Society I got me a secret membership card And started off a-walkin' down the road Yee-hoo, I'm a real John Bircher now Look out you Commies Now we all agree with Hitlers' views Although he killed six million Jews It don't matter too much that he was a Fascist At least you can't say he was a Communist That's to say like if you got a cold you take a shot of malaria Well, I was lookin' everywhere for them gol-darned Reds I got up in the mornin' 'n' looked under my bed Looked in the sink, behind the door Looked in the glove compartment of my car Couldn't find 'em I was lookin' high an' low for them Reds everywhere I was lookin' in the sink an' underneath the chair I looked way up my chimney hole I even looked deep inside my toilet bowl They got away Well, I was sittin' home alone an' started to sweat Figured they was in my T.V. set Peeked behind the picture frame Got a shock from my feet, hittin' right up in the brain Them Reds caused it I know they did, them hard-core ones Well, I quit my job so I could work alone Then I changed my name to Sherlock Holmes Followed some clues from my detective bag And discovered they was red stripes on the American flag That ol' Betty Ross Well, I investigated all the books in the library Ninety percent of 'em gotta be burned away I investigated all the people that I knowed Ninety-eight percent of them gotta go The other two percent are fellow Birchers, just like me Now Eisenhower, he's a Russian spy Lincoln, Jefferson and that Roosevelt guy To my knowledge there's just one man That's really a true American, George Lincoln Rockwell I know for a fact he hates Commies 'cause he picketed the movie Exodus Well, I fin'ly started thinkin' straight When I run outta things to investigate Couldn't imagine doin' anything else So now I'm sittin' home investigatin' myself Hope I don't find out anything, hm, great God
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10 facts about this song
Release Classification"Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues" by Bob Dylan was initially intended to be part of his second studio album, "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan," released in 1963.
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Genre ClassificationThe song falls under the genre of talking blues, which is a form of folk music characterized by spoken or half-sung rhythmic lyrics.
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Controversial Content ClassificationThe song is a satirical commentary on the right-wing organization, John Birch Society, and McCarthyism era paranoia.
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Controversy ClassificationThe song ignited controversy when Bob Dylan was told that he could not perform it on the Ed Sullivan TV show in 1963 due to its potentially libelous statements against the John Birch Society.
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Reaction ClassificationBob Dylan responded to the censorship by refusing to perform any other song on the show. This event played a significant role in establishing his reputation for standing by his principles.
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Appearance ClassificationAlthough it didn't make the final cut for "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" album, it appears on the compilation of Dylan's early folk track 'The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961–1991.'
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Live Performance ClassificationDylan has rarely performed this song live. One of the few occasions he did was at his April 12, 1963 concert at Town Hall in New York.
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Artistic Influence ClassificationThe song is credited as one of the earliest examples of Dylan's ability to combine social commentary with humour and satire, a skill which would define much of his songwriting in the future.
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Pop Culture Classification“Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues” has been covered, parodied, and referenced by various artists over the decades, including satirist and songwriter Tom Lehrer.
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Legacy ClassificationAlthough it was never officially released on a studio album, the song is considered one of Dylan's most daring and politically charged compositions.
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Citation
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"Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 23 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/757279/Bob+Dylan/Talkin%27+John+Birch+Paranoid+Blues>.
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