'Country' Joe McDonald, a rock star of the 1960s counterculture whose anti-war anthem I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die Rag became an iconic protest song and highlight of the Woodstock music festival, has died at age 84. He passed away in Berkeley, California on Sunday from complications of Parkinson’s disease.
Key Takeaways
'Country' Joe McDonald, known for his anti-war anthem 'I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die Rag,' has died at age 84 from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He was a prominent figure in the 1960s counterculture and performed at Woodstock with Country Joe and the Fish.
- McDonald's death was announced by his wife, Kathy McDonald
- The musician was known for his anti-war activism during the Vietnam War era
- His famous song 'I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die Rag' became an anthem at Woodstock in 1969
The musician was a longtime presence in the Bay Area music scene, performing with his band Country Joe and the Fish. McDonald wrote or co-wrote hundreds of songs throughout his career, but he was best known for I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die Rag, which he completed in less than an hour in 1965.
The song's lyrics, delivered in a deadpan style inspired by Woody Guthrie, mocked the Vietnam War and early death. It featured a memorable chorus that concertgoers learned by heart:
And its 1, 2, 3 what are we fighting for? Don’t ask me I don’t give a damn, Next stop is Vietnam. And its 5, 6, 7 open up the pearly gates, Well there ain’t no time to wonder why, WHOOPEE we’re all gonna die.
At Woodstock in 1969, McDonald performed before hundreds of thousands of people. Many stood and sang along with him, a moment captured in the festival's documentary released the following year.
The song brought both fame and legal consequences for McDonald. In 1968, Ed Sullivan canceled a planned appearance by Country Joe and the Fish on his variety show after learning about their new opening cheer. Soon after Woodstock, McDonald was arrested and fined for using that same chant at a concert in Worcester, Massachusetts.
McDonald's friendships with political radicals like Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin led to him being called as a witness in the 'Chicago Eight (or Seven)' trial against organizers of anti-war protests. During his testimony, he began performing I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die Rag, but the judge interrupted and told him that no singing was permitted in the courtroom. McDonald then recited the words instead.
The musician continued touring and recording for decades after Woodstock, releasing albums like Country, Carry On, Time Flies By, and 50. He also wrote protest songs such as the 1975 release Save the Whales.
Born on January 1, 1942 in Washington D.C., McDonald grew up in El Monte, California. His parents were former Communists who encouraged him to love music and identify with the working class. He served in the Navy in Japan during the late 1950s before forming Country Joe and the Fish in 1965.
McDonald was married four times and had five children and four grandchildren. He was involved on and off with Janis Joplin throughout the second half of the 1960s, although their careers and temperaments eventually drove them apart.
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