Country Joe and The Fish – I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die

All I knew about Country Joe and The Fish was what I'd heard on the Woodstock album I'd checked out from the library when I was still in high school. Of course watching The Omega Man on TV as a kid was a riveting experience, and seeing Charlton Heston sitting in a dark theatre watching Woodstock sort of stuck with me. That triple live Woodstock album was another beast altogether, although at the time I really didn't think all that much of the '60s stuff.

It was hit and miss, but it was an interesting experience. There was some cool stuff on those platters, and some stuff that made my ears hurt. Then there was the absolutely mind blowing "The 'Fish' Cheer" by Country Joe McDonald. I'd never really paid attention to protest songs, but this ... this was something special. It was probably the first time I'd heard the word fuck in a song, and it was used so artistically that it stuck with me. It's really the only song I truly liked on that album. Oh, people lose their shit over Hendrix but to me his stuff was just a cacophonous exploration of self indulgent noodling. I also have no recollection of the other Country Joe and the Fish song on the album ... such is my memory. 

So here we have I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die and I bought it because I was intrigued. Sure it was in the dollar section, but it looked to be in decent shape. Despite the promise implied on the cover, "Contains Giant FULL-COLOR FISH GAME Complete With Instructions" there was no such book to be found ... then again this was over fifty years old and I was lucky the album wasn't worse for wear. Would have been an awesome score to have gotten the game too.

Oh well, it was only a buck.

Country Joe and the Fish from what I've read never really achieved the level of success many of their psychedelic contemporaries achieved, but they were part of the scene, man. The band was around for less than a handful of years and by 1970 the band ended it's short run. 

Released in 1967 the album was equal parts psychedelic and counter culture. Based on the album cover, I was inclined to be dismissive thinking this was more novelty than novel ... the opening track "The Fish Cheer & I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag" seemed to place the band firmly in the novelty bin. Complete with kazoo and sound effects, the song had none of the punch I remembered from the Woodstock album. The rag style certainly highlighted the absurd nature of the lyrics, which are still amazingly poignant, but I was underwhelmed. 

Then "Who AM I" followed and the tone of the album changed. The songs were organic and trippy and the band showed themselves to be quite adept at their craft. There were a number of really good songs on the album. There was something quirky and almost magical to "Janis" as the second side opened. It was whimsical and one of my favourite songs on the album. The band would delve into the trippy "Thought Dream" that contained the "Bomb Song" ended with "The Acid Commercial" that I guess was cool at the time.

The album closes with not one, but two instrumentals. "Eastern Jam" that was kind of cool, guitarists David Cohen and Barry Melton, who had just turned 20, traded guitar solos. However it was the closing track "Colors for Susan" that I really liked. It was too long and seemed to overstay it's welcome. It was so good, and then repeated itself more than was necessary. Of course, that's petty and frankly after all these years is kind of like kicking a puppy.

This was a weird album, but a good one. Probably one of the more surprising albums I've listened to in a while. If you're in the mood for something a little different you could do a lot worse.