Don McLean: 1967 Meaning

1967 Lyrics

In Nineteen Sixty Seven the draft caught up with me,
me and my pal Joe went off to war.
We might find hero's heaven, but we'd keep the country free.
We would surely win just like before.
Roy Rogers he was on his horse, and Buck Jones drew his...

1. anonymous

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   Oct 24th 2018 !⃝

   Superficially this is a heartfelt song about the loss of a dear, long-standing friend. It is made clear early on that he died fighting in a war, but it is not until the final verse that we learn that he died saving his friend from a landmine explosion. This adds extra poignancy to the lyric. The word "Vietnam" is never mentioned although the title year makes it all too clear that this is the war being referred to. The title choice is a strong one; 1967 was a year when the US fully committed to the conflict against a backdrop of youthful freedom of expression and activity in the "Summer of Love". Socially, the World changed forever in 1967, yet the World stood still for the subject against the criticism of friends and society in general for enlisting in the first place. This is an anti-war song and the use of the name "Joe" relates to "GI Joe" and generalises it to cover all conflicts, not just Vietnam. A very emotive song.
2. anonymous

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   Nov 24th 2014 !⃝

   Have you even listened to the song?
   It's an unapologectic description of two young men who wanted to be patriotic and how only one of them came back alive. The live one was saved by his buddy and he doesn't care what the rest of the county thinks about him or the war, he just knows that it was an act of selflessness that allows him to be alive and appreciates it.
3. anonymous

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   Oct 6th 2011 !⃝

   This song is about the war for all Anti-War People who have lost a Family Member in the War and who Doesn't like War Basically it is a song protesting against War!

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