Country Joe And The Fish - Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine Lyrics

My first wife, Lorraine hated this track! It turns out she's evil like the story ? Country ways!!!!!!!!

My wife was Martha, she was from Alsace Lorraine, and she new about country ways, we both loved the Fish, now it's just me. When I here this, she still alive!

I think the British equivalent of this LP would be Pink Floyd's first album, "Piper at the Gates of Dawn." The keyboard sound very similar to Richard Wright's early sound. Well-Pink Floyd was considered the first UK band to be influenced by the San Francisco sound

Favorite Fish tune. This is a good tune.

Back in the early 60's I used to hang out in the old Ricardo's on Willow Street in San Jose, CA., which had the best music venue in the south bay at that time. Jazz great Donnie McCaslin's dad, Don, had the Monday night Jazz house band at the time, and was playing his vibes one Monday night when a young bearded guy, wearing a stocking cap, leaned across the front table and started yelling "Boo, Hiss" at Don who, startled, stopped playing. Then he smiled, grabbed the mike, and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a celebrity in the house. This is Chicken Hershey of Country Joe and the Fish, and maybe he'll get up here and play some Jazz with us; if he still does that sort of thing." It was Gary "Chick(en)" Hirsch, the drummer with Country Joe, and he did indeed sit in on Diane Vavre's (later, Chet Baker's girlfriend for many years - see Chet Baker's "Diane" on U-tube) drums that night and blew us away. LA freeway (or whatever it was called) was always one of my favorites. P.S. Don's in his 90's and still playing with his band, "Don McCaslin and the Amazing Jazz Geezers" at Severino's in Soquel, CA. As for me, I'm still trying to make a buck. Jon www.jonbartz.com

I totally agree with Mr. Henshaw. In my teens back in 1986, I bought this album from a reputable record dealer. The album itself had a few scratches, but was well taken care of. This album had me tripping 19 years later! This album is the best in psychedelic music!!!

Song grows on you love it they were a brilliant band

I'd come home from high school stoned on acid and listen to this record.. Ah the memories <3

I was living in the USVI back in the mid-80s, bought a kit bag full of cassettes from a guy who needed some quick cash for $30. This was on one of the mix tapes. been in my brain ever since. that bag opened me to so much - My Guitar Wants To Kill Yer Mama, Can't do my Homework Anymore, fried Hockey Boogie were some others...

Great Hippie band but this one has talent love them

You know it's a shame and a pity that you were raised in the city and you never learned nothing about country ways.

Bitter sweet for me . The person who gave me this record took it too seriously . Thanks for posting .

4 way purple micro- dot, a mind bender. However there was always Frisbees mind cleaner, yup sure did work.

Lorraine! I Knew the country ways,she didn't

A song about my first wife lorraine!

really far out man groovy I've grooved on this so many times on so many different drugs

When I first got high, in 1967, I listened to this an awful lot. And now, too

It's a shame and a pity.

El verdadero himno de los 60's

Best way to describe this album music soaked in lsd

Age 71 now, music takes me right back to a beach on Hwy 1 where the Little Sur River met the Pacific Ocean. 1968.

Country Joe was the headliner ...2nd was Janis and Big Brother ......the opening act ? ....Led Zepplin ....heh ....1969 concert out in Irvine....took a bunch of mescaline ...and threw up a lot ...but it was quite a night !

what did this all mean? like who the fuck was Lorraine? Maybe it was always a misogynistic rant. I mean, obviously I like the music, I go on YouTube to listen to it every once in a while. Hell, I been listening to it since the Sixties. Just thinkin', you know, this is kind of down on chicks, or a certain kind of chick. Country Joe MacDonald used to play sets at the Longbranch.

I rocked my fancy floral canopy bed into the LA ground that year inspired to learn all about "country ways'

I remember listening to this on a cassette that had melted slightly in the car, so a portion played backward....freaked us out whilst trippin!! Happy days!!

These guys clearly listened to a lot of Bob Dylan.

Napa town and country fair 1967 at the fair there was a psychdelic booth a geodesic dome thing. they were playing this. we also would go to the haight to be part of all the things going on. It was the summer of love 1967 I was there and still here in the North bay area. life has been long and fun.

One of the great bands of the 60's with one of the very first psychedelic albums. Fabulous music, great lyrics and the one, and only Country Joe McDonald. PERFECTION.

Adeline and Ashby..A lot going on in the flat above the antique store...

17 yrs old annd trippin

irecconciabaley old education.

First concert I went to was County Joe at the Berkeley Community Center. Tickets were $3.50 Those were the days lol

saw em in the village when I was 167 hold on I think I should be dead by now

Someone fucked with the mix, so you can't hear the organ. Buy the album so you can hear actually hear what the disc sounds like.

I saw Country Joe play in People's Park in Berkeley. He walked up out of the audience. He was not flashy at all, just another Berkeley hippie.

Aw, man, it would be something to see, brother!

I saw him in Philly in the 70s at the Spectrum. Hes playing Woodstock 50

Country Joe's guitar licks are so seriously underrated.

Lead guitarist was Barry "The Fish" Melton, who eventually left the band and became a lawyer and public defender.

That is Barry Melton on guitar .

Hey, I love this song 'cause it makes my laugh LOL.

This is genius.

AHHH , memories of the magic mushrooms with this very fckn LOUD

my joy of life ain't blowed out yet--aaahhh...so sweet...

Melted in my seat, trying to see them, but I could see the music!!!

I heard Robert Plant liked Country Joe.. so here I am.

Love that Organ, sucker is electric in more ways than one. A SUNSHINE draped song! Still love it, after all these yrs.

I think the Hammond or whatever organ of choice they used for The Doors, Country Joe, etc .... helped with the psychedelic coloring of the music. Jefferson Airplane didn't use an organ and they had plenty of color in the music...a testimony to the brilliance of Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen

She hides in an attic concealed on a shelf
Behind volumes of literature based on herself
And runs across the pages like some tiny elf
Knowing that it's hard to find
Stuff way back in her mind
Winds up spending all of her time
Trying to memorize every line
Sweet Lorraine, ah sweet Lorraine.

Sweet lady of death wants me to die
So she can come sit by my bedside and sigh
And wipe away the tears from all my friends eyes
Then softly she will explain
Just exactly who was to blame
For causing me to go insane
And finally blow out my brain
Sweet Lorraine, ah sweet Lorraine.

Well you know that it's a shame and a pity
You were raised up in the city
And you never learned nothing 'bout country ways
Ah 'bout country ways.

The joy of life she dresses in black
With celestial secrets engraved in her back
And her face keeps flashing that she's got the knack
But you know when you look into her eyes
All she's learned she's had to memorize
And the only way you'll ever get her high
Is to let her do her thing and then watch you die
Sweet Lorraine, ah sweet Lorraine.

Now she's the one who gives us all those magical things
And reads us stories out of the I Ching
Then she passes out a whole new basket of rings
That when you put on your hand
Makes you one of the Angel Band
And gives you the power to be a man
But what it does for her you never quite understand
Sweet Lorraine, ah sweet Lorraine.

Well you know that it's a shame and a pity
You were raised up in the city
And you never learned nothing 'bout country ways
Oh 'bout country ways, oh 'bout country ways
Yeah about country ways, oh country ways...

ah,cocaine,yes......

This is the ultimate hippie band. Run down to your music dealer and buy this album, you'll never regret it.

I jus picked it up to add to my growing collection of albums, and I was not disappointed. It is an amazing album. It almost takes you back in time listening to it. It's a must have!

Damn William!! I'm so in total agreement with you it hurts. You are so right, and I so loved this album. Do you remember the game that came with this album? You had to unfold it and it was stupid as hell, nevertheless, I spent the Summer of 69 playing it while staying drunk and stoned, all the time. There is no rational explanation, but I never had more fun playing any game. And, the album was always playing while we played the game. I was 16 years old that wonderful summer.

I had it back in the 70s. Section 43 was my favorite as well as this one

William Henshaw Hey, William, you DO know, of course, that Country Joe McDonald went on to earn his JD, right? Passed the bar, Juris Doctor awarded. Yay for our side! 😎

@ToddtheExploder actually Todd that was /is?? Barry Melton oh well.

Electric Music for the Mind and Body was released on May 11, 1967. Much of the album's material continued to expand upon the band's new psychedelic medium, with it embracing all facets of the members' influences, which ranged from their folk roots, blues, raga rock and hard rock It contained their only nationally charting single, "Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine", and their most experimental arrangements.

I bought it.

Wow, what a flash! I had this album while still in high school; haven't seen that album cover in over 40 years. Still sounds pretty good!

They played live at a "Smoke-In" in Tompkins Square Park, East Village NYC, in July 1967. I was 19, and it was transformative. 50 years ago, maybe to the date.

http://bedfordandbowery.com/2017/05/50-years-ago-the-summer-of-love-brings-pot-protests-and-psychedelic-rock-to-the-east-village/

Enjoy your retirement, Joe.

I wish there was a love button! Still have this album, along with the rest....scored one of his very rare EP's released prior to this, which they would sell on the streets of Berkeley and Frisco........

and you never learned nothing bout country ways. . . I wanna learn country ways

Hey you McDonalds. Is this a cousin.

The joy of life, she dresses in black
With celestial secrets engraved on her back

Original Goth!

GOTH, my Ass man, TRY Again - Think "Painted Ponies" Adobe Bar, 1960's , NEATer than Cool, Tougher than KEVLAR, "Start with Two - leave on ONE" (wheels that is), Mud-Checked to Perfection..a dedicated gift to an era!

The lyrics of this song are amazing. It's talking about the feminist crap in Berkeley that was already taking hold in '66. A disaster.

Stupid.  Its rhyming slang.  Its about cocaine.

1966 and Country Joe playing in Peoples Park in Berkeley. Good memories...

Made it to 98 on Billboard Top 100.

fifty year ago!   It's a shame and a pitty...

in the summer backyard in a lounge chair, "camping out" at the apts.   boosted the cassette from the western auto.....when it innally showed up , we knew what they was talking 'bout, right?

For me it was the music..it wasn't till many years later I listened the words..but back then it was like that with a lot of the music.  Just like "whiter shade of pale"  Most of those times were all about camaraderie...

why do i like this song so much? its about a crazy chick! :P

it's about acid

Well, duh!  Its rhyming slang.  Its about cocaine

Hey guys, how about this - it may very well be a drug song, but even if that is true (and I am not arguing that it isn't; you may have heard someone verify that) it is still at the same time clearly describing a certain type of woman that is controlling, self-centered and downright toxic. Any cryptic drug meanings do not cancel the literal message about this type of woman. The music and singing stand on their own, but this type of song about the wrong kinds of women always resonates with us guys. This song is a classic and I'm glad there was at least one radio station in Portland, Oregon in 1968 that played really hip songs like this one. Many other stations had some of the better know hits but omitted the others like this that were even cooler but weren't as well known.

Man, You Citizens KNOW SO LITTLE - The Symbol on the Back of H.A. 81 MC colors, be of that name - As be the song a gift.

Freakin' sweet...

I bet Hillary remembers Bill singing this song to her...mmmm...when she was on LSD or something?!?...LOL...:)O(:...

This might have been a little before their time. They were more into Fleetwood Mac.

I have fucked many bitches to this song

Boooooooooooooooooost

>>>>>>>>REAL PSYCHEDELIC MUSIC<<<<<<<<

Oh, that's Camille Paglia.

Is it possible it's about Camille Pagia?

gimee an f?

STILL GOOD! lol

Sugar cubes and vials...

super merci Tomy

My friends used to look at me funny when I listened to this. We were all like 12 when I got really into these guys, and my tastes have changed a lot since then, but I still find myself revisiting this band. They're absolutely amazing.

Good for you. Part of being a young adult is dealing with the resentment of not being fully in control of ones life.Random events can make it worse. Maintain.

they certainly are and may i commend the 12 year old you :)

I was 18,and loved it. Dag

I keep listening to this song. All week. Just discovered it.

now, dear Kelly, i have something to say: you'll NEVER stop listening this album. Never. I'm trying since 45 years...I stopped taking heroin, morphine, LSD, cocaine, amphetamines ans so on in 1983. I stopped drinking alcool and little quiet pills 15 years ago. Stopped smoking cannabis 10 years ago, tobacco in 2008, television 30 years ago, i stopped sex 2 years ago....But i never could stop listening to Country Joe, specially this album. It's TOO GOOD......

She hides in an attic...etc...:)O(:...

FREAK FREELY RADIO from San Fran underground rocked!

D-Street Happening 1967. Better days I've never seen. Thanks Joe, Jim, Janis, Grace... you know why you are and who you turned on.

+calvinatorg xactly. I can not say it better.

Perfect....don't edit a thing @Fred Libby

montreal 1967 purple microdot

was that you ? @Ardy Ar

Haight Ashbury 1967 ... Gift shops in the City selling "hippy" souvenirs ... inflatable green day glow green with huge purple polka dots bed pillow....the original Surrealistic Pillow as one example . Hippies "sleeping" on cars in the middle of the day. Naked female breasts....so much to take in. What an experience ! @arte abstracto

Blotter acid...." just peel of a little and it's like smoking a joint" ...some very bad advice I got.

1968 Yosemite purple microdot , first time .

@Jim Dep Thats fokin hilarious!!! XD

THE REAL DEAL, UofO-Eugene, Oregon. Fall Creek falls with food and drink, and other such edibles. Wish you could have been there Steve! PEACE

A favorite....remember my own Sweet Lorraine....based on a very pleasant Feb. '69....BC semester break....and subsequent long-distance friendship while I was a sailor....how small the world has become in the interim.

This WAS acid ! The REAL DEAL! Ann Arbor '68/'67

i'm surronded by morons

sweet lawrain

thats the version i'm use to

this song,and silver and gold,,me favourite ones by these . . . . . .

Don't touch the brown acid man.

An unpaid bed of Farfisa organ.

West Coast psych, that sounds good, man.

genius:)