You can get all the e-mail you want at Alice's Restaurant
You can get all the e-mail you want at Alice's Restaurant
SPAM just once, you'll regret it a lot; half a gig o' e-mail from the
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Yeah, you can get all the e-mail you want at Alice's Restaurant Anti-Spam
Massacre
"Alice's Restaurant" tells Arlo Guthrie's true, absurd story of getting arrested for littering on Thanksgiving 1965, which led to his disqualification from the Vietnam War draft, satirizing military bureaucracy and the anti-war movement through a humorous, rambling monologue that became a counterculture anthem and a Thanksgiving tradition due to its message of questioning authority and its memorable, quotable nature. The Story Behind the Song
The Incident: On Thanksgiving 1965, Arlo Guthrie and his friend Rick Robbins helped clean up a home in Stockbridge, MA, owned by Alice and Ray Brock (who ran a community center/restaurant). They piled garbage, which included an envelope traced back to Guthrie, leading to their arrest for illegal dumping.
The Absurdity: The police, especially Officer Obie, took the minor littering offense very seriously, documenting it extensively. Guthrie and Robbins were jailed overnight, and Alice bailed them out.
The Draft Board: Later, when Guthrie faced the draft board, this misdemeanor conviction was used to declare him "unfit" for military service, leading to the ironic punchline: he was too morally questionable to fight for the U.S. because he was a litterbug.
Why It Became So Popular
Anti-War Protest: It's a powerful, satirical anti-war song that uses humor to critique the absurdity of the Vietnam War and the draft system, resonating deeply with the 1960s counterculture.
Unique Format: An 18-minute "talking blues" monologue, it was unlike anything on the radio, full of memorable characters and quotable lines.
The "Massacree": The song's true title, "Alice's Restaurant Massacree," highlights the over-the-top, exaggerated retelling of events, making it both funny and profound.
Thanksgiving Tradition: Public radio stations began playing the nearly 20-minute track in its entirety on Thanksgiving Day, turning it into a beloved holiday ritual, much like a modern-day carol.
Enduring Themes: Its themes of questioning authority, bureaucracy, and finding community remain relevant, ensuring its place in American music history, preserved by the Library of Congress.
You can find the original song on YouTube: Alice's Restaurant Massacre