Customer Reviews

Alice's Restaurant

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I heard *Alice's Restaurant* for the first time on the radio in 1967 and I almost drove off the road- it caught my attention both for what the lyrics were saying and the fact that it was long (18:22 min.) and kept going and going and...

I pulled over on a cul-de-sac in Ocean Beach, California facing the beautiful Pacific Ocean to listen without distraction. WOW!

Mind you, I was on my way back to the Navy base farther south to board a war ship and leave for a second tour in Vietnam. "To be or not to be?", that is, leave or stay? Duty to the Navy won the decision, so instead of bailing, I did the next best thing and went to a music store, picked-up the album and returned to my ship so I could share it with my fellow shipmates. They would just love these lyrics before going back to war:

"...and maybe, just maybe...", as the lyrics toward the end say, "...if 50 people come in and sing a bar of Alice's Restaurant, it may cause a movement: The Alice's Restaurant Massacre Movement." ...and the war would end, hopefully.

Alice's Restaurant is my most loaned out, never returned or ripped-off album and I now have this CD with a pit bull posted next to it- just kidding.

This is an all-time favorite classic from the wild `60's with a timeless message and it is well worth sharing with generations to come.

There was another war protest song playing at the same time by the group, "Country Joe and The Fish"- with a song titled, "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die-Rag". Very different from Guthrie's style, but potent.

The 30th anniversary edition features all-new recordings of the same tunes that were on the 1967 version. The sound quality is better now (more bass, and all). At the risk of being accused of heresy, I shall also state that I prefer the newer version of Alice's Restaurant -- more solid performance, fewer glitches, etc. But with at least two other tunes, Ring-Around-A-Rosy Rag and The Motorcycle Song, something is lacking now -- or is it just nostalgia? It's hard to judge whether you, the average listener, would prefer the 30th anniversary edition, or the 1967 original. For some reason, the four reviews that have so far appeared have shown up under both versions, even though each review may have been intended for only one.

Since I was born, every Thanksgiving at noon a local radio station has played Alice's Restaurant. I think this is the most solid traditio in my family. The song is hysterical. My mom has always loved it and whenever I tell people in my generation, like my fiance, that they must listen to it, they look at me like I am insane. But it is a classic song that has enhanced my life. When I went to buy the song for my mom I found this CD, which also had the Motorcyle Song, that my mom used to sing when I was really little and I had never heard the actual thing. So if your kids have never heard this, tell them it is great and make them listen to it, they will at least laugh. And in a time when the draft may come back, they may need to hear his brief experience in a funny way...

I was just 15 when I went to the movies to see the movie "Alices's Restaurant" when it hit the theatres. It was an era of distrust of the US Government, a war most Americans did not want to be involved with and a young generation that began the tradition of questioning the validity of judgment calls made by those whom were our elders. This time brought about many musical groups, like Arlo Guthrie, that had the means of expressing our thougths in musical and lyrical formats. Arlo chose to use his musical abilities to convey what he believed to be he issues of the day as reflected by what he heard and experienced from the young generation of which he was a part. Alice's Restaurant, both in movie and musical format, expressed our fears and jest at what we then called the "establishment". The "establishment" is still with us today, in our work lives, our home lives and in our government policies. Alice's Restaurant still can provoke judgments as to what an individual is willing to accept as the norm and the willingness to make change. But isn't this what makes America what it is - the place where dissidents, like Arlo, can express themselves?

Arlo's great song about his friend Alice's restaurant not only is a hit on it's own terms, it was made into a wonderful movie which turned the song into a reality.

This movie soundtrack features Arlo's creative works and features folk greats such as Pete Seeger (performing Woody Guthrie's "Pastures of Plenty" & "The Car Song") and Joni Mitchell's "Songs to Aging Children" performed by Tigger Outlaw.

Who can forget Arlo's adventures of the Thanksgiving dinner (that couldn't be beat) at Ray and Alice's church in Housatonic, Mass. This CD makes wonderful traveling music and is recommended to Arlo fans young and old alike.

I remember getting this album when it first came out, mainly for the then-immensly-popular title track, only to be pleasantly surprised by the other cuts.. While the new recordings are good in their own right, I miss the subtle nuances ( and perhaps innocence) of the original. This new disc would probably stand alone just fine for someone who had not heard the original, but I much prefer the those to this version.. Please bring back the original recordings!

Amazon lists this as the soundtrack but it is in fact Arlo's original album. The soundtrack I had on vinyl and included the great song by Joni Mitchell "Song's to Ageing Children". But this is still the better deal because the version of Alice's Resturant on the original album is better than the version done for the actual movie soundtrack. And, yeah, that song is the only reason to get the album.

I laughed till I cried listening to Alice's Restaurant on this CD. I'm going to send it to a few of my baby boomer friends that will definitely get a lift and remember a lot of good times just listening to it.

You can get anything you want at
Alice's Restaurant,

You can get anything you want at
Alice's Restaurant

Just walk right in
It's around the back, just a half-mile from the
Railroad track.

You can get anything you want at
Alice's Restaurant


One day in school, when I was in eighth grade, we had some free time and one of our teachers sat us down in a hallway, Indian style, and played us his record album entitled Alice's Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie. Some of the more "street-smart" children comprehended the complete message of the song; I did not. However, now that I am old and foolish instead of being young and foolish, I think I finally get Arlo's message.

The title track for this CD is a whopping 18 plus minutes; but please don't let that scare you away. The melody is infectiously catchy the very first time you hear it; Arlo plays the guitar so beautifully as he recites the lyrics by speaking them except for the main chorus which he does sing.

Arlo tells the true story of how he got caught for littering; and he then goes on to tell his audience the unexpected ramifications of his littering when he went to enlist in the armed forces. Arlo tells his story with a folksy style that you will find to be thoroughly endearing and engaging; most people won't have any trouble paying attention to his story. Arlo uses this number to poke fun at authority; and the audience enjoys it very much. People have written that this number is extremely funny; and they are right! And yes, Arlo delivers the message that he is opposed to the Vietnam War in an exceptionally artistic, creative way through this song. Arlo must be very gifted; he crafted this excellent song in such a way that you enjoy his song even if you don't agree with him!

This is a live recording; the crowd laughs at every joke Arlo cracks as he tells his story. The laughter appears to have been edited in that the ending of the laughter is slightly abrupt--but, then again, who cares? Arlo delivers "Alice's Restaurant" so flawlessly you won't mind this very minor flaw one bit.

Other tracks on this CD deserve attention, too. Some people fall so much in love with the song "Alice's Restaurant" that they never listen to the other tracks on this album. "Chilling Of The Evening" allows Arlo to express his horror at the events of the Vietnam War; the melody shines with a solid musical arrangement. Arlo sings this very well; and the guitar carries the melody beautifully.

"Ring-Around-A-Rosy Rag" tells the story about a friend of Arlo's who almost gets arrested in a park, presumably for using drugs although the reason is never clearly given. The melody sounds distinctly like the music from the pop music of the 1920s and 1930s; I predict you will at least love the melody of this number. Love that piano playing! SMILE

"The Motorcycle Song" reflects much forethought as Arlo rhymes "pickle" with "cycle" which here is pronounced "cicle" as in the word "icicle." Once again Arlo expresses his anti-war sentiment as he also says that he merely wants to be free, enjoying life by riding on his motorcycle to see America and his friends.

Overall, Alice's Restaurant is a vehicle for Arlo Guthrie to express his anti-Vietnam war sentiment; and so many people cherished this album when it first came out on LP that it still sells well today. I recommend this CD for Arlo's fans, fans of folk music and anyone who wants to experience the creative force of a genius who used the power of words and music for self-expression.

I've never listened to the entire CD. So hunt me down and kill me. There is only one relevant song, and that is Alice's Restaurant Massacree. I was 3 when this song came out, my pop was a captain in the US Army, and I remember none of it. What I do remember is, years later, when I was like 6 or 7, my pop still in the US Army, playing this LP over and over again, him and my mom laughing like coked-up hyenas. Laughing.
Fast forward 30 plus years. How is it possible not to laugh like a coked-up hyena when you listen to Arlo. The LP represents a time, a feeling, and a belief. We'd be better today to subscribe to just a bit of that optimism. Well, ...er....