Talk:Draft Dodger Rag

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A fact from Draft Dodger Rag appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 24 April 2009 (check views). The text of the entry was as follows:

Did you know... that U.S. singer-songwriter Phil Ochs described nearly every way to evade the draft in "Draft Dodger Rag"?

A record of the entry may be seen at Wikipedia:Recent additions/2009/April.

Wikipedia

"carries a purse"[edit]

The article makes matter-of-fact use of this phrase, but what does it actually mean? I'm aware it's a quote from the song, but it must have a meaning itself? Brigade Piron (talk) 09:51, 18 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I've changed purse to handbag. The implication is that the narrator is effeminate. — Malik Shabazz ^Talk/_Stalk 22:05, 18 October 2013 (UTC)[reply]

No, the implication is that the potential draftee is attempting to portray himself as unfit for the draft. That happened a LOT during the Vietnam years, also sham marriages. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2602:304:CC3D:E9F0:C853:8CA6:D52A:BDF6 (talk) 17:19, 5 May 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Yes. The implication is that the narrator is unfit to be drafted because he is effeminate. — MShabazz ^Talk/_Stalk 18:06, 5 May 2018 (UTC)[reply]

I gotta wonder how closely you've actually listened to the lyrics. The young man claims that he (1)is too young, (2)has a ruptured spleen, (3)claims to carry a purse - so? Men in Germany and elsewhere do so regularly. nor so far as I know is that forbidden in the USA. (4)he has terrible eyesight (5)flat feet. (6)suffers from asthma, (7)must care for an invalid relative, and several other excuses. Why center on the handbag claim? It is certainly true that probably THOUSANDS or more young men did everything possible to avoid fighting for corrupt South Vietnam. I love my country, but I consider the Vietnam debacle probably the worst in USA history. You disagree? Fine, that's your right. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2602:304:CC3D:E9F0:48B2:F65:F85D:189C (talk) 20:27, 5 May 2018 (UTC)[reply]

I wonder whether you understand the context in which the song was written, the United States in the 1960s. "Real men" did not carry purses (and the overwhelming majority of American men still don't). If a married couple was out shopping and the wife asked her husband to hold her purse momentarily, many men cringed (and some still do). The narrator is reeling off a list of reasons why he's unqualified to serve in the military: he's unhealthy, he has poor eyesight, he needs to care for an infirm relative, and he's effeminate. — Malik Shabazz ^Talk/_Stalk 01:11, 6 May 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Well, this isn't going anywhere so this is all from me. The "gist" of the song is that the young man, who is probably a loyal American, like myself, doesn't want to be drafted and have to put his ass on the line in a war in which the US should NEVER have become involved. You seem to be "stuck on" just one of his phony complaints, I can't imagine why. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.195.222.159 (talk) 15:13, 6 May 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Older song[edit]

The melody is similar (though certainly not identical) to "The Burglar Man", recorded by Frank Hutchison (and others) a LONG time ago. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2602:304:CC3D:E9F0:C853:8CA6:D52A:BDF6 (talk) 13:59, 5 May 2018 (UTC)[reply]

I don't believe I've ever heard that song, nor have I read that "Draft Dodger Rag" is based on an older song, but reusing or adapting old melodies is typical of the folk music process. If you can find a reliable source that makes a connection between the two songs, we could add it to the article. — MShabazz ^Talk/_Stalk 18:10, 5 May 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Several versions of 'The Burglar Man' are available on eBay. They sound (musically of course) a lot like Draft Dodger Rag to me. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2602:304:CC3D:E9F0:48B2:F65:F85D:189C (talk) 20:32, 5 May 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Here are parts of both songs, add your own music:

Well I’m only eighteen, got a ruptured spleen and I always carry a purse. (I’ll tell the story of a burg-a-ler man who went to rob a house.)

I got eyes like a bat, my feet are flat and my asthma’s getting worse. (He went in thru’ the window as quietly as a mouse.)

Think of my career, my sweetheart dear and my poor old invalid aunt. (Thinkin’ ‘bout the money that he would steal as under the bed he lay,)

Besides I ain’t no fool, I’m goin’ to school and I’m a-workin’ at a defense plant. (He suddenly saw a sight that night that made his hair turn grey.) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2602:304:CC3D:E9F0:C8AB:59AA:5395:4504 (talk) 21:34, 6 May 2018 (UTC)[reply]