Their new song "Cakewalk to Baghdad" is in sync with Country Joe McDonald's compositions that stretch back to the escalating years of the Vietnam War. With the post-"victory" occupation of Iraq in its thirteenth month bringing death to many people including children, his old song "An Untitled Protest" remains unfailingly current. Sung the other night, it was no more dated than today: "Red and swollen tears tumble from her eyes / While cold silver birds who came to cruise the skies / Send death down to bend and twist her tiny hands / And then proceed to target 'B' in keeping with their plans."

It happens that Country Joe McDonald and the band's other musicians have returned to public space together at a time when many American soldiers -- following the orders of the commander in chief -- are continuing to kill and be killed. An old question is also new: What are we fighting for? "And those who took so long to learn the subtle ways of death / Lie and bleed in paddy mud with questions on their breath / And we send prayers and praises."

Saturday night you can catch them in the Rogue Theatre in Grant's Pass, Oregon. Then they are off to England for a month, but you can catch up with them August 20 - 21 at the 2004 Woodstock Reunion.

Here's a review from this week's show in Berkeley which was a benefit for Options Recovery Services.

“I’m really glad to get this event in Berkeley,” McDonald said. “Options Recovery is a really good 12-step program. They operate out of the Veterans Memorial Building, working with homeless people with drug and alcohol problems—many of them vets, which is a cause dear to my heart. “[It’s] thanks to a 12-step program [that] I don’t do drugs or alcohol anymore,” he explained, adding with a smile, “although I’ve had my share.” The last entry in the marijuana news section of his web site is dated Nov. 19, 2001.

“What we hope to do with our tour is provide a little humor and validate our audiences’ goodness,” McDonald said. “We play pretty nice and we try to make fun of the president—a fine old American tradition. We hope to have a few reverent moments.” The he grinned. “And maybe make a few bucks, too.”

The only original band member who couldn't make the reunion tour is "the fish" -Barry Melton. Here's why:

Lead guitarist Melton now heads the Yolo County Public Defenders Office in Woodland, supervising the 21 lawyers who represent poor and indigent criminal defendants and playing gigs in clubs across Northern California.

Here's Country Joe in a new interview. And don't miss these lyrics to Fixin' to Die in Iraq, sent in by Country Joe fans.