"Almost Cut My Hair"
by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young
Almost cut my hair
It happened just the other day
It was getting kind of long
I could have said it was in my way
But I didn't and I wonder why
I feel like letting my freak flag fly
And I feel like I owe it to someone
Must be because I had the flu for Christmas
And I'm not feeling up to par
It increases my paranoia
Like looking into a mirror and seeing a police car
But I'm not giving in an inch to fear
Cos I promised myself this year
I feel like I owe it to someone
When I finally get myself together
I'm gonna get down in some of that sweet summer weather
I'm going to find a space inside to laugh
Separate the wheat from the chaff
Cos I feel like I owe it, yeah
Said I feel like I owe it, yeah
You know I feel---- like I owe it yeah to someone
The song itself is about freedom. It uses "cutting one's hair" to symbolize doing what you feel. He says he owes it to someone to let his "freak flag fly" (great line). He knows he should cut his hair because it would be "out of his way" but he "owes it to someone" to keep it. He owes it to those people who are restricted from growing out their hair due to whatever reason (job, parents, school). The atmosphere of the song is very bluesy and solemn. It's slow and has a lot of feeling to it. It's somewhat oppositional to it's narrative (freedom) because most consider freedom a happy, privileged ideal. But the problem with freedom is the complexities of making up one's own mind all the time. I picture him looking into a mirror, his long hair covering his face and him saying "f*** it". The problem with freedom is it's in the hands of the free, and it's to be used however he or she sees fit.
"Cut My Hair"
By: The Who
Why should I care
If I have to cut my hair?
I've got to move with the fashions
Or be outcast.
I know I should fight
But my old man he's really alright,
And I'm still living at home
Even though it won't last.
Zoot suit, white jacket with side vents
Five inches long.
I'm out on the street again
And I'm leaping along.
I'm dressed right for a beach fight,
But I just can't explain
Why that uncertain feeling is still
Here in my brain.
The kids at school
Have parents that seem so cool.
And though I don't want to hurt them
Mine want me their way.
I clean my room and my shoes
But my mother found a box of blues,
And there doesn't seem much hope
They'll let me stay.
Why do I have to be different to them?
Just to earn the respect of a dance hall friend,
We have the same old row, again and again.
Why do I have to move with a crowd
Of kids that hardly notice I'm around,
I have to work myself to death just to fit in.
I'm coming down
Got home on the very first train from town.
My dad just left for work
He wasn't talking.
It's all a game,
'Cos inside I'm just the same,
My fried egg makes me sick
First thing in the morning
The same motif is in The Who's song "Cut My Hair". Townshend uses cutting his hair to keeping with the times and falling under the dominion of society and family norms. The tone here is more upbeat, but still sad. The subject matter is a little more gloomy. A high school kid is forced to "work himself to death just to fit in" which is the plight of many kids growing up. He must hide his true self by following the rules of society. He "needed" to cut his hair to fit in, but the whole time, he didn't really even WANT to fit in. I was once in a school that made us cut our hair when it got too long. Although it wasn't really a huge deal, it infringed on our natural right. Hair didn't make us behave badly or cheat, it was all an appearance issue, which has nothing to do with learning. It's an arbitrary power abuse, and that principal was fired.