Video Classics: ‘Glad’ – Traffic

Traffic at their 2004 Rock and Roll of Fame induction (L to R): Steve Winwood, Dave Mason, Stephanie Wood (sister of Chris Wood), and Jim Capaldi (Getty Images/Frank Micelotta)

Forget, for a moment, ‘Who is John Galt?’ and instead ask yourself … ‘Who is John Barleycorn?’ and for that matter, what does it have to do with Traffic‘s song “Glad”? Watch the video and then find out …

“Glad” is the opening track to Traffic’s fourth album, entitled John Barleycorn Must Die. It was written by Steve Winwood and released in 1970. A highly-successful instrumental piece, it featured extensive improvisational segments. Jazzy and well-suited to jam sessions, the song became a mainstay of the band’s shows, and they would often extend performances of it to twenty minutes or longer. The version on the album, however, clocks in at a relatively-restrained six minutes and fifty-nine seconds (a 1999 re-release of the album featured a version almost twice as long).

But who was John Barleycorn, and why all of the hostility from Winwood & Co? As it turns out, ‘John Barleycorn’ is a name taken from an old English folk song, in which the title character is a sort of anthropomorphized version of the grain, barley. In the song, John goes through all manner of indignities, much as barley being harvested and processed does, and ultimately dies. Barley is made into bread, which then feeds people … the subtext of the song being that we should give thanks to something/someone that gives itself up so that we might live. In the era the song was created, the Christian subtext was obvious. What might have been obvious to Traffic, however, is that barley can be made into more than just bread … it is a key ingredient in beer and some whiskey.  In true music-star fashion, the passion behind the stated ‘John Barleycorn Must Die’ may have been no more than an alternate way of saying ‘Boys, it’s time to get our drink on.’

Or maybe they just liked bread.

And for what it’s worth, famed westerns actor Randolph Scott retired peacefully and lived in vast wealth and amongst friends to the ripe old age of 89. Just so you know.

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