One of the greatest songs in American musical history is 1967’s “Alice’s Restaurant” by Arlo Guthrie. It is a mainstay of radio around Thanksgiving, ostensibly for the reason that it takes place on that holiday.

Yet a fresh read of the material suggests an even deeper connection that may not even be apparent to disc jockeys and audiences listening this year.

The classic version runs almost 20 minutes, and tells the story of two well-meaning New York teenagers who cleaned up the home of some close family friends one Thanksgiving. With the local dump closed, the duo dumps the garbage off a rural hill. A local police officer discovers the littering, hauls the boys in to a judge, after which they plead guilty for littering and pay a $25 fine.

More from LifeZette TV

MORE NEWS: Bloomberg Pays Fines for 32,000 Florida Felons– So They can Vote!

That’s the true part of the story: It actually happened to Arlo and his pal Richard in 1965. From there, Guthrie spins an amusing tale of how he is later drafted for the Vietnam War. In this fictional tale, he is declared ineligible because of the littering conviction. When thrown in front of an Army psychiatrist, he insists that he is “moral enough to join the Army, (and) burn women, kids, houses, and villages, after being a litterbug.” He is rejected and his fingerprints are sent to Washington. The effect is a commentary on the ridiculousness of government interfering in our lives.

The effect is a commentary on the ridiculousness of government interfering in our lives.

Do you agree that protesting is acceptable, but rioting is not? Yes No Email Address (required) By completing the poll, you agree to receive emails from LifeZette and that you've read and agree to our privacy policy and legal statement Results Vote

It’s a precursor to “Full Metal Jacket,” as surgically and hilariously executed as Stanley Kubrick’s anti-war film 20 years later. So even though Guthrie is better known for his liberal ideology, which borders on irrational, his song will resonate forever.

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

MORE NEWS: Texas Youth Summit urges conservative minded youth to be a shining light for truth

Guthrie continues to play the song at his concerts with various adjustments that reflect his personal politics. Nevertheless, the material provides some interesting commentary about present-day politics.

The song was originally a product of the 1960s counterculture movement whose mantra was to question authority. The movement then was anti-Establishment, which implied that government itself was not the cure. Government did, however, represent a roadblock to progress that needed to be addressed as Americans were advocating for social change. Many social experiments (free drugs and sex) were misguided, while others — such as the civil rights movement — resulted in positive changes in the culture.

With the benefit of hindsight, the notion of questioning an Establishment mindset is increasingly critical to our freedom: Big Government in the digital age is encroaching on individual liberties at an alarming rate. Yet, modern countercultural movements — like the riots on college campuses most recently — are taking a divergent approach.

In a bizarre turn of events, students are not questioning the heavy hand of authority in our lives. Instead, they are demanding that government solve all social ills in the form of entitlements (Free College Now!) and protection for their efforts to self-segregate. Campus culture today is a far cry from the counterculture of yesteryear.

Campus culture today is a far cry from the counterculture of yesteryear.

This makes Guthrie’s commentary all the more resonant now. During the Vietnam War, young men and their families were constantly on edge. Everyone was anxiously waiting for the shoe to drop, for draft number to be called. When it did, men as young as 18 were scooped up and thrust into basic training and sent to a country halfway around the world. They fight a war with no experience, in the jungle, against a resourceful and diabolical enemy. It was hard to be thankful.

Today, however, there is no draft. Instead, we have extraordinary young men and women who volunteer to serve in the military. Thinking back on the previous century’s wars and the current Middle East conflicts where our soldiers are deployed, there has never been a better time to thank the members of our military.

They are facing injury and death to protect our nation. They are protecting the freedom of other young men and women (particularly students), who have the luxury to continue pursuing their own trajectories. They can do so today without the threat of war disrupting their lives.

When you hear Guthrie’s song again this Thanksgiving, give thanks to all of those who serve. Remember that they are not home with their families having turkey. There was no draft induction for them. There was no imminent war for them to fight. They chose to serve.

When you hear Guthrie’s song again this Thanksgiving, give thanks to all of those who serve.

Although Guthrie updates his song in concert from time to time, as a matter of protest, the original still provides much to reflect upon at each and every Thanksgiving.