The son of Woody Guthrie started singing professionally in 1966. In 1967 he made it with his song Alice’s Restaurant, which was the high spot of that year’s Newport Folk Festival.
Arlo’s humour was evident on the song, along with his other ‘long song’, Motorcycle.
Guthrie made a film of Alice’s Restaurant in 1969 and a good song became a full-scale commercial venture.