STEVE EARLE " THE REVOLUTION STARTS NOW"

STEVE EARLE SINGER SONGWRITER
POET WHO IS ALSO KNOWN FOR HIS
TOPICAL ANTI-WAR SONGS
& SONGS CRITICAL OF THE BUSH REGIME







PHOTOS FROM PICASA


Yes it is good to know there are some music performers who are concerned with the way things are going & have the integrity to stand up speak out & let the chips fall where they may. While most people in the music industry seem to have no opinion about anything & are just happy to get air play & have a hit on the vapid radio stations & the apolitical Much Music in order to make another couple of million to help pay for their multi- million dollar estate as they sell out to the highest bidder .

I only recently by accident came across Steve Earle & I find his music & lyrics quite compelling including those songs that are not so political.
So anyway here’s a bit about Steve Earle a country singer who also writes & sings protest songs & gets a lot of flack for it :

Steve Earle
MOTHER JONES, October 21, 2004
By Jeff
Fleischer

Last month, the eight-time Grammy nominee released The
Revolution Starts Now, a politically charged and musically compelling album that
takes aim at the Bush administration and the war in Iraq. In one of the tracks,
"Rich Man’s War," Earle sings about three men used as political pawns; in "F the
CC" he thumbs his nose at media censorship, and in "Condi, Condi," he serenades the national security advisor.

He’s also hosting a weekly radio show on the Air America network, discussing music and politics with his guests.

Here are the lyrics of one of his songs from the album " THE REVOLUTION STARTS NOW "

"Rich Man's War" Lyrics
Steve Earle

Jimmy joined the army ‘cause he had no place to go
There ain’t nobody hirin’
‘round here since all the jobs went
down to Mexico
Reckoned that he’d learn himself a trade maybe see the world
Move to the city someday and marry a black haired girl
Somebody somewhere had another plan
Now he’s got a rifle in his hand
Rollin’ into Baghdad wonderin’ how he got this far
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man’s war-

Bobby had an eagle and a flag tattooed on his arm
Red white and blue to the bone when he landed in Kandahar
Left behind a pretty young wife and a baby girl
A stack of overdue bills and went off to save the world
Been a year now and he’s still there
Chasin’ ghosts in the thin dry air
Meanwhile back at home the finance company took his car
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man’s war

When will we ever learn
When will we ever see
We stand up and take our turn
And keep tellin’ ourselves we’re free

Ali was the second son of a second son
Grew up in Gaza throwing bottles and rocks when the tanks would come
Ain’t nothin’ else to do around here just a game children play
Somethin’ ‘bout livin’ in fear all your life makes you hard that way
He answered when he got the call
Wrapped himself in death and praised Allah
A fat man in a new Mercedes drove him to the door
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man’s war -

And here's " It's Christmas Time in Washington " by Steve Earle


It's Christmastime in Washington
The Democrats rehearsed
Gettin' into gear for four more years
Things not gettin' worse
The Republicans drink whiskey neat
And thanked their lucky stars
They said, 'He cannot seek another term
They'll be no more FDRs'

I sat home in Tennessee
Staring at the screen
With an uneasy feeling in my chest
And I'm wonderin' what it means


Chorus:
So come back Woody Guthrie
Come back to us now
Tear your eyes from paradise
And rise again somehow
If you run into Jesus
Maybe he can help you out
Come back Woody Guthrie to us now


I followed in your footsteps once
Back in my travelin' days
Somewhere I failed to find your trail
Now I'm stumblin' through the haze
But there's killers on the highway now
And a man can't get around
So I sold my soul for wheels that roll
Now I'm stuck here in this town

Chorus

There's foxes in the hen house
Cows out in the corn
The unions have been busted
Their proud red banners torn
To listen to the radio
You'd think that all was well
But you and me and Cisco know
It's going straight to hell


So come back, Emma Goldman
Rise up, old Joe Hill
The barricades are goin' up
They cannot break our will
Come back to us, Malcolm X
And Martin Luther King
We're marching into Selma
As the bells of freedom ring

See you later,
GORD.