Steve Earle unapologetic about "John Walker's Blues" (How popular is this guy?)

Salon ^ | Sept. 27, 2002

[another cricket]

Almost all of it is also unabashedly commercial, derivative, generic, and boring.

What isn't? Movies, TV, best sellers, food. If I find five a year that are fresh, exciting and original it was a good year. And by next year they will have spawned a half dozen clones.

a.cricket

[Illbay]

You have a good point.

[archy]

His biggest hit was probably "Guitar Town" from the mid-80s

*Copperhead Road* would be my guess, aimed a little more at CW-radio airplay.

[archy]

...Does anyone have the lyrics...

Unfortunately, yes.

[adam stevens]

You are right.

[adam stevens]

What justification do they have to hate America? The answer is none unless you count hating freedom. There is no comparison. We aren't agressive towards them but when they are a threat to us we must and will attack.

[adam stevens]

And what kind of music do you like?

[adam stevens]

As you can see it is garbage

John Walker's Blues
(Steve Earle)

I'm just an American boy raised on MTV
And I've seen all those kids in the soda pop ads
But none of 'em looked like me
So I started lookin' around for a light out of the dim
And the first thing I heard that made sense was the word
Of Mohammed, peace be upon him

chorus:
A shadu la ilaha illa Allah
There is no God but God

If my daddy could see me now – chains around my feet
He don't understand that sometimes a man
Has got to fight for what he believes
And I believe God is great, all praise due to him
And if I should die, I'll rise up to the sky
Just like Jesus, peace be upon him

chorus

We came to fight the Jihad and our hearts were pure and strong
As death filled the air, we all offered up prayers
And prepared for our martyrdom
But Allah had some other plan, some secret not revealed
Now they're draggin' me back with my head in a sack
To the land of the infidel

A shadu la ilaha illa Allah
A shadu la ilaha illa Allah

[adam stevens]

"Coppherhead Road" is anti-law enforcement.

[Illbay]

What justification do they have to hate America?

None, of course. But people who indulge in hatred of others rarely need justification.

My comment about the guy's song is just that it's an emotional rant that provides a great deal of heat and next to no light.

IMO, it was written and produced as a commercial ploy to capitalize on the 9/11 attacks.

[Illbay]

Oh, pretty much ALL KINDS.

[Illbay]

FWIW, the guy was attempting to write a song from "Johnny's" point of view. It's understandable why that would make a lot of folks mad, because it does seem like he's glorifying what he did.

But by that same logic, you could say that a pop song like "I Fought The Law" glorifies criminal activity.

[adam stevens]

I am unfailar with that song.

[adam stevens]

I think we have a right to seek revenge against those that wage war against us. That is the difference. We are justified they are not.

[Illbay]

We don't "seek revenge." We seek to punish those who murder or aid murderers.

If we were into "revenge," we would just bomb Arab towns or kidnap the wives or children of al-Qaeda members and kill them.

"Revenge" is what "they" are into. We are better than they are.

[WFTR]

Thanks, by the way, I really like that song. Our plant does a slide show or video every year featuring photos or clips of all of the people who work here. This year, this was the opening song for a slide show. I was pleasantly surprised to see them use it. I'm certain that the "diversity" advocates at the corporate level would never have approved it, but the local management must have realized how well it would resonate with those of us who work here.

WFTR
Bill

[adam stevens]

Great webpage!

[WFTR]

Thanks!

[another cricket]

You're right. I should check rather then go from memory I guess.

a.cricket