I can’t believe noone has mentioned this yet. Has he completely gone insane?
I’m reserving judgment till I hear the song, but it sounds to me like it’s supposed be written from Lindh’s point of view. His is a sad and bluesy kinda story, maybe; this American kid that went off on a search for peace, got everything totally backwards, and screwed his life up. Nerves are still raw from 9/11, perhaps, but even the Stones had “Sympathy for the Devil”…
Now, if he does “Zacarias Moussaoui’s Blues”, forget it.
I obviously missed my current events – why does Jane Fonda hate america?
Not exactly “current” events when it comes to Fonda – it was her conduct during Vietnam.
Well, I’ve never heard of Steve Earle before this. Maybe that’s his motivation, to get publicity?
I have to admit, though, I don’t follow country music at all, or even “alt country”. How well known was this guy to casual country fans?
Ok, for the benefit of those of us born post-Vietnam, what’d little Janey do during the war that forever marked her as an American-hater? Curiosity’s killing me.
Well, she protested a lot during the war, and she and Donald Sutherland once had a traveling show that performed antiwar skits near military bases in the U.S. (it was called F.T.A.; either “Free the Army” or “F***” the army"). Anyway, the upshot is that she was very anti-military at a time when there were plenty of U.S. soldiers being killed over there. So perhaps understandably, some people viewed her as a bit of a traitor.
I’ve heard of Steve Earle, and he’s got a great voice - I have a song of his called “Trancendental Blues” that’s excellent.
I’ll also wait for the song, but the article cited above makes it seem that he’s very pro-terrorist.
I heard about it on CNN this morning, and the reporter called it ‘stupid.’ I’m getting kind of tired of CNN reporters telling me what to think about the news.
Come on, people, you are reporters, so I know you’re familiar with the concept that freedom of speech is essential to a healthy democracy.
Or were you just hired because you’re pretty?
I don’t really have a problem with the existance of the song. Looked at from a certain point of view, you could see Lindh’s story as a tragedy about a not-too-bright young man who went looking for truth and got in way over his head. It would probably fade pretty quickly into oblivion except for all the news sources and radio stations that will be playing it in order to criticize it.
Don’t forget the goodwill trip that earned her the name Hanoi Jane.
Wow, you learn something new every day. Thanks guys.
bella
As if the majority of radio stations played Steve Earle to begin with. If they did, then I wouldn’t have to buy so many CDs. I seriously doubt he is doing this for publicity. His credentials as an alt.country legend are solid and he doesn’t care to have mainstream radio hits. He is a serious, thought-provoking song-writer.
Steve Earle is a well known and respected artist in his genre, which is admittedly quite hard to pin down. This is what Rollng Stone says about him:
What amuses me about that article from the OP is the picture. He’s not exactly a sex symbol, but that pic makes him look like a cross between Charles Manson and Bug-Eyed Earl from Red Meat. Where’d they dig that up? It’s amazing the bias a paper can show with a picture that they don’t necessarily put into the article. As for the song, I’ll reserve my judgement, too. Sounds like a bad career move on the face of it. But then, I don’t think he’s ever cared much what other people think.
He’s ugly as a mud fence, but he’s a great and legendary Texas songwriter in the vein of Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark. His one “hit” was “Guitar Town”, which was released over fiftten years ago. This isn’t the first time he’s written a controversial first-person song. His “Transcendental Blues” album closes with “Over Yonder”, song written from the perspective of a death row inmate about to be executed. It’s a very touching and beatiful song, one of the few which makes me cry. Here are some of the lyrics:
Give my radio to Johnson
Thibodeaux can have my fan
Send my Bible home to Mama
Call her every now and then
I suppose I got it comin’
I can’t ever pay enough
All my rippin’ and a runnin’
I hurt everyone I loved
The world’ll turn around without me
The sun’ll come up in the east
Shinin’ down on all of them that hate me
I hope my goin’ brings 'em peace
Like some of the others, I’m going to wait and see about the John Walker Lindh song. I want to hear it before I pass judgment, so to speak. BTW, if anyone is interested in a good “starter” Steve Earle album, check out “Copperhead Road” or “El Corazon”, my favorite.
Preview is your friend. I meant “a song”, not “song”. Also, www.steveearle.net is a great resource to find out some more about him.
Iggy, perhaps you should return to the Vaseline and rubber glove 
“Guitar Town” may have made it higher on the charts, but “Copperhead Road” is the one played on what passes for AOR stations across the country.
(And though this isn’t the Cafe, I just want to add that if you’re the lead guitar player and the only mandolin player in the band, be prepared to hop if you want to play "Copperhead Road).
On further thought, I’d like to add that if you put the new Steve Earle tune up against Charlie Daniels’ “This Ain’t No Rag It’s a Flag and We Don’t Wear It on Our Heads”–as his thousands of biker fans applaud with American flag do-rags wrapped around their knobs–do we get a cancellation between jingosim and Fondaism, or is it more like matter and anitmatter meeting?
I believe this is his beef.
milo
Anybody got anything else we can get all foamy about before actually reading or hearing it?
Let’s all go picket “The Last Temptation of Christ” or “Harry Potter” or, for god’s sake, Randy Newman’s “Short People.”
I, for one, will sit here and roll my eyes at you guys while I wait to actually read the damn lyrics before I deport the guy.
Sheesh.
No shit. I’ve met Steve Earle, and he’s no Adonis, but I have no idea where they found that picture. He looks like Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel.
Bluegrass fans should check out “The Mountain”, by Steve and the Del McCoury Band. A brilliant album, and one of the best concerts I’ve had the privilege to attend (and sell merchandise for).
As for the song, I can see why people might get pissed, but it appears to me that the song is written from Lindh’s point of view, and not necessarily Earle’s. I’ll spot him the artistic license. I’m more offended by “This Ain’t No Rag…”, personally.
Dr. J
I dunno folks, if Foxnews has the lyrics down accurately, I’m not sure how saying that Lindh will “rise into the sky like Jesus” could be written from Lindh’s perspective.