Steve Earl-Taliban Song?

Chris Schlotzhauer · Post by **Chris Schlotzhauer** » 22 Jul 2002 5:19 am

I copied this from another site. Has anyone heard about this? If this is true, put ol' Steve in the same boat as Alec Baldwin and Tom Cruise and ship him out!
+*+*+*+*

July 21, 2002 -- NASHVILLE - American Taliban fighter John Walker
Lindh is glorified and called Jesus-like in a country-rock song to be
released soon by maverick singer-songwriter Steve Earle.
The controversial ballad called "John Walker's Blues" is backed by
the chanting of Arabic prayers and praises Allah.

Earle's lyrics describe the United States as "the land of the
infidel." Those fighting Osama bin Laden's declared jihad against the
United States and Jews are said to have hearts "pure and strong."

The song says when Lindh dies, he will "rise up to the sky like
Jesus."

Northern California-raised Lindh, 21, last week pleaded guilty to
charges including fighting for the Taliban against U.S. forces. He
faces 20 years in jail under a plea deal.

The Lindh ballad is on Earle's forthcoming album "Jerusalem," which
contains other songs that touch on political and social issues,
including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Earle is currently in Europe and could not be reached for comment.
But he told an audience at the Mariposa Folk Festival in Ontario,
Canada, this month: "This song just may get me f---ing deported."

Music-industry heavyweights are already expressing outrage over the
controversial song, and many predict it will be banned from the
majority of radio playlists when it is released in late September.

"This puts [Earle] in the same category as Jane Fonda and John Walker
and all those people who hate America," said Nashville talk-show host
Steve Gill.

Phil Valentine, another Nashville DJ, said Earle had lost his way in
trying to rebuild his faltering career as an alternative country
performer.

"He's off the charts on this one," Valentine said. "It's politically
insane."

Earle had hits in the 1980s with "Guitar Town" and "Copperhead Road."
But his career was derailed in the '90s by a heroin addiction that
led to an arrest and time in prison.

Friends of the outspoken singer believe Earle will welcome any
controversy generated by the new song.

"He can take care of himself if anyone confronts him on the issue,"
said Grant Alden, publisher of No Depression, the alternative-country
music magazine. "He will not back down."

Bob Hempker · Post by **Bob Hempker** » 22 Jul 2002 6:58 am

Steve Earle, and many like him, are nothing but glorified "Garage Bands." bOb's earlier thread about the analysis of NCS hits Steve Earle, and acts like him right square wherever you want to imagine. This crap is just plain Bad Music. It's loud, out of tune, and just plain Crap. i haven't heard this Taliban thing, nor do I care about his political views, but if what he does is music, I'm a blind astronaut.

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Earl Erb · Post by **Earl Erb** » 22 Jul 2002 7:24 am

Right on Bob. I hear Tootsies is looking for a dish washer. That might be a good career move for Mr.Garage Band Earle.

Never could stand that guitar flogging style of music or what ever you call it.

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 22 Jul 2002 10:53 am

I just got this in from Rosco who is Steve Earle's guitar player:

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>......(some) people don't understand that steve is a storyteller and the song is
from John Walker's point of view<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I edited it a little for the the sake of niceness.

Bob

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 22 Jul 2002 11:19 am

one doesn't have to be an axe murderer to write a friggin mystery novel about serial killers... An actor need not be a child molester to play one convincingly on screen.

it's just a guy singing a song.It may be politically charged subject matter- but the First amendment was still in effect last I checked.

And whether you cared for any of this particular artist's previous endeavours matters not a whit.

this strikes me as a knee jerk reaction to a severely misinterpreted song, not unlike some folks' reaction to Randy Newman's "Short People got no Reason to Live" tune from several years back.

IMO

Chris Forbes · Post by **Chris Forbes** » 22 Jul 2002 11:48 am

well..... short people do suck

Earl Erb · Post by **Earl Erb** » 22 Jul 2002 1:42 pm

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
......(some) people don't understand that steve is a storyteller and the song is
from John Walker's point of view
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm sure John Walkers point of view will be well documented in his court papers.Maybe if we're lucky this song will be as popular as the "Ballad Of Davey Crockett" and maybe Disney will make a movie of it.

WAIT A MINUTE! Davey wasn't fighting with the Mexicans!

quote: one doesn't have to be an axe murderer to write a friggin mystery novel about serial killers... An actor need not be a child molester to play one convincingly on screen.
*No, but it helps.

quote:it's just a guy singing a song.It may be politically charged subject matter- but the First amendment was still in effect last I checked.
*No argument there.That doesn't mean I have to like it.

quote:And whether you cared for any of this particular artist's previous endeavours matters not a whit.
*Your right, but that's my opinion.

quote:this strikes me as a knee jerk reaction to a severely misinterpreted song, not unlike some folks' reaction to Randy Newman's "Short People got no Reason to Live" tune from several years back
*Geez,maybe a little more knee jerk reaction might prevent us from having to wake up in the morning with an AK47 pointed at our heads forcing us to recite the Koran before going off to work and kissing our wives goodby with a sheet over their heads.

You know that's their goal.

[This message was edited by Earl Erb on 22 July 2002 at 02:44 PM.][This message was edited by Earl Erb on 22 July 2002 at 03:32 PM.]

Michael Holland · Post by **Michael Holland** » 22 Jul 2002 1:54 pm

put ol' Steve in the same boat as Alec Baldwin and Tom Cruise and ship him out!

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>EXPEL the INFIDELS who would dare disagree with us!

Momar Mohammed, Al Qaeda<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sounds kind of similar, doesn't it?

Larry Miller · Post by **Larry Miller** » 22 Jul 2002 2:33 pm

Merles song "The Fightin' Side of Me" comes to mind.

Wayne Brown · Post by **Wayne Brown** » 22 Jul 2002 3:18 pm

i saw him live years ago and i lost all respect for him when i saw him play his tackamine guitar . he was wailing on it so bad that he broke 4 strings in 1 song then he tryed the who thing and smashed it...what a IDIOT!!!! can't play so he brakes his toys.... DAH[This message was edited by Wayne Brown on 22 July 2002 at 04:19 PM.][This message was edited by Wayne Brown on 22 July 2002 at 04:20 PM.]

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 22 Jul 2002 5:44 pm

Don't get me wrong- I do not think Steve Earl is a "genius", or even particularly gifted as a writer.

Personally, I would much rather listen to Earl Erb play guitar than listen to Steve Earl "sing"
or "play." I own an Earl Erb CD. I own no Steve Earl CD's

and damned if I intend to defend in any way the behaviour of John Walker Lindh. Nor am I an apologist for the poor down-trodden rich-kid Saudi terrorist bastards responsible for 9-11

but it's just a song fer cryin out loud...

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 22 Jul 2002 7:06 pm

Steve Earle is a brilliant songwriter. He's also abrasive, abusive(to his audiences) and offensive. Just ask Del McCoury! But, he's allowed to say what he wants to. And we're allowed not to listen to it. Now, I haven't heard the song in question, don't own any of Steve Earle's music. But you KNOW, if country radio won't play "I Just Destroyed the World I'm Livin' In," then they won't play this song, either. I LOVE AMERICA, DON'T Y'ALL!?!?!

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 22 Jul 2002 7:20 pm

I think he's about 35 years too late to cash in on the "Folk Music/Protest Music" craze.

Earl Erb · Post by **Earl Erb** » 22 Jul 2002 7:22 pm

Dave, I didn't mean to get you riled up. I was just havin' a little fun with your comments. I guess we are all a little sensitive after 9/11. BTW, I'm glad you still like my CD.

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 23 Jul 2002 1:00 am

I think he's about 35 years too late to cash in on the "Folk Music/Protest Music" craze.

Steve Earl is a folk singer get trying to get a reaction from someone.There are millions of folk songs writin from the viewpoint of the villain. At least in this country he can write and sing whatever he wants, if he was under the Taliban rule he wouldn't even be allowed to listen to music.[This message was edited by Alvin Blaine on 23 July 2002 at 02:03 AM.]

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 23 Jul 2002 1:17 am

S Earle plays in a glorified garage band? So do I, but I still drink Miller Beer and play the Star Spangled Banner at every gig .
tp

Ray Jenkins · Post by **Ray Jenkins** » 23 Jul 2002 4:03 am

Never could stand that guitar flogging style of music or what ever you call it.

Earl,would "Thrashing" be a good word.

Ray

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Steeling is still legal in Arizona

Chris Schlotzhauer · Post by **Chris Schlotzhauer** » 23 Jul 2002 5:30 am

FWIW....Here are the lyrics

John Walker's Blues

Just an American boy
raised on MTV
And I've seen all them kids in the soda pop ads
None of them look like me

So I started looking round
for a light out of the dim
And the first thing I heard that made sense was the word
Mohammed peace be upon him

Ash-hadu alla ilaaha illallah, there is no God but God

If my daddy could see me now
chains around my feet
He don't understand 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

Ash-hadu alla ilaaha illallah, there is no God but God

We came to fight the Jihad
Our hearts were pure and strong
And when death filled the air we all offered up prayers
prepared for our martyrdom
But Allah has some other plan
some secret not revealed
now they're dragging me back with my head in a sack
to the land of the infadels

Ash-hadu alla ilaaha illallah

Earl Erb · Post by **Earl Erb** » 23 Jul 2002 7:43 am

Hey Ray, thrashing works for me.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 23 Jul 2002 7:43 am

Not exactly Woody Guthrie, is it?

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 23 Jul 2002 8:02 am

Yea, Woodie Guthrie was only one of those unionist commies !

Bob

Chris Forbes · Post by **Chris Forbes** » 23 Jul 2002 10:25 am

Aaaaaaaah, but if it wasn't for the union that I belong to, where would I be? Probably severely underpaid and wouldn't have been able to afford a steel/amp/volume pedal/etc etc

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 23 Jul 2002 10:57 am

If it wasn't for your union, I would have been able to afford a steel/amp/volume pedal/etc etc.

Chris Forbes · Post by **Chris Forbes** » 23 Jul 2002 11:03 am

I have a hard time believing that, I'm just underpaid as opposed to severely underpaid.