Dave's Music #44 War, What is it good for?
This playlist was again a recommendation from my friend Carol Roth from Adventures in Americana, when she sent me a note that said "If you do an anti-war playlist, Sarah King does an amazing acoustic version of Black Sabbath’s War Pigs." and a new song was quickly added to the library and a playlist quickly came together. The playlist is a very somber mix of songs, but war is not pretty or necessary.
1) War - Shawn James
A quick BC search found this rocker cover of the classic Edwin Starr song. He nails it.
2) War to Come - Brianna Kocka
Had a chance to meet her a couple of times at my favorite LaCrosse venue, The Root Note... "mother's protect your sons"
3) Before the War - Eli Gardiner
Solemnly Eli talks about the cold way it feels right before war, and yes is it even worth dying for?
4) War Pigs - Sarah King
Sarah is a new voice to me and as mentioned above, this is the song that started the playlist, the this is how it is described on Sarah's Bandcamp page. I'm looking forward to knowing more about her.
20% of all proceeds goes to the Green Beret Foundation.
Black Sabbath's “War Pigs,” about the hypocrisy of war, has only grown in meaning since Sarah first started covering it when touring around Georgia and the South with her band Ophir Drive in the early 2010s. King lost her first husband, a soldier, to suicide after a struggle with PTSD. His death came a few years after their split over her realization that her dreams and his military aspirations were at odds.
Recording a new stripped down acoustic cover of “War Pigs” has been one way for King to deal with the trauma of losing him, and the regret that she couldn’t do more. “I will forever live with the thought of ‘Maybe I could have just waited,’ or ‘Is any of that my fault.’ We remained close friends up until about a year prior to his death, and I will never know the answers. I know my life is better for him having been in it.”
Black Sabbath's “War Pigs,” about the hypocrisy of war, has only grown in meaning since Sarah first started covering it when touring around Georgia and the South with her band Ophir Drive in the early 2010s. King lost her first husband, a soldier, to suicide after a struggle with PTSD. His death came a few years after their split over her realization that her dreams and his military aspirations were at odds.
Recording a new stripped down acoustic cover of “War Pigs” has been one way for King to deal with the trauma of losing him, and the regret that she couldn’t do more. “I will forever live with the thought of ‘Maybe I could have just waited,’ or ‘Is any of that my fault.’ We remained close friends up until about a year prior to his death, and I will never know the answers. I know my life is better for him having been in it.”
lyrics
Generals gathered in their masses, Just like witches at black masses
Evil minds that plot destruction, Sorcerer of death's construction
In the fields the bodies burning, As the war machine keeps turning
Death and hatred to mankind, Poisoning their brainwashed minds
Oh lord yeah
Politicians hide themselves away, they only started the war
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role to the poor
Evil minds that plot destruction, Sorcerer of death's construction
In the fields the bodies burning, As the war machine keeps turning
Death and hatred to mankind, Poisoning their brainwashed minds
Oh lord yeah
Politicians hide themselves away, they only started the war
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role to the poor
Time will tell on their power minds, making war just for fun
Treating people just like pawns in chess,
Wait 'till judgement day comes
Now in darkness world stops turning, ashes where the bodies burning
No more War Pigs have the power, hand of God has struck the hour
Day of judgement, God is calling, on their knees the war pigs crawling
Begging mercies for their sins, Satan, laughing, spreads his wings
Treating people just like pawns in chess,
Wait 'till judgement day comes
Now in darkness world stops turning, ashes where the bodies burning
No more War Pigs have the power, hand of God has struck the hour
Day of judgement, God is calling, on their knees the war pigs crawling
Begging mercies for their sins, Satan, laughing, spreads his wings
5) Live's in the Balance - Acoustic Blender
When I started doing this playlist I thought I better not do an entire Jackson Browne playlist because he has nothing in Bandcamp. I did find one of his songs with a great cover in a 2008 release by Acoustic Blender while not a defunct band, they are pretty rare to find in the internet world. My guess the pan pipes are a patch on a keyboard, but they later commented on a post that these are real, and they believe the ones on Jackson's recording are a electronic keyboard patch. Interesting.
6) War Horn - Shakey Graves
Again, putting these playlist together move songs that I've ignored right smack into the frontal lobe, ponder these lyrics even if you don't appreciate Shakey's fake horns:
Never robbed a bank I never stole a car
Never pumped no bullets into Johnny Law
Always payed my taxes always drove below the speed limit
In my home town
Never pumped no bullets into Johnny Law
Always payed my taxes always drove below the speed limit
In my home town
Always had a girlfriend
Yeah I always had a job
Never drank no alcohol
Always flapped my jaw
Never raised a finger till I heard the lord
Blowin on his old war horn
Yeah I always had a job
Never drank no alcohol
Always flapped my jaw
Never raised a finger till I heard the lord
Blowin on his old war horn
Always smoked them cigarettes
Yeah never smoked no dope
Always had an alibi
Yeah always had some hope
Never thought no evil could have settled down
In the people of my home town
Yeah never smoked no dope
Always had an alibi
Yeah always had some hope
Never thought no evil could have settled down
In the people of my home town
Never met no witches no I never met no ghosts
Never sent no howlies to the fire below
Never carried weapons till I heard the lord
Blowin on his old war horn
Never sent no howlies to the fire below
Never carried weapons till I heard the lord
Blowin on his old war horn
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Alejandro Rose Garcia
War Horn lyrics © Music Of Big Deal, Dead Pawn
Yep it takes innocent people and turns them into hardened killers, and sometimes because we think the Lord would want us to. Interesting I thought that was a cover by Shakey and then I realized Alejandro Rose Garcia is Shakey's real name, but did you know he's also an actor?
7) Girl in the War - Josh Ritter
While I found rare Josh Ritter on Bandcamp that is now in my wishlist. Not this song, which again mixes religious metaphors with war images. Ritter has a definite Dylan flair to his writing.
Peter said to Paul
"All those words that we wrote
Are just the rules of the game and the rules are the first to go"
But now talkin' to God is Laurel beggin' Hardy for a gun
I gotta girl in the war, man I wonder what it is we done
"All those words that we wrote
Are just the rules of the game and the rules are the first to go"
But now talkin' to God is Laurel beggin' Hardy for a gun
I gotta girl in the war, man I wonder what it is we done
Paul said to Petey
"You gotta rock yourself a little harder,
Pretend the dove from above is a dragon and your feet are on fire"
And I got a girl in the war, Paul the only thing I know to do
Is turn up the music and pray that she makes it through
"You gotta rock yourself a little harder,
Pretend the dove from above is a dragon and your feet are on fire"
And I got a girl in the war, Paul the only thing I know to do
Is turn up the music and pray that she makes it through
8) Drums of War - Jackson Browne
While I bought the studio version from Apple music, this video is how I'd love to see Jackson; like right in the corner of my living room for a house concert. The song hits home that we have an economic machine that's built to make people money to perpetuate wars:
Who gives the orders, orders to torture?
Who gets to no bid contract the future?
Who lies, then bombs, then calls it an error?
Who makes a fortune from fighting terror?
Who is the enemy trying to crush us?
Who is the enemy of truth and justice?
Who is the enemy of peace and freedom?
Where are the courts, now when we need them?
Why is impeachment not on the table?
We better stop them while we are able
Roll out the drums of war
Who gets to no bid contract the future?
Who lies, then bombs, then calls it an error?
Who makes a fortune from fighting terror?
Who is the enemy trying to crush us?
Who is the enemy of truth and justice?
Who is the enemy of peace and freedom?
Where are the courts, now when we need them?
Why is impeachment not on the table?
We better stop them while we are able
Roll out the drums of war
9) War Child - Buddy & Julie Miller
The saddest victims during war, children and the legacy we give them. Boy I recognize the sadness in this blog playlist; I'm sorry war stinks.
War child, spend your life on the run
War child, make you carry a gun
Never sleep more than one night in one place
Never without hungry eyes on your face
War child, spend your life on the run
War child, make you carry a gun
Never sleep more than one night in one place
Never without hungry eyes on your face
War child, spend your life on the run
10) Coal War - Joshua James
I wasn't sure if this song had relevance, but the more I listened to it the more the sting of outrage came through, I tried to find out more and found this interview by Daniel Ford.
DF: The song “Coal War” was used in the opening sequence of the fourth season of “Sons of Anarchy.” I fist pumped in the air and shouted out loud in an empty apartment in New York City after hearing the first couple of notes. How did that make you feel as an artist hearing your music on such a mainstream show?
JJ: First off, I love that you fist pumped. Everything else will appear pale in its comparison, but I will attempt to answer with fervor. When I saw the usage of "Coal War" in “Sons of Anarchy,” I was ecstatic. I, throughout my career as a singer, have tried to sing with an honest voice, with as much truth to what I am feeling at the moment as I possibly can, and so when one of the songs that I wrote was chosen for such an epic moment in such an epic television program I was elated and full of pride (be it good or bad).
Entertainment Weekly talked about it being used: “Coal War” by Joshua James: I introduced the music of Joshua James to [Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter] at the beginning of season 3. We were looking for an artist to sing “No Milk Today” (season 3 opening montage) and I thought JJ ideal. There is an inherent yearning quality in his voice, very emotive without the sentimentality. A kind of stoic resignation to the human condition if I want to really over-analyze. Kurt became a fan so when he had finished writing episode 401, he knew he wanted powerful music to underscore the action. Obviously, the opening line, “Ain’t cutting my hair to the good Lord comes…” speaks directly to Jax’s new haircut. But more important, I think that same quality of non-sentimentality in JJ’s voice spoke to the narrative. SAMCRO is back, out of jail. They’ve served their time. It’s only mildly celebratory. Which strikes me as being totally in character with our guys….
I could see Black Lives Matter in these words:
If we don't walk free with hand in heart, it's time
If we cannot see all we destroy, we're blind
It's not the hand that cuts, it's the heart we left behind
It's not the hand that cuts, it's the hatred deep inside
If we cannot see all we destroy, we're blind
It's not the hand that cuts, it's the heart we left behind
It's not the hand that cuts, it's the hatred deep inside
11) Just before the War - Peter Mulvey
Perspective of bravery changes when war is involved, great story from Peter.
Here's a great live recording of Peter with the song.
12) The Night Before the War - Ronnie Fauss
"Can't escape that ringing in our ears" I love these in studio videos, and it only has 1200 views, it needs more love.
13) Still Fighting the War - Slaid Cleeves
PSD is no joke or weakness, someone remind our former President about that.
Flashback to Fallujah, lost another best friend
Three tours of duty and you wonder when it's all gonna end
Body's broken and bone shattered, blood and dust in your mouth
Gettin' weary but you're running with the few and the proud
Sometimes you wonder why you went, You never wonder what you stayed on for
You've been home for a coupla years now buddy but you're
Still fighting the war
Three tours of duty and you wonder when it's all gonna end
Body's broken and bone shattered, blood and dust in your mouth
Gettin' weary but you're running with the few and the proud
Sometimes you wonder why you went, You never wonder what you stayed on for
You've been home for a coupla years now buddy but you're
Still fighting the war
14) No Peace, No End - Richard Thompson
Here's one for a Professor Songwriter.
Where were you when the walls were crumblin'
Where were you when the guns were rumblin'
Where were you when the hounds of hell
Took sisters and lovers away
Did you see me on a slippery slope
Wrong end of a telescope
Do you even pause for breath
As you sleepwalk through the day
Some day won't you
Stand in my shoes
And see the world I see
No hope, no friend
No peace, no end
Where were you when the guns were rumblin'
Where were you when the hounds of hell
Took sisters and lovers away
Did you see me on a slippery slope
Wrong end of a telescope
Do you even pause for breath
As you sleepwalk through the day
Some day won't you
Stand in my shoes
And see the world I see
No hope, no friend
No peace, no end
15) With God on Our Side - Kelsey Waldon
While most readers know I like to start playlists off with a Dylan cover, this great cover by Oh Boy recording artist, Kelsey Waldon is stunning, and it puts a coda to the playlist, though my prayer would be that it would be a coda to war.
Hope you loved the journey ... remember to follow us and as always Good Music has NO Expiration Date, so if you are listening to this ten years from now, it still will be awesome music. If this is a first time visit, check out the index of themes for past editions.
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