Fw: Country singer writes 'scandalous' ballad on John Walker Lindh

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Here's an article from today's paper. In addition to being a concentrated
classic of New York Post style, the article describes further slippage in
the rulers' ability to use the 9/11 dead to justify the slaughters that
preceded and followed 9/11 (not to mention the deaths and misery caused
every hour by the automatic workings of imperialist domination).
Of course, the Post to the contrary, there is nothing inherently pro-Taliban
or even pro-Lindh about the song.  It is simply an attempt by a song-writer
to put himself imaginatively inside the head of another and experience the
world as the other experiences it.  This is one of the basic functions, in
my opinion, of art, literature, and music.  My favorite example in
songwriting was pacifist Bruce Cockburn's song about a Salvadoran peasant
youth under fire from U.S. helicopters: "If I Had a Rocket Launcher."

New York Post Sunday, July 21
TWISTED BALLAD HONORS TALI-RAT
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 "John Walker's Blues" is backed by the chanting of
Arabic prayers and praises Allah.  [Nothing anti-Muslim about the New York
Post!  I  guess plans to get "under Allah" into a revised pledge of
allegiance had better be put on hold. -- Fred]

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 declared to be "pure and strong."

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

Northern California-raised Lindh, 21, last wek 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."


"John Walker's Blues," by Steve Earle
I'm just an American boy raised on MTV.
And I've seen all the kids on the soda pop bands,
But none of them look like me,
So I started looking round and I heard the word of God.
And the first thing I heard that made sense was the word of
Allah, Peace be upon him....
We came to fight the jihad, our hearts were pure and strong,
We filled the air with our prayers and we prayed for our martyrdom.
Allah has sme other plans, a secret not revealed
Now they're dragging me back with my head in the sack to the land of the
infidel
If I should diie, I'll rise up to the sky like Jesus.


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