Monday, August 06, 2007

Antiwar/Occupation Songs: Lee Hazlewood


As part of the ongoing and occasional series on songs critical of the Iraq war/occupation, there is Lee Hazlewood. I meant to post something earlier, and now that he has passed away, I'm finally prodded to do so.

His last album, Cake or Death, is quite wonderful, quirky and singular, like everything Hazlewood ever did (or at least, what I've heard). His version of "These Boots Are Made for Walking" is worth the price of the album alone.

And there are at least a couple notes of dissent here, first of all, on "Baghdad Knights":

And the soldiers they stay
Shoot to kill and then pray
They soon leave the outskirts of hell.
And they write their letters to loved ones
Write sometimes we fight
Sometimes we run
Just like playing football
…with a gun.
Ahhh ahhh ahhh ahhh ahhhhhh
Those Baghdad Knights!
Ahhh ahhh ahhh ahhh ahhhhhh
Those Baghdad Knights!

And then there is "Anthem":

I never never never ran.
I never fought or hurt nobody,
nobody I was bigger than.
I always did what my mama told me.
Do so good and pay that band.
I always did what my mama told me
but I never did vote Republican.
I never did vote Republican.

RIP, Lee.

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